Pre race start we are trying to stay cool with a West wind freshening for the start.
With flags up it’s a West course (course 3 ) there’s 2x Div 3 boats Xena Warrior Princess and Farrago ready and keen to Race each other again.
We have a good lead up to 1 but Barry’s picked a good line coming across to mark to just round it first.
We round together and so the Fun starts. Both keen to fly those spinnakers ASAP, up they go and for a few seconds- magic …..NO both boats spinnakers are backwinding, as we see Div ! boats in full flight spinnakers towards us , the dodgems begin. Both crews get those jibs up and run to number 5 , but I think Farrago got away a touch. We are chasing now and on the East wind.
Back to number 2 mark With our number 1 headsail coming in handy poled out vs number 2 headsail on that fast Farr -Farrago .Neither crews able to reload spinnakers.
With the breeze now freshening we are now bit overpowered , advantage to Farrago for a few marks only.
Down to 4 and we find that breeze backing off making a comfortable run down to mark and return but we see next light in trouble with their Kite wineglassing and headed to Cabarita pool not the point.
We thank our stars we poled that great Sydney sailmakers No 1 ( best sail on the boat ).We slip round the point up to 1 again. Has Farrago gotten away ? no maybe not altogether , we keep our heads down and few tacks up and back to 5 past Abbottsford point.
We round 5 and back to pole out to finish and make sure we chase the wind between the points.
In the process we see Barry finish in Farrago headed too Bedlam Bay, ah we may have it ???
Back over line in good speed to Finish approx. 4pm. Pretty fast race.
Great Sail when temp and wind change and A win on HC for XWP.
Well sailed FARRago with 2 up just 3 minutes in it after HC.
Luckily for us on XWP both boats suffering same fate with spinnakers early in the race and our better start in the traffic.
Well done Div 1 boats with seconds involved to decide the race results , good to see numbers increasing And including G major and Next light .
Well done and thanks for a great Lamb Dinner and desserts from the Still Festering Crew for Saturday night dinner at the club. Well done for another successful year with another win at Balmain regatta Div 1
Brad
Rear Commodore
XWP