We had a fun regatta with one good result and the rest below average. However, what counts is everyone enjoyed themselves and we got to sail with the new rig in the boat. This rig is different to the old one in terms of stiffness so we have a little learning to do.

 Yesterday Rene and I put the boat in the water early and seeing as their was no wind put the motor on the back to motor to StFYC. My very kind brother had put all the race sails on the boat including putting the main on the boom all ready for me. We started the motor pushed off the dock and lots of noise but no forward motion. So doing something that is not advisable I put my hand down to check the prop is turning it is so my assumption is the shear pin is fine. So thinking it might not be kicking into gear I take the cover off to see if anything is caught. At this point my bro shows up with the dog and my newphew and we tie up to the dock. He is organised and has another shear pin in the boat. The dog who hasn’t seen me in a week is excited and is running around the boat and my nephew is in the cockpit clutching a gas tank like it is a new toy. I pull off the propellor and the shear pin was broken however, the new one was too long so with use of a leatherman it was made to fit. The dog, newphew and brother were kicked off the boat and Rene and I took off. We put the sails up to help as the gas tank holds enough gas to get you from SFYC dock to StFYC breakwater and not further. I had made an adjustment to the engine bracket to hold a bracket to help me get the mast up however, this made it pretty useless as an engine bracket. It was too narrow to tighten the engine fully onto it so when a gust came and heeled the boat over the engine decided to go for a swim toppling off the bracket. Luckily I looked back and saw it about to fully disconnect so I dove off the helm after the engine. We have a line that you clip onto the backstay but the engine would have been water skiing if it had been dragging by that. That was enough excitement for me in the morning.

This morning there were white caps as we crossed the bridge and the forcast was for 25 knots so I had the guys take the number one off the boat. On saturday the forecast was pretty dead on but not today! Bad idea – we actually joked as we took it off that we would probably need it. There were some issues with the mark set boats and that combined with not a lot of wind led to a very long postponement. We spotted Lyon’s Imaging photo boat and went to sail after him to ask a favour however, there was a large ebb and I didn’t want to get so far away from the start area. The crew said they doubted I would get him to do us a favor like that as they were working. Nothing ventured nothing gained I always say. There wasn’t much action going on with so little wind but how to call him hmm…. So I call my brother who is ashore and looks up Lyon Imaging on google and gives me the number – I am hoping it will be a cell phone. Bingo – Peter answers!

 ‘Hello I am Ashley Perrin and I am on Moore 116 the blue one in the start area. Can I ask a favor….. we left our number one in the car…. I will pay you to take one of my crew to get it….’

 ”No problem you don’t need to pay me.’ I will be right there.’

‘I can’t believe you pulled that off” one of my crew…

”There are some advantages to being a women in distress’ says me…

Peter zooms over and Micheal our main man jumps on the boat and takes off towards the club coming back with a number one and Peter took off with two beers. Thanks to him we were able to sail as the wind was around 5-10knots all afternoon. So go to his website at http://www.lyonsimaging.com/ and if you see a photo of your boat buy it! He is a great guy.

 I am off on Tuesday on holiday. Have a good March.