(Now, this chapter is REALLY technical in places, unless you are a sailor. But it is also dead exciting, so try and stick with it if you get a bit lost. I skipped over the jargonny bits, and it was still good.)

Absalom Rowbottom rounded the outer mark skilfully close to the buoy and Centaur hardened up onto the wind. The gale seemed to blow even harder and screamed through the rigging. Centaur…