Six go sailing

Six sailors were at the sailing club early on the 28th July intending to cruise to Margate, have lunch and return on the tide. Puffin's main engine wasn't firing correctly so after an on-the-water test that ended up with Tony S. and Dave H. rowing the short way back, a second Wayfarer was rigged to join the Cornish Crabber.  

Tony revised the Margate plan to avoid being stuck in the bay, and the boats headed off on a good beat to Minnis Bay. Minnis was reached in good time and we settled in for a healthy lunch (burgers all round) and, for some, a warm ale at the beach side cafe.  We then waited for the tide to finish going out and had come in enough so that the boats were back in ankle-deep water.

The reach back was fast and exciting; the Cornish Crabber with Martin H. and Tony aboard apparently recorded a top speed of more than six knots, and the Wayfarers were even faster. All was going well until John O. did a relatively-gentle tack near the slipway and managed to thwack his head nicely with the boat. He was just about OK but eventually had relinquish the helm to Clare D. because of the blood dripping in his eyes. The winch easily pulled up all the boats and we gave everything, John included, a good wash down.