Special Series race 2 was held on course 6 up around Fort Denison in an average 10-12 knot NE which was very patchy / gusty and swung, needing constant watch to maintain boat speed. See recordings taken at Fort Denison – highest recorded gust 21knots. Note that the gust wind speed below is a far higher multiplier than the norm – typical of an early summer unstable noreaster – these FortD recordings would not be influenced by funnelling out of the river bays.
Sydney Harbour (Fort Denison) Winds
Notes:
o Wind speed is a 10-minute average. Gusts may be 40% high.
o Wind direction is the direction the wind is coming from.
Low tide around noon resulted in run in the whole race.
Xena Warrior Princess again nailed the start at mid-line, followed by Roustabout at the windward end, Farrago to leeward and A Fine Balance around the middle.
The work up to Drummoyne Point saw RBO with No3 jib footing cleanly and slipping away, but FGO with no2 up held on doggedly, gaining in the light patches. This pattern continued all the way to the harbour bridge, the track including some serious gusts which caused numerous round-ups, even on one of the tallships off Balls Head. It wasn’t till after the harbour bridge that the steady noreaster allowed RBO to extend to Fort Denison. AFB and XWP sailed steadily all the way, hanging on well.
The return starboard pole run to Balls Head saw reasonably steady breeze until RBO, with way too ambitious a kite size selection, got hammered by a northerly gust out of Balls Head Bay, as is typical, and had to douse the kite to get around Longnose. FGO handled this a lot better with a rationally selected kite and slipped nicely through. AFB and XWP followed similarly.
The square run down the Birchgrove shore and through the heavy traffic was negotiated ok with the benefit of starboard hand, followed by rounding the islands and main/jib reaching across the Drummoyne shore to the point, where kites were again set for the run home.
RBO should have changed kites but did not and got assaulted by a gust out of Lukes Bay just before the bridge, which must have been over the 21kt max recorded. The boat was on the verge of rounding up or Chinese gybing, but managed to hang on and make it to Gladesville Bridge marina for a crash gybe then to Searles where the kite was doused and 2 sail reaching to the line finished the race. Similar gusts gave a couple of the tallships grief back up the harbour, including a kite pole buckled 90degrees, and broken backstay.
FGO again controlled the run home well, holding onto the kite to the line, followed by AFB and XWP. RBO got the double followed on hcp by FGO and XWP.
Next week is a spring series race with forecast this far out an 8knot noreaster, high tide around noon.
Notes:
o Wind speed is a 10-minute average. Gusts may be 40% high.
o Wind direction is the direction the wind is coming from.
Low tide around noon resulted in run in the whole race.
Xena Warrior Princess again nailed the start at mid-line, followed by Roustabout at the windward end, Farrago to leeward and A Fine Balance around the middle.
The work up to Drummoyne Point saw RBO with No3 jib footing cleanly and slipping away, but FGO with no2 up held on doggedly, gaining in the light patches. This pattern continued all the way to the harbour bridge, the track including some serious gusts which caused numerous round-ups, even on one of the tallships off Balls Head. It wasn’t till after the harbour bridge that the steady noreaster allowed RBO to extend to Fort Denison. AFB and XWP sailed steadily all the way, hanging on well.
The return starboard pole run to Balls Head saw reasonably steady breeze until RBO, with way too ambitious a kite size selection, got hammered by a northerly gust out of Balls Head Bay, as is typical, and had to douse the kite to get around Longnose. FGO handled this a lot better with a rationally selected kite and slipped nicely through. AFB and XWP followed similarly.
The square run down the Birchgrove shore and through the heavy traffic was negotiated ok with the benefit of starboard hand, followed by rounding the islands and main/jib reaching across the Drummoyne shore to the point, where kites were again set for the run home.
RBO should have changed kites but did not and got assaulted by a gust out of Lukes Bay just before the bridge, which must have been over the 21kt max recorded. The boat was on the verge of rounding up or Chinese gybing, but managed to hang on and make it to Gladesville Bridge marina for a crash gybe then to Searles where the kite was doused and 2 sail reaching to the line finished the race. Similar gusts gave a couple of the tallships grief back up the harbour, including a kite pole buckled 90degrees, and broken backstay.
FGO again controlled the run home well, holding onto the kite to the line, followed by AFB and XWP. RBO got the double followed on hcp by FGO and XWP.
Next week is a spring series race with forecast this far out an 8knot noreaster, high tide around noon.
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