Thrills,Spills and Close Racing to Open America's Cup World Series in Naples

Naples opened in spectacular fashion on Wednesday as strong winds and big waves created menacing racing conditions. The AC45 catamarans, powered by their powerful wing sails, were leaping out of the water, launched into the air by the heavy sea state. It's cool, the sailing is pretty awesome, you can't complain when you're sailing in conditions like that," said Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, who sits at the top of the leaderboard after two fleet races. "But it's very challenging for the boats and very taxing for the crew. The goal was to get back to the dock in one piece, which we did - it's nice to be back in good shape." Barker and his team clawed back from deep in the fleet in race one to finish in third place. In the second race, they were able to secure a win, putting them on equal points with ORACLE Racing Spithill who also have a 1-3 on their scorecard. Barker's team gets the nod on the tiebreak by winning the last race. Close behind are two teams who put in an outstanding performance on a challenging day. Team Korea, with young skipper Nathan Outteridge sailing his very first AC World Series regatta posted a 4-2 to sit equal on points with Energy Team, who mirrored their score. "We couldn't expect much more than that," Outteridge said. "The big guns are ahead of us. But we're overachieving compared with expectations, so we're very, very happy." Not surprisingly in the difficult conditions, there were teams who finished the day less content. Terry Hutchinson was leading his Artemis Racing team to a solid second place in the first race when both bows buried in impressive fashion as he rounded the top mark. The front of the boat kept going down, the wind pushing the wing over, until they capsized. "It was a balance between racing the boat hard and not putting ourselves in a position of risk," Hutchinson explained. "I don't really feel like we put ourselves at risk but still we ended up on our side. It's just very frustrating… Luckily no one's injured, but the wing is absolutely broken… It's a real bummer, the boat was so well prepared and sorted for the regatta, and we've been going well in training, so all in all a pretty big disappointment." China Team too suffered minor damage to its wing and didn't finish the first race, or start the second. ORACLE Racing Bundock suffered some damage to one of its hulls after flying off a wave and landing hard in race one, which ended their day. But skipper Darren Bundock said he was confident his shore team would have them ready to race for Thursday. Both Luna Rossa crews, making their AC World Series debut turned in solid, if not spectacular performances to sit mid-fleet after the first day. The program for Thursday starts with Match Racing, the pairings determined by today's results, followed by two Fleet Races and the Fleet Racing Championship continues. The first Match Race start is 1330 local time (CEST). Provisional Standings after Day One: 1. Emirates Team New Zealand (Skipper: Dean Barker) 2. ORACLE Racing - Spithill (Skipper: James Spithill) 3. Team Korea (Skipper: Nathan Outteridge) 4. Energy Team (Skipper: Yann Guichard) 5. Luna Rossa - Swordfish (Helmsman: Paul Campbell-James) 6. Luna Rossa - Piranha (Helmsman: Chris Draper) 7. ORACLE Racing - Bundock (Skipper: Darren Bundock) 8. Artemis Racing (Skipper: Terry Hutchinson) 9. China Team (Skipper: Fred Le Peutrec)

