Div 1 - Autumn Series - Race 3

​​Saturday arrived with a forecast much similar to the working week just past with predicted rain & thunderstorms. The day was also a significant Sydney yearly event with the Mardi Gras festival being held in Oxford Street. Five boats braved the conditions with three Div 3 boats and two Div 1 boats. It was another occasion of participation in Div 1 overshadowed by the smaller boats of Div 3. Resurgent put in apologies early in the week from the event. L.O.E.G again found the conditions not to their liking on the day with rain about, or was it too hot or too windy? Or was the boat being used somewhere else (a float to get to their float down in Oxford St), and what the G stand for??? These questions were being asked about this mysterious craft.

The wind was a SE breeze with variable strengths from 5 to 15 kts at the start of play. It was an even enough start for us both with the AOE looking swift with their still crispy new wardrobe aloft as both boats were heading for our new #4 mark. Wind strength freshened to about 15 - 18kts gusty and shifty with SF leading narrowly around the first mark. SF selecting not to set a spinnaker for the run to #1, only to look around and see AOE  2 up with that old favourite Jimmy back on board setting their kite and closing the gap. Aptly nick named the barrell chested men, they kept nipping at our heels all day always applying the pressure on the SF knowing any slip would cause the gap to close swiftly. The positions stayed the same all day going to the last mark, and with the gap a touch over 6 min the AOE lads were well within range to take the handicap victory. The last spinnaker run of the day was to influence the results with SF edging closer to the line as the breeze decided to take a break for a bit and shying up to stage that the spinnaker had to be dropped to sail reaching to the finish. Apprehensively we awaited the AOE arrival as we were packing up the boat. We see their spinnaker and think ‘well we sailed ok by maybe just a bit short today’ and then the wind gods departed poor old AOE at Bedlam Bay. The kite went limp and with the boat barely moving, I think ‘you poor buggers’ from afar. The lads were nearly becalmed and time was ticking away and favouring SF. The end was SF 1st, 2nd AOE across the line with SF claiming the double as AOE could not manage one little gust to bring them across the line to take the handicap victory.
 
Special thanks for Brad and Jimmy for laying a new #4 mark and collecting the old #4 from Cabarita Marina. Thanks to Pete and Carmel for having a spare mark prepared and ready to go.