After a stormy afternoon of rain and strong northerlies gusting 40 knots the weather had settled down to a cloudy 18-20 knot WSW .
Crew:- Kev, Steve, Knoxy Aaron, Alix, Jenna, Matt, Charlie.
Full main & Number 3 tonight, as I thought the breeze and weather had settled down maybe swing to the SW around 18-20?
Crews putting reefs in pre start ,when the breeze dropping to 12-15 as we started in Div 1.
My thoughts were it would stay in at around 17 - 20 as Kev and predict wind had suggested,
A poor start stuck behind Redline and Future Feedback had us trailing the 6 boat Div 1 fleet out through the cut, kites up (fractional), as I still expected more?
We were inside the rest kite up 1st thinking we're ok here as we shuddered & shook our way through the nasty northerly swell left over from the earlier blow.
The breeze line out further moved onto Blackout, Ballistic and Future Feedback, the latter broaching twice, which now had us bow to bow with C V well to leeward.
Blackout and Ballistic were off, Future Feedback were again upright and took off after them C V, Wild Thing and Redline sat and watched? yes were were stuck in a hole, flopping in a confused slop, not the only thing that was confused? we finally picked up some breeze, but still not as much as the front 3 who were now gone.
Around Boulder 1 behind Wild Thing and now hard on the wind to the Cardinal, we had changed to #2 headsail for this upwind, with good speed and height, climbing over Wild Thing but the front 3 were way ahead.
We arrived at the Cardinal amongst the Div 2 boats so at least had some company out there.
A big right shift (WSW) as we approached the Cardinal made a kite ride home look good as the SW made it a tight gennaka, we rounded and bugger me, the breeze swung back to the west, this was properly the 4th wrong call (at least) from me tonight so why not go for the big one?
Up with the masthead? we won't make the height to the entrance but we will get a good ride and with all the bad luck and shifts tonight, we may have earned a big get out of jail shift and make it?
Not to be. We did have a good ride then had to drop and 2 sail reach up to the entrance for a worst of the season 4th and last on handicap.
A frustrating night, the next day (Thursday) a 24 knot (STEADY SW). I predicted it. just 12 hours out?
Congratulations - Noel and crew on Blackout. 1st local boat to crack the magic 0.900 club handicap.
Busy November ahead
Sunday 2nd - Club Golf tournament
Sunday 9th - Clive Lewis Design Bluff to Bluff
Sunday 16th - Rotary Charity race
Friday 21st - Nelson - Tarakohe race No rest for the wicked?
Clear Vision is a "Young 11" keelboat owned by Kevin Skelton and is based in Nelson, New Zealand.
Build year: 1986; LOA 11.02m; Beam 3.78m; Draft 2.13m, Weight 4.0T; Mast 13.5m; IRC(2010) 1.060
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
BURNSCO SPRING SERIES Race 4
Wednesday 22nd October
A nice sunny day and a 13 knot sea breeze I was looking foreword to the sail, this time I made sure I run the dock brush over the bottom with the help of Aaron.
Patrick was to be steering Future Feedback tonight so we needed to redeem ourselves / myself after last weeks spanking.
I decided to go for N0 2 light jib rather than the Genoa as the Fairway beacon was still showing 12-14 knots.
This was despite Future Feedback hoisting their genoa. a last minute discussion almost had us changing but with incoming tide the sea should be flatter and we should be higher on No2.
Only 6 in Division 1, so plenty of room on the start line, (33 on the water in 3 divisions)
A good start mid line Future Feedback ahead, to weather, Blackout, ahead to leeward, then both recalled, over the start, now we were front runners with Redline (Ross 930) and Wild Thing (Young 8.4) hard on our heals, Zenith behind them.
Out through the harbour entrance we held the lead but not pulling away as we hoped, we were again in that in-between mode on which headsail, we tacked onto port to stay out of the incoming tide just clearing Redline and Zenith hoping to have us on starboard no doubt.
The board on port and across the slop was boring and under powered, I decided to bite the bullet, admit I had headsail choice wrong and needed to go for a headsail change,
Being hanked we would drop some places but no good slowly being overtaken? better to drop back in one big chunk? Bugger!!!
Sail change done we headed out on port to measure our loss, with only 6 in division and Future Feedback's recall we were fighting it out for last place, Blackout despite their recall were now in front and flying? I discovered later Auckland sailmaker on board.
Our cross with Future Feedback confirmed we were now last, but if we wanted a head to head Y 11 match race this was it.
We both managed to get back in touch with Zenith and Redline the latter wanting to dump on us whenever he could, We approached the top mark on port, FF on starboard, we had had some close crosses on the way up, this time we might just sneak across their bow? We did just. tacking on top of them.
Both Y 11's rounded the mark side by side crews frantic in their kite hoists, as we rounded I had cut inside for an overlap, both crews did well with kites filling almost together except FF was short - hoist?
I found out latter their halyard was through the forestay, they weren't slow because if it as we run down side by side to the Boulder 2 mark.
We were leeward boat, and on starboard so could dictate the gybe and hopefully lead in to the mark for the next beat.
redline was running into the mark on port so it was worthwhile delaying the gybe until he had to gybed away.
A good drop and hard on the wind back to the top now up the 3rd behind Blackout and Wild Thing who had had a clean run while the 4 of us were sorting out 3rd to last. we held on maybe opening out a little to the top then the run home.
Wild Thing wasn't too far ahead now maybe 3 - 400 meters, under gennaka, we worked hard on our kite trimming, run out to the lay line to the entrance gybed onto port ahead and to weather of Wild Thing for what was looking like a close encounter at the entrance? It was, Wild Thing came barrelling in from lowed down straight into our wind shadow, I said I was sorry to be in the way, but they didn't seem to think I was genuine?
Kite drop at the entrance at the entrance, reach around the piles, hard on the wind to the finish, the whole time keeping C V's big bum on the nose of Wild Thing.
2nd on line 6th,( last on handicap)
Future Feedbacks Over at start and our sail change bought us back together for a good boat on boat battle. Great racing.
A nice sunny day and a 13 knot sea breeze I was looking foreword to the sail, this time I made sure I run the dock brush over the bottom with the help of Aaron.
Patrick was to be steering Future Feedback tonight so we needed to redeem ourselves / myself after last weeks spanking.
I decided to go for N0 2 light jib rather than the Genoa as the Fairway beacon was still showing 12-14 knots.
This was despite Future Feedback hoisting their genoa. a last minute discussion almost had us changing but with incoming tide the sea should be flatter and we should be higher on No2.
Only 6 in Division 1, so plenty of room on the start line, (33 on the water in 3 divisions)
A good start mid line Future Feedback ahead, to weather, Blackout, ahead to leeward, then both recalled, over the start, now we were front runners with Redline (Ross 930) and Wild Thing (Young 8.4) hard on our heals, Zenith behind them.
Out through the harbour entrance we held the lead but not pulling away as we hoped, we were again in that in-between mode on which headsail, we tacked onto port to stay out of the incoming tide just clearing Redline and Zenith hoping to have us on starboard no doubt.
The board on port and across the slop was boring and under powered, I decided to bite the bullet, admit I had headsail choice wrong and needed to go for a headsail change,
Being hanked we would drop some places but no good slowly being overtaken? better to drop back in one big chunk? Bugger!!!
Sail change done we headed out on port to measure our loss, with only 6 in division and Future Feedback's recall we were fighting it out for last place, Blackout despite their recall were now in front and flying? I discovered later Auckland sailmaker on board.
Our cross with Future Feedback confirmed we were now last, but if we wanted a head to head Y 11 match race this was it.
We both managed to get back in touch with Zenith and Redline the latter wanting to dump on us whenever he could, We approached the top mark on port, FF on starboard, we had had some close crosses on the way up, this time we might just sneak across their bow? We did just. tacking on top of them.
Both Y 11's rounded the mark side by side crews frantic in their kite hoists, as we rounded I had cut inside for an overlap, both crews did well with kites filling almost together except FF was short - hoist?
I found out latter their halyard was through the forestay, they weren't slow because if it as we run down side by side to the Boulder 2 mark.
We were leeward boat, and on starboard so could dictate the gybe and hopefully lead in to the mark for the next beat.
redline was running into the mark on port so it was worthwhile delaying the gybe until he had to gybed away.
A good drop and hard on the wind back to the top now up the 3rd behind Blackout and Wild Thing who had had a clean run while the 4 of us were sorting out 3rd to last. we held on maybe opening out a little to the top then the run home.
Wild Thing wasn't too far ahead now maybe 3 - 400 meters, under gennaka, we worked hard on our kite trimming, run out to the lay line to the entrance gybed onto port ahead and to weather of Wild Thing for what was looking like a close encounter at the entrance? It was, Wild Thing came barrelling in from lowed down straight into our wind shadow, I said I was sorry to be in the way, but they didn't seem to think I was genuine?
Kite drop at the entrance at the entrance, reach around the piles, hard on the wind to the finish, the whole time keeping C V's big bum on the nose of Wild Thing.
2nd on line 6th,( last on handicap)
Future Feedbacks Over at start and our sail change bought us back together for a good boat on boat battle. Great racing.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
I know this is C V's site. But Oldsmobile is a pretty boat and we all still love her
Photo stolen from Julliet's Waikawa Boating Club Pre wine race sponsors race
Last Wednesday's late finish after starting in 12 knots of breeze
N Z BOAT SALES 3 ISLAND SERIES Race 1 Fisherman Island
Down on crew, 3 out of 10, and this the first longer race of the season?