Berry Creek couple talk about seafaring life

To some, living at sea and sailing the world might seem exotic. To Robert Lipkin and his wife Jody it can be humdrum, but they're living a dream. For him, it's one more chapter in a life filled with adventure. "When you're out in a storm in the middle of the ocean, a lot of people would think it's an ordeal," said Lipkin, who returned home to Berry Creek from a sailing trip Monday. "For me, that's when the juices start flowing — when you're alive." Bob Lipkin, 68, is widely known as longtime sailor and author Bob Bitchin, whose 68-foot ketch, Lost Soul, will be open for guided tours Saturday and Sunday at the Strictly Sail Pacific Boat Show at Jack London Square in Oakland. When they aren't sailing, the Lipkins live on 40 acres atop a ridge near Berry Creek that boasts a splendid view of Lake Oroville. On Tuesday, the two talked about life at sea, and his exploits before that. "For 20 years, I rode on motorcycles and wrote about the outlaw life," he said. "I sold my bike in '86, and haven't looked back." It was Tommy Chong* of Cheech and Chong fame, who nicknamed Lipkin "Bob Bitchin" when the two worked out together at a gym in Santa Monica in the 1960s. The name stuck for good when Cheech referred to it in the movie, "Up in Smoke." Using the name professionally and as his biking moniker in the '70s, Lipkin wrote and published two magazines, "Biker Magazine" and "Tattoo." He later sold those to the publisher of Easy Rider. Change began in 1979, when he went to Tahiti with a friend. The friend ended up staying. Lipkin flew home to work on the magazines. The friend wanted Lipkin to join him and some others who wanted to set out sailing, but at the time he couldn't. "I owned a head shop," Lipkin said. "I was working evenings at the store and days on the magazine." One day, he was having lunch at the harbor where he lived and saw a "for sale" sign on a 51-foot boat. He bought the boat, and hasn't been the same since. "I loved it," he said, his blue eyes twinkling. "It probably saved my life. Back in the '70s I did drugs. You can't do drugs and sail." "I was there when the motorcycle lifestyle was starting ... but it got to the point when (I thought), 'Nah'," he said. "I didn't like it when it changed. But I love adventure." Jody, 53, met Bob in the late '80s when she was bartending at the Portofino Yacht Club. "I said, 'Wow, I wouldn't want to run into him in a back alley'," she said. "He was rough looking." They've been together for 20 years, married 15. In 1993, the couple set sail for Samoa, the South Pacific, the North Pacific and the Caribbean. He said they sailed 75,000 miles in 10 years, "the equivalent of sailing three times around the world." Lipkin said that when you're out at sea, only 18 to 20 days are spent sailing. After that, they'd anchor and sail through various islands. Since he has always been a writer, Lipkin began another magazine while sailing, called "Latitudes & Attitudes." He recently sold it, but still has an interest in it and writes. They also produce a television show of the same name, but they're looking for a network to run it. He has also published seven books. Through the magazine, the Lipkins started an endeavor called Share the Sail, where readers can sail with to such places as Greece, Thailand, Tahiti, New Zealand, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Northwest. Lipkin found their property near Berry Creek 10 years ago through a friend, bought it, and built their house six years ago. "We love it in the mountains," Jody Lipkin said. "For sailors, they need open spaces. Sailors love the mountains." The seafaring lifestyle isn't idyllic, the two said. "The picture of it is probably better than the reality," Bob Lipkin said. "It's not the escape people think it is. It's 90 percent boredom, and 10 percent sheer terror." "It's a quiet, calm, free way of living," Jody Lipkin added. Most of the time at sea, their thoughts are on who will keep watch, their schedule, maintaining the boat, whether they've checked in with officials at their next stop, and "what's for lunch." They have met some rough seas, including a 10-day storm. The boat was once hit by a water spout in the Atlantic Ocean. Another time it was knocked down by an 80-foot wave in Hawaii. "When it happens, it may be scary, but that's what you remember," Bob Lipkin noted. "That's the adventure. The adventure begins when something goes wrong." Bob Lipkin has an adult son (his daughter died), six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. When he's home, he spends five or six hours every day working. He doesn't plan to retire, but he does plan to take a motorcycle trip with friends at his 70th birthday. He admitted he's "immersed in sailing." Still, the two enjoy their time at home and on land. "When you're out there and a storm comes in, you prepare for it," he said. "When a storm comes here, we put a log on the fire." "It's nice to have both," she concluded. "I'm thankful to have land and a beautiful piece of the ocean. I love both."

