Spring Series Race 6 5/11/16 First Handicap race of the year (or was it)?
The day arrived with a WSW zephyr meandering its way across the river with the occasional gust reading 35kts around noon. Consideration was given whether to start in such benign conditions, crews and skippers were pondering yes no yes no the final decision a mystery until kick off. Forecast was for the wind to abate as the afternoon wore on but would it?
The day arrived with a WSW zephyr meandering its way across the river with the occasional gust reading 35kts around noon. Consideration was given whether to start in such benign conditions, crews and skippers were pondering yes no yes no the final decision a mystery until kick off. Forecast was for the wind to abate as the afternoon wore on but would it?
Spring Series Race 6 5/11/16 First Handicap race of the year (or was it)?
The day arrived with a WSW zephyr meandering its way across the river with the occasional gust reading 35kts around noon. Consideration was given whether to start in such benign conditions, crews and skippers were pondering yes no yes no the final decision a mystery until kick off. Forecast was for the wind to abate as the afternoon wore on but would it?
12:30 arrived, breeze steadying but still fresh at about 20 kts the ‘shall we or shall we nots’ becoming tougher to decide. The balcony deck at club house was filling with crew awaiting the skipper’s decision. The smallest boat in our fleet Xena makes the call “We’re going!”, so that was that, all our testosterone was put to the test. Carolyn had left us with no decision, “We’re going” is the call from the Festering. Out to the boat we go and see A Fine Balance putting a reef in the sail then we look over to Xena who were doing the same, so it seemed only fair we do the same.
Out on the starting line we see Axis with JS replacing Speed for the day, along with our newbies out in Memphis. There were only 5 boats, the big boys in Div 1 only made up 2 with the League and Resurgent on the club house deck, Oh the shame! A quick glance at the starter and we notice the handicap start pennant was hoisted and blowing freely and proudly in the breeze, something that had been hinted at all week.
13:50 arrives, a sound signal is heard and SF gets ready for its 14:12 starting time. Memphis is on its way up stream with Xena & Axis awaiting time. 13:55 away goes Axis, hard beating to windward but why? We watch, thinking the skilled crew of AOE were fine tuning their trim, up to 3 they go and we think they would be returning for their correct start time but no they did not. AOE was on its way to mark 1 until that kind lady of the sea Carolyn of Xena told them they had sailed the wrong course and mark 4 was the intended first destination. Poor Speed would have been shaking his head at the navigator for the day whoever he was. 14:12 comes along and off go SF on its correct starting time in pursuit of AOE who had a substantial lead on the SF (but would it count, had the jury on the club house deck seen the error in AOE’s ways?).
Alas for the lads they had been seen and were OCS by a considerable margin sailing around the course for the day with no reward. Speed, the rock of the outfit will be calling a debrief for this one. On SF, the day’s sail was pleasant enough, all we had to do was finish which we fortunately managed to do. The wild and woolly wind of the morning had subsided with the sail becoming quite enjoyable. Full mains were seen on Memphis & Xena headsail changes were happening as the breeze got softer and softer. It was great to watch the div 3 boats do battle and especially comforting to see Memphis do so well against hardened competitors of AFB and Xena.
Pat
The day arrived with a WSW zephyr meandering its way across the river with the occasional gust reading 35kts around noon. Consideration was given whether to start in such benign conditions, crews and skippers were pondering yes no yes no the final decision a mystery until kick off. Forecast was for the wind to abate as the afternoon wore on but would it?
12:30 arrived, breeze steadying but still fresh at about 20 kts the ‘shall we or shall we nots’ becoming tougher to decide. The balcony deck at club house was filling with crew awaiting the skipper’s decision. The smallest boat in our fleet Xena makes the call “We’re going!”, so that was that, all our testosterone was put to the test. Carolyn had left us with no decision, “We’re going” is the call from the Festering. Out to the boat we go and see A Fine Balance putting a reef in the sail then we look over to Xena who were doing the same, so it seemed only fair we do the same.
Out on the starting line we see Axis with JS replacing Speed for the day, along with our newbies out in Memphis. There were only 5 boats, the big boys in Div 1 only made up 2 with the League and Resurgent on the club house deck, Oh the shame! A quick glance at the starter and we notice the handicap start pennant was hoisted and blowing freely and proudly in the breeze, something that had been hinted at all week.
13:50 arrives, a sound signal is heard and SF gets ready for its 14:12 starting time. Memphis is on its way up stream with Xena & Axis awaiting time. 13:55 away goes Axis, hard beating to windward but why? We watch, thinking the skilled crew of AOE were fine tuning their trim, up to 3 they go and we think they would be returning for their correct start time but no they did not. AOE was on its way to mark 1 until that kind lady of the sea Carolyn of Xena told them they had sailed the wrong course and mark 4 was the intended first destination. Poor Speed would have been shaking his head at the navigator for the day whoever he was. 14:12 comes along and off go SF on its correct starting time in pursuit of AOE who had a substantial lead on the SF (but would it count, had the jury on the club house deck seen the error in AOE’s ways?).
Alas for the lads they had been seen and were OCS by a considerable margin sailing around the course for the day with no reward. Speed, the rock of the outfit will be calling a debrief for this one. On SF, the day’s sail was pleasant enough, all we had to do was finish which we fortunately managed to do. The wild and woolly wind of the morning had subsided with the sail becoming quite enjoyable. Full mains were seen on Memphis & Xena headsail changes were happening as the breeze got softer and softer. It was great to watch the div 3 boats do battle and especially comforting to see Memphis do so well against hardened competitors of AFB and Xena.
Pat
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