I was close to pulling the pin but with a good forecast light for the start, building to a 18 knot northerly, too good to miss.
A call to Milo, tutor at the Sea school, some of his students on the Super yacht course were keen.
Charlie & Jenna started preparing C V while I did briefing, this took longer than it should as most skippers needing sailing instructions despite them being on line for 2 weeks to down load?
No super yacht students turned up? 1st lessen for them should be turn too when an opportunity arises.
So Kev, Jenna and Charlie headed out to join the the other 9 boats for the 1000 start , we had the main up heading out, and started to get the overlapping No 1 on deck, but we already had a 6 knot northerly,
Short of crew I decided to go with the No 2 and save a headsail change later.
A good start at the boat end to weather of all, a little slower than Future Feedback but higher, footing it with Blackout both of them to leeward, then the breeze started dropping? NOT Good. the wind line to the north looked encouraging so we tacked out on port and up the bank, Future Feedback coming with us but now to weather,
The board out wasn't wasted (I thought) as it was taking us to breeze and the spat farms are hard to clear on one board, so we pushed on, the normal patten emerged as it does with sailing, 10 boats, some cracked sheets heading for the western coast line below the farms, some in the middle, the straight A-B approach and see what happens and the Y 11's out to sea.
We both tacked back onto starboard at the edge of the breeze line, laying the farms and able to sail slightly free for the still light conditions, back up to 5-6 of breeze, which built to 11 knots.
We were now 300 - 400 metres behind Future Feedback, not too bad considering our small headsail, we were both well to weather of the fleet and sailing slightly faster, OK at this stage, we just needed the breeze to settle in and we were off. It didn't. the dark promising wind line stayed outside us, and at the Spat farms went fluky and died.
Over-lapper up now, Future Feedback was up about a mile ahead, we were parked against the farms with Blackout and Redline, Wild Thing was sailing through the farms despite the warning at briefing, once they were in the middle the were informed on the radio and had to sail back out and around the end, Zenith and Farr A Way were down on the coastline with kites up?
We rocked, rolled, lost steerage for what seemed like ages, the breeze line staying outside of us all.
Future Feedback had a healthy lead, but the smaller boats, with their code zero's up were carving us heavier boats up now.
Blackout managed to get to the Island 1st with Redline and Wild Thing on their heals, it was going to be a case of the rich get richer as once around the inside of the Island they would sail out to the breeze and off home to Nelson.
As we approached the back of the Island Blackout was coming out, the other 3 still behind the Island, we drifted around the back to see Future Feedback starting into the light northerly that would take them out into the breeze, meanwhile Zenith had sneaked their way up the coast and were only 100 metres behind us.
We finally got around and needed Spec-Savers to see the 4 boats ahead, just small dots.
Too tight for a kite as we got into the breeze so we hoisted the inner staysail for the reach to the Farms, we were now in the 16-18 knot northerly that had stayed 3-4 miles offshore all day, I guess Predictwind had it right, sort of ? I had it wrong that's for sure.
Once we were happy we could clear the farms we popped the gennaka (Well done Young Charlie, only been with us for 2 crewed up races, now foredeck on his own)
We were now in18 knots NNW sitting on 10-12's, Zenith had been slowly pulling us in while we were both reaching, her narrow 45 feet working for her,
Under gennaka we were now pulling away, then they hoisted their kite opposite the farms overtaking us but heading below the rum line, as they crossed our bow, I happen to mention they were only a broach or a cock up away when soon after their kite blow out. we were ahead again.
As we closed on Nelson we were having trouble laying the entrance and I was doing a balance act on the edge of losing her, 5 miles out we dropped the Gennaka, two sail reached to the line.
Because we had fallen low Zenith up to weather was bearing down on us, ever sow slowly they pulled us back in, overtaking us just short of the finish at the harbour entrance by 12 seconds.
Not a great race for us, but the 3 of us agreed it was a good day out, Well done Jenna and Charlie, a great effort on your own.
No handicaps done yet but I'm sure we were scratch boat, and a 10th, finish times reflect the rounding of the Island and out into the breeze.
Blackout = 17 04 55 (Finish time, not elapsed)
Redline = 1714 41
Wild Thing = 1721 00
Future Feedback = 1726 01
Zenith = 1755 03
Clear Vision = 1755 15
Farr A Way = 1826 10
Play Doh = 1829 00
The other 2 withdrew
It's all on again next Wednesday
I was close to pulling the pin but with a good forecast light for the start, building to a 18 knot northerly, too good to miss.
A call to Milo, tutor at the Sea school, some of his students on the Super yacht course were keen.
Charlie & Jenna started preparing C V while I did briefing, this took longer than it should as most skippers needing sailing instructions despite them being on line for 2 weeks to down load?
No super yacht students turned up? 1st lessen for them should be turn too when an opportunity arises.
So Kev, Jenna and Charlie headed out to join the the other 9 boats for the 1000 start , we had the main up heading out, and started to get the overlapping No 1 on deck, but we already had a 6 knot northerly,
Short of crew I decided to go with the No 2 and save a headsail change later.
A good start at the boat end to weather of all, a little slower than Future Feedback but higher, footing it with Blackout both of them to leeward, then the breeze started dropping? NOT Good. the wind line to the north looked encouraging so we tacked out on port and up the bank, Future Feedback coming with us but now to weather,
The board out wasn't wasted (I thought) as it was taking us to breeze and the spat farms are hard to clear on one board, so we pushed on, the normal patten emerged as it does with sailing, 10 boats, some cracked sheets heading for the western coast line below the farms, some in the middle, the straight A-B approach and see what happens and the Y 11's out to sea.
We both tacked back onto starboard at the edge of the breeze line, laying the farms and able to sail slightly free for the still light conditions, back up to 5-6 of breeze, which built to 11 knots.
We were now 300 - 400 metres behind Future Feedback, not too bad considering our small headsail, we were both well to weather of the fleet and sailing slightly faster, OK at this stage, we just needed the breeze to settle in and we were off. It didn't. the dark promising wind line stayed outside us, and at the Spat farms went fluky and died.
Over-lapper up now, Future Feedback was up about a mile ahead, we were parked against the farms with Blackout and Redline, Wild Thing was sailing through the farms despite the warning at briefing, once they were in the middle the were informed on the radio and had to sail back out and around the end, Zenith and Farr A Way were down on the coastline with kites up?
We rocked, rolled, lost steerage for what seemed like ages, the breeze line staying outside of us all.
Future Feedback had a healthy lead, but the smaller boats, with their code zero's up were carving us heavier boats up now.
Blackout managed to get to the Island 1st with Redline and Wild Thing on their heals, it was going to be a case of the rich get richer as once around the inside of the Island they would sail out to the breeze and off home to Nelson.
As we approached the back of the Island Blackout was coming out, the other 3 still behind the Island, we drifted around the back to see Future Feedback starting into the light northerly that would take them out into the breeze, meanwhile Zenith had sneaked their way up the coast and were only 100 metres behind us.
We finally got around and needed Spec-Savers to see the 4 boats ahead, just small dots.
Too tight for a kite as we got into the breeze so we hoisted the inner staysail for the reach to the Farms, we were now in the 16-18 knot northerly that had stayed 3-4 miles offshore all day, I guess Predictwind had it right, sort of ? I had it wrong that's for sure.
Once we were happy we could clear the farms we popped the gennaka (Well done Young Charlie, only been with us for 2 crewed up races, now foredeck on his own)
We were now in18 knots NNW sitting on 10-12's, Zenith had been slowly pulling us in while we were both reaching, her narrow 45 feet working for her,
Under gennaka we were now pulling away, then they hoisted their kite opposite the farms overtaking us but heading below the rum line, as they crossed our bow, I happen to mention they were only a broach or a cock up away when soon after their kite blow out. we were ahead again.
As we closed on Nelson we were having trouble laying the entrance and I was doing a balance act on the edge of losing her, 5 miles out we dropped the Gennaka, two sail reached to the line.
Because we had fallen low Zenith up to weather was bearing down on us, ever sow slowly they pulled us back in, overtaking us just short of the finish at the harbour entrance by 12 seconds.
Not a great race for us, but the 3 of us agreed it was a good day out, Well done Jenna and Charlie, a great effort on your own.
No handicaps done yet but I'm sure we were scratch boat, and a 10th, finish times reflect the rounding of the Island and out into the breeze.
Blackout = 17 04 55 (Finish time, not elapsed)
Redline = 1714 41
Wild Thing = 1721 00
Future Feedback = 1726 01
Zenith = 1755 03
Clear Vision = 1755 15
Farr A Way = 1826 10
Play Doh = 1829 00
The other 2 withdrew
It's all on again next Wednesday
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Burnsco Spring Series race 3
Mid afternoon an 18 knot northerly out in the bay, by our 1750 start down to 12, but still ok,
Patrick, our sail trimmer/tactician was sailing with Future Feedback (sister Y 11) to see if he could help with the lack of pace in the 2 previous races.
We still had a big team, Kev, Steve, Knoxy, Aaron, Alix, Matt, Holly Charlie.
Future Feedback had been out early for a look at sails and as we had talked about no speed difference between both boats I decided to start close to them.
