Jibbing and tacking with Captain Jack

Standing on the Cowes quayside at 7.30 am, trying to force a bacon sandwich down into a queasy stomach less than six hours after you had your last rum and coke, is, I am learning, a quintessential Little Britain experience. As is not knowing whether the gentle rocking motion you're feeling is the remnants of your sea legs or the onset of your hangover.

A Little Britain virgin, and not that far off a sailing virgin altogether, I thought why not join Jack Pringle for two days racing? How hard can it be? And, besides, how could i refuse such a kind offer from the former RIBA president.

This is before I realised that Jack Pringle's boat is a class 0 ie the fastest and largest, and certainly not decked out with cushions and handy little holders for your gin & tonic. I was going to get the real racing experience, on a stripped-down finely honed racing machine, built for power and speed.

Read more at Joey Gardiner's Little Britain blog