As Gold Medalist Found Out, More Coverage Is Mixed Blessing for Sailing

Ben Ainslie of Britain is on the cusp of becoming among the most decorated Olympic sailors ever. A victory in his Finn dinghy on his home waters of Weymouth at this summer’s Olympics would give him four consecutive gold medals, tying the sailing record of Paul Elvstrom of Denmark. So successful was Ainslie that there was speculation he could lead the British delegation at the opening ceremony in London. One thing could have stopped Ainslie, the clear favorite: his temper. At the Finn world championships in December in Perth, Australia, Ainslie was disqualified from two races after an altercation with a media motorboat driver and a cameraman. The penalty cost him a sixth world title. He was cited under the sport’s Rule 69, a sportsmanship violation akin to receiving a red card in soccer. The penalty led to reviews and investigations by governing bodies in Australia and Britain and by the International Sailing Federation. Britain’s Royal Yachting Association and sailing federation had the power to suspend his eligibility for the Olympics. All eventually cleared the way for Ainslie, 35, to continue his Olympic quest, with the International Sailing Federation announcing its decision last month. But the incident in Australia brought into focus the sport’s relationship with television coverage, which it desperately needs but which sailors have struggled to adapt to. From the current Volvo Ocean race to the America’s Cup and Olympics, sailors’ every move and sound are now being recorded. NBC recently acquired the rights for next year’s America’s Cup, which will be the first one broadcast on network television since 1992. “Sailors are not used to playing their game under the spotlight,” said Gary Jobson, the president of U.S. Sailing and an ESPN and NBC commentator. “Sailors have a long history of salt-and-pepper language. If sailors as a whole want media coverage, they have to be accepting.” Ainslie, having just started his own America’s Cup team, said that the use of helicopters and motorboats to capture the racing was important for the future of the sport, but that “there just has to be clear boundaries and a mutual agreement between the sailors and the media.” According to several international judges, verbal and even physical altercations between sailors in races are not unusual. But the fight between Ainslie and the camera boat at the 2011 world championships was. In the ninth race of the 11-race series, Ainslie was straining as he rocked his boat and pumped the sail rapidly while trying to overtake Pieter-Jan Postma in first place. On the final leg, a camera boat, broadcasting the racing live, weaved in front of him to get a close-up of Postma, and possibly slowed Ainslie’s boat with its wake. Inspection of images of the incident and reports by witnesses revealed that after finishing second in the race, Ainslie raced to the camera boat, jumped aboard, grabbed the driver and shouted at him. He then moved to the cameraman, lifted him, and yelled at him before pushing past and diving into the water to retrieve his boat. In sailing, misconduct is dealt with by the broadly written Rule 69 under the international Racing Rules of Sailing, which deals with competitors accused of “gross breach of a rule, good manners or sportsmanship,” or who “may have brought the sport into disrepute.” Standard rules infractions between boats are handled through written protests by competitors, and are heard by a committee or jury off the water. Rule 69 violations result in penalties given to individuals, not boats, in a regatta. Juries are not required to act on a Rule 69 report, but can initiate a hearing themselves. On shore, Ainslie and the camera crew apologized to each other. According to the event manager in Perth, John Longley, the media boat violated race guidelines for support boats. But the international jury at the championship held a hearing and decided that Ainslie committed “gross misconduct.” The jury disqualified him from Race 9 and the subsequent Race 10, in effect ending his run at the title.

