BURNSCO SUMMER SERIES Wed 25th Race 9

Another 10 - 12 knot northerly for this the 2nd last Wed night race. Again not a great start, no excuses like last week? just ended up to leeward of Future Feedback and 2nd last out the harbour entrance along with Blackout.
Outside we were rapped in dirty air from Smak and Future Feedback, we tacked away once we had enough water clear of the entrance, only room for a short one, but next tack back we were clear of F F coming back to us on port.
We continued out to the lay line, tacked back for the long board on port, slowly gathering in all but Ballistic out in front, Blackout ahead to leeward would be close, however we had overlaid the mark and ended up rounding in 3rd on Blackout's stern.
Blackout had a slow gennaka hoist, letting us roll over them on the way to Boulder middle which we rounded 5 boat lengths behind Ballistic, Blackout 4 behind us.
We carried on into the boulder bank while both Blackout and Ballistic had tacked out. as we came back out on Starboard we were just ahead of both, we crossed Ballistic then tacked on Blackout's bow forcing them to tack away, however we had pushed them out to better pressure and lost the lead at our next cross at the top mark.

Around the top mark 4 boat lengths behind for the run home, it was still a 3 boat race with Ballistic only 100 metres back and known to be a fast runner down hill.
But we manage to work hard enough to run down inside Blackout, they gybed back to us crossing just ahead continuing into the bank, we carried on to the lay line to the entrance. this time crossing ahead.

We lead into the cut but only 2-3 boat lengths in it, as we hugged the pile line we had a couple of bumps on the flat rock between 2 & 3 piles, at low water it sits waiting for the forgetful?
This wee bump reminded me of some years ago the same scenario on Oldsmobile, in the lead but this time flying a gennaka, bumped on the rock which unbalanced her, we rounded up and on our side up the boulder bank,

This time we got away with it, however the breeze had swung to the west a little and we were instead of the normal hard on to the line, only laying the middle of the line, harder to defend as Blackout had tacked to clear their air, we tacked back to cover, tacking to weather of them, but they had bore away for speed, breaking from under us, and taking the gun by 10 seconds, a great race however with 3 boats sharing the lead throughout the race.

3rd on handicap at now enough points bagged to take the series, we only need to start next week.

Friday Tarakohe - Nelson race and weekend coming next