Richie Lord

After a very pleasant relax at the mooring we watched a group of seals calling and lying on the rocks as they emerged with the ebbing tide. In order to make safe passage out we prepared to leave the mooring and motor out of the lagoon. With Becca back on the helm we raised the main once clear of the island as we drifted south with the tidal flow. Next Becca handed the helm over to give Sean some helming experience, Her training included all the main sail settings which is why our track has several changes in course over the ground. Our peek wind gust was 18kt on the return with around 16kt most of the trip back. We worked through some examples of using the Chart Plotter data such as setting waypoints and the ‘SailSteer’ view on the B&G Zeus. Back into the New Harbour we sailed onto our mooring and then chilled with another cup of tea before clearing up. While Sean and I did some more jobs, Becca and Richie caught the launch as they needed to get back quickly. Having removed the hull log transducer and cleaned it I was expecting to pump out the bilges but I discovered that the main bilge pump was not creating enough suction so I had to clear out the starboard cockpit locker to gain access to the pump and strip it out for a rebuild back at home. Album Link https://photos.app.goo.gl/qkueXur83fX9GKTi7

The conditions were almost flat calm as I arrived at the launch to get out to FlairIV. This gave me an opportunity to reconnect the flexible solar panel ontop of the ply and hardwood support. The crew, Becca, Richie and Sean arrived on two separate trips with launch driver Kim due to the requirements of the Squibs for their regatta racing. After a briefing we hoisted the main and left the mooring with Becca at the helm. After checking with Port Control for clearance to leave the New Harbour we got approached by Cogger on a rib warning us of the Squibs course from Spit, the mark just off the end of the breakwater, back into the New Harbour. The winds had now increased from the south so our passage to The Skerries was downwind with us sailing goose winged for much of the way. The entrance to the lagoon in The Skerries is not that easy to see as the leading line paintwork has faded. We furled the jib in the wind shadow of the main and then headed into wind to drop the main sail. I took over the helm to navigate with Becca’s visual assistance into the narrow entrance. There were two ribs, one just left straight away and the other, already on the mooring, very kindly moved off. We tied up to the buoy and thanked them as they motored away to navigate further round the island. Please don’t tell anyone but it is a beautiful place to anchor for lunch watching the birds and the seals!

2025-08 Race 3 Winds F4 - F5 North easterly Dawn Russell OOD selected course 2: giving us a different approach to Penrhos mark then a good upwind leg to Meath before rounding Clipera and back to the finish line. With a reduced crew from the expected 7 we welcomed Helen back on board for the first time in ages. However this meant that the decision, without Sean and Matt, we would not fly the spinnaker; just using the jib and the Code Zero. As the start was a beat to round the end of the Old Aluminium Pier we held off getting the jib and preparing to get the Code Zero unfurled. Houdini had a much better start than us this time and was flying her symmetrical kite as they headed down to Penrhos. Flair IV took an earlier tack on the way back to Clipera to try and regain some of the gap to Houdini but she was clear by a couple of minutes as she rounded the mark and headed back into the New Harbour. Tonight there were 4 entries, Houdini, Flair IV, Aquilibre and Hellhound. Series results: https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/90891

2025-08 Race 2 Winds F5 gusting F6 southerly Only 4 yachts competing. Dawn Russell OOD selected course 1: giving us a good upwind leg from Meath to Penrhos. Some close quarter sailing between FlairIV and Houdini and then the 2 smaller yachts Aquilibre and Livewire. A decent downwind leg followed from Penrhos to Clipera.

