Fourth (and last) week of training just completed in the English Channel. After various drills and exercises, and night sails and anchoring, and some practice race starts, we took part in a race to France and back with the other 11 boats in the fleet. 

Unfortunately the weather had other ideas. An almost-gale of southwesterly wind gusting up to 50 knots, combined with a wind over tide situation off the headlands of St Catherine’s and St Albans’s Head, gave some very short and very large seas, and none of the boats actually sailed the whole course (though five boats, including us, finished under engine).

Long story short, I now have a very large bruise and some muscle damage on my upper thigh, which is causing a bit of a limp and difficulty raising that leg. Should be healed in a few days, first (and hopefully last) sailing injury of this trip! 

Now we’re stuck in to prep week, overhauling and checking and repairing and improving and customizing so many bits of the boat – Jerry here fitting anti-slip tape in the saloon. 

We leave for Liverpool on boat delivery on Wednesday 9th August, and will be there between 14th and 20th if anyone wants to come visit!