This didn't happen as we looked like we were early with the out going tide carrying us across, I gybed around to have another go and stalled her !!!!!!
Last off the line with Ballistic who had started up to weather under kite, we just managed to get out the entrance ahead of them but right on the stern of Zenith, in the dirty air of a 45 footer isn,t were I wanted to be watching Blackout and Future Feedback sail away.
We headed out to sea using the ebb tide and looking for the breeze line, tonight the bolder bank payed and we arrived at the top mark on port with Zenith and Wild Thing coming at us on starboard.
We rounded the top between them, trying to overtake Zenith under kite, meanwhile up front Blackout & Future Feedback we gone.
We were still behind Zenith after the short windward leeward and just the run home to try and secure 3rd and some creditability?
The breeze was now down to 9 knots,we were slowly rolling over Zenith as we started coming up on Div 2 & 3 traffic, I never like sailing over these boats but these a desperate times, we weaved our way through, making a better job of it than Zenith putting 4 -5 lengths on him.
Ahead, at the entrance the breeze had gone a mass of boats (37 on the water tonight) half them parked up, held out by the out going tide.
We now had a drifter on our hands and the clock ticking close to the time limit BUGGER.
At one stage we were back on the genoa for a while in a light westerly, then back to light kite through the entrance.
It seemed most we sitting with limp kites waiting for something to happen, while a few were trying to sail through them, where ever we went there were boats in the way, the same one 3 times at one stage as we gybed our way through them.
Blackout and Future Feedback had finished so we had a race, not sure I wanted one?
We were now into the front runners in Div 2, making passing a lot harder, we finally made it across the line 3rd in division, a long way behind BO and FF, hurts the pride - helps the handicap.
Patrick, our sail trimmer/tactician was sailing with Future Feedback (sister Y 11) to see if he could help with the lack of pace in the 2 previous races.
We still had a big team, Kev, Steve, Knoxy, Aaron, Alix, Matt, Holly Charlie.
Future Feedback had been out early for a look at sails and as we had talked about no speed difference between both boats I decided to start close to them.
This didn't happen as we looked like we were early with the out going tide carrying us across, I gybed around to have another go and stalled her !!!!!!
Last off the line with Ballistic who had started up to weather under kite, we just managed to get out the entrance ahead of them but right on the stern of Zenith, in the dirty air of a 45 footer isn,t were I wanted to be watching Blackout and Future Feedback sail away.
We headed out to sea using the ebb tide and looking for the breeze line, tonight the bolder bank payed and we arrived at the top mark on port with Zenith and Wild Thing coming at us on starboard.
We rounded the top between them, trying to overtake Zenith under kite, meanwhile up front Blackout & Future Feedback we gone.
We were still behind Zenith after the short windward leeward and just the run home to try and secure 3rd and some creditability?
The breeze was now down to 9 knots,we were slowly rolling over Zenith as we started coming up on Div 2 & 3 traffic, I never like sailing over these boats but these a desperate times, we weaved our way through, making a better job of it than Zenith putting 4 -5 lengths on him.
Ahead, at the entrance the breeze had gone a mass of boats (37 on the water tonight) half them parked up, held out by the out going tide.
At one stage we were back on the genoa for a while in a light westerly, then back to light kite through the entrance.
It seemed most we sitting with limp kites waiting for something to happen, while a few were trying to sail through them, where ever we went there were boats in the way, the same one 3 times at one stage as we gybed our way through them.
Blackout and Future Feedback had finished so we had a race, not sure I wanted one?
We were now into the front runners in Div 2, making passing a lot harder, we finally made it across the line 3rd in division, a long way behind BO and FF, hurts the pride - helps the handicap.
Fisherman Island race on Saturday, a chance to stretch our legs
Sunday, October 12, 2014
C V comming through Nelson Harbour entrance on her way to Line & Handicap win
"Big Blue" Ex Oldsmobile Masthead looks good as Fractional on C V
Friday, October 10, 2014
BURNSCO SPRING SERIES Race 2
Wed 8th, a nice 20 knot WSW breeze.
An on the wind start was a nice change, we were back a bit from the line and to leeward of Blackout, with Future Feedback and others to leeward.
We broke through Blackout, lower but faster, and powered over Future Feedback, the tack on the lay line out the entrance was going to be tight but local knowledge has a hint of a lift or two as we clear Haulashore Island, Blackout crossed our bow, tacking to weather ,we laid the cut but had to sit on Blackout's transom on the reach out to O beacon, both hoisting for the run up to Bolder 1.
We had of course gone for our masthead, Blackout had a reef in the main and had gone for a fractional gennaka, we were running flat to the mark while Blackout run further out to sea and into the incoming tide, Future Feedback, Zenith and the others back fighting for 3rd.
Around Bolder 1 and a short beat to Bolder 2 then another run back to the top, we had a little hick up dropping the kite when the halyard jambed coursing us to over shoot and loose 5-6 boat lengths.
That out the way and the long slog back to the harbour entrance, the breeze had eased off a little but we were still ticking off 7 - 7.4 knots up wind.
As we approached 0 beacon we were amongst the Div 2 leaders, MacIntosh (Kim Harris) and Farr A Way (Mike Rose) having a close battle for the lead. the other Div 2 boats hard on their heals, no room for mistakes in this newly formed Division, the majority, 35 footers.
We popped the fractional kite for the run to the finish, not wanting another jambed halyard. crossing the finish just under 3 minutes ahead of Blackout.,
1st again on handicap.
Last weeks results showed we had sailed to a .901 and Blackout a .906, this week our sailed too was 915, no prizes for guessing what our handicap has done? we are now on .877, Blackout .885.
The night wasn't quite over, we went to drop the main up in the basin to find it wouldn't budge?
Patrick up the mast to find the main had been shackled in the wrong hole and the mashed kite halyard block smashed, a little maintenance to do for next week.
We are lending our mainsheet trimmer and tactician to Future Feedback next week,
I hope we won't regret this?
An on the wind start was a nice change, we were back a bit from the line and to leeward of Blackout, with Future Feedback and others to leeward.
We broke through Blackout, lower but faster, and powered over Future Feedback, the tack on the lay line out the entrance was going to be tight but local knowledge has a hint of a lift or two as we clear Haulashore Island, Blackout crossed our bow, tacking to weather ,we laid the cut but had to sit on Blackout's transom on the reach out to O beacon, both hoisting for the run up to Bolder 1.
We had of course gone for our masthead, Blackout had a reef in the main and had gone for a fractional gennaka, we were running flat to the mark while Blackout run further out to sea and into the incoming tide, Future Feedback, Zenith and the others back fighting for 3rd.
Around Bolder 1 and a short beat to Bolder 2 then another run back to the top, we had a little hick up dropping the kite when the halyard jambed coursing us to over shoot and loose 5-6 boat lengths.
That out the way and the long slog back to the harbour entrance, the breeze had eased off a little but we were still ticking off 7 - 7.4 knots up wind.
As we approached 0 beacon we were amongst the Div 2 leaders, MacIntosh (Kim Harris) and Farr A Way (Mike Rose) having a close battle for the lead. the other Div 2 boats hard on their heals, no room for mistakes in this newly formed Division, the majority, 35 footers.
We popped the fractional kite for the run to the finish, not wanting another jambed halyard. crossing the finish just under 3 minutes ahead of Blackout.,
1st again on handicap.
Last weeks results showed we had sailed to a .901 and Blackout a .906, this week our sailed too was 915, no prizes for guessing what our handicap has done? we are now on .877, Blackout .885.
The night wasn't quite over, we went to drop the main up in the basin to find it wouldn't budge?
Patrick up the mast to find the main had been shackled in the wrong hole and the mashed kite halyard block smashed, a little maintenance to do for next week.
We are lending our mainsheet trimmer and tactician to Future Feedback next week,
I hope we won't regret this?
Thursday, October 2, 2014
RACE 1 SPRING BURNSCO SERIES
Burnsco Spring Series under way
A great evening to start off the series, warm all day and a 12-17 knot northerly which would die out but not until later hopefully?
Plenty of crew :- Kev, Patrick, Knoxy, Aaron, Alix, Jenna, Holly, Matt, and Charlie Rowe, new to CV this season.
With 3 Divisions this season we only had 7 start in Div 1 but a great turnout of 33 on the water in total.
We started to leeward at the Club end but had to slot in behind Blackout with Future Feedback overlapped inside us.
Clearing the harbour entrance we stayed low, wanting to power up into the sloppy sea against tide and hopefully brake through Blackout, Future Feedback with Zenith on their tail were climbing high having a tussle.
We continued out on starboard using the outgoing tide but had to push through the worst of the slop, Blackout tacked away early looking for flatter water up the bank inside the tide.
We came back together at the top mark, tacked for the mark rounding 2 boat lengths ahead.
The run to the bottom mark was short but we got another boat length as we dropped and rounded, the breeze was now down to 12-13, CV felt a little under powered on the wind back to the top, Blackout coming back at us to lead at the mark by 3-4 lengths.
The run home we were struggling to fly out heavy masthead kite in the lighter breeze, bugger should have changed to the light kite.
An overtaking chance came when we both caught a Div 2 boat, Blackout went to leeward of him while we went to weather, we had the lead back. but Blackout caught us again to finish 25 seconds ahead, Future Feedback was 3rd home 5 minutes behind.
