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From: Chris Wright chris.wright3@virgin.net Subject: Subject: KNACKERED (and that's just the yacht!) Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2000 17:52:01 Back from Fylde early as I haven't sailed today. We had a hard day yesterday. Only 3 races but pretty windy and very quick. After the rain of the past week it was inevitable that the beach would be wet and it was. Standing water most of the way out to the banks. It was a straight up and down course with the wind off the sea. There was a dog leg in the course and you could cut straight across on the downwind except the straight line route took you through some horrendous moon country. Real yacht breaking stuff. Christine Heath took the front runner plank off her Class 3 in one hole. We gradually got a route sorted out that missed the worst of it and had some exciting sailing, with the yacht spending a lot of time airborne and landing in lakes or heavily on the sand if you misjudged it. A few bent axles around - I stuffed one that will straighten and Dave Shaw managed to break one before the first race. After the last race I noticed that the seat of my yacht was badly cracked. I'd repaired it before Terschelling and noticed that it had started to go alongside the repair. Now it's split right over to the slot that the hand steering runs in so needs a major repair. No particular problem but there would have been if I'd tried to sail on it today. We rounded the day off with a team Ludic and Bootlegger race which was entertaining - especially when Steve Borrill turned "The Ludic" over as did two other Class 3 pilots. Just goes to prove that they can't sail. Rather than stop in a cold, damp, unconverted van I stayed in a B&B along with Dave, Andy and SoC (Mark Lloyd). We walked to the Fylde Club from there, adjourning at a hostelry on the way. SoC was a bit later than us getting there and was aghast at the idea that we'd had 3 pints of delightful Theakston bitter by the time we left (7.00pm). Better beer than that available in the Club though. We decided to call in again on the way back too, after a bonfire and fireworks at the Club, so it turned into a heavy night. SoC said at breakfast that he had a bad head. No staying power these youngsters. Dave Shaw, Andy Parr and I were all OK. There was a ghastly forecast for today. A very low low, gales and heavy rain. In the event it's not reached us yet so there was little wind and no rain. It will be here tonight no doubt and the forecasters are promising 50mm of rain in the enxt 2 days. We had a pasting last week with 100mm in York. The river yesterday was 17 feet 8 inches above its normal level, the highest recorded. Hundreds of home evacuated there and further downstream. No particular problems here though we did have snow last Monday (in October!) It soon shifted and didn't amount to much but unusual nevertheless. Glad we live high enough up not to have to worrry about river levels. Some homes were flooded this time last year and others only a month ago. Apart from the problem of drying them out and sorting out the insurance claims some of them get to the point where they can't insure and can't sell if the area gets a bad enough reputation. NO sign of Gareth this weekend, though not surprised. He damaged his yacht badly at Terschelling and I don't think that he's got it fixed yet. I suppose that he's still got his old one but I expect that he had a fair bit of clearing up to do anyway. TP (Two Puddings Green) and Dave (Green) sailed yesterday but went back after the evening do as the forecast was so poor and they really needed to be back rather than let Mrs TP feed the animals. By this time of the year all the cattle are indoors. Dave made me a new mast top to replace the one of mine that they sold to a Dutchman. By the end of the day it was seriously bent, as was Robert's new one and a "Bootlegger" mast too. Seems that they have a dud batch of aluminium. I borrowed one for the time being as I want to take a mast and sail down to Wales next weekend so that I can sail one of the Club yachts down there. All the best to you all. Chris K508

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