National 12 Second Outing

So this was eventful….

We went out for the second time in the National 12 on the 26th (would have posted this sooner only I was hoping for some pictures, unfortunately there don’t appear to be any), it was overcast and a bit chilly, but a pretty good day for sailing according to Dan. I am a bit dubious, as always, about the weather when it’s cold as I am worried that being in a wetsuit, I am going to get very cold when out on the water. Actually though, it wasn’t too bad when we had pushed the boat out and got in. But then the problems began!

Firstly, just after we had pushed away from shore, Dan asked me to pull the centreboard down, but it wouldn’t budge, even when he pulled it, so we had to turn around and go back to shore so Dan could tip the boat on it’s side, burying me under the sail in the process, and fish out the stones that had caused it to jam whilst I kept trying to pull it down from inside the boat (under the sail). We did finally manage to get it down, and get back out onto the water, by which time we had about 5 minutes to make it to the start line.

Things keep breaking!

Things have been breaking constatly recently……

Let me begin with my trip with the B14 down to Weston Sailing club for the Weston Grand Slam, we arrived and the boat is rigged in some lovely sunshine. We launch into a building 12-15 knots and are having a great time. The first race was quite successful, we get a good finish and wait for the next race……the wind has now built to 15-18 knots and we get a better start, we complete the first lap with no issues, we hoist at the windward mark of the second lap and blast off down wind. Then comes the first gybe across the boat I go, pop the kite and a gust comes through, I get out onto the wing then CRUNCH, Dan (my helm) had dropped the mainsheet as the boom went across and the mast step gave way and the entire mast went over the front of the boat.

The following 20 or so minutes was spent slowly drifting towards the isle of wight with me in the water trying to dissasemble the rig and get it into the boat so that the rescue boat could get close enough to tow us back to the beach.

The National 12 is Finished! And her first outing.

Okay, so this post has been a bit of a long time coming…

The National 12 is finished!! At long last. Here she is in all her glory:

We took her out for her first sail on the 5th April 2015 – a while ago now, I know. This was my second time sailing, the first time being in 2013, so it has been a while.