Webster - Log 7: Porto to Figueira da Foz 15th June

This leg was scheduled for 55 nm and turned out to be quite a sleigh ride in some 23 knots NW wind and quite big waves. The start was interesting as it was right off the marina entrance pontoon and across the river so was quite narrow. Initially the wind was quite light and made the pulling up of sails easier for a change. Thought I had put the boat in precisely the right place on the line with 2 minutes to go but the tide was strong and swept us sideways past the outer buoy - from being pole position ended up a right mess, really embarrassing! There was a beat out of the river followed by a long broad reach down the coast. Everyone was going for spinnakers so managed to agree with Kate that as the wind was fairly light we would go for ours too - as usual, short handed it was easier said than done. The snuffer sock got stuck half way up and I was swinging around like a monkey on the foredeck trying to free it. Many thanks to the guys on Serendipity offering their advice and assistance over VHF - as they quite succinctly put it, I looked busier than a one handed taxi driver with crabs! Once set though we flew hitting over 10 knots once the wind came in. Unfortunately, I managed to broach twice with the kite up whilst on auto pilot which frightened Kate a little - more noise of flapping sails than anything but once under control we were off again! Getting the beast down though was another matter altogether. The snuffer just didn't work with the spinnaker full and it was not the place to be swinging around on the down haul up there on the foredeck rolling around on the big quartering seas as the auto pilot over corrected and we gybed a couple of times with me up there. Plan B called for, so back into the boat and with Kate on the halyard I pulled the clew down under the main and into the bottom of the boat to sort out later. Phew! Poled out the jib and we were still doing 7/8 knots. Finished at about 1720 and first in class again! The finishing times were really close though with the first three, us, the Discovery 55 Casamara and the 40.7 Abraxus finishing within 9 minutes on corrected time. Very surprised and delighted with the position and Kate really pleased.

We had a sardines barbecue provided - as many as you could eat, so once again I was stuffed full. Kate not that keen so I had her share too I think!

Kate went to the reception with the Mayor today but I had my head in the bilges trying to fix a water pump on one of the showers but only succeeded in dropping the pipe into the bottom of the boat out of reach and two hours later was still trying to put it all back together again, let alone fixing the problem. Anyone know how to get rid of airlocks in the system?

It also has the audacity to rain today and its cold again. The forecast looks fairly rough for tomorrow as well with 25 knots forecast offshore and 4 metre waves. That wave height may close Penniche our next port of call so we wait and see whether we go or not at the briefing this evening.

Charlie (Webster)