This is an authorized translation in English of a post in French by Vincent Le Roy (@vincentleroy): La Saga PLOUF [Episode 15] : Première manche!

^{As my primary language is not English, there are probably some mistakes in my translation.}

Remember that the person who speaks here is NOT me, Vincent Celier (@vcelier), but Vincent Le Roy (@vincentleroy), a French guy.

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Note: "Plouf", in French, is an onomatopoeia that phonetically imitates the sound of an object that falls in the water. The equivalent in English would be "Plop" or "Splash". That is a strange name for a boat!

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Note: all the photos were taken during the race either by the committee boat or by Vincent Le Roy (@vincentleroy)

Brief summary of previous episodes

In January 2016, I am given a boat, a tiny sailboat. A kid's dream. Her name is Plouf. And in fact the canoe is in a state not possible and I do not know much except sailing. I tell you the journey that I traveled with this small boat, that have become my fourth baby! After many renovations and trips to the sea, it's time to race regattas!

What's interesting in a regatta over a wide area is that you can set up your road strategy and that's where it all goes. Tristan had been using a GPS application and positioned the buoys on his laptop. We will optimize our course. Already an hour of racing, we are 5^th and the first buoy is right there. Problem: you'll have to jibe.

In sailing, you have two solutions to change tack, either you make a tack, or you jibe. The first is more elegant and especially safe because you are facing the wind. The second with a lot of wind, it's risky business. We know it, Tristan and me. We know that at the passage of the buoy, it will be hot. Besides, the committee boat does not leave us. He stays on zone. Inside, they also know that for Plouf the maneuver is hot. I still do not know at this time that the morning, the organizers were reluctant to let us go considering that the conditions were too limited for my little Plouf. But Yann knows that we sail well and that I will not panic. so we were allowed to go to sea.

In short, now we must jibe! And that's good, I went out the week before with Nico, instructor at the sailing school and he showed me a great pro trick. We will use it. We will be shaken, but it should pass. And indeed, the boat took a big slap at the time of the change of edge, largely attenuated by the tip of Nico. Clearly, it's went well. Now we are through and here Plouf will go. Go !!!!

Navigating on Plouf is very physical. Firstly because it is a boat that heel a lot (heel = lean) and we are constantly hiking. I will end up with a good tendinitis on the right knee. But for now, we do not have time to complain. We are hot and in action. The second reason why Plouf is very physical is his rudder. Unlike the First 18, it is not a saffron but a rudder and all the force applied on the hull, you get it back in the bar. It's exhausting and we take turns regularly. But we do not loose anything and we arrive at the final buoy of the morning in 6^th position.

And I must admit that we are rather happy with our morning. The First 18 owners say nothing but clearly, we have not demerit. Especially as cherry on the cake, we have not only sailed in the limit conditions for the boat, we are far from being ridiculous with five minutes late on the first but we have 10 mackerel! And yes, I put the drag line and the morning was a festival for fishing.

Tristan does not endorse this small part of fishing during the race. And for good reason, every time the board goes to the surface, sign that the fish is hooked, you have to slow down the boat to recover the critters. In addition, I empty them (it's forbidden) and I prepare them while we race. Tristan hollers every time! Dad, we're racing!

It is noon. We are well rinsed, including in the figurative sense. The weather is nice. We tidy the boat and we put to dry our jackets and gloves on the boom. The picnic will do us good because there is still the afternoon race to be done!

Continue to Part 16

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10
Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14

All photos are property of @vincentleroy and under copyright