David Matthews

Wind on the nose all the way. About 10kn from SE. Woodbridge regatta day today so lots of folk by the river. Usual melee of dinghies at Waldringfield. Moored up on buoy 144 near the quay at Ramsholt

Cracking sail from Bembridge to Yarmouth. Downwind around Ryde Sands then beating all the way up to Yarmouth with a spring tide beneath us. Wind consistently16-22 kts, making speeds over 9 kts otg. Saw the Ryde hovercraft and then a military-looking one. Picked up a mooring outside Yarmouth to avoid the snide carnage and to make an early start, log showing 2.4 kts past the boat, just sitting on the mooring.

Motored out of Chichester Harbour then sailed up to Bembridge, dead upwind but with gusts over 30 kts. 2 reefs in the main, handled it beautifully!

Simple downwind sail in a F5-6. Went under jib alone. Sheeting the self racket out on the spinnaker blocks aft worked a treat

Straightforward motor across to Cowes. Hunkered down there for a couple of nights to avoid some wet and windy weather coming through.

First time with the new tender and new davits. Worked well! Dead downwind in 20+ knots - good fun! Occasional little surfs too. Beautifully flat once we hit The Solent, doing >9 kts OTG. Picked up a visitors mooring on the Beaulieu River for the night.