Down on crew tonight . Kev, Knoxy, Matt, Jenna, Charlie.
Pre race the breeze a nice 12-13 knot NW, we went for our #2 light jib, Future Feedback with 7 onboard a #1 so things would again be interesting.
Only 6 in Division 1, so plenty of room on the start, however we still managed to get hooked by the Ross 930 Ballistic, start horn and a general recall, What? Talking with the start crew later, 4 boats over, C V close to over but they couldn't see our bow for Ballistic, Blackout late so safe.
The other 2 divisions get away, then back to our start, the breeze now touching 19 in the odd gust.
Ballistic again to leeward pushing us up, Is he picking on me? or do we again want the same piece of water?
Were off, 4 of the 6 starters over, Ballistic and ourselves ok, a little bit of gamesmanship as we approach the pile line but we powerd on over them and 1st out the cut. NICE
We encounter a nasty slop in the cut and the breeze dying, BUGGER we are on a #2, as the tide had been going out the slop was tricky without the power of our #1, the tide now coming in, so we tacked out to the right, side-on to the slop and out of the tide.
The breeze had stayed light, the other divisions ahead with very little so a change to #1 genoa, better now, and on the starboard lay line to our first mark the Approach Beacon, now only 5 - 6 knots of wind.
Despite the sail change we were still looking good, in fact looking like we would get the rest on starboard at the mark, (We wouldn't mind that).
Blackout came out early, lee bowed us, and then it happened, a big wind shift to the left
From 1st to last? fighting it out with Blackout and Redline, watching Wild Thing getting further ahead, Future Feedback and Ballistic fighting for 2nd, 3rd, we 3 trying not to be last boat.
As happens in sailing the rich got richer, as we drifted flopped our way to the shorten course, Boulder middle we watched the front 3 heading home with the tide, while we weren't going anywhere against the tide.
We managed to round Boulder middle ahead of Blackout and Redline, opening a big gap, with the tide assistance.
We heard the "Well Done Wild Thing" from the start/finish box, we were only half way home?
As we rounded the Approach beacon and hoisted the kite for the run to the entrance the breeze kicked back in from the WSW we were now powered up struggling to make the harbour entrance kite cracking and flapping.
I was pleased when it was all over, miles behind the front 3, Again Wild Thing had had a blinder.
PLEASE! Give us a 15-16 knot sea breeze SOON.
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