I can't believe it's almost 20 years since Dad and I crewed for Tom Tiedemann on his 48' cutter-rigged ketch.  On collecting us from Cork airport, Tom said 'don't touch the passenger electric window".  Dad called shotgun, jumped into the car, and immediately leant on the switch and the glass fell out into the bottom of the door. I laughed all the way to Kinsale.

We had beautiful sailing weather... until on the second day, we didn't.  The wind unexpectedly rose to a force 8. We raced to escape the mounting Atlantic rollers for the safety of Kinsale Marina.  Driven at speed by the onshore gale we realised the self-furling electric mainsail winch had jammed.  Unable to reef the sail further or turn into the wind with dozens of other boats sprinting for safety around us, Dad and I wrestled with the manual winch as we sped towards the rocks at the 'u-bend' of the natural harbour.   The tender blew over the side and we embarrassed ourselves by needing help to moor up at the bucking marina pontoon.

I'll admit to being frightened at the time but I remember being reassured, not only Tom's experience, but the usual calm and confident approach that my father would bring to any challenging situation. 

An hour later we drank Guinness, ate crab-claw salad and shared laughter and increasingly exaggerated stories with other sailors in the pub.  Good times Dad.