Building goes sailing … with Franklin + Andrews

Building has already spent the previous night boozing with the Franklin + Andrews guys in Southampton (we’ve missed those drinks off the tally for fear of bringing the industry into disrepute.)

We’re here because it’s Cowes week and, excitingly, F+A has invited us to board their sailing boat and watch the racing. We met this morning, bleary-eyed and, frankly, hungover. Overhead are dark, ominous clouds. We’ve just taken the 20-minute ferry from the mainland to Cowes marina and are already feeling seasick.

But no matter, we board F+A’s boat and immediately tuck into a champagne breakfast. The skipper, Martin, asks Andrew W how he’s feeling. “Fragile”, he confesses. “I wouldn’t have expected anything else!” says Martin. It’s clear these two have met before and that last night was just a warm-up …

After breakfast, Martin gives a quick safety briefing, including an explanation of how to inflate the life raft, which incorporates a flare and a fishing line. This is in case the boat sinks and we find ourselves alone and adrift in the raft for weeks on end.

We’ve missed last night’s drinks off the tally for fear of bringing the industry into disrepute

It seems a fairly unlikely scenario – the Solent is buzzing with white sails, zipping to and fro. There are more than 30 races happening today, in which almost 10,000 boats are taking part.

We motor out into the Solent and prepare to hoist the sails. Martin starts yelling at us to pull various ropes – sorry, halliards. “Why can’t we just call them ropes?” asks David. “Just pull, will you!” Martin says, adding that he should pull the halliards on the portside. “That means left”, Andrew W explains.

There’s lots of frantic shouting, then we look skywards and the sail is up, catching the wind and pulling us along magnificently. The sun breaks through the clouds, the wind whips our faces and we’re sailing.

Andrew W grabs the wheel and looks suddenly invigorated. “Not sure whether it’s the champagne or the sailing but I feel fine now.”

Martin yells at us to pull various halliards. ‘why can’t we just call them ropes?’ asks David

Now David wants a go at steering. He takes the wheel and we start veering perilously from left to right. Sorry, port to starboard. “This sailing lark is harder than it looks,” David reveals.

Then Hannah takes the wheel and the boat is becalmed. “You’re a natural” beams Martin. “David, on the other hand, should take up slalom skiing.”

We cruise along blissfully, admiring the blue sky and the green sea … Then Martin breaks the peace: “Right then, time to stop for refuelling.”

David frowns: “I thought this boat was wind-powered.” Martin laughs. “That’s a sailing term for lunch.”