We managed 1st on handicap and according to the results sailed to a .901 handicap Not that slow?
A great evening to start off the series, warm all day and a 12-17 knot northerly which would die out but not until later hopefully?
Plenty of crew :- Kev, Patrick, Knoxy, Aaron, Alix, Jenna, Holly, Matt, and Charlie Rowe, new to CV this season.
With 3 Divisions this season we only had 7 start in Div 1 but a great turnout of 33 on the water in total.
We started to leeward at the Club end but had to slot in behind Blackout with Future Feedback overlapped inside us.
Clearing the harbour entrance we stayed low, wanting to power up into the sloppy sea against tide and hopefully brake through Blackout, Future Feedback with Zenith on their tail were climbing high having a tussle.
We continued out on starboard using the outgoing tide but had to push through the worst of the slop, Blackout tacked away early looking for flatter water up the bank inside the tide.
We came back together at the top mark, tacked for the mark rounding 2 boat lengths ahead.
The run to the bottom mark was short but we got another boat length as we dropped and rounded, the breeze was now down to 12-13, CV felt a little under powered on the wind back to the top, Blackout coming back at us to lead at the mark by 3-4 lengths.
The run home we were struggling to fly out heavy masthead kite in the lighter breeze, bugger should have changed to the light kite.
An overtaking chance came when we both caught a Div 2 boat, Blackout went to leeward of him while we went to weather, we had the lead back. but Blackout caught us again to finish 25 seconds ahead, Future Feedback was 3rd home 5 minutes behind.
We managed 1st on handicap and according to the results sailed to a .901 handicap Not that slow?
Monday, September 29, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
August 31st. Race 5 (final) Burnsco Cans race
Only 5 off us today, Kev, Patrick, Jenna, Howdie and Knoxy drawing the short straw doing the foredeck, however a nice Nelson day with a light 8-10 knot NW.
The pin end was favoured which we went for on starboard, with Ballistic and Blackout behind and to weather, most of the 13 boat fleet were up the committee boat end.
We held our own on the lighter 30 footers as we headed out to the left side of the track, but would have to dip Ballistic then spoil our chances of clearing Blackout.
Close to the lay line we decided to tack onto port, luckly, Ballistic tacked as well? This allowed us to clear Blackout (just) then slowly we rolled over Ballistic,
Both boats were pointing higher than we could with our overlapping genoa, but we had a slight edge on boat speed,
Future Feedback was leading the group that had gone right but well behind as we tacked onto starboard to round the top mark. Blackout and Ballistic rounded together 100 meters behind us, Ballistic a bear away set as we had and Blackout jibe setting, but having to sail under the rest of the fleet approaching the mark on starboard.
We held our own on the run, with Ballistic jibing early, we sailed on a little for a better angle to the bottom mark, Ballistic having to jibe again before the mark and had to jibe drop at the mark.
We now had 150 metre lead and kept a loose cover on Ballistic, Blackout had lost a lot on the run, either gennaka angles or the wrong side, or both maybe?
Around the top and a nice warm satisfying run to the finish and the gun,
I needed the win as the last can race was also won by C V, but without me, anything but a win wasn't an option.
4th on handicap and 4th overall in the series.
Ballistic won the Burnsco Winter series along with the Marine & General offshore series.
The rest of the month off, 1st spring twilight race October 1st.
Only 5 off us today, Kev, Patrick, Jenna, Howdie and Knoxy drawing the short straw doing the foredeck, however a nice Nelson day with a light 8-10 knot NW.
The pin end was favoured which we went for on starboard, with Ballistic and Blackout behind and to weather, most of the 13 boat fleet were up the committee boat end.
We held our own on the lighter 30 footers as we headed out to the left side of the track, but would have to dip Ballistic then spoil our chances of clearing Blackout.
Close to the lay line we decided to tack onto port, luckly, Ballistic tacked as well? This allowed us to clear Blackout (just) then slowly we rolled over Ballistic,
Both boats were pointing higher than we could with our overlapping genoa, but we had a slight edge on boat speed,
Future Feedback was leading the group that had gone right but well behind as we tacked onto starboard to round the top mark. Blackout and Ballistic rounded together 100 meters behind us, Ballistic a bear away set as we had and Blackout jibe setting, but having to sail under the rest of the fleet approaching the mark on starboard.
We held our own on the run, with Ballistic jibing early, we sailed on a little for a better angle to the bottom mark, Ballistic having to jibe again before the mark and had to jibe drop at the mark.
We now had 150 metre lead and kept a loose cover on Ballistic, Blackout had lost a lot on the run, either gennaka angles or the wrong side, or both maybe?
Around the top and a nice warm satisfying run to the finish and the gun,
I needed the win as the last can race was also won by C V, but without me, anything but a win wasn't an option.
4th on handicap and 4th overall in the series.
Ballistic won the Burnsco Winter series along with the Marine & General offshore series.
The rest of the month off, 1st spring twilight race October 1st.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Marine & General Winter Boulder Bank Sprint race 4 August 17th
We missed this one, I had to work and light on crew.
I motored out later for the finish in a light 3-7 knot westerly.
Blackout took line honours this week, Ballistic 2nd, Wild Thing 3rd.
Sunday 30th August race 5 (final) Burnsco cans race.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
Burnsco Winter cans series AUG 3rd
After spending Saturday in the rain cleaning C V's bottom with the dock brush I was looking forward to the Sunday afternoon race.
But it wasn't to be, I was called into work??
Crew :- Patrick on the helm with Knoxy, Alix, Jenna, Howdie, Steve.
I can only pass on what I was told as I could't see them from the Tug.
A good start in 4-5 knots which topped 8 knots during the race.
1st at the top mark ahead of Blackout, they held their lead on the next beat then down to the finish, Ballistic (Ross 930) managed to pass Blackout at the top mark to take out 2nd, Blackout 3rd, Wild Thing (Young 8.4) 4th, Redline (Ross 930) 5th, Geralda (Elliott 6.5) 6th, Future Feedback (Young 11) 7th 4minutes 40 sec separating the 1st 7 boats, C V winning margin 1 minute 40 sec, not bad in only a 40 minute race.
I have taken some flack about how well C V went without me, Just shows what a well rounded crew we have, we can drop key players and still she goes well. MY Excuse anyway
Next race Marine & General Bolder Bank Race
After spending Saturday in the rain cleaning C V's bottom with the dock brush I was looking forward to the Sunday afternoon race.
But it wasn't to be, I was called into work??
Crew :- Patrick on the helm with Knoxy, Alix, Jenna, Howdie, Steve.
I can only pass on what I was told as I could't see them from the Tug.
A good start in 4-5 knots which topped 8 knots during the race.
1st at the top mark ahead of Blackout, they held their lead on the next beat then down to the finish, Ballistic (Ross 930) managed to pass Blackout at the top mark to take out 2nd, Blackout 3rd, Wild Thing (Young 8.4) 4th, Redline (Ross 930) 5th, Geralda (Elliott 6.5) 6th, Future Feedback (Young 11) 7th 4minutes 40 sec separating the 1st 7 boats, C V winning margin 1 minute 40 sec, not bad in only a 40 minute race.
I have taken some flack about how well C V went without me, Just shows what a well rounded crew we have, we can drop key players and still she goes well. MY Excuse anyway
Next race Marine & General Bolder Bank Race
Friday, August 1, 2014
Recap on 2013-14 season
Recap of 2013-14 season
Our 1st racing we sailed a couple of winter series races in light breezes and was pleasantly surprised how well C V did, we were still mixing it up with the lighter Blackout (Ross 914) as long as we sailed smart, we were slotting back into the same slot as our previous boat "Oldsmobile" (Young Rocket 9.4).
Summer ,First National spring series, the handicapper put us on the same handicap as the other Young 11, Future Feedback, we quickly settled in and had the measure of not only Future Feedback but were mixing in up for line honours with Blackout.
Over the spring our handicap went from .797 to .850
We competed in all our local races taking line honours in most longer, day races across the bay to Abel Tasman national Park, Zenith (Dickson 45), and Blackout taking 1 each from us.
We cruised through the Sounds in the November to compete in the Waikawa Wine race to Wellington, we did well until weed around the rudder slowed us, letting The Guarantee and our old boat Oldsmobile pass us at the entrance to Wellington harbour, a good party however and a visit from previous owners Tony & Vesna, checking we were looking after CV, and meet her new crew.
We cruised back home again in the sounds appreciating that C V was ticking all the boxes, Cruising and racing, exactly what I was after.
Back home we finished off the Spring series, which came down to the last race for the series win, our main competition coming from Jet (Farr 1020), a good last race and we had our 1st trophy in the cabinet.
After Xmas we were again heading across the Straits to Wellington for the Wellington - Nelson race.
We left Wellington on the Friday night in a 30 knot southerly with a 4m roll in the Straits, our 1st kite run in a breeze.
We mixed it up with Tony and crew on Nedax Racing beating out the harbour, once along the south coast up with the kite for constant 16-18 knot run to Stephens Island 55 miles away.
Much to our surprise we rounded the Island 1st, ahead of an open 30, Jive Talking, Nedax, Guarantee, Revs had wrapped a sheet around the keel and retired from the race.
However once in Tasman Bay the wind dropped away, by mid morning we were becalmed inshore, watching everyone sail passed out to sea.
