We took Lyra out for the first time last Friday teatime with mingling excitement and fear. We cast off the lines and Robin from Berthon came out to wish us Bon Voyage.  We wound our way out, following the channel markers out of the Lymington River. Lots of other craft were busy making there way back in and we had our first close encounter with the Isle of Wight Ferry. We waved happily to folk on deck.

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Then we were out into the Solent, headed to wind and unfurled the sails. They are laminates and the stitching gives them, I think, the appearance of giant insect wings. They perform superbly. We made over nine knots as the wind blew up to nineteen knots on the beam. We had the Solent to ourselves on a beautiful evening, racing along with the wake creaming behind us.

Reader it was wonderful.

Cathy