Mid-week Action

On Easter Monday we visited a friend living near Henley-on-Thames and I ended up chopping wood. The following morning I felt stiff and sore but I still wanted to go sailing today. I was trying to arrange with someone to go but I didn’t managed to. I was hoping I would be able to move my arms and legs. It was going a bit of struggle though, anyway.

This time I managed to get there in time. That was a good start. People were already rigging their boats. Merlins, MRXs and Lasers were all getting ready to launch. I went to the clubhouse and I was asked if I could get onboard a safety boat to help Martin. I didn’t really mind. Obviously sometimes we have to do something for the club. I went to change and by the time I was done, it turned out that they wouldn’t need a second safety boat. So, we could do whatever we wanted.

Martin offered to go out with his GP14. It took us some time to rig it but we launched it eventually. It is a really nice boat. A bit old, but all the rigging is new. So it makes you feel the quality of an old traditional boat with all the trimmings of a modern racing one. Both of us were quite heavy, so although there were some gusts of wind we had the situation under control. There is enough space in front for the crew (me), and enough at the back for Martin. We did a few tacks and I started getting a better feeling of the wind and when to pull the gib in and when to let it go.

Afterwards, I went to the bar for a drink and I had a chat with a few people. Apparently they are preparing some sort of training program which will benefit people like me. Martin saw I was keen so he was keen to sail with me again. The feeling I got is that if they see you are keen, they are keen too. So since I finished my RYA 1, I have been there already twice and they want to help me get more experience and improve my newly acquired skills.

Satisfied overall. I have to see what we are doing with Lydia this Sunday, being the Greek Orthodox Easter and all that. If we won’t do anything, I will definitely go sailing.