For the 3rd race of the six in the series it was Last Tango in Paris crunch time for all boats except AOE who snared the wins in the prior two, as well as the Special Trophies 1st heat – top sailing right there to them. SF were onto it also with a stacked crew of 6 looking more than menacing before the start, whilst AOE casually loitered around with aplomb, Bush Telegraph (BT) came into the frame with obvious serious intent and RSGT despite being short crewed with 3 plotted the required change of fortune....
The forecast was ~12-18knots NW at the start 2.00pm, to swing N a bit and reduce a tad as the afternoon went on. Tide low 4.15pm. This was about right for the race and the starters correctly read it the same as always, sending us off on schedule on the W course.
Our start plan was to give ourselves a run away from the line on port right up at the club end for a bit less than a minute, then come back on stbd to get the windward berth with speed. All was going perfectly till the helm totally mucked up the tack to go back onto port 2mins out, got the tiller caught in the runners and locked in the bear way went straight over the top of an Abbotsford club buoy dropped there 5mins earlier which we clearly were aware of at that time…….we went head to wind, backed the jib and main to sail backwards a bit, got the boat hook out, then noticed it amidships to starboard and in a race saving top effort from one of us hauled it up – flag buoy, rope, chain and anchor the whole lot. We got way back onto port after the sailing backwards effort, and the whole lot was thrown back into the drink off the port bow as we went back to the plan. Sorry ASC, we won’t do a 3rd event of this after the one last season also………but please don’t drop this flag buoy so close to our start line so close to our start time………..
Anyway we got back to our plan, went back further away from the line on port to re-group, then snap tacked back onto stbd way down in the mouth of Looking Glass Bay and then headed back to the line. But we looked to be way too far back due that drama – fortuitously Huey the wind God had a rest as we did all that and as we came back to the line on stbd he woke up and we accelerated in the puff out of the bay, right over the top of SF and AOE and crossed the line exactly as planned going away.
So with the best start we have ever concocted that must be the plan………..create total chaos up at the windward end of the line and gyrate out of control held by the flag buoy, re-locate this other club’s flag buoy to where it wasn’t at the 5min gun creating uncertainty and caution in the rest of the fleet, gain the windward berth with speed and nonchalantly look back with the “what’s the problem” stare……….ok we won’t try that again sorry guys.
A close reach with some working to Morrisons ensued and SF reached through under us as expected to round first from us and AOE and BT - and that was the scratch order all race but there were numerous changes to the margins………..
So we went down to Abbotsford free reaching with no kite, back to Morrisons close reaching / working, then off to H+C bay where with SF lumbering along the plan was to round the Cabarita marina and do a kite ride right up to the stern of SF – SF surprisingly having yet another kite free beer and skittles day but 6 on board???. This didn’t quite happen but we closed right up from 400m back to 150m, in a great square run.
BT did the same with a super kite run - setting close after rounding the Cabarita marine and holding it well into H+C – top job. AOE did the same as expected.
On the work back to Morrisons AOE came back very well as expected, but from Morrisons to Abbtsfd and to the finish it was a bit of a soldiers course……………the breeze sagged worryingly and we were concerned as SF drifted across the line but we followed suit in time to get the hcap from SF, AOE and BT.
Well done to all in that breeze………no one beats up on RSGT and SF 4 races in a row…………..
See track as below in another very quickly completed race – track includes SF and Farrago.
See the link here to get onto RaceQs with your mobile………….the after race track information is very informative and instructive………..it won’t assist in avoiding sailing over the top of flag buoys though……………
http://raceqs.com/
Untitled JourneySaturday, Sep 23, 2017
Sailboat: Resurgent
9 NM, 2h
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Our start plan was to give ourselves a run away from the line on port right up at the club end for a bit less than a minute, then come back on stbd to get the windward berth with speed. All was going perfectly till the helm totally mucked up the tack to go back onto port 2mins out, got the tiller caught in the runners and locked in the bear way went straight over the top of an Abbotsford club buoy dropped there 5mins earlier which we clearly were aware of at that time…….we went head to wind, backed the jib and main to sail backwards a bit, got the boat hook out, then noticed it amidships to starboard and in a race saving top effort from one of us hauled it up – flag buoy, rope, chain and anchor the whole lot. We got way back onto port after the sailing backwards effort, and the whole lot was thrown back into the drink off the port bow as we went back to the plan. Sorry ASC, we won’t do a 3rd event of this after the one last season also………but please don’t drop this flag buoy so close to our start line so close to our start time………..
Anyway we got back to our plan, went back further away from the line on port to re-group, then snap tacked back onto stbd way down in the mouth of Looking Glass Bay and then headed back to the line. But we looked to be way too far back due that drama – fortuitously Huey the wind God had a rest as we did all that and as we came back to the line on stbd he woke up and we accelerated in the puff out of the bay, right over the top of SF and AOE and crossed the line exactly as planned going away.
So with the best start we have ever concocted that must be the plan………..create total chaos up at the windward end of the line and gyrate out of control held by the flag buoy, re-locate this other club’s flag buoy to where it wasn’t at the 5min gun creating uncertainty and caution in the rest of the fleet, gain the windward berth with speed and nonchalantly look back with the “what’s the problem” stare……….ok we won’t try that again sorry guys.
A close reach with some working to Morrisons ensued and SF reached through under us as expected to round first from us and AOE and BT - and that was the scratch order all race but there were numerous changes to the margins………..
So we went down to Abbotsford free reaching with no kite, back to Morrisons close reaching / working, then off to H+C bay where with SF lumbering along the plan was to round the Cabarita marina and do a kite ride right up to the stern of SF – SF surprisingly having yet another kite free beer and skittles day but 6 on board???. This didn’t quite happen but we closed right up from 400m back to 150m, in a great square run.
BT did the same with a super kite run - setting close after rounding the Cabarita marine and holding it well into H+C – top job. AOE did the same as expected.
On the work back to Morrisons AOE came back very well as expected, but from Morrisons to Abbtsfd and to the finish it was a bit of a soldiers course……………the breeze sagged worryingly and we were concerned as SF drifted across the line but we followed suit in time to get the hcap from SF, AOE and BT.
Well done to all in that breeze………no one beats up on RSGT and SF 4 races in a row…………..
See track as below in another very quickly completed race – track includes SF and Farrago.
See the link here to get onto RaceQs with your mobile………….the after race track information is very informative and instructive………..it won’t assist in avoiding sailing over the top of flag buoys though……………
http://raceqs.com/
Untitled JourneySaturday, Sep 23, 2017
Sailboat: Resurgent
9 NM, 2h
Subscribe to Race To Win Sailing Podcast
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