Leg 2, Days 8-9-10

Leg 2 Day 8
The wind stayed over 20 knots from the WSW until midday when it backed to NWxN and slowly dropped for a time. Now I was able to cash in my northerly position on the course and continue reaching when other boats to the south would be hard on the wind. The notable event of the day was a leak from the port genoa track end-stop, right onto my bunk! This could not to be tolerated and I spent several hours attempting to fix it, not an easy job on a close reach with spray flying and water washing the decks. Fortunately Sikaflex does require moisture to cure, but I don't think the manufacturers ever envisaged it being used almost underwater!

Leg 2 Day 9
Yet another depression was coming through and the wind obediently backed to SW and picked up to F5-6. It brought with it some thick weather, not the best thing for negotiating the Western Approaches. A VHF call to a large motor vessel whose RADAR was pinging me and whose fog horn I could hear resolved some of my anxiety. The call was monitored by Red Ruth who called me up. They were ahead of me, to the NE of my position, and in the fortunate position of having their own RADAR.

Leg 2 Day 10
The direct course was dead downwind and I planned my gybes carefully to maximise use of the tide and minimise the risk of a wind shift leaving me out of position. I had not dared to use my spinnaker since the incident three days before but as the wind now dropped to F4 up it went. Land was vaguely in sight by 15:20, visibility still rather murky. After rounding the Lizard at 17:20 the wind disappeared almost completely. Only by using the fair tide and keeping the apparent wind up by taking extreme gybing angles was I able to keep steerage way and creep up towards Falmouth Harbour entrance. I crossed the line at 20:41:50, like the first leg a spinnaker finish. I got a big cheer from competitors already finished as I passed the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club and made it to Falmouth Marina in time for a most welcome meal at the Marina restaurant. Sue Mantle, Rear Commodore of the RCYC, popped in to update me with all the race news: sadly Eliminator had lost her mast and been abandoned 400 miles West of Finisterre, Rebel had steering cable problems and Paul Coley from the two-handed Safe Arrival was transferred aboad to assist. My own position in the fleet was, however, unclear and it was not until the next morning when I was awoken by Jeremy Wharton from Bucks Eagle, who had just arrived, that I realised my time on leg 2 had been a good one and that overall class honours would go to Hakuna Matata.