The Nelson Regatta followed on, we had a lot of fun teaming up with Nedax Racing and crew, and Aaron and crew over from Waikawa with Oldsmobile, Nedax took the regatta win.
The rest of the summer we had fun close racing, and our share of line honours but the handicap was now hurting us
End of season Prize giving we collected:-
Spring series Div 1
Most improved handicap
Gun Boat Div 1 - The most guns but only by 3 from Blackout
Well done my Team/Crew Knoxy, Patrick, Jenna, Alix, Matt, Holly, Howdie, Steve, Kelsey
Our 1st racing we sailed a couple of winter series races in light breezes and was pleasantly surprised how well C V did, we were still mixing it up with the lighter Blackout (Ross 914) as long as we sailed smart, we were slotting back into the same slot as our previous boat "Oldsmobile" (Young Rocket 9.4).
Summer ,First National spring series, the handicapper put us on the same handicap as the other Young 11, Future Feedback, we quickly settled in and had the measure of not only Future Feedback but were mixing in up for line honours with Blackout.
Over the spring our handicap went from .797 to .850
We competed in all our local races taking line honours in most longer, day races across the bay to Abel Tasman national Park, Zenith (Dickson 45), and Blackout taking 1 each from us.
We cruised through the Sounds in the November to compete in the Waikawa Wine race to Wellington, we did well until weed around the rudder slowed us, letting The Guarantee and our old boat Oldsmobile pass us at the entrance to Wellington harbour, a good party however and a visit from previous owners Tony & Vesna, checking we were looking after CV, and meet her new crew.
We cruised back home again in the sounds appreciating that C V was ticking all the boxes, Cruising and racing, exactly what I was after.
Back home we finished off the Spring series, which came down to the last race for the series win, our main competition coming from Jet (Farr 1020), a good last race and we had our 1st trophy in the cabinet.
After Xmas we were again heading across the Straits to Wellington for the Wellington - Nelson race.
We left Wellington on the Friday night in a 30 knot southerly with a 4m roll in the Straits, our 1st kite run in a breeze.
We mixed it up with Tony and crew on Nedax Racing beating out the harbour, once along the south coast up with the kite for constant 16-18 knot run to Stephens Island 55 miles away.
Much to our surprise we rounded the Island 1st, ahead of an open 30, Jive Talking, Nedax, Guarantee, Revs had wrapped a sheet around the keel and retired from the race.
However once in Tasman Bay the wind dropped away, by mid morning we were becalmed inshore, watching everyone sail passed out to sea.
The Nelson Regatta followed on, we had a lot of fun teaming up with Nedax Racing and crew, and Aaron and crew over from Waikawa with Oldsmobile, Nedax took the regatta win.
The rest of the summer we had fun close racing, and our share of line honours but the handicap was now hurting us
End of season Prize giving we collected:-
Spring series Div 1
Most improved handicap
Gun Boat Div 1 - The most guns but only by 3 from Blackout
Well done my Team/Crew Knoxy, Patrick, Jenna, Alix, Matt, Holly, Howdie, Steve, Kelsey
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Monday, April 1, 2013
CV and new crew
CV is in the Abel Tasman with her new crew. Knoxy is becoming quite the gourmet in the CV galley cooking up hot cross buns while the rest of the team discussed what sails to use next!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Clear Vision at her new home with Kevin Skelton and Crew in sunny Nelson!
Clear Vision (affectionately known as CV) has sailed to her new home in Nelson! Kevin and Knoxy came over to Welly on Thursday night (29 March) to join in the party of CV's Wellington crew bidding her farewell, fair seas and great racing in sunny Nelson with her proud new owner Kev.
It is a lovely story of Kev being reunited with CV after skippering her (when she was ZZ Top) in the early 90s. Kev is looking forward to doing some inshore and offshore racing in CV and giving the other Nelson based Young 11s some hearty competition. No doubt we will see her again in some of the great offshores planned for the future by TBCC and RPNYC.
Just before CV sailed out of Welly yesterday, Knoxy and Kev tried out the oven and baked a few sausage rolls for the journey. These look pretty flash and well done boys! No doubt Kev and his crew will cook up a storm both on the racing scene and when Kev takes her for cruising in the Abel Tasman, Marlborough Sounds and further afield.
It is a lovely story of Kev being reunited with CV after skippering her (when she was ZZ Top) in the early 90s. Kev is looking forward to doing some inshore and offshore racing in CV and giving the other Nelson based Young 11s some hearty competition. No doubt we will see her again in some of the great offshores planned for the future by TBCC and RPNYC.
Just before CV sailed out of Welly yesterday, Knoxy and Kev tried out the oven and baked a few sausage rolls for the journey. These look pretty flash and well done boys! No doubt Kev and his crew will cook up a storm both on the racing scene and when Kev takes her for cruising in the Abel Tasman, Marlborough Sounds and further afield.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Clear Vision's 2011 - 2012 RPNYC Season Results:
Prizegiving at RPNYC was last night, and CV did well. Highlight was winning the 2011-2012 Division 1 Season Championship on both PHRF and Club handicaps; we were tied for first on IRC for the season as well, but Andiamo won on countback.
Results:
1st 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 Club
1st 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 PHRF
1st Sprint Series PHRF
1st Sprint Series IRC
1st Division 1 Summer Series PHRF
1st Division 1 New Year Series IRC
1st Guy Fawkes Series PHRF
1st Guy Fawkes Series IRC
1st Division 1 New Year Series Club
1st Division 1 New Year Series PHRF
1st Autumn Series Division 1 Club
1st Autumn Series Division 1 IRC
1st Regatta Warm Up Series Club
1st Young 11 Line
1st Brothers Island Offshore Club
1st Cook Strait Classic Offshore Club
2nd 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 IRC
2nd Spring Series Division 1 IRC
2nd Summer Series Division 1 IRC
2nd Cook Strait Classic Offshore PHRF
2nd Cook Strait Classic Offshore IRC
2nd Division 1 Summer Series Club
2nd Guy Fawkes Series Club
3rd Division 1 Line
3rd 2011-2012 Season Championship Line Open
3rd Twilight Series 2 IRC
3rd Autumn Series Division 1 PHRF
3rd Mana-Picton Offshore IRC
Results:
1st 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 Club
1st 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 PHRF
1st Sprint Series IRC
1st Division 1 Summer Series PHRF
1st Division 1 New Year Series IRC
1st Guy Fawkes Series PHRF
1st Guy Fawkes Series IRC
1st Division 1 New Year Series Club
1st Division 1 New Year Series PHRF
1st Autumn Series Division 1 Club
1st Autumn Series Division 1 IRC
1st Regatta Warm Up Series Club
1st Young 11 Line
1st Brothers Island Offshore Club
1st Cook Strait Classic Offshore Club
2nd 2011-2012 Season Championship Division 1 IRC
2nd Spring Series Division 1 IRC
2nd Summer Series Division 1 IRC
2nd Cook Strait Classic Offshore PHRF
2nd Cook Strait Classic Offshore IRC
2nd Division 1 Summer Series Club
2nd Guy Fawkes Series Club
3rd Division 1 Line
3rd 2011-2012 Season Championship Line Open
3rd Twilight Series 2 IRC
3rd Autumn Series Division 1 PHRF
3rd Mana-Picton Offshore IRC
Sunday, March 25, 2012
CV wins RPNYC Autumn Series Div 1
We don't normally write about a series win -- but this time the last race had an eventful start, and there's a great bit of video from the final downwind leg that needed a few words to go with it ...
This was the final race of RPNYC Autumn Series; CV won Division 1 with a clean sweep of PHRF, IRC and Club handicaps.
We got out on the race course, and were getting set up when we broke a jib car, less than half an hour before the gun. Went to find the spare which we 'never' take off the boat, but none of us could find it. So we went to rig something else - nothing suitable. We guessed that if we phoned Barton Marine (www.bartonmarine.co.nz/) Mike's guys would help if they could -- and they did... Ten minutes later, in 20 gusting 26 knots of wind we backed into the wharf outside Te Papa with the full main still up (no time to take it down and get to the start on time!), where after some fairly tricky boat handling a box of 'one of these is bound to fit' options was handed to us via a rope-lanyarded bucket from one of the Barton's team that had run half a mile from the shop to meet us with no notice at all. That's service. Then we scampered to the start line, approached from above the port end of the line about 20 seconds late with the Div 1 boats that had already started heading at us on starboard tack, dipped them and the line and started about a minute late.
Video is of CV storming into the final mark rounding , in 25 knots of nice warm northerly gusting to ~30 knots.
NB For the [other] technical purists: kite setup looks odd because the storm halyard had tangled at the top, so we had to fly our red 'Oxygen' storm kite from the fractional halyard
NB(2) Thanks Nigel Sharplin for the geat video, and Oxygen Property Management (www.oxygen.co.nz/) for the bright red kite.
NB(3) Yeeeeeha.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Cook Strait Classic 2011
Cook Strait Classic 2011.
The 40 knot southerly with 'very high sea' that delayed this year's CSC from Saturday to Sunday caused havoc with more than a few teams. We had planned to race with our usual inshore crew with pretty much everyone available. Available for Saturday, that was.
So we had a slightly unusual mix. Vesna and I were of course off for our Xmas cruise - the CSC has always been a delivery race and the week before Xmas in the sounds is brilliant because nobody is there. A couple of years ago before Christmas we were in a stunning outer Sounds bay in great weather, and didn't see another boat for 3 days. After Boxing Day things get more crowded - nothing like the Bay of Islands though - but it seems much busier, and less special as a result.
