Webster - Log 6 Povoa to Porto 13 June 2013

Only a short hop this one of 12 nm. Quite breezy on the start line and we were a little late getting our act together and getting the main up so were last but one to cross the line some 5 minutes late but never mind. Broad reach in force 4/5 NW in strong sunshine - this was more like it! Managed to set the pole and goose wing the rig which is quite fast and very stable. Single reef in the main so not fully powered up. The boat was very happy and flew downwind. Very few flew downwind sails and ours stayed firmly tucked away. Finished early afternoon after a brilliant sail, and Kate quite enjoyed it, certainly in comparison with the trip from Bayona. Despite being late for the start we made good time over the ground and finished second in class.

Porto is a brand new marina and much of it not yet open. However made very welcome and the trip to Graham's Port Lodge was memorable, particularly with the transport on Tuk-tuks doing 40 mph coming home! Had a very pleasant tour around the old town and the University/ cathedral and finished off with a fish stew in the local fishing village, enough to feed 6 let alone the two of us.

Cleaned decks - cant believe they still have a bit of mildew residue still there after the amount of sea water sweeping over them on the trip down! They were filthy but looked great after a bit of a scrub. Sorted out the first reef line as this was going the same way as the second reef - the Lewmar blocks on the boat are really not up to the task, this one had blown too and had to borrow a snap block from Simon on Carmara, a Discovery 55 which has sorted the issue for now I hope.

Charlie (Webster)