Hog Roast

The Wivenhoe Sailing Club held their traditional hog roast this afternoon. We have been several times but we had a very different and enjoyable experience this time. Clytie wasn’t going and Jo Masters accepted our invitation to travel up on Robinetta. Then David and Julia (Amphora) called over from the other pontoon and asked for a lift too. Five people is the most we have ever had. The cockpit seats four as long as they each work the rope nearest them! Alison stayed below or in the companionway, while Julia took the pictures you see here.

We had to fight a strong breeze and the tide leaving Brightlingsea but once headed up river we were with both and it was very pleasant. We were doing nicely, but a little slower than the fleet with just the staysail so I let the jib out and we goose-winged. Inanda’s crew tried raising the main and found themselves overpowered.

David and Julia jumped ship and went back by car with relatives and the three of us came back down. We tried fully reefed main but it was too windy for it in the narrow part of the river. At least Jo got to see the roller reefing. Although she is a very experienced sailor and a dinghy instructor, she hasn’t seen very many different rig configurations on bigger boats.
 

We tried just motoring but the head wind was so strong the little 1GM10 wasn’t managing to make progress even thought the tide was with us. We put the staysail up and beat with staysail and iron topsail and that worked. It was windy, force 5 gusting 6, on the nose.

Another difference was that I had Monday off, so we didn't have to go all the way back to West Mersea.