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A great nights sleep again in our sheltered spot at Port Mahon near Sigean and with a good forecast we were on La Franqui beach at 9:30 :) We were lucky because it's Peter Cutts last day here :( and he didn't sleep well with the excitment of it !!! Had breakfast in the van on the beach while deciding what rig to use, by which time several other sailors had arrived :) It didn't seem over windy with 25 mph on the gauge so rigged 5.8 and 6.4 and started off with the Falcon Speed and 5.8 with a 23cm fin and did over 37 kts on the first run so things were looking good in the mirror flat water !!! but then I had several low 30 runs and was abit under :( I think I did manage a 38 peak on the little board but was struggling upwind as usual :( so decided to switch to the Falcon 80 and 6.4 and try my weight jacket for the first time !!! it worked well if a bit tiring :( I did spend a lot of time trying for a good mile and got one of nearly 35 kts which was pleasing but getting going upwind was hard carrying the lead and the wind had now turned broad pushing you out into the rough water which was very wearing and walking back was also taking it's toll :( I ditched the weight jacket and continued but was getting tired now - it had been a long day - 10:30 to 4:30 not bad for an old'un !!! So again no 40 kt ave :( but a nice days sailing and the sun came out in the afternoon after a cloudy cool start - I am thinking that I have reached my limit :( but will keep trying for a 40 kt ave !!! Mag had a nice day, doing her excercises, reading, sorting out the computer and walking on the beach :) now in Mc Donalds eating ice cream before heading back to our lovely Etang and more wind forecast !!!! :)

friday last day of weymouth speedweek forcast was looking good good direction etc etc

sadly it didnt deliver but there was 1 squal thatcame about 230 blew for 12 mins if you were there then you were lucky , i caught the last bit of it

good fun weymouth will be there again next year ,

finished 19th overall so well stoked about that :)

 

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I was very lucky to get some good wind on my last day at La Franqui - my plan was to get a good mile first an then try to get my speeds up - had trouble getting good speed from the Falcon speed board (kept spinning out -good fin Venom 24 so not sure wot the problem was) so used my Falcon 80 much easier an speeds better -took a lotta time trying for the mile as gusty wind dropped sometimes an blown out of the water twice an caterpalt crash breaking my biggest battern - but finaly got a P/B  which should put me second in the World Ledgend class in the team Challenge comp - Tried for some speed runs but best gust had dropped - well knackerd after trying to get back up wind after all the mile attempts -  Bloody good day though still NO 40 knots but I will keep trying .  left the beach at 7 PM and then started my 900 mile drive home.  My mate Steve Squirrel beat me today but wait till next time !

 Great mile Steve !!!

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Frustrating day... lots of plodding and sinking. Failed to spot the squal in time so did the run at least 600m away from the bank, rather than miss it entirely. Turned out to be my best 500m despite the chop from being so far out. Disappointing after such a good forecast!