Accidental Tack & Incorrectly Furled Mainsail!

Back on the Ijsselmeer we continued to get to grips with the boat. At one point I accidentally tacked, which in stormy conditions can be the end of the boat since the boom can swing round the wrong way and put too much pressure on the wrong side of the mast, which could snap it in two. Mistake number one! The next mistake was incorrectly furling the mainsail, causing it to flap in the wind which, of course, can rip it to shreds. Although this was entirely my fault it was Tim who got it in the neck from the skipper who ‘talked very loudly’ at him for quite some time. Guess we won’t be making that mistake again in a hurry.

It was about this time that the skipper was clearly demonstrating some frustrations with Jason, for some reason. Jason, who’s been hard at work and always willing to please the skipper, was really getting it in the neck. In the eyes of the skipper nothing he did was right, though as far as the crew were concerned he was working harder than the rest of us put together.