Mark H had been at a big stag party the night before (or was it the night before that - if so it must have been quite a party!) but dragged himself to the boat. Jason W was keen no matter when, Mark A was always going to be joining us regardless of details like day or weather conditions, and Matt Perry was a late addition when it looked like the wind was going to be big a couple of days out and he was looking for a ride. Preferably a big one.
As a direct result of the impending cruising holiday CV was in 'fat slapper' mode. We had on the boat the racing cray pot, the racing carpet, all of the racing squabs, and 3 weeks worth of racing (cruising) supplies. And we used the same albino carbon mainsail (close up it strongly resembles Dacron) famed from last year's CSC, on only it's 3rd outing.
With the forecast of a decent southerly we stacked as much of the heavy stuff in the port aft part of the boat as we could. It looked a little odd sitting at the dock, but we were looking forward to the righting moment in the blast from Thom's Rock to Tory Channel Entrance.
There are generally two approaches starting at RPNYC heading out of the harbour in a southerly: either start high with a kite and scoot down in the puffs across Oriental Bay, or start low and stay in more consistent wind while you 2-sail reach up to the white lady. Both of these work, but it's very unusual for both to work on the same day. Or even in the same 10 minutes. It all depends on what gusts emerge from Waitangi Park area. In a substantial break from our mindset over recent months, we went for the conservative option, low on the line. Which initially sucked badly since it failed to blow when we needed it. Eventually we got going, but not well - with all that weight down to leeward.
The Expedition / Predictwind combo had led us to believe that it was best to cross the harbour entrance and tack up the eastern side of the harbour entrance. That goes against conventional local wisdom which says stick to the other side out of the tide, but going across paid off handsomely in a previous race so we tried that again. Whether it was the heavier boat, the port side weight loading making starboard tack just horrible, the cruising mainsail, or the left side not paying, we were well below par leaving the harbour, back with the rest of the fleet. Meanwhile, Wedgetail worked on the beginnings of a horizon job, getting to Moaning Minnie while we were still trying to avoid both the incoming Interislander ferry and the rocky bits at the edges of the harbour entrance. Windspeed was only 20ish in the harbour so I suspect we were also underpowered with our heavy jib on the front.
We'd planned a headsail change to the jibtop as we rounded Minnie, and Matt and Mark H got this done pretty smoothly. We were still not getting away on the following fleet, but we gained almost a knot by throwing up the staysail before the wind went further forward.
Then we got around Thom's Rock and hoisted the big genny. This went imperfectly, with loads of flapping and an early fill that meant it took ages to hoist and of course we sailed horrible angles trying to make it behave. It wasn't really keen on setting well in the big waves of the south coast rips and it spent a bit of time flogging, seeming like it wanted to rip gear off that boat, especially the sheet winch. Not long after that it flogged and suddenly became very hard to trim, although the winch settled down incredibly well. It took all of us a few moments to realize that the sheet was wound into the block rather than being stuck on the clew. Down it came. A couple of us wondered if it was worth the trouble, we'd done okay 2-sail reaching in similar conditions in this race previously.
Oh yes, it was worth it. Once we got the big Q genny flying CV lit up. Winds were 22-27 knots, we saw 30 but only in a gust, occasionally far enough aft that I wondered about a spinnaker for a bit more power. But once we got moving and the Q working we had a great ride with long surfs, averaging circa 13 knots but getting over 17 a few times.
The only time we had trouble after that was not long after the hoist, while we were getting ourselves organised, Jason was making his way around the high side with Mark A steering when he fell on Mark. Since Mark was holding the tiller, he fell on that. And me as well, since I was the next lowest thing down. That made for a slightly messy round-up. Vesna offered advice that this was untidy and we shouldn't do that again. Mark A reassured her things were good back there in business class but she had made up her mind that the Q was as wild as a wild thing.
We had gone slightly too high early on, concerned that it might get too tight for the gennaker as we got towards the other side. As it turned out the Expedition proposal that we stay a little low going into Tory would have been better since we were having to work at getting low while keeping speed on. Wedgie was not as far ahead as we had expected (ie still visible) as we neared Tory. Vesna was on high alert for ferries, rocks and wildlife.
We kept the genny up all the way through Tory Channel Entrance, hoping that the southeasterly at the coast would carry us up the channel. No dice. Another significant difference between the Bay of Islands and the Sounds is that down here we have towering lumps of rock that add significantly to the scenic beauty and detract significantly from wind direction predictability. We did a rather hurried takedown and stupidly tried to tack and steer the boat according to wind direction. This was all while we spotted a panda whale - a big orca - cruising out of the channel.
After the first 500m of Tory channel it is often far more effective to point the boat where you want to go and tack the sails. But we took a while to remember this wee fact. In no wind at all, while deep in the process of remembering, which involved quite a lot of constructive but occasionally loud shouting, we realized that the line was back there and we'd crossed it already.
Then we just needed to get the mainsail down. We saw a lull coming (by now it was blowing 20 knots again) and decided to wait for it. In the central NZ sailing area tradition the lull was 30 knots, and the next lull after that was 42. Eventually though we got the main down and motored to Picton to raft up next to Wedgetail and heard that they had set a new CSC record by about 7 minutes. Well done the Wedgie crew.
We found out later: (1) that our blast across Cook Strait was good enough to make up for our suboptimal harbour exit, and we had come 1st on club offshore handicap, and 2nd on both IRC and PHRF*, and (2) we had water tanks that were 1/4 full because he who had been fixing the hot water system had forgotten to empty them again. Oops. Never mind.
* we'd initially been given 1st on all 3, the trifecta, but it turned out that Gucci had their time mis-reported by Maritime NZ, and pipped us on PHRF by 30 seconds and IRC by 5 minutes (wow!).
The 40 knot southerly with 'very high sea' that delayed this year's CSC from Saturday to Sunday caused havoc with more than a few teams. We had planned to race with our usual inshore crew with pretty much everyone available. Available for Saturday, that was.
So we had a slightly unusual mix. Vesna and I were of course off for our Xmas cruise - the CSC has always been a delivery race and the week before Xmas in the sounds is brilliant because nobody is there. A couple of years ago before Christmas we were in a stunning outer Sounds bay in great weather, and didn't see another boat for 3 days. After Boxing Day things get more crowded - nothing like the Bay of Islands though - but it seems much busier, and less special as a result.
Mark H had been at a big stag party the night before (or was it the night before that - if so it must have been quite a party!) but dragged himself to the boat. Jason W was keen no matter when, Mark A was always going to be joining us regardless of details like day or weather conditions, and Matt Perry was a late addition when it looked like the wind was going to be big a couple of days out and he was looking for a ride. Preferably a big one.
As a direct result of the impending cruising holiday CV was in 'fat slapper' mode. We had on the boat the racing cray pot, the racing carpet, all of the racing squabs, and 3 weeks worth of racing (cruising) supplies. And we used the same albino carbon mainsail (close up it strongly resembles Dacron) famed from last year's CSC, on only it's 3rd outing.
With the forecast of a decent southerly we stacked as much of the heavy stuff in the port aft part of the boat as we could. It looked a little odd sitting at the dock, but we were looking forward to the righting moment in the blast from Thom's Rock to Tory Channel Entrance.
There are generally two approaches starting at RPNYC heading out of the harbour in a southerly: either start high with a kite and scoot down in the puffs across Oriental Bay, or start low and stay in more consistent wind while you 2-sail reach up to the white lady. Both of these work, but it's very unusual for both to work on the same day. Or even in the same 10 minutes. It all depends on what gusts emerge from Waitangi Park area. In a substantial break from our mindset over recent months, we went for the conservative option, low on the line. Which initially sucked badly since it failed to blow when we needed it. Eventually we got going, but not well - with all that weight down to leeward.
The Expedition / Predictwind combo had led us to believe that it was best to cross the harbour entrance and tack up the eastern side of the harbour entrance. That goes against conventional local wisdom which says stick to the other side out of the tide, but going across paid off handsomely in a previous race so we tried that again. Whether it was the heavier boat, the port side weight loading making starboard tack just horrible, the cruising mainsail, or the left side not paying, we were well below par leaving the harbour, back with the rest of the fleet. Meanwhile, Wedgetail worked on the beginnings of a horizon job, getting to Moaning Minnie while we were still trying to avoid both the incoming Interislander ferry and the rocky bits at the edges of the harbour entrance. Windspeed was only 20ish in the harbour so I suspect we were also underpowered with our heavy jib on the front.
We'd planned a headsail change to the jibtop as we rounded Minnie, and Matt and Mark H got this done pretty smoothly. We were still not getting away on the following fleet, but we gained almost a knot by throwing up the staysail before the wind went further forward.
Then we got around Thom's Rock and hoisted the big genny. This went imperfectly, with loads of flapping and an early fill that meant it took ages to hoist and of course we sailed horrible angles trying to make it behave. It wasn't really keen on setting well in the big waves of the south coast rips and it spent a bit of time flogging, seeming like it wanted to rip gear off that boat, especially the sheet winch. Not long after that it flogged and suddenly became very hard to trim, although the winch settled down incredibly well. It took all of us a few moments to realize that the sheet was wound into the block rather than being stuck on the clew. Down it came. A couple of us wondered if it was worth the trouble, we'd done okay 2-sail reaching in similar conditions in this race previously.
