BURNSCO SPRING SERIES Race 7

One of those days, the weather couldn't decide what to do, not what I wanted when deciding what courses we would use for each of the 3 divisions.
Get it right, not a lot said. Get it wrong and take the wrath of the 'hard done by'

By 5:30pm steaming out the mariner, the rain had held off, the breeze up and down 7-11 knot westerly.
Crew:- Kev, Knoxy, Steve, Alix, Jenna, Matt, Holly, Charlie, Vicky
The reach off the start and the fluky conditions had boats squirting ahead then being caught, (a raffle) best describes it?
We we 3rd into the entrance which become a beat through it tonight. Blackout, Zenith, C V in a tight wee battle up front, Wild Thing and Future Feedback close behind.
As we rounded the approach beacon for the short reach to Boulder south, Blackout  in the lead and able to fly a tight kite, C V 2nd,  Zenith, Wild Thing close by in a luffing match as the much larger Zenith tried to sail over the much smaller Wild Thing.

Around Boulder south 100 metres behind Blackout for the 2 mile beat out to the Fairway Beacon.
The breeze was now up to 8-15 knots and 10-20 degree shifts, hard work but we seemed to make the best of it with a good enough gain on Blackout to have them dip us on the 2nd cross, the left was paying off at this stage.
We had put time on Zenith, Wild Thing and Future Feedback so were quite happy as Blackout sufferers another knock having to tack on our stern 50 metres back.

Then the bloody breeze went left - left and more left, so much, Blackout was now to weather, it will go back to the right surly? NO was that answer, in-fact, as we approached the Beacon the breeze swung 20 degrees right the about 40 degrees left, we were on the wrong side of this one, now Zenith, Ballistic (who had started late) were ahead of us, they had carried the fresher, left shift from way back until back in the race.
We finally rounded the Fairway Beacon after dealing with more shifts in 5 minutes than we've seen all season?

We were meant to be having a nice kite ride an a beer back to the entrance at this stage, instead we we in a 12-17 knot SW in 4th place, tight reaching, we quickly sailed through below Ballistic into 3rd, but the 45ft Zenith with her narrow beam was loving the conditions, Blackout short but light doesn't mind reaching either, so we were all pretty much in our finishing positions.
UNLESS someone made a mistake?
Blackout luffed Zenith head to wind as Zenith tried to sail above them,
Mistake number 1, C V a little closer?
Blackout pulled away, tried to hoist a gennaka, which lay them down in a shaking - flapping stall out
Mistake number 2, C V a little closer?
Blackout regained their composure but a couple of small round ups
Mistake number 3, C V a little closer? now bow to bow and to weather.

We turned the corner in the entrance, hoisted our kite, sailed over Blackout and "HELLO" zenith just ahead gull winged genoa?
Mistake number 4, Don't blow out your best kite in Cook Srait, then return home without it.

C V - OVER THE LINE 1st place, Blackout 2nd Zenith 3rd Future Feedback 4th.

Only a 5th on handicap but 1st over the line is SO SWEET

Rotary Charity harbour race this Sunday.