Mark Rosenthal

A windy forecast with strong gusts. Course 2 was selected. 2 reefs and a 2/3 jib.

late afternoon sail winds Northerly 10 - 15kt, sunshine. great to finally get the main sail back up!

Lovely start sailing from the mooring with 12kt SW winds. Once out of the harbour we headedto the Skerries on a broad reach with great boat speed. We arrived close to the leading line and furled the jib; then with the engine on we dropped the main and moored into the lagoon. The lagoon entrance was guarded by a family of seals and the skies full of arctic terns, common terns, puffins and gannets. Once on the mooring we sat and enjoyed the atmosphere. Due to the falling tide we didn't stay long but as we started to hoist the main the halyard shackle failed and we lost the halyard to the mast head. However. now with wind over 20kt we sailed back on the jib alone, achieving 8kt SOG. Thick fog now shrouded the area around the harbour as we completed our day out.

2026-06-21 Helen Michael Tess Mark I arrived onboard just after 11:00 with the other crew already in the cockpit. We agreed to have a hot drink before leaving the mooring. We followed Soulmate out of the New Harbour and started to sail towards the Skerries until we had a Helen HOB (hat over board) moment which accounts for the deviation on the track! After several attempts we managed to capture the cap and returned to our northerly course towards the Skerries. With the moderate NE winds we made an average of 8.5kt and arrived at the Skerries too early. We hove to and drifted north of The Skerries while we had lunch. In 20 minutes of steady drifting the tide took us well to the East of The Skerries and had to battle against the currents to get round the West Coast of The Skerries before turning on a broad reach to head for Clipera. After several attempts we managed to capture the cap and returned to a northerly course towards the Skerries. With the moderate NE winds we made an average of 8.5kt and arrived at the Skerries too early. We hove to and drifted north of The Skerries while we had lunch. In 20 minutes of steady drifting the tide took us well to the East of The Skerries and had to battle against the currents to get round the West Coast of The Skerries before turning on a broad reach to head for Clipera. As there were no ferry movements due we headed directly for the end of the breakwater having informed Port Control of our intentions and observations of the James Joyce, still 15 minutes from Point Victor. Back on our mooring for 16:00hrs we cleared up and waited for the launch to come alongside to take us to the groyne.

Day sail 2026-06-20 Crew today: Mark Michael Henrie Richie Following a lengthy but unsuccessful attempt to sport out the steaming light and deck light on the mast it was decided that we should go for a sail up to the coast near Porth Y Bribys. Michael was given the helm after we checked with Port Control that we were clear to sail across the TSZ to Clipera. The wind was light SW and the sea state was calm. Gradually as we approached Porth Y Bribys the wind was dying away and the ebb tide had run for an hour or so. We had time, under these conditions, to discuss with the crew our sail settings and theory on adjustments. Once close to the shore we hove too and set up the swim deck for Harri to go for a swim. During the period she was in the water we had travelled sideways for around 180m. Once Harri was back on board we turned to sail back to the harbour but there was so little wind now that we had to motor sail. As we approached Clipera we called port control to ask for clearance and continued on our passage into the New Harbour and onto our mooring. Kim, on the launch, collected us and then picked up the crew of a visiting yacht from Conwy and I had a drink with them in the clubhouse giving them as much information as I could about the benefits of sailing out of Holyhead.

Delayed start due to F6 gusting F7 winds up until 11:00. The club was holding its annual jumble sale and try a sail day so it was a very crowded carpark! We eventually goot the crew, Tess, Sam along with his son Nathan and me to the top of the groyne but by then it was the Launch Driver’s lunch time, so a short delay waiting to be taken out to FlairIV. When we got onboard we decided to have lunch while we were on the mooring and then to go through the checks before leaving the mooring with the engine running but sailing on the main as we navigated through the various moored yachts. We had decided to do a ‘round the cans’ sail to give Sam and Nathan some experience of what happens in a race. With the jib unfurled we sailed downwind to the club start IDM [inner distance mark] and then followed course 2, which took us close to the Viking Cruise ship berthed on the Aluminium Pier. Sailing between this and the berthed Ferry gave a demonstration of the effect of two large ships close together in a strong SW wind. Sailing down to Penrhos mark the winds were gusty and showed the crew how to manage sudden gusts and counter the healing action. As the buoy is in a shallower area of the opening to the Cymyran Strait we watched the depth on the instruments and discussed the depth below the keel and the likely dangers. After gybing round Penrhos we headed due North to the Meath buoy, tacked round and back to Clipera before sailing back into the New Harbour to the finish line. Once over the line we picked up Sam Meade from the club rib and sailed around in the more sheltered waters of the harbour. Sam J then offered to do a mast climb to try and fix the new steaming light unit but this was unsuccessful as the position of the choc block connector made it very difficult to set the multi strand cables into their appropriate location.

For preparation for racing on board for 17:15 with Eric. Remainder of the crew arrived in good time so we left the mooring before 18:00 to familiarise the crew, sailing off on the main. At the 5 minute warning we unfurled the jib carefully planning our approach to the start line. Flair crossed the start line about 7 seconds late on the downwind leg but soon was leading the field out of the New Harbour. Race officer Dawn had set course 1 which gave us a long downwind leg around the end of the breakwater then a tight reach to Penrhos, a broad reach to Clipera and a windward leg back to the finish. On the leg from Penrhos we were informed that the James Joyce ferry would be departing in 15 minutes and the Stenna ferry was inbound shortly after. We notified Port Control of our intention to cross the TSZ before the ferry movements and were given clearance. A great evening sail with FlairIV first over the line by a long way!