The GPS built JUST for sailing with Bluetooth Wind Monitoring

One of the problems of using GPS chartplotters on a sailboat is that it is extremely difficult to calculate accurate arrival times given the amount of tacking often involved. Now there's a purpose-built Sailing GPS that not only accounts for the tacking that sailboats do, but can can tell you the optimal tacking angles and your Tacking Time to Destination (TTD). Standard GPS chartplotters do not account for the fact that sailboats tack back and forth, so it makes sense that if they don't know your tacking distances, how can they calculate your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) correctly? The Sailing GPS solves this problem. It displays exactly how far each tack is, how long it will take to sail each tack, and the optimal tacks to arrive earliest. Pretty amazing. You can also use Google Maps to easily mark waypoints, connecting via Bluetooth with the Sailing GPS, which is much easier than manually entering long strings of numbers for the latitude/longitude of multiple waypoints. The Sailing GPS can even learn the unique "polar plots" for your individual vessel. This is not just a generic polar plot for all sailboats of a certain type, or estimates from a simulation - the Sailing GPS learns your unique vessel's actual performance on all different points of sail. It can then calculate your optimal tacking routes and Tacking Time to Destination (TTD). Later, you can transfer the polar plot data via Bluetooth to a PC, if you want to see your boat's unique speed profile across wind angles and wind speeds. SailTimer Inc., the manufacturer of The Sailing GPS, received final patent approval in March of this year for its pioneering R&D. "This technology is a big step forward for sailors" said Dr. Craig Summers, the President of SailTimer Inc.: "People assume that since GPS satellites can pinpoint our location on the Earth, everything shown on a GPS chartplotter must be very accurate", said Dr. Craig Summers, the President of SailTimer, "but if you head upwind on a tack, standard GPS units view your tack as cross-track 'error'." "They also don’t account for tacking distances in your ETA, and even if your speed remains constant VMG decreases all by itself the longer you stay on the tack. In the digital age, sailors need a GPS that displays simple, safe, correct information." The new patent, titled 'Navigational Planning and Display Method for the Sailor's Dilemma When Heading Upwind', was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office this year, and originally filed in 2006. The navigation functions in The Sailing GPS include support for the new wireless, solar-powered SailTimer Wind Vane which will be available this (Northern Hemisphere) summer, offering the ability to continuously update your optimal tacks with real-time wind data via Bluetooth. The Sailing GPS comes with a free waterproof DryPak soft bag with tie-downs. Unlike smartphones and tablets, the Sailing GPS is just as easy to see in direct sunlight, and with polarized sunglasses on. The screen of the Sailing GPS is protected by Lexan, which is very strong and won't break if it's dropped, and ... it floats. The polycarbonate Sailing GPS case is scratch- and UV-resistant, small enough for a coat pocket, and durable enough to remain unharmed with a bit of rough treatment, which is much easier than trying to protect and view an iPad in the cockpit (and the ETA won't go blank every time you tack). The Sailing GPS displays your tacking angles in a diagram and in degrees for each heading, but is not intended to replace a chartplotter. Nevertheless, even fully-equipped cruising yachts will not have the features provided by The Sailing GPS, including the quick and easy display of your optimal tacks and Tacking Time to Destination (TTD). The Sailing GPS costs US$399 and can be purchased online.

Sailing adventures to Greece and the Galapagos

Call it a ‘sail sale’: G Adventures (formerly GAP Adventures) is offering up to 50 per cent off Greek Island sailing adventures, as well as discounts for sailing trips through the Gulf of Thailand, the Galapagos Islands and the Maldives, plus kayaking excursions in destinations as diverse as Crete, Yellowstone and Brazil. It’s all part of the company’s ‘Bazaar’ sale, an ongoing promotion with new deals every two weeks. In the Greek Islands, itineraries range from eight to 15 days on small but comfy yachts - it’s just you, the skipper and seven other ship-mates - from Athens to Mykonos, (April 29 departure), Santorini to Mykonos (May 13), Santorini to Kos (May 6) and more (promo code G12GRKSAIL50). In the Gulf of Thailand, four and seven day itineraries are sale-priced at 20 per cent off (promo code BZ-THAISAIL20). Both the Galapagos and the kayaking trips are on sale to the tune of 15 per cent (BZ-GPS15 for the Galapagos and BZ-KYK15 for kayaking). And the Maldives discount comes in at 10 per cent, for seven-day cruises (BZ-AFMS10). The booking deadline for the Greek Islands sale is April 28, and for the rest, it’s April 9. See www.gadventures.com.

