Day 5 and the final day of competition. Lighter breeze first thing had us try the J3 jib, but within 8 minutes of the start it was back to the trusty J4 as the breeze hovered around 20 knots. A biased line had the pin favoured, so we started there on port tack – nice start! Up the first beat, in and out of the cliffs, and rounded the mark, up went the spinnaker. Oops – tackline disconnected itself. Quick fix and we were speeding down to the next mark. A long upwind followed with the crew hiking hard, led by Donald, and we were in good position for the chicane through the islands and another spinnaker run. The tracer line got caught up in the sheets which required a bit of climbing and a knife to sort, then we made the turn back into the breeze. Finally rounded the first mark of the day again, this time the other way, and a fun spinnaker run back to the finish. Phew – 29 hard and wet miles. A very nice lady in a RIB then handed over a bottle of Veuve – classy way to finish the regatta. This should of course be standard.

Results were another third, making up third overall with a 3-2-3-3-3 (good poker hand). It was a well earned podium result, and good fighting it our with Kuka on the water – the class winner.

Boat all packed up for a delivery to St. Thomas to board a freighter for the journey home to Newport. Next up is the Transatlantic Race (Newport to Cowes).

After the Nikki Beach party yesterday, a slightly more subdued crew headed out for a day of racing. Wind was the usual easterly at 15-21 knots, so J4 jib it was again. Might as well sell all the other jibs or turn them into handbags for the girls. I’m just saying…

A good clean start (phew) and we were beating upwind, then kept easing sheets to port all the way to the finish under spinnaker. The finish for this race was just off Nikki Beach, all to remind us of the excesses the previous day. The crew headaches were now gone – we suspect we all had a bad shrimp, and just the normal body and sun aches resumed. Next race started there and continued the circumnavigation of the island back to the original start off Gustavia.

Boat topped out at 20 kts today – flying along with warm water on the decks and over some of the crew.

Back to the dock – hardly broke anything which was a result. Finished 3rd in both races, but within touch of second. The other Cookson 50, Kuka, is leading the class, and has proven hard to beat.

Final day tomorrow…

Well that was an action filled day! Out to the start for 10am and then off on a 30 mile jaunt round rocks, islands, and race marks in the standard breeze for this week – 17-20 knots from the east (ish). The start was heavily pin favoured so all the boats stacked up there to start. Unfortunately we were over at the gun – means we were trying, and suffered a 3% time penalty as punishment. So we had some making up to do. Beating up the course to the turning mark we were going well, and soon hoisted the first spinnaker of the day – the largest A2. Speed quickly built to 15+ knots as we tore along, passing boat after boat. Crew work today was a step up, and the tactical calls kept us in the game. We were the first across the finish line for our class, but with our penalty we adjusted to second place.

So a 3-2-2 so far, and in 3rd place overall. Everything to play for on Friday and Saturday as tomorrow is a lay day. Beach and relaxing are on the cards.