Oh yes, it was worth it. Once we got the big Q genny flying CV lit up. Winds were 22-27 knots, we saw 30 but only in a gust, occasionally far enough aft that I wondered about a spinnaker for a bit more power. But once we got moving and the Q working we had a great ride with long surfs, averaging circa 13 knots but getting over 17 a few times.
The only time we had trouble after that was not long after the hoist, while we were getting ourselves organised, Jason was making his way around the high side with Mark A steering when he fell on Mark. Since Mark was holding the tiller, he fell on that. And me as well, since I was the next lowest thing down. That made for a slightly messy round-up. Vesna offered advice that this was untidy and we shouldn't do that again. Mark A reassured her things were good back there in business class but she had made up her mind that the Q was as wild as a wild thing.
We had gone slightly too high early on, concerned that it might get too tight for the gennaker as we got towards the other side. As it turned out the Expedition proposal that we stay a little low going into Tory would have been better since we were having to work at getting low while keeping speed on. Wedgie was not as far ahead as we had expected (ie still visible) as we neared Tory. Vesna was on high alert for ferries, rocks and wildlife.
We kept the genny up all the way through Tory Channel Entrance, hoping that the southeasterly at the coast would carry us up the channel. No dice. Another significant difference between the Bay of Islands and the Sounds is that down here we have towering lumps of rock that add significantly to the scenic beauty and detract significantly from wind direction predictability. We did a rather hurried takedown and stupidly tried to tack and steer the boat according to wind direction. This was all while we spotted a panda whale - a big orca - cruising out of the channel.
After the first 500m of Tory channel it is often far more effective to point the boat where you want to go and tack the sails. But we took a while to remember this wee fact. In no wind at all, while deep in the process of remembering, which involved quite a lot of constructive but occasionally loud shouting, we realized that the line was back there and we'd crossed it already.
Then we just needed to get the mainsail down. We saw a lull coming (by now it was blowing 20 knots again) and decided to wait for it. In the central NZ sailing area tradition the lull was 30 knots, and the next lull after that was 42. Eventually though we got the main down and motored to Picton to raft up next to Wedgetail and heard that they had set a new CSC record by about 7 minutes. Well done the Wedgie crew.
We found out later: (1) that our blast across Cook Strait was good enough to make up for our suboptimal harbour exit, and we had come 1st on club offshore handicap, and 2nd on both IRC and PHRF*, and (2) we had water tanks that were 1/4 full because he who had been fixing the hot water system had forgotten to empty them again. Oops. Never mind.
* we'd initially been given 1st on all 3, the trifecta, but it turned out that Gucci had their time mis-reported by Maritime NZ, and pipped us on PHRF by 30 seconds and IRC by 5 minutes (wow!).
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Ship Cove 2011 - The Never Ending Journey (by Brandon Clarke)
[ video at bottom of post ]
We rounded Point Halswell with Gucci close behind us and there was some good natured Rock Monitor jocularity about just how close to Halswell light we could afford to go. As we crossed Kau Bay we hoisted the kite and it seemed like we were finally under way, albeit in a light (but steady) Northerly. However it wasn't set to last. As we approached Worser Bay we could see the boats in front of us slowing, heading up to very high angles in a desperate attempt to keep their way on, and eventually stopping. We gybed, but perhaps too late to catch a small puff that was sneaking through in towards the beach, and we parked. We had sailed into the transition zone between this Northerly and the approaching Southerly (the third North/South change) outside the harbour heads. Nedax was off in the Southerly and we watched Andiamo and The Guarantee also begin to sneak away in the filling in Southerly, while the boats behind us were sailing up to and past us on both sides... Am Mer and Montego Bay III in the Southerly on the Worser Bay shore, and Bootlegger and Gucci in the Northerly out towards Ward Island. Morale was low.
Eventually we dropped the kite and wallowed stationary under main and light number 1 heady and watched as the in-bound Arahura passed exceptionally close to Bootlegger. We noted that they didn't use their horn, and concluded they might have been able to hear Clive as they approached and thus had a good fix on where Bootlegger was. The Food Distribution Department, conscious that there was a lot of food to get through, sent up cups of tea, coffee and Milo, and initiated second breakfast with peanut butter and jam rolls, three types of cakes, and some left over breakfast bacon and egg rolls. Morale improved...
...and it improved more when the Southerly finally marched northwards past Steeple Rock Light - we were under way again... to windward, but in a nice consistent 8 - 10 knot breeze. It was decided that heading to the left hand/Eastern shoreline on the way out of the harbour was going to pay with a left hand lift off Pencarrow. The FULL go left strategy was tempered somewhat by Rock Monitor alerts, and consideration of tidal influences... the by now outgoing tide was stronger mid-channel... so as a result we put a small series of tacks in to reach Moaning Mini. As the final tack for Moaning Mini was called by yours truly, one of the 'doubting faction' on board was heard to comment "You think we're going to lay it from here? Good luck with that!" Admittedly Westy had come out of the tack quite low - in order to build speed in the light conditions - as the speed built he came up, and up, and then Huey did as predicted by the lay line calling faction... and what do you know, we laid quite comfortably in the end. The doubting faction acknowledged what a good call it was, and then resumed enhancing morale by distributing the next round of food parcels.
It had taken FOUR HOURS to reach the entrance to the harbour - something that usually takes approximately 1 hour. The race record for the Ship's Cove race is 4 hours 39 minutes and 43 seconds. It seemed quite safe today. Mark Ansell argued successfully for a keep high (south) track and therefore avoid being sucked into the Sinclair Head vacuum strategy.
The Sinclair Head rip was indeed lumpy and confused, although hardly threatening. Nevertheless the jib-top/staysail combination did seem to work to our advantage - we felt we'd halved the distance on The Guarantee by the time we cleared the Karori rip, and we thought the boats behind us had lost out significantly by being sucked into the Sinclair Head vacuum.
The Guarantee then peeled to their mast head kite, and we hoisted our kite too, however The Guarantee did begin to slowly pull away from us. Vesna then had a shift on the helm as we rounded Cape Terawhiti. Under clear skies in warm sunshine we were peeling off 6.5 - 8.5 knots of boat speed with the tide helping us. Morale was high. Lunch packs were distributed and consumed and no one could think of many places we would rather have been. However we did notice just how slow our progress to date had been when we saw the Awatere returning bound for Wellington.
It was too good to last, however. Approximately mid-Cook Strait we slowed, and then pretty much stopped. As can be seen by our GPS track, that was not the worst of it.
The bad news was the wind had died, at least where we were, and the tide had changed. We were heading south, despite sailing at 1 to 2 knots through the water. The good news was that Gucci and Am Mer (near Cape Terawhiti) and Bootlegger and Montego Bay III (further out to sea and heading towards Tory Channel entrance) were a loooong way back. We could only identify which boat was which by the colour of their kites. Interestingly Gucci and Am Meer were on starboard gybe in a Northerly (the fourth North/South change) while Bootlegger and Montego Bay III were still in a solid Southerly. We were in the hole in between. It was noted that Nicki had never finished an offshore before, and talk of the 'Curse of Nicki' developed over the following few hours...
This hole dragged on and on and on. And on. And on and on and on. Morale was low, extremely low. Estimates had Bootlegger overtaking us, still storming along in the southerly. Eventually some breeze kicked in. Our heading was 015 and our boat speed was 2.5 knots in a 3 to 5.5 knot north-easterly. However, our Course Over Ground was 220 at 1.5 knots Speed Over Ground. We were not amused. To make things worse there was an annoying 1/2 to 1 metre swell/slop which was conspiring to shake any power out of our sails. The Food Distribution Department conducted a pre-emptive strike against any mutinous thoughts by making some ham and cheese toasted sandwiches. Morale rose dramatically. As the afternoon wore on we could see a Northerly a mile to windward, and we could see a southerly 2 miles to leeward. We'd edge into the Northerly, only to have it slide away again. Gucci was now only about a mile astern after earlier having been almost half the width of the Cook Strait away.
Morale was sorely tested when we heard Nedax reporting their finish time just before 5 pm. Nicki's raspberry and white chocolate cake tempered the mood briefly, but the continued frustration of slow, if not backward progress was eating away at us. We had a seabird join us. What was really depressing is the bird was paddling along and gaining on us. Mark Ansell threw the bird some wasabi peas for revenge.
Up ahead The Brothers were not getting closer very quickly. The Guarantee was tight in on the shore of Arapawa Island - barely discernable in the distance, and we could just make out Andiamo near Cape Komaru. Other than them it was just ourselves and Gucci.
The mutinous faction briefly tabled the prospect of withdrawing ourselves, but almost before the words were out of their mouths a 10 knot North-wester kicked in and we were off heading straight at Cape Komaru at 7 to 7.5 knots. Morale surged, especially when Tony announced that now we were as far north as we had been 5 hours earlier... mutter, mutter, muttah paneer... There was even (briefly) crazy talk about changing from the number 1 light heady to the number 2! During this time we saw the Awatere for the third time today heading back to the South Island. Would this race ever end?
With the tide having changed again, yes we really had been out there THAT long, our main tactical concern now was not to go too far and be swept well past Cape Komaru on the strong tidal currents. As a result we deliberately tacked early, figuring we could always tack again if needed. We did need to tack again, and when we tacked back the doubting faction again threw a "good luck with that" call out there, but in the end we cleared the rocks of Cape Komaru comfortably.
