Didn't cover ourselves with honours over this eight week Sunday morning race series organised by the Lymington Town Sailing Club in the Solent.

Missed two of the races as I was away overseas, and the best we got in the rest was a 2nd place yesterday. A nice way to end the series as the earlier races saw us either last or near last as we continued to wrap (and on one race blow out) the kite plus break two sets of the new prototype furling battens.

The battens unfortunately failed in the heavier winds, so we've now reverted to regular battens on the headsail and now hoist and drop when the kites in use. It's given us better shape upwind, and no snagging of the kite during the gybes.

Expensive trial and its sad it didn't work out, but there you go.

Next and last race for 2014 ((a social really) is on 13th December for the Needles Relief Race. A Le Mans styled start on the club line up the Lymington River, out past Hurst Castle and round North Head Buoy, then back to fininsh off Yarmouth. The Royal Solent always give a warm welcome and we treat the midday meal as our Jumbuck Xmas lunch.

My plan is to also get Jumbuck lifted before year end for IRC measuring to obtain an endorsed rating certificate. Fingers crossed the weather will allow that and we see a slightly reduced handicap for 2015. What with a slightly smaller kite (courtesy of the blow out) I'd love to see us down to 1.010 or less.

The 2015 Fast Campaign has already begun with us choosing four of the qualifying races exiting the Solent westward, during which we aim to minimise our time from last year and hopefully clear two important tidal gates in the Fastnet itself. The crew lists not finalised yet, but its looking positive that two Australain pals will fly over to join us for both Cowes Week and the main event. Chances are we will go seven up - reducing weight from last years eight - but its going to be important that all seven can do most roles on the boat. So lets see how everyone goes in those qualifyers.

Got two new sails on order from Norths, a lightweight No 3 and a staysail, which with our new Code 0 will give us a much wider offshore wardrobe. Good sails, good crew, good prep, we won't have any excuses this time round.

On On

John