Gear
The original Severne Turbo GT sail made it from the Arctic to Asturias – Spain. Widespread patching of UV-weakened X-ply was first urgently applied in Belgium. Daily repairs to the shot film eventually became the norm. I added kilos. The result was a rig that would – with a modest additional covering of sand – literally sink! Thankfully I’ve now received Turbo GT 2, and it’s almost entirely built of the materials that proved most resistant on sail one. Woohoo! Being back on a tough sail feels like having an arm untied from behind my back. The Starboard Phantom is doggedly battling on after some chine, vee and slot flusher repairs. Loading gear on the deck – or raised as is the case with the barrel – makes it particularly unstable and prone to capsize when you fall in, and very heavy to move about on land, but it remains a pleasure to sail. The joy of ‘real windsurfing’ is preserved.