The One That Wasn't Sheppey

2023 Open meeting 3 was supposed to be hosted by the Isle of Sheppey Sailing Club, this event was cancelled but with two teams sorted for a weekend off, a plan was cobbled together for a South coast excursion; well, ish, one of the teams being a set of pond sailors it was decided a venue with land all around it would be preferable to calm their anxieties.

Poole Yacht Club was our un-knowing host as well as Ching Towers in the evening. Saturday provided us with 8-10 knots of breeze and a hazy sky. Tacking and gybing practice was the order of the day for team Poppy once they had shown their approval of Eleanor's new paint job! (Gulf racing colour scheme always seems to be a hit!) Tacks improved until Martyn’s ibuprofen wore off. Lessons learned, we now carry a first aid kit.

Dave and Oliver G in Eleanor followed us to practice tacking under pressure meaning the two cherubs were never more than 10 metres away from each other. Both boats seemed to be going well upwind and downwind with Eleanor having the slight edge over Poppy downwind. (Will the new kite sort this?)

We all retired to Dave, Lara and Elliot's house for the evening with a small walk and a BBQ planned (Dave did detour to a shop to bulk buy all the haloumi).

Food was consumed, and drink imbibed, with much chat and merriment, even a Cherub DJ set. You’ve heard of pass the parcel, well this was pass the Spotify, a more eclectic selection you couldn’t imagine.

Sunday dawned with clear heads, hazy skies and the previous day's video was analysed over breakfast. A couple of knots more breeze and an extra boat in the shape of Ronin with Nathan and Oliver M and off we all went to see if we had remembered anything we had learnt the day before. Ronins appearance was brief but productive with a nice to do list in check to complete before nationals Eleanor and Poppy spent their time doing speed rounds upwind and downwind utilising all of Poole harbour. You shall have to wait for nationals to see the results!