Crew - Kev, Steve, Jenna, Alix, Knoxy, Matt and Howdie.
1800 start in a light northerly and a forecast of light breezes, Predict wind had some easterly out in the bay and fickeled up the coastline, which way do we go?
Out the entrance, we tacked up the boulder bank to clear our air from yet another bad start, we crossed tacks with Future Feedback a couple of times each time they threw a cover on us, each time we tacked away, this had us further up the bay bit that's were we had decided to go anyway.
By sunset the 7 boat fleet were spread out over the bay 4 of us out to the NE, 3, lead by Ballistic heading up the western coast.
The breeze lightened off but backed a little to the east, enough to go to our bigger jib top, the easterly backing had us a little more confident of easterly, Future Feedback was on our stern and had gained a little to within 100 metres, once jib top and inner staysail were set we slowly pulled away,
The midnight sked, and things didn't look good, Ballistic in on the coast had a big lead over, Blackout, Zenith, Columbus, C V Future Feedback, the coastline had payed, soon after we were in the offshore westerly they had had, for us it was catch up time,
We went from jib top to kite in the shifty light conditions, at times we had nothing, we slowly pulled in Columbus, then Zenith for 3rd place, we could see lights ahead in the distance but the slow drift to Tarakohe continued without us closing.
This the longest race to Tarakohe I can remember? we finally crossed the line at Port Tarakohe heads at 0727, 13 hours 27 minutes of light air, very trying.
A long way off the Oldsmobile record of 5 hours 50 minutes.
Ballistic had finished at 0631, Blackout 0706, Future Feedback back in 4th at 0815.
Ballistic in their 1st Tarakohe race took out both 1st and fastest, well done.
C V wearing the highest handicap only managed 5th would have been 7th had Columbus and Zenith not retired. but that's the Tarakohe race.
Sun sets over the bay,
Sunday, the usual sore heads, but at least the heavy overnight rain had passed through and a 15 knot westerly in the bay for the 10am start.
Lining up for the start, Clear Vision far right, Future Feedback 3rd from right
Approaching the start line
We're off. C V and Blackout
We carried our No 1 jib top off the reaching start then added the inner staysail once underway, Future Feedback lead off the start we slotted into 2nd with Black and Zenith to leeward, the 46 foot Zenith loved the reaching conditions and after an aggressive move up under F F took over the lead.
Blackout climbed out to weather to pop a gennaka but Zenith, FF and ourselves had straight lined it to Separation Point, We hoisted kites as soon as we could and side by side the 2 Young 11's took over the lead,
We both ran side by side toward Nelson in 13 - 15 knots of NW, 35 miles off matching boat speed to go?
Half way home F F had opened up a lead of around 500 metres, the breeze had built and we now had 20 knots and building, we were surfing up in the 16 - 17s at this stage.
We had carried over on starboard gybe to the marine farms, Future Feedback out the other side, this would be interesting when we meet at the finish in the harbour entrance.
We gybed onto port for the last run to the harbour entrance, about 3 - 4 miles off we had some 27 knot gusts C V started to feel a little on edge as we were down in the shallow area of the bay and short steep waves made things a little exciting and speeds close to 18 knots, then another 27 gust down a wave and crashed through the back of a bigger one, 17 - 18 - 18.2 - 18.4 - 18.8, the highest speed we have reached in the 2 years on C V, not bad for an old cruiser?
We were charging in on port, as the breeze started to head us a bit and more gusts which meant bering away more, F F had dropped their kite short of the harbour entrance, we now sniffed a win, if only we could carry the kite all the way?
We couldn't, 100 metres short and we lost her, pinged the kite, retrieved it from across the waves, crossing a few seconds behind Future Feedback.
A quick trip home 4 hours 3 minutes, to do 45 miles, just checking, but I think Future Feedback may have a record for this one.
Last race for the summer series this Wednesday, Ladies race and closing day Sunday 12th, then that's it for summer.
Winter series ahead though.
We had carried over on starboard gybe to the marine farms, Future Feedback out the other side, this would be interesting when we meet at the finish in the harbour entrance.
We gybed onto port for the last run to the harbour entrance, about 3 - 4 miles off we had some 27 knot gusts C V started to feel a little on edge as we were down in the shallow area of the bay and short steep waves made things a little exciting and speeds close to 18 knots, then another 27 gust down a wave and crashed through the back of a bigger one, 17 - 18 - 18.2 - 18.4 - 18.8, the highest speed we have reached in the 2 years on C V, not bad for an old cruiser?
We were charging in on port, as the breeze started to head us a bit and more gusts which meant bering away more, F F had dropped their kite short of the harbour entrance, we now sniffed a win, if only we could carry the kite all the way?
We couldn't, 100 metres short and we lost her, pinged the kite, retrieved it from across the waves, crossing a few seconds behind Future Feedback.
A quick trip home 4 hours 3 minutes, to do 45 miles, just checking, but I think Future Feedback may have a record for this one.
Last race for the summer series this Wednesday, Ladies race and closing day Sunday 12th, then that's it for summer.
Winter series ahead though.
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