Harry comes down. It is Saturday, but apart from that it is a very un Okinawan day. It is spitting with rain, very grey, with high wind and an inexplicably broken sea. We take the boat out anyway as I am determined to set the sails.

We batter our way out with the Yanmar performing heroically. It goes, ” thunka,thunka,thunka,thunka.”

There are 1 meter waves which are strangely short pitched and broken. Wind is strong. We are too scared to haul up the mainsail, which we would probably have to put 2 reefs in. I want my first mainsail experience to be calm rather than frantic.

So we chicken out but do unfurl the jib, which is a very smooth procedure thanks to Nick’s tuning.

We sail her around on jib alone and it is very encouraging. We do not go very fast but we certainly make way. Another encouraging behaviour is that, as we crash into big waves, the hull pushes them away and no water comes onboard. She appears to be a very dry boat. Anyway I am delighted.

One step nearer the Full Monty. Unfortunately, despite very overcast weather I get a very sunburnt face. I left my wide brimmed hat at home and did not apply sunscreen. I will not do that again.

I work on the cockpit cover as I am going to San Francisco next week and I do not want her to fill up with rainwater. There is a punch that er punches a hole through the fabric so you can press in eyelets. This, I immediately drop in the water. This entails a trip to Make Man, famous Japanese DIY store, to buy a new punch.

The cover is not finished but I will have it done tomorrow. What fun!