Day Skipper with America's Cup Jubilee

Some time after the yacht race fiasco I thought it might be useful to learn a bit more about this sailing lark.

The RYA provide a whole range of really good courses, from competent crew to yacht master, and I decided to do the Day Skipper over two long weekends.

It was great fun. We practised MOB, mooring up to buoys and pilings, navigate by day and night and the rules of the road.

By a lucky coincidence the second long weekend coincided with the 150th anniversary of the first America's Cup and the Solent was packed with amazing yachts, such as J-classes (above).

We moored up in Cowes surrounded by famous names. One of the day skipper tests was to check our rowing skills, so the examiner created a rather special course.

"Row to Australia II, then over to Black Magic, then return here."

I'll never do a row like that again.