The MAP

An idea of the tides at Pointe Raz that we race through.

Some close racing contact as we approach the first upwind spreader mark, (I'm not sure the guy in the red boat really understand the race rules, barging in on Port tack....)

Another light and shifty race, I'm starting to wonder how the bay of Biscay got it reputation!

It was a hard race, light out of the Bay of Douarnenez. I went right for wind and many went left inshore for the tide, but we all ended up at the Raz at the same time, trying to fight 6 knots of tide in light wind, it was like a boat car park!

Many guys dropped anchor, but I persisted with trying to make any gain, and it paid of as I was one of the first to break free. Then there was a tight reach south through the night. In the early hours the wind shifted to a beat. In the night when I went for a sleep I got a fishing buoy around the keel and it took almost a hour to get free and involved a scary experience, getting wet.

The whole next day we beat South East round Ile de Groix to Birvideaux light house. As I rounded the bottom mark there was a 180 degree wind shift which meant beating all the way North West back home. I'm sure the mini is all about surfing down waves in big breeze.... not this season, roll on the Transat. The wind filled in at night and I went hard west and had a tough, proper offshore sail and made some good distance, although some of the locals had a sneaky trick up their sleeve and snuck through a shoal area and cut off miles!

I just missed the tidal gate to get back through the Raz, which meant another tough fight but this time it was a lot rougher. A group of us took it in turns to have a go at breaking through the passages wave and current, finally I was the first to get through. All though it was scary at time and very close to land it was really exciting and a great feeling to get through.

The final sail back down the bay was great, finally some down wind sailing with some breeze, I went for the wrong kite to start so was fighting had with 3 peels but had some great speed and surfing.

I finish 12th Proto, not a great result but with all the problems I had I am still happy. I had technical problems, including electronics melt down, water-ballast pump breaking, and my encounter with the fishing buoy. And to be honest I made some debatable decision.

Next week is the Fastnet, I'm really looking forward to it and think it has the potential to be the race of the season. The weather is unfortunately looking light again. This is a double-hander and Keith Willis also from Lymington is traveling out to sail with me.