NZ BOAT SALES 3 ISLAND SERIES Race 3 & 4

After getting over the frustration of NOT ONE of the C V crew available to race across the bay to Tonga Island, finishing at Torrent Bay Saturday, Torrent Bay - Nelson Sunday.
The Dream team (Vanuatu trip June) stepped up sadly Callum & Des couldn't make it, but Bunj, Vicky & boyfriend Mitch,  and my son Mitch joined me after I assured them great sailing and a good (normal) night at Anchorage.

An outside start at 10:15 with a strong incoming tide, 4.7m at 12:24, Bunj on the helm today, Oldest takes priority, in our team.

1st off the start with Wild Thing sporting their Code 0, were quickly catching us in the light fluky NE, however they were gracious enough to overlay Boulder south mark letting us around 1st.
Still very light for the next couple of hours but swinging to the north, the light 30 footers Wild Thing and Redline with their code 0's sneaked away but falling to leeward, Blackout 200 metres behind us,

The forecast was to be a 20 knot NW so out to weather we were happy with, but sooner rather than latter,
The breeze did swing NW freshening to 12 -13, time for a sail change to number 2 headsail, the father/son foredeck team worked well through the change and we were back in the grove, Wild Thing had opened out a one mile lead over Redline, another mile or so back to C V, but we were closing the gap slowly

Inside the marine farms we carried on looking for a lift up the coastline and tide now going out will push us up the bay.
The lift wasn't there but the tide was as the next cross out to sea had us closer to the other 2 who were now neck and neck.
Next cross off Kaiteriteri we cross ahead of Redline, with Wild Thing close by in 3rd.
Off Adel Island we decided to head back out to sea as we were in 18 knots off the shore, only 13-14 inshore but flatter water,
Bad move, Redline had stayed in, found a nice lift up the Island then came out on a huge port tack lift to cross 200 metres ahead, they tacked on our bow covering us, as we should have done to them before?
We managed to climb out from behind them to clear air taking back the lead off Pitt head we rounded Tonga close to a mile ahead of Redline, Wild Thing another mile behind in 3rd, poor old Blackout was a long way back in 4th,
The farther son team sorted the kite all going well for a loverly kite ride down the pack to Torrent, were  the raft up with Wild Thing would be another challenge?