Team Rider Timo Mullen gave us a brief run of his first ever speed event

OK this really was my second time ever on speed equipment so I was pretty nervous to say the least. I had literally picked up my speed sails the night before so had to rig them in the house to work out how to rig them etc. Early start leaving Poole at 0400 to be at Southend for 0730. I rigged 4.7m and 5.1m Severne Code Red on my Starboard Isonic50 speed board. Looking around the rigging area though I noticed everyone had pretty specialized kit, John Smalleys board really did look like a water-ski! Then i start getting asked how much weight I was carrying Excuse me but I have been on a diet you cheeky buggers leave out the rude digs please...ah...they meant weight jackets, Whitey quickly informed me!!

Anyway I was first to hit the course desperate to get some runs before the good guys got out there, having never sailed a proper course i had to get experience very quickly! Boy I was flying, like warp speed, or so I thought.....what felt like the fastest I have ever gone turned out to 'only' be a 35 knots on my GPS, my next 10 runs all the same still impossible to break 35!! On one run I get a 36, that felt more like 50!! The course was very square if it gives you any idea I was sailing as fast back up the course as I was down it!

I must have done 40 runs still only touching 36 on my Navman GPS so Whitey told me to change my harness from a waist to a seat as he said my stance was rubbish and to try one of his Choco fins as he said they made a big difference.

Sods law time, in the 45 minutes it took me to walk back in and find fins and harness the course went more broad and got windier, this was the window when everyone bar me got their best times...aghhhhhh!!!

Anyway when I did get back out there i immediately posted a 37 then a 38 on my GPS, wow the course angle and fin/harness etc really makes a BIG difference, unfortunately for us all the wind started to drop and the angle got too broad, so we had to call it a day.

The plus side of things is that I learnt soooo much in one day

1. I need a Choco fin, they are so solid and very fast!
2. You can carry so much more sail than you think, literally if you can barely waterstart then that means you should be powered enough for a good run!!
3. Going fast is difficult!! I thought 40 knots would be a piece of p*ss.
4. All the speed sailor guys are so friendly and helpful, great bunch of lads who are seriously committed and talented!

Once again hats off to Whitey and the crew and Pete Davis for working out all our times so quickly!!

Roll on the next big day, I m ready this time!!

Words by : Timo Mullen