Pictured above Karibu Oyster 885 skimming past us on its way to win the regatta (no change from 7M then you can pay for the professional crew!)


David asked Graham and Gillian back the next day along with a recovered Yvonne to make a full and much needed crew.

The racing settled into a pattern; we would start really well and do well to the first mark but the other boats would slip past on the downwind legs.

Our Cutter rig was clearly working well to windward, but downwind the boat speed suffered. We poled out goosewinged with some success on the run but still watched the other 46 disappear ahead. We realised that Lazy Tern was the only live aboard racing, inevitably heavier with liveaboard luxuries of water makers, generators and washing machine et al - no allowance on handicap for these.

The weather was still beautiful except for a rainstorm at the end of day three that made for an eventful finish, Liz getting her feet wet on the aft deck as the boat stood up handsomely to 30kn squalls going over the line. The other 46 Sunsusea was involved in a collision at a mark in this race underlining the dangers of these heavy machines dicing at speed..... Oyster style - insurance and repair team on hand as soon as they tied up.

The final race was a pursuit race; slowest starts first and the remainder of the whole field catch and overtake, so first across the line wins. We started first and finished 11th our best result, only overtaken by the huge boats.
We had all learned a lot during the week, the boat had performed beautifully, (particularly as it doubles as a house) and the crew had worked really well.

Later that evening at prize giving in the spectacular setting of Cap Rocat David and Liz collected another bottle of bubbly the prize for good sportsmanship, Lazy Tern's second win of the week. An excellent dinner and dance followed to conclude the event.

We had our own on board prize giving the next day and consumed the bubbly as the boats gradually left RCNP, many destined for the Caribbean to do it again in Antigua in Spring!

Huge thanks to David and Liz who were great hosts throughout and gave us all, Graham and Gillian included an experience of a lifetime.