Intrepid sailors prepare for £50,000 fundraising challenge, sponsored by Ramada Plaza Southport

A pair of sailors whose plans for an extreme nautical challenge were scuppered last year due to bad weather are preparing to try again, with backing from the Ramada Plaza Southport. The hotel is sponsoring former Southport man David Summerville and fellow sailor Steve Cockerill as they attempt to cross the Irish Sea in two single handed Laser class dinghies – which are only 4m in length each. The duo had planned to make the crossing last September, but 50 knot gale force winds and a 12 foot tidal swell sadly forced them to cancel their plans. Now, they will be attempting the challenge from mid-April, waiting for a window of good weather before they begin the voyage. Ramada Plaza General Manager Enda Rylands said: “David and Steve will be covering 115 nautical miles during the challenge. They will set off from my own home town of Dublin and finish in Southport, aiming to raise £50,000 for mental health charity Mind and the John Merricks Sailing Trust. “It was a real shame that they had to postpone the challenge last year, but they have had several months to ensure they are at the peak of physical fitness for the challenge, which is a really epic endeavour. “David actually learned to sail on the Marine Lake which the hotel overlooks - so it is very fitting that the Ramada Plaza should sponsor him in this challenge.” David, who grew up in Rawlinson Road and attended Christ the King Catholic High School in Stamford Road, is a championship sailor, winning regional and national titles in the UK and the Middle East. The 53-year-old grandfather of two explained that he was keen to raise money for Mind having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 16 years ago. “Mind has really helped me control my condition,” he said. “A fellow sailor friend from Dublin has also lost two friends to mental illness, so together we formulated the idea to sail from Ireland to England in aid of Mind. “I have also been a supporter of the John Merricks Sailing Trust for a long time. It helps many young sailors and youth sailing organisations to achieve their goals and fulfil their dreams.” David, who now runs a boat repair business in Hertfordshire, said the date of the challenge would again depend on the weather and tidal conditions. “We will be fully prepared and ready to go from mid-April through to mid-September, which will give us a possible 65 days for the crossing over this five month period.” Enda added: “We wish David and Steve all the very best in their challenge and hope that the weather proves to be kind to them. We’d also urge as many people as possible to donate to the cause and raise thousands for Mind and the John Merricks Sailing Trust.”

Yacht Club Spotlight Erith Yacht Club

Sailing clubs awarded

SOMERSET Youth & Community Sailing Association (SYCSA) and Durleigh Sailing Club have gained full status as a clubs that delivers safe, efficient racing and race training. The clubs were awarded the Volvo Champion Club award at the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace. The award was presented by Saskia Clarke and Hannah Mills from the women's Team GB Olympic 470 sailing team. SYCSA chairman Peter Branson said it had taken three years to achieve the award. He said: “We are so proud of all of our young sailors and volunteers who have helped us achieve full VCC status. “It has taken a while to get there, but now we are there we can savour the moment. We are sure that the publicity will attract more youngsters into sailing.”

