ALTO 118 at the Great British Sailing Challenge Finals

With forecast winds gusting 30mph all weekend, we did wonder when we set off for Rutland whether there would be any sailing. But this was the Great British Sailing Challenge and a challenge it certainly proved to be!

Saturday morning, briefing over, the fleet shot off downwind for the start line in the eastern most part of the reservoir. ALTO 118 was straight into survival mode! That didn’t last long though as we had our first swim halfway to the start line. We recovered and joined the 50 strong fleet some while later in the starting area.

Again, it was full on, charging up and down, waiting while the race team laid the course, dodging boats and trying not to mis-time tacks in the waves.

And then we spotted a rigging error. One small oversight in the rush to get ready in the morning, a failure of preparation without doubt, and we realised that there was no way the spinnaker could be hoisted. So we had to sacrifice the first race, beat all the way back to the club and sort out the problem ashore.

Fortunately, we were back out in time for Race 2 and had a demanding three lap race, and another capsize. But we got a finish.

Race 3 was equally strenuous, and crew mutiny meant the kite remained stowed away after the third lap. On the penultimate leg of lap 4 we were caught up in a huge gust as it intensified and could do nothing but hang on in there and hope to stay in one piece! Phew! We did. And looking at the stats on the website later we found we clocked 20.03 knots even without the kite.

By Sunday the winds had moderated considerably and we enjoyed the pursuit race, finishing mid fleet.

Overall, we had a great weekend, utterly exhausting and undoubtedly challenging.

Read the Yachts and Yachting report here