Timing the inside run through the Portland Bill is quite important, you need to go through in the quiet period. The weather was right, the tide not too big and the timing was okay, a start about 13:00 (a bit later than I'd like but still doable). Two other yachts and ourselves were attempting this. Both of these yachts were in front of us by about 1 to 1.5 miles. We all rounded the bill without any fuss and set course for Brixham. Three yachts all of similar size on the water cruising into a consistent 18kt breeze, it turned into a race, game on. They both threw up everything they had full mains and large overlapping headsails. Even though it was 18kts it was very flat water (I think it is something to do with the tides). We reefed the main and put out a full headsail, then pinched up to 30 degrees on the nose. We had a slightly better boat speed which slowly hauled them in while climbed out on them with the increasing pressure. By the time we were 3 miles off Brixham they were some 3-4 miles astern...The skies had darkened it had turned quite cold and we were punching into what was now a 25kt (gusting to 30kts) breeze and lumpy short sharp chop...game over....Songbird won.
Brixham was a great town, lively and friendly. The RNLI was holding an open day so the following morning we took a tour of one of the lifeboats. Simon filled us in on the details about the boat. These cost £2.8m and are a very sophisticated piece of equipment. Their design is based on being watertight to survive a knockdown in heavy seas. The large superstructure is effectively a bubble which is used to right the boat in the event of a knockdown or rollover. The crew are strapped in, in their bubble which is very stuffy, but if you're unfortunate enough to need to be rescued your put in the survivor pit. This is a sealed room at the bottom of the boat, with seating for 12, very claustrophobic and people hate it but, it's the safest place to be.