I don’t think I have sweated so much in the lead up to a race before. The lack of wind had us worried as we struggle when the wind is light. But as always great humour was aboard Memphis. Thankfully after a mercy dash back ashore and to the local, we had some suitable refreshments for the day out.....
I don’t think I have sweated so much in the lead up to a race before. The lack of wind had us worried as we struggle when the wind is light. But as always great humour was aboard Memphis. Thankfully after a mercy dash back ashore and to the local, we had some suitable refreshments for the day out.
The crew today was the A team… Me (Patto, James, but more commonly know as “Stop yelling at me”), The Gorgeous Ele who’s work rate is higher than all of the rest of us, and Pete, AKA the Guru, who pulled and pushed everything that moved. As we motored out to the start, our game plan was devised. If there’s no wind, just start the race and then bugger off and practice some spinnaker setting….Great plan….
After a bit of fun chatting to Noel before the start and others in very close company, we found out what a postponement flag looks like. Every day out racing is a learning experience for us at the moment. Not a breath of wind.
Oh whats that.. A bit of wind. This could be a goer after all.
So its course 7!!!! Work out where the hell we are going…. Don’t hit anyone, oh shit it’s a full fleet start, what’s the start plan again, 30 seconds to go “Patto you’re a bit close to the line”, run along it and then go. What’s the plan again? Follow Pat… No, He’s got no wind on the point, or it’s an equipment malfunction. Shit, Ok just get into the groove and get some good tacks going. What’s the plan again? Follow Xena. Hang on we are ahead of her, how did that happen, Ok follow Noel.
Breathe.
First leg upwind was great. A nice breeze for us, with Barry scarpering as usual, Noel is still in sight and Carolyn is closing toward the end of the leg. A couple of close tacks and she’s through. Damn. Regroup and follow. Carolyn gets a bit of a knock at the top of cockatoo and has to tack and we sneak through. Round we go and up goes the green and gold.
This sailing this is fun. We’ve got this sorted.
Why is everyone heading over there? Oh that would be Spectacle Island, Gybe time.
Down wind was a successful (read uneventful) leg and we round mark 2 with Carolyn still close. Look up and she’s gone. I think we need some more work on dropping the spinnaker and getting up the Jib.
Ok all is not lost, just refocus and hopefully we might gain something back.
Heading back up wind is fun, as we call great tack after great tack. Well we think we did pretty well anyway. Round 5, second spinnaker set. A couple of lines are in the way but we get them sorted and of we go again. Another “tower fly by” with Lenny shouting some encouragement and we are nearly ready to head for home. Round we go and the skipper calls “ok 3 more good tacks.” Well it might have been 4 or more and we are home.
Pats on the back and claps all around because we were just have to have a relatively event free race with everything going up and down easily and more or less when it should have. We weren’t heading to club but thought we needed to celebrate a great day out and maybe a podium.
Aren’t handicaps wonderful. We managed to score a win and weren’t we happy (and massively surprised). Some great banter and a couple of beverages made for a great end to the day.
Thanks to Peter and Ele for keeping me calm. No foetal positions today. Thanks to the club for both the volunteers for the races, but also a great group of people for helping us out with sailing tips and advice. Something about a barber hauler…
Smart enough to know a robbery when I see one, realistic to know we were lucky, but cheeky enough to take the chocolates and run….
Again thanks for your help and advice. We have come a long way in 5 months but have a long way to go.
Cheers
The Memphis Mafia….
The crew today was the A team… Me (Patto, James, but more commonly know as “Stop yelling at me”), The Gorgeous Ele who’s work rate is higher than all of the rest of us, and Pete, AKA the Guru, who pulled and pushed everything that moved. As we motored out to the start, our game plan was devised. If there’s no wind, just start the race and then bugger off and practice some spinnaker setting….Great plan….
After a bit of fun chatting to Noel before the start and others in very close company, we found out what a postponement flag looks like. Every day out racing is a learning experience for us at the moment. Not a breath of wind.
Oh whats that.. A bit of wind. This could be a goer after all.
So its course 7!!!! Work out where the hell we are going…. Don’t hit anyone, oh shit it’s a full fleet start, what’s the start plan again, 30 seconds to go “Patto you’re a bit close to the line”, run along it and then go. What’s the plan again? Follow Pat… No, He’s got no wind on the point, or it’s an equipment malfunction. Shit, Ok just get into the groove and get some good tacks going. What’s the plan again? Follow Xena. Hang on we are ahead of her, how did that happen, Ok follow Noel.
Breathe.
First leg upwind was great. A nice breeze for us, with Barry scarpering as usual, Noel is still in sight and Carolyn is closing toward the end of the leg. A couple of close tacks and she’s through. Damn. Regroup and follow. Carolyn gets a bit of a knock at the top of cockatoo and has to tack and we sneak through. Round we go and up goes the green and gold.
This sailing this is fun. We’ve got this sorted.
Why is everyone heading over there? Oh that would be Spectacle Island, Gybe time.
Down wind was a successful (read uneventful) leg and we round mark 2 with Carolyn still close. Look up and she’s gone. I think we need some more work on dropping the spinnaker and getting up the Jib.
Ok all is not lost, just refocus and hopefully we might gain something back.
Heading back up wind is fun, as we call great tack after great tack. Well we think we did pretty well anyway. Round 5, second spinnaker set. A couple of lines are in the way but we get them sorted and of we go again. Another “tower fly by” with Lenny shouting some encouragement and we are nearly ready to head for home. Round we go and the skipper calls “ok 3 more good tacks.” Well it might have been 4 or more and we are home.
Pats on the back and claps all around because we were just have to have a relatively event free race with everything going up and down easily and more or less when it should have. We weren’t heading to club but thought we needed to celebrate a great day out and maybe a podium.
Aren’t handicaps wonderful. We managed to score a win and weren’t we happy (and massively surprised). Some great banter and a couple of beverages made for a great end to the day.
Thanks to Peter and Ele for keeping me calm. No foetal positions today. Thanks to the club for both the volunteers for the races, but also a great group of people for helping us out with sailing tips and advice. Something about a barber hauler…
Smart enough to know a robbery when I see one, realistic to know we were lucky, but cheeky enough to take the chocolates and run….
Again thanks for your help and advice. We have come a long way in 5 months but have a long way to go.
Cheers
The Memphis Mafia….
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