Sailors To Attend World Record Regatta In Italy

The 30th Lake Garda Optimist Meeting in Italy runs from 5th – 8th April, and with the largest number of single-class boats in the world taking part, the event will be officially classified as a “Guinness World Record”. Over 1,100 Optimist sailors are already entered to race and e26 nations will be represented including Bermuda. Sailors are entered in the Juniors Fleet for kids aged 12-15 and the Cadetti for under 12 age group. 15 of the sailors have competed in Bermuda recently at the Ren Re Junior Gold Cup and the Bermuda National Championships. While the Bermuda Team of 5 older and more experienced Optimist sailors compete at the IODA South American Optimist Championships in Argentina, The Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association has encouraged the up and comming Development Squad sailors to attend the Lake Garda Regatta. Youngsters Campbell Patton (11) and Matilda Nicholls (10) are both Junior Squad Sailors from from the Royal Bermuda YC Sailing Academy and Junior Members of Sandys Boat Club. They will be travelling to Lake Garda in Italy to compete in this Guiness World Record Regatta over the Easter weekend. Campbell and Matilda have both won their classes at International Regattas in the past 12 months and have been training hard in the build-up to Lake Garda. Patton won his age group at the Canadian National Championships in August 2011, while Nicholls won the Regatta Racing Fleet at the UK National Championships in July 2012. Their Coach in Bermuda, the Director of Sailing at RBYC, Tom Herbert-Evans said “This is an huge undertaking by these youngsters, they will have an experience of a life-time to be sailing in a fleet rapidly approaching 1,000 boats. Here in Bermuda we think a Fleet of 20 boats is a good turnout, the Under 12 Fleet is ten times that amount…. just image the spectacle of racing against 1,000 boats!” Former Olympian and now Olympic Coach Zizi Staniul will assist the Bermuda sailors on the water in Italy, they will be joining his elite squad of Internatrional sailors from Germany, Poland and Switzerland. After 4 days of practice on Lake Garda just prior to the event, they will compete for 4 solid days against some of the world’s best Optimist sailors. Coach Zizi said “It is important that Bermuda’s talented sailors travel to larger overseas regattas to gain the all important big fleet experience. Development is all about focused practice and gaining experience, many of the World’s top Olympians regard Lake Garda as one of the best sailing venues in the World and the Fleets do not get any bigger than the Lake Garda world record breaking Optimist Regatta! Not only will it be good experience, it will also be very good practice for the 2013 Optimist World Championships at the same venue.”

Job Vacancy At ISAF - Connect to Sailing Administrator

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) is pleased to announce that the Training and Development Department is expanding and searching for a new staff member to work at the ISAF UK office in Southampton. This exciting opportunity to join the World Governing Body for the sport of Sailing has come about through the success of the ISAF Connect to Sailing Initiative and the successful applicant will be required to assist the Training and Development Manager with all areas of administrating the various innovative projects that are helping to grow participation in sailing within the 137 countries that make up the membership of the federation. For information on all Connect to Sailing related activity please visit the dedicated ISAF website pages here. Applicants are asked to provide a covering letter stating the reasons that they would be suitable for the job and what makes them suitable a role within International Sport. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) showing a full employment and formal education history as well as sports related qualifications that can add value to the role as outlined in the description provided on the ISAF website here should be attached to the covering letter. Deadlines for application are 31 April with candidates successfully chosen to come for a formal interview being informed at the beginning of May. If you think you have what it takes or know of someone that may fit the profile then please pass on this information and ask them to contact ISAF via the address provided on the Job Description.

Disabled sports group sails towards fund-raising target

A £500,000 boathouse for disabled sailors is nearing completion. Rudyard Lake-based Sailability needs to raise £90,000 to finish work on the long-awaited store. It will be a dream come true for the charity, which fought a long-running fight for planning permission for the boathouse. The building work has been done by volunteers, who overcame disabilities to help out. They formed a human chain to tile the roof with 14,000 Welsh slates. The scaffolding will come down after the finishing touches have been put to the exterior and a footpath will then be re-instated. Work started in October and the charity hopes it will open by May. Secretary Jackie Griffiths said: "It has been a triumph over adversity. "When we started, we needed just shy of £500,000, and now we are looking for the last £90,000. "We are so tantalisingly close. It is fantastic. We are so indebted to so many organisations and our hard working volunteers. "It has been very moving. In spite of some volunteers being disabled, they have braved the weather to keep the show moving. It has been amazing. "We are now looking forward to the day when it will be finished and we can once again offer gold standard sailing." Members missed out on sailing last year and several of them also saw their hopes of taking part in this year's Paralympics dashed. It came after the charity was refused permission for a temporary base on the lake, which is managed by Rudyard Lake Ltd.

