Session aims : upwind sailing /Windward Mark rounding..

Chipac performance night was a wet and wild affair.. some cried off with exams looming (a fair one) but 3 sailors, Aimee, Matthew and Josh took to the water in very blustery 26-28knots, gusting 30+ on some extreme flat water blasting in the bay at high tide.with a cross on shore wind. All the elements were in our favour so we went for it ....All were on 4.2 s  Toppers (you dont say) except Aimee. This was  remedied very quickly as the clew end boom block let go with a bang,  Spare boom and now reefed 5.3 was order of the day.. downwind sailing was controlled initially until the guys got used to the conditions on a triangle broad reach course.. which soon had  them planing off the wind....

...With a downwind buoy later set and some angles put in for good measure, some high speeds plus spectacular capsizes and death rolls from all  were evident with Matthew doing a '  Greg Louganis' backward double somersault with twist  in a high sided ' I think Ive missed my toestraps again ' scenario..( Where was Andrew Green and Alan Dop (photographers), when were needed them.. )

Session was revamped on the water to extreme downwind boat handling

This has been a massive confidence booster and the smiles were evident despite working hard for 1 1/2 hour..........

Richard Jones, Chipac Youth Training Officer..