Steve M’s been promising to come up to sail with us to check out the performance of our Ratsey & Lapthorn sails.

The tides are good for a full day out in the river so we decide to leave the Tidemill at 1700, Monday and motor down to pick up two moorings at Waldringfield for the night, going ashore for supper at the Maybush. With the outboard the dinghy only carries two, so Bev’s taken across to order in the pints and book a table! On Tuesday morning, we awake to a flat calm and no wind! As the tide comes in the wind freshens and Steve motors across to ‘Dauber’ in the dinghy to pick Steve M. up. We stow dinghy and outboard, slip the mooring and depart Waldringfield at 1200 noon.

We motor through Ramsholt moorings then put up the sails and get some tips from Steve M. for the ‘rigging and reeving’. Bev takes the helm as we sail down towards Felixstowe Ferry in perfect conditions to check out the set of the sails. After two or three attempts, we pick up a buoy at Felixstowe Ferry under sail and have lunch at 1500 departing 1545 for a run in light airs back to Waldringfield. We drop the sails just before the moorings and motor alongside ‘Dauber’ to let Steve M. jump across, returning to the Tidemill at 1800. A perfect day out, rounded off with a curry at the Bengal Tiger, Woodbridge with Steve M.