So the Moore Nationals were great fun. We didn’t do as well as hoped due to boat set up – the new rig is a lot different to the old one and with work and travel I haven’t had time to sail the boat and work it all out. The crew was the best I could hope to get – olympic and america’s cup experience and then of course my little brother on the bow! Saturday and Sunday it blew and we were 135lbs light so that didn’t help upwind boatspeed. We had a beautiful new spinnaker with lovely large shoulders allowing us to storm downwind 🙂

End result is that I have a long job list:
– increase the mast rake by 1.5 inches
– increase the throw of the backstay
– become a better helm!
– recut the number one as the leech is way too long
– recut the main as there is way too much luff curve making it baggy and impossible to depower

Myles learnt to take abuse from our Frenchman on the boat as did I and we both learnt a ton. There is nothing like getting your ass kicked in a small boat!

Now to the reason for the title of this entry… I have a secret to tell. I hit someone when I was helming – a first – I was on port in 5th place at the top mark and had to duck a boat on the starboard layline. I ducked hard letting my main off and then as the crew yelled up up up I pushed the help away and came up too much and too fast. With the crew on the rail you can’t see where your bow is and I hit him on the transom port side. All I needed was an inch more! The good thing is I do the repairs for a living and just in case someone had a problem I had the repair parts in my truck and did the repair over night all it needs is a LPU coat. It was just filler that fell off and there was no damage to Flashman.

Vicky the class president put on a great event and it was fun to see the Moore family at another event. Can’t wait till next season when hopefully I will be around more and get better results.

By the way the saying that winning the start wins you the race is not always right! Flashman is the blue boat with the carbon jib 🙂