We lead Farrago down to Searles and Gladesville bridge before they snuck past on our wind. We rounded Drummoyne point and down to Hunters hill shore keeping Farrago in close sight until Cockatoo / Balmain , with Snowgoose catching but then fall in the same lull at Cockatoo and which we all contended with .
We then had the flying Still Festering ahead in Div 1 come past and then at Goat Island the rest LOEG and Resurgent. We noted we weren't doing badly to get passed this far down to the bridge and hoping our return trip might be this fast .
After a few tacks to change over to the RHS near the finger wharves and back we had made some ground to Farrago and so decided Id send the Birthday girl ( skipper Carolyn ) a photo just to put her at ease with how we were doing OK in a Long Harbour race to Taylors bay .
We persisted through the chop and some round ups from some gusts between Fort Denison and Bradleys Head weaving our way nicely from side to side round Bradleys Head lighthouse to Taylor's Bay. We headed nicely into Taylors bay mark with Farrago still well within our sights but had lost sight of Snowgoose.
We turned for home pinching nicely round Bradleys Head to make some time on the wider Farrago. We were kept busy on watch, dodging the harbour Couta boat racers. In the distance we see Farrago set her Black spinnaker and disappear. We discuss a spinnaker and Lament that we can pole our fabulous Sydney Sailmakers genoa, as we are too shorthanded for the Purple People eater.
We see Big blue on Still Festering set at the bridge and take off. We hold we most of the way and few wind shifts as wind drops the closer to home we get.
We get passed by rest of Div 1 along to Balmain all under spinnaker.
We have spinnaker envy as we struggle for speed.
But wait, we get a good run from Drummoyne point pull on the Genoa to pinch up through Searles where we pole out again whilst watching Snowgoose catching under spinnaker .
We get a nice run, finally a constant wind to push Us home round the point and over the line to our awaiting Skipper at the Rowers for her double celebration by her "Gun 2 up crew " and the "Lil boat that could".
Well done stand in skipper Vince. Back at the club there are calls from the Farrago crew to give Vince a special handicap .
Good work Xena warrior princess and not a bad effort crew with no spinnaker and just 2 up.
Over line results
1. Farrago
2. Xena
3. Snowgoose
Handicap results
1. Xena WP
Plus 5 mins
2. Farrago
3. Snowgoose