Cowes week Shenani-GINS

So the week before last was Cowes week, the most recognised yachting event in the UK, and apologies for not updating you sooner… It’s been nothing but madness and sailing for me 🙂

Now despite some last minute logistical issues, and a few let downs of the crew front meaning I couldn’t pull together an all female Sonar for the racing that I wanted, I was lucky enough to grab an entry in the Flying 15 class- massive thanks to Andrew Millband, the Andrew Cassell Foundation, Matt Grier, and the lovely people at CCYC for making it all happen!

Arriving on the Saturday morning having never even been in an F15 was pretty bold, but Mel and I figured we could make it work, well how hard can it be? Small keelboat, racing around some marks… pffft!

And work it did… We even managed to score a race win, with 2 women in a boat!! Which according to the Flying 15 class has never happened in the classes history of racing at Cowes week- LOL!

Sadly one day Mel wasn’t feeling too bright after catching a rather ugly cold from her tiny niece who sadly we cannot blame!

With 15 minutes until the start, I made a mad panic phone call to Kat the apprentice at GFS and she legged it down just in time to jump into a wetsuit and into the boat… Sending it off the start-line in 25 knots left us in nothing but fits of giggles, so after racing we rewarded ourselves with a cheeky trip to Tiffins for a milkshake!!

Of course you might have read the name of this post and be wondering to yourself if my dyslexia has gotten the best of me??

Well, no….

This is the first Cowes week where we haven’t been pressured into racing “seriously” and the first where letting my hair down hasn’t been frowned up! Hence the name…

Thanks to Slingsby, the previous years Ladies sponsor, I’m now a Gin addict, and so Shenani-GINS was formed; not only our boat name, but also the name of our WhatsApp groups for causing nothing but good old trouble…

And yes, lots of trouble and shenanigans were had by all… Including the placement of this banter tree onboard Phil Sharps rather lovely Class 40, and before you frown- he started it! I’m not sure whether he took it sailing or not, but I personally think it rather adds something to the decor onboard Imerys!!

Oh, and the tree made it safely home….

So all in all, it was a great fun Cowes week. We didn’t place in the chocolates, we didn’t win any medals, but do you know what, we enjoyed the sailing, and after all, isn’t that the point?

I had nothing but fun, frolics and giggles, except for that one beat, that in the words of David Heritage was “longer than the bloody Vendee Globe”… Oh well, maybe it was meant to be good training….

H x