A Windy January Sail

Today was my chance to see what Kamala was like in a bit of a blow. It was 4-5, gusting more (35 knots according to the coastguard warning), but being from the North-East, there was no fetch in the bay to kick up a troubling sea. With 2 reefs and a similarly reduced jib, Kamala coped well for the most part.

Not long after setting off, a yacht race began from St Helier, and I spent much of the sail surrounded by, and trying to keep out of the way of, the entire racing fleet. The first boats through were impressive with their genoas raised and blowing out in the gusts. I hove-to for a moment to get these pics:

The wind increased in the middle of the bay but a close-ish haul towards The Gunsite was just about do-able. Then a rain squall came in. Kamala leant over further than ever she had before and my stomach lurched. Although she responded to the rudder and luffed up quickly, I decided that was enough adventure for one day and bore away back to the harbour.
The boat is nicely balanced when reefed (better than when not, to be honest, since the reduced jib shifts its pull further forward, lessening the weather helm) and coped with some quite strong gusts before 'the big one'. In any sort of sea she would no doubt be stopped dead and have zero windward capability, but hey, that's Seawych's. All part of the fun.