We competed in the Plywood Cup; a team builds a boat of 1/4″ ply capable of carrying two people around a triangular course in the turning basin. We won the design trophy despite sinking in the first 10 meters and having to swim it around the course. The boat was too narrow with a tall rig (aka America’s Cup) and without a keel was very unstable; a keel was not possible as the start was in 1 foot deep water.

We were surprised by comments from another J105 of being unsportsmenlike. After asking why they felt like this we found that the race committee had given all the J105s except us a DSQ for racing on August 3rd. This was a result of the other boats having not declared their finishes in writing as required in the sailing instructions. We were used to this procedure, as it has to be done after every race in Cowes Week and Cork Week. We were therefore awarded a 1st.