The forecast rain did not arrive and so I enjoyed a bonus day on the harbour exercising single handed on Passion X. Up the harbour it was blowing up to 20 knots and with the No 3 jib and newly cut down pin head main enjoyed the beat to windward and the reach back home. As an experiment I sheeted the No 3 jib to the rail to widen the slot low down and in the fresh breeze it did help to keep the boat speed up. At times I hit 8.1 knots to windward but without some serious competition alongside it is hard to know if I was giving away too much height. The wide sheeting angle helped for the run back home as I could wing on wing from the cockpit and on the broad reach the outboard sheeting angle was also helpful. In the gusts Passion X hit 9.6 knots on several occasions and a couple of kayakers hopped on my stern wave for a free ride home to Greenwich.
it was a solid work out as I was on board from 11 am to 5:30 pm and had a row in and out from the club.
A big bonus on arriving home was the invitation from Balmain Sailing Club to join the Friday series as from this Friday. They have received permission for their normal Friday afternoon series with added restrictions including no club function and no tender service. Crews are restricted to family and max 2 other provided these 2 keep the social distance.
Elaine and I have entered and intend to sail as a family with an occasional guest. it was for just this sort of series that I had the fat head main cut back so that we could sail with fixed backstay. I have had four practice sails now, three single handed and one with Elaine and think we are ready to go.