Summer 2016 so far

I haven’t updated for a while because I’ve been really tired, was on a business trip and <insert excuse here>

So here are some things that happened recently in no real order

  • Had my fourth broach/knockdown. This one was on the martin 242 I crew on Wednesday races and was entirely my own fault! Roaring downwind under a spinnaker in 20 knots of wind and I let the guy (the line that controls the pole position, not Some Dude) slip through my fingers so it went forward, and then I caught it again. This basically meant the spinnaker filled from the side of the boat and pulled us onto the side. Oops. This was a full on masthead-in-water knockdown so we all clung on while Phil thoughtfully surveyed the situation and popped us back up again. SORRY EVERYONE I STILL KINDA SUCK
  • Went to portland island with 2 other boats for a raft-up, stern tied. Great fun until a 15-20 knot wind came in from the exposed side of the bay, hitting me squarely on the beam. With the anchor being sideloaded and with two other boats strapped onto me, a decision was made to bail and go somewhere else – sadly at this point it was after 9 in the evening so getting the two boats off and then hauling my anchor up by hand 30 feet from shore in 20 knot winds while being chucked around by ferry wake was NOT the relaxing chill sesh I’d been hoping for! Great experience though and no damage to the boat
  • Went to Markham for a week for a business trip. That place gives desolate suburban hellholes a bad name. Not really to do with sailing, I just hate Markham.
  • Went fishing. Hooked a nice salmon which got away at the boat.
  • Finalised the date for my round-vancouver-island trip, its 25th July to August 21st. In the spirit of getting ready I’ve done what could be charitably termed ‘fuck-all’. I still need to
    • install jack lines (so I can clip onto them and not fall overboard and die)
    • get a tether (SAME AS ABOVE)
    • figure out the same system for emma so she doesn’t disappear overboard either
    • install a shower (it turns out 5 days without showering isn’t SUPER cool?! so 30 days is probably worse)
    • probably redo the bloody rudder stuffing box. again. Its still leaking, just a lot less.
    • switch out spinny pole end for one that actually latches
    • switch out chainplates
    • get an EPIRB
    • get a tan on my bod so I can go shirtless and make all the ladies ~swoon~ at desolation sound (not really – Shirts On Always is my motto)

I also bought a second hand liferaft which I got cheap (and can be recertified! Which I will do next year) and had it shipped to elyesse. Unfortunately it REALLY BIG AND HEAVY and prompted a flurry of annoyed text messages from elyese after a giant package showed up at her door. SORRY ELYSES I STILL KINDA SUCK please don’t rescind my mailing privileges

The weather for the last month or so hasn’t really been great, lots of cloud and some rain.

Urrmm that’s it. Have a photo in the meantime of Portland raft-up pre-wind (gudge is in the middle). Sorry this is a Bad Update but ya know

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Matt

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