Finally, a perfect afternoon on Sunday after racing was postponed on Saturday due to rough seas and imminent gales. On Friday, we had "Ramsbottom Hotpot" - not the part of the lamb which is used in this recipe but the name of the town in Lancashire where I created this luxury variation of the traditional hotpot for a hearty meal when I lived there for a couple of years. Now adapted for cooking on a yacht, this uses leg of lamb instead of the more traditional neck of lamb. As the gales howled through the rigging in the shelter of Haslar Marina on Saturday night, we had Taglietelle Bolognaise to keep our spirits up. A trip to the Light Ship for a post-prandial libation also helped.
Following a full English breakfast on Sunday morning [no exploding ovens this time], we set off at best speed for the start line at Gilkicker only to find that the morning was a real drifter with no wind at all :-( After some spinnaker practice, for the first time this year, jackets and scarfs were abandoned and the crew stretched out to catch some rays while we waited for the wind to come our way. Finally the wind filled in and we had a great race with great sail trim, great spinnaker work and a great finish [i.e. not last :-)]
We grudgingly made our way back to base wishing there had been another race as we really had the bit between our teeth but we'll have to wait until the summer now for the next racing round the cans in the Solent.
PS No pictures of the Saturday squalls as they're not very photogenic.
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