Training day 2

We woke again to lovely sunshine and a good breeze . Breakfast was fresh mango, papaya, pancakes and boiled eggs for some and then down to the boat park which was deserted when we arrived . lots of the early arrivals including NZL decided to have the day off today .

The famous missing sail was waiting for us at the Race office when we arrived so that was one drama solved. Boys then prepared their boats for measurement , sails off booms, blocks, bailers, praddles , compasses  out and mountains of paperwork for Carla.

We were booked for 11.30am after TUR and GER and at about 10.30hrs two sailors thought they had not enough breakfast and decided to order chips.  There is always quite a delay before ordering and arrival of food so just as the chips arrived they had to be left with Carla and Tim while the sailors were summoned to get their boats and listen to Curly Morris telling them what to expect from measurement this week. Tomorrow they are planning to bring more of the supplies in their rooms to the boat park.

So we had five sailors and only one, Martin got through with no issues. One boat had to have 200gm block super glued into it and was advised by Nuno to get his mast step changed by Far East as it was not looking too good. So it is staying with them overnight to be repaired.

Three sails, failed measurement, one did not have the red mark on it but that was solved by a red biro,  one needed attacking with a pair of hot scissors and a few stitches and one had no signature on it, so at a cost of $50 US had to be fully measured . The measurers were not happy with the loft certification of some of our sails.

After another good lunch provided by the organizers, something which can only be described as a pork pie Cornish pasty, the sailors re rigged all the boats and have set sail for the afternoon due back at 4pm.  The FRA only arrived this afternoon with Benjamin from Le Havre coaching them. Some boats are still in their wrapping waiting for teams to arrive.

 After measurement we then had a brilliant session on the water. Champagne sailing at its absolute best! 12-14kts… wall to wall sunshine… stable breeze, and 1.5m waves! Within no time at all we had been out training for 3.5 hours and it was 1730 by the time we returned to shore.

We spent about half of the session working on yesterdays learning’s. Especially mainsheet control and steering. Both with the aid of a “go-pro” camera on the sailors boats.

We also spent significantly more than an hour sussing out the wind on the race course, which will be very useful come race time.

Plan for tomorrow is to do a decent early session on the water, before having some “down time” at the support team’s hotel in the afternoon!!