learning to sail in Cornwall

With the Olympic Games appearing on the horizon, one of Britain's strongest medal hopes is triple gold-medal-winner Ben Ainslie, hailed as "Britain's greatest sailor since Nelson". I think of him as I make my way along the jetty in the bright Cornish sunshine, clad in thick waterproofs and a lifejacket, ready to embark on my RYA Start Sailing Level 1. Ainslie learned to sail here in Falmouth, while yards away is the dock where Dame Ellen MacArthur was greeted by thousands of people after breaking the solo round-the-world record in 2005. Years before her, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston also returned here to a hero's welcome. My friend Fiona and I may not incite such heady levels of excitement among Falmouth's locals as we take to the water, but we can dream. Majestic ships The sun is blinding and the air is crisp, while the wind is a steady force 4/5. We start with a classroom session on safety and the principles of sailing before being transported, along with our instructor Chris, to Goldie, moored on a nearby pontoon. Goldie is a keelboat – a 20ft keeled sailing boat, ideal for beginners because of its stability. We spend the first 30 minutes getting the feel of Goldie under motor, taking turns to manoeuvre it under the gaze of the majestic ships being repaired at Falmouth docks. Fiona and I master steering – or pushing the tiller the opposite way to the direction we want to go. Finally, we hoist the sails. With the mainsail and the jib (the foresail of the boat) raised, we switch the throaty motor off to be greeted by a welcome stillness. The sails catch the wind, snapping and cracking before filling and propelling us along, silently. Falmouth unfolds in front of us, sprawled along the coastline. High on the hill is the prepossessing Observatory Tower – our home for our stay and the town's highest point. Behind us, the Carrick Roads waterway reaches the open sea. The first lesson is tacking: turning the bow of the boat through the wind to alter its course. I am at the helm and I call: "Ready about," as instructed, which prompts Chris and Fiona to take up position on the jib sheets (the ropes attached to either side of the jib). I shout: "Lee ho," push the tiller away and Goldie's nose turns through the wind. We duck, in readiness for the boom swinging overhead. Fiona releases the jib sheet and Chris hauls his sheet in on the other side. There is something very therapeutic about this. We happily tack all morning, swapping roles and barely noticing the sky growing ominously black. Before lunch we are pelted by a short, sharp hailstorm, but it fails to dampen our enthusiasm. After warming up with a welcome Cornish pasty, we tackle the art of gybing – turning the stern through the wind to change course. Chris teaches us to bring in the main sheet and, heads down, we complete a gybe. We continue to tack and gybe our way around a series of buoys under a brooding sky, but, as we head towards Trefusis Point, a squally wind hits us, heeling the boat over sharply and propelling Chris and Fiona across the deck. Fiona's look of horror subsides as Chris adjusts the main sheet and Goldie returns to a more pleasing angle. Buzzing, we return to the pontoon and learn how to secure Goldie for the night. Panoramic views As for us weary sailors, we seek respite in Falmouth's five-storey Observatory Tower, an incredible former meteorological tower built in 1868. It has been recently refurbished as a self-catering property, with wooden floors, nautical lights, reclaimed fittings, funky weather instruments and a lavish wet room and bathroom. But the icing on the cake is the fifth-floor lounge, with its panoramic views over Falmouth, taking in the seas we have sailed – and miles beyond. We feed our raging appetites with a tasty fish-and-chip supper from nearby Harbour Lights. We eat, drink and watch, mesmerised, as the port is transformed into a mass of twinkling lights. Stunning morning Rejuvenated, and buoyed by another stunning morning (not to mention homemade porridge cooked on the sleek Neff hob), day two has us practising our tacking and gybing. After a couple of hours, we head to nearby St Mawes, rounding its handsome castle 45 minutes later to carefully manoeuvre Goldie alongside a buoy. On land, we sit outside the Rising Sun pub supping hot soup, our cheeks glowing. We sail back to Falmouth, the impressive form of Pendennis Castle welcoming us home as we glide past. Right on cue, a rainbow appears. It is not quite what Ellen MacArthur must have felt on her return, but it must be close.

Sailing Club Spotlight Thorpe Bay Yacht Club