It’s a nice warm Summers day with a reasonable breeze coming through at about 10 knots expected to top 13 for Race 5 of the Summer series . A notch down on previous weeks. In Division 3 we had 4 contenders lining up well for a start on a Number 1 course. Over the line its Snowgoose , Xena , Farrago and Windfalls making a nice start with all boats pretty even.
Not much commentary here as I was on winch duties for jib on low side and watching out up to Starboard to number 5 mark.
Farrago slips up along Abbotsford to the point first, followed after a port tack for Xena with Snowgoose in tow.
Windfalls behind but steering straight uyp to searles.
Our resident photographer Del’s out catching some good photos.
Farrago slip by up to Drummoyne Marina till Xena makes up some ground back.
We all slowly make our way to NUMBER 6 MARK where the spinnakers all come out for Farrago and Xena and bit further back SnowGoose with a slow spinnaker set and Windfalls chasing them with that large furler.
We make nice run now for No 2 but not before we cop some bad air from spinnakers of Div 1 boats Still Festering, a stray MHYC boat and Resurgent.
Then we power on our way to Searle’s, Abbotsford point (passed by Axis and LEOGs) , then past the club dropping the jib just before No2 with \Farrago well in sight.
A great spinnaker run to 2 then a great few tacks up to 5.
We avoid some capsized skiffs along the way and much subdued MHYC fleet .
Note to Pat here thanks for advising them where to drop Bedlam bay mark and near our 5 mark. Well done with thanks .
Now back to 3 with nice run down avoiding more capsized skiffs and nicely timed run in front of 40-50ft MHYC boats.
Then the wind starts picking up more but just 2 marks to go.
Farrago not to far in front , Xena far enough of ahead of Snowgoose and Windfalls for a HC win maybe, pending the long run back to 6 in the freshening NE breeze probably 13-14 kn now .
We have a great run again to 6 , here’s for the Purple people eater to go , but we have trouble a wine glass, not our usual work but the winds freshening up.
We get Spinnaker sorted and twisted sheet fixed, we are OFF -mentioning to Carolyn this is fast for Xena as we had a nice wake from rear of the stern Qtr .
BUT Trouble hits our great run big gust….Just`as we are about to Gybe Searles ( or should it be the Twilght Zone / Bermuda trangle of Parramatta river a bogey zone in last few races for us and others).
We drop the spinnaker halyard and go for the jib but there’s twisted halyards but main gybes and gybes back, with drama Vince and Micheal up front fixing .
.Carolyn and Brad fixing the back end or for the technical stern .
We go from gybe to roundup to 360
All fixed Jib back up we take off quickly for 3 .
Round 3 for 2-3 tacks to line checking we are still 2nd to line.
Over the line 1. Farrago 2 Xena Warrior princess 3 Snowgoose 4 Windfalls.
We thought we were in with a chance prior to Dramas back from 6 to 3 but in a shock announcement at club we win on HC XWP!! 2. Windfalls 3 Farrago 4 Snowgoose
Well sailed all crews, with special mention to that new looking boat in Div 1 Bush Telegraph for their first Div 1 win on HC but we’re waiting for a skull and cross-bones on that massive black spinnaker by Sydney Sailmakers.
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