Up early to continue with my preparations including adding fuel to the tank. Unfortunately as I poured fuel, from the plastic jerry can, I saw a lump of diesel bug flow into the tank. I had left the tools I needed, to drain the bottom of the tank, at home but fortunately Catharine saved the day by bringing said items up to the club. So having resolved that issue and with the crew onboard we managed to leave the mooring with 10 minutes to spare before our pursuit race start time. As there were light winds as the slower boats started up to an hour and a quarter earlier the pursuit race concept was somewhat compromised as the winds picked up as we rounded the end of the breakwater and we caught up with all the competition, bar Panther, as we sailed round Carmel Head. The winds along the North of Anglesey were dead astern and with the tide race this meant very light apparent winds so we flew the spinnaker without any mainsail. This continued until we came to Puffin Sound when we dropped the spinnaker, raised the mainsail and unfurled the jib to sail upwind along the Menai Strait. During which time we completed 40 tacks! Tess doing remarkable stuff on the winches! On arrival at St. George’s Pier we made fast ensuring sufficient space was left astern for Moonraker to fit on the remainder of the pier, which seemed to be shorter than I remembered. So Moonraker (LOA 44) and Flair IV (LOA 40) moored against the pier and prepared for the other 4 yachts to raft up alongside, 2 on each raft as they all arrived within a short interval. Once we were all settled in place a family of swans came visiting: Tess, Richie and Sean left with Sean due to return in the morning and after clearing things away we walked into Menai Bridge to go and eat. Matt arrived a little later and joined us at the Indian restaurant for dinner. Since we were due to depart at 05:15 - 05:30 in the morning we returned good and early so that I could discuss the arrangements for day 2 with the other skippers. We then worked to free up the mainsheet cam cleat, which had been slipping on our relentless tacking episode. Then we retired to our bunks.

For once this year on a Wednesday evening the forecast was good for sailing. 10 to 15kt NNW winds stayed constant during the race. Initially we had problems with the double line Code Zero halyard which kept on twisting above the head. So we were a bit behind our planned time away from the mooring. 5 yachts approached the start line for 18:35 with Red Eye, Houdini Aqualibre and FlairIV all clear over the line. Avoiding the wind shadow of the breakwater east of the knuckle Houdini and FlairIV kept a course further south but as Houdini was pushing FlairIV off course we slowed to turn close round her stern. Now in clear wind we overtook Houdini and battled with Red Eye as she overtook us at the Clipera mark. With a couple of onboard issues FlairIV was 3rd as she rounded Meath and with more spinnaker issues lost a lot of ground down to the Penrhos mark. 2 ½ minutes separated the first 3 yachts over the line with Aqualibre and Summer Wine some 40 minutes behind. A great evening race, our thanks to Race Officer Dawn.

Wind forecast was for very light winds from the NE. As we set off there was very little wind until we got clear of the breakwater. Once out in the bay we had 7 - 10kts and sailed over to Clipera before tacking to go far enough north to make our planned anchoring point under the cliffs at Church Bay. so a leisurely lunch at anchor watching the considerable numbers on the beach. Next we inflated the tender, which hasn't been used so far this year but the old outboard refused to start so I went for a row to investigate the rocks breaking the surface to the south of our anchoring point. Back onboard we tethered the tender and raised the sails to sail back downwind. Soon however the wind died away and, as we needed to get back ashore by 18:00, we motored back into the harbour. While we had the opportunity Richie and Sean put markers at 5m intervals on the anchor chain.

2025-07-05 Cruise along the coastline in Holyhead Bay I went to Flair IV for around 12:15 and sorted out a few items, including new clips for the halyards at the mast base, before the crew arrived about 13:20. The weather was bright with 16kt to 20kt WSW winds. As we discussed the plan for the afternoon we had lunch, once again supplemented by Tess’s very tasty pulses with a variety of other inputs. After clearing away lunch the crew removed the covers and prepared the sails whilst I made a final check on the rotation of the propeller shaft running in forward and reverse gear. We left the mooring with the 2 reefs in the mainsail and deployed the jib behind the main as we sailed down wind towards the Aluminium Jetty. After checking with Port Control Sean was on the helm to get us out towards Clipera on the far side of the TSZ, while I showed Tess how to remove the log paddle wheel unit to clean it as it had not been recording our boat speed for a couple of weeks. The unit was covered in tiny shrimps which had completely seized the rotor. After cleaning and re-installing the Water Speed Display immediately started showing 8 to 9 kts as we approached the end of the Aluminium Jetty. With the flood tide starting at 13:30 we had decided to just go for a sail in the bay and come back close to the shore line near Church Bay. As we approached the TSZ the Irish Ferries Fast Cat made her passage in to the Ferry Port but our passage was not disrupted as we sailed behind her as she entered the port. During the return to Holyhead a small tear in the old genoa was noticed which got worse as we entered the New Harbour area Another great day sail in some strong but very acceptable winds.