Yes I am quick to write up our victories and slow to comment on our failures and last night was a last place on handicap.
Travel commitments and illness have taken their toll on our crew numbers so we sailed with our old North Genoa which is easy to skirt but short on area and shape. The longer the race went the lighter the breeze and the more we needed the extra power of our big black genoa.
As well as the sail selection we did not get a good run of the wind shifts nor a free passage through the black fleet from behind or the green fleet from ahead. Add to this the fact that the antifouling is getting to the end of its useful life and there is hope that we can get back on our game.
There were some bright spots for the day. Joe Walsh had changed out our genoa halyard pulley for one that turns freely and I managed to install a new shower pump in the bathroom on Passion. Today I picked up a replacement Starboard navigation light cover and by next week all the outstanding jobs on Passion bar the antifouling will be completed.
The post race raft up at GFS was excellent as always and the conditions perfect for a late night motor to the mooring at Woolwich and a quiet row home.