Morgan CaryArchitects
sponsoredPYRA Cherbourg weekend.
For the first channel race of
the season, a good number of boats congregated in the bay, bright and early
Saturday morning, despite the weather forecast threatening a potential beat in
both directions!
Class 3 and 4 got away first,
closely followed by 1 and 2.
There were no class 5
multihulls, which was understandable, considering the possibility of a strong
wind beat for the trip home.
As it turned out, the sail to
Cherbourg was a
very pleasant quick fetch, with close battles in all classes. In class 2,
Parallel Universe sailed almost neck and neck with Zorra all the way, with P.U.
having a slight advantage on handicap.
We were amazed on arrival, to
see Zorra finish, go about, and sail straight back to Poole,
apparently resulting in an epic twenty hour sail! Well done Mark. Maybe there
should be an endurance trophy!
Some PYRA boats left Cherbourg on Sunday due to
Mondays forecast suggesting a beat to windward all the way.
However, PYRA members are a
hardy bunch and most stayed on to compete in the now famous Boules
Championship!
Due to some colourful rules, courtesy
of Ken Morgan, the Boules was excellent fun. After the knock out rounds, only
the crew of Fizz and Hope and Glory remained. The final was a close match but
the eventual winners after playing up hill, down hill, and across the slope,
were Hope and Glory. Well done guys!
As Joint sponsors for the
weekend, Ken Morgan and Mark Cary of Morgan Cary Architects, kindly organised
the Boules competition, and arranged an excellent meal at the Cherbourg Yacht
Club on Sunday evening.
Prizes of wine were
generously given, for the winners in each class, and the winners of the Boules
championship.
Unfortunately, A forecast of
a strong NNE wind of up to 30 knots caused the race home to be cancelled, but
most boats set off for Poole that morning
anyway.
I think the trip home will
stay in my mind as the wettest, longest channel crossing I have ever done! Not
helped by the fact that it was absolutely freezing!
After leaving Cherbourg at 10:00,
Parallel Universe eventually rolled into PooleHarbour
at just gone 03:00 the
following morning. The highlights, being a fantastic sunset, followed later, by
watching a blood red moon rise.
A special thanks to the sponsors,
Morgan Cary Architects for a fantastic, well organised weekend.
Here’s to warmer weather for
Lymington in two weeks!
Matt thank you for providing the above, Mike - webmaster
