This was a very strange day out with a friend who’s sailed a little before but not for many years so basically it was me single handed again which I love. Once unwrapped there was very little wind without too much being forecast but Galerne was ready to go and so we decided we would just see what was there! A slow start out of the marina and hoisting the sails with only about 3 or 4 knots of wind we did struggle but she was moving. With a wind line slowly moving our way from the Akrotiri peninsular so at least we could see a little more on the way.

As the wind line approached our wind increased a little but still single figures, the wind line however was getting darker and looked as though we might get a move on once it arrived. Then when it was about a hundred meters away from us, I could see it held more wind than initially expected but still nothing too mad, even when the direction began to change with this new wind.

I was on the main with George (tillerpilot!) steering and Tracy enjoying the leisurely ride; then the wind line got to us with 22 knots of wind straight off the bat, we were ready for it and I just dumped the main and she was fine and as I brought the power back on she took to it with pleasure. The issue in the med is when the wind starts like that the waves are there almost instantly, which means the boat even over canvassed was fine with just the wind but when you put the meter and a half short chop waves it became uncomfortable and so reef time! With George still steering up I go to run through the reefing process that I’ve practiced many times but without a vang and only having a rope kicker one shouldn’t forget to reapply some topping lift, as it makes life a little harder but still easily manageable! Once the reef was in she behaved as wonderfully as she always does and the speed was back up in no time.

Even when we turned and started to make our way back we had good speed down wind with the reef in and full headsail; I probably would have gone to spinnaker but not with Tracy as we need people to enjoy and want more, as spinnaker work in those winds alone is easily possible but to be honest better alone that with someone that doesn’t know what they are doing and so will want to help but actually probably isn’t. This all said it was a really good few hours on the water with a good friend who will be back for more I’m sure!