Splendid. All we had to do now was ease our way up Queen Charlotte sound and we'd be done.
Pffffft. Huey was having none of that, and the 'Curse of Nicki' was strong... The wind crapped out again as we sailed headlong into another transition zone. Morale was extraordinarily low at this point. The Wales versus France semi final had started, and the sun had dropped and once again we were becalmed doing under 1 knot, no wait, with no speed registering on the speedo at all. Pants! The Food Distribution Department then began cooking steak, onion, beetroot, lettuce and cheese burgers. Just the smell of steaks cooking and onions caramelising keep the murderous thoughts at bay. Westy was trimming heroically and Mark Ansell was a picture of determination on the helm. Eventually a southerly kicked in (the fifth North/South change) and we were off again with Gucci a few hundred metres astern. I was absolutely exhausted and just slumped on the rail as Nicki helmed us across the line to successfully finish her first off-shore. It was 2115 and 23 seconds, giving us an elapsed time for the 40 mile race of fifteen hours 15 minutes 23 seconds. Easily the longest Cook Strait crossing any of us had done. Last year I'd done the 117 miles to Nelson in 10 hours 50 minutes, and the 72 miles Mana - Picton race in 10 hours 15 minutes...
It was a race that at times seemed it would never end. But we found out at breakfast the next morning we were the 4th boat to finish, a good reward for hanging in there. Waking up to the beauty of Endeavour inlet was a highlight too...
4.30am is a very early time to wake up.
Especially if you are a black cat, snuggled up at the foot of the bed, draped across one foot and perfectly happy where you are. Unfortunately the foot had to move, because there was a yacht race starting at 0600 and the body the foot was attached to had to get down to the boat. Ear flicking and then two anticlockwise circles on the duvet followed before the mini-panther settled back down muttering under his breath.
Meanwhile the foot (and the rest of me) got up and had a shower, made coffee and a bagel, and double checked all the stuff I had packed the night before. Right - off to the marina for the Ship's Cove race then. Well almost. Knowing I had a very expensive day due on Sunday I stopped at a hole-in-the-wall and got a couple of hundred dollars out... then went down to Clear Vision. Loading of gear bags began, closely followed by 8 supermarket bags. As they were being stowed, the Food Distribution Department (Vesna) returned from the car with 6 more supermarket bags, and said:
"Bardy, would you mind just popping up to my car, the last of the food is sitting just behind it, could you bring it down for me please?"
I was expecting there to be just the last couple of bags, and was thinking that Clear Vision Catering had well and truly outdone itself this time. When I got to the car there were in fact NINE more supermarket bags waiting to be carried down to the boat. Crimmany. Much hilarity followed, with comments including: "We're going to Ship's Cove in the Marlborough Sounds Vesna, not Ship's Cove in the Bahamas.". At one point there was concern expressed that we might not have room for the beer as there was so much food... but sanity reigned in the end (no, none of the food was thrown overboard).
Vesna pointed out that it was a light winds race and we could be out there for some time. Prophetic words!
So we left the dock and headed out into Lambton Harbour. Spirits were high.
Especially if you are a black cat, snuggled up at the foot of the bed, draped across one foot and perfectly happy where you are. Unfortunately the foot had to move, because there was a yacht race starting at 0600 and the body the foot was attached to had to get down to the boat. Ear flicking and then two anticlockwise circles on the duvet followed before the mini-panther settled back down muttering under his breath.
Meanwhile the foot (and the rest of me) got up and had a shower, made coffee and a bagel, and double checked all the stuff I had packed the night before. Right - off to the marina for the Ship's Cove race then. Well almost. Knowing I had a very expensive day due on Sunday I stopped at a hole-in-the-wall and got a couple of hundred dollars out... then went down to Clear Vision. Loading of gear bags began, closely followed by 8 supermarket bags. As they were being stowed, the Food Distribution Department (Vesna) returned from the car with 6 more supermarket bags, and said:
"Bardy, would you mind just popping up to my car, the last of the food is sitting just behind it, could you bring it down for me please?"
I was expecting there to be just the last couple of bags, and was thinking that Clear Vision Catering had well and truly outdone itself this time. When I got to the car there were in fact NINE more supermarket bags waiting to be carried down to the boat. Crimmany. Much hilarity followed, with comments including: "We're going to Ship's Cove in the Marlborough Sounds Vesna, not Ship's Cove in the Bahamas.". At one point there was concern expressed that we might not have room for the beer as there was so much food... but sanity reigned in the end (no, none of the food was thrown overboard).
Vesna pointed out that it was a light winds race and we could be out there for some time. Prophetic words!
So we left the dock and headed out into Lambton Harbour. Spirits were high.
It had been a long break through the dead of winter, and we were all looking forward to another adventure. We decided to put the main up, as we figured we'd need it - Westy reminded me to head the boat up into the wind before the hoist. It was a good tip, and easily implemented, as wherever the boat was pointed was into the wind while we were motoring. Lambton harbour was glassy smooth. The light number one joined the main and we gently motored (leading up to the 5 minute gun) and then inched along (after the 5 minute gun) towards the city side of the line.
Normally we aim to be on the line, at speed, in clear air for the start... this time we were just focussing on not being stopped, however we managed right on the line and in clear air too, with only Bootlegger anywhere near us - and we were inching 2 to her 1 at that stage. Bonus! We had chosen the city side of the line to be out of the way when the next Bluebridge ferry left, but we seemed to have lucked into the first hint of a Northerly breeze - Gucci, ourselves and Bootlegger were moving while the rest of the boats were completely stopped. We were pleased with our start, and celebrated by having first breakfast. The Food Distribution Department had individually packed a bacon and egg roll, and a mini Just Juice in our named breakfast glad bags. Mmmmm. Bacon and egg for breakfast. Morale was high.
Normally we aim to be on the line, at speed, in clear air for the start... this time we were just focussing on not being stopped, however we managed right on the line and in clear air too, with only Bootlegger anywhere near us - and we were inching 2 to her 1 at that stage. Bonus! We had chosen the city side of the line to be out of the way when the next Bluebridge ferry left, but we seemed to have lucked into the first hint of a Northerly breeze - Gucci, ourselves and Bootlegger were moving while the rest of the boats were completely stopped. We were pleased with our start, and celebrated by having first breakfast. The Food Distribution Department had individually packed a bacon and egg roll, and a mini Just Juice in our named breakfast glad bags. Mmmmm. Bacon and egg for breakfast. Morale was high.
20 minutes later we had progressed perhaps 250 metres from the start line. This rated as an outstanding effort, as Marangi was still 200 metres behind the start line, and a number of other boats were still on or just over the line. Gucci was ahead of us, but beginning to knock noticeably. Nedax was the leeward most boat and they had knocked 50 degrees and were pushing into the Oriental Bay shore under Code 0. This paid big dividends as the first North/South shift of the race kicked in. They flopped over onto starboard and shot off at 3 or 4 knots in a nice Southerly puff. Gucci tacked, and lost all their speed doing it, allowing us to ghost across their bow heading as fast as we could (at around 1 knot) towards the new Southerly puff.
By now it was light enough to take some photos...
By now it was light enough to take some photos...
As we crept across Evans Bay we held to the South expecting to be first to the forecast Southerly... however soon we saw Nedax (which was past Point Halswell) tack over onto port in a filling in Northerly change (the second North/South change).
We then saw Awatere outbound - this was to be the first of three sightings of Awatere.
We had to suck it up as first Andiamo and then The Guarantee to leeward of us picked up the strengthening 5 - 8 knot Northerly.
We rounded Point Halswell with Gucci close behind us and there was some good natured Rock Monitor jocularity about just how close to Halswell light we could afford to go. As we crossed Kau Bay we hoisted the kite and it seemed like we were finally under way, albeit in a light (but steady) Northerly. However it wasn't set to last. As we approached Worser Bay we could see the boats in front of us slowing, heading up to very high angles in a desperate attempt to keep their way on, and eventually stopping. We gybed, but perhaps too late to catch a small puff that was sneaking through in towards the beach, and we parked. We had sailed into the transition zone between this Northerly and the approaching Southerly (the third North/South change) outside the harbour heads. Nedax was off in the Southerly and we watched Andiamo and The Guarantee also begin to sneak away in the filling in Southerly, while the boats behind us were sailing up to and past us on both sides... Am Mer and Montego Bay III in the Southerly on the Worser Bay shore, and Bootlegger and Gucci in the Northerly out towards Ward Island. Morale was low.
Eventually we dropped the kite and wallowed stationary under main and light number 1 heady and watched as the in-bound Arahura passed exceptionally close to Bootlegger. We noted that they didn't use their horn, and concluded they might have been able to hear Clive as they approached and thus had a good fix on where Bootlegger was. The Food Distribution Department, conscious that there was a lot of food to get through, sent up cups of tea, coffee and Milo, and initiated second breakfast with peanut butter and jam rolls, three types of cakes, and some left over breakfast bacon and egg rolls. Morale improved...
...and it improved more when the Southerly finally marched northwards past Steeple Rock Light - we were under way again... to windward, but in a nice consistent 8 - 10 knot breeze. It was decided that heading to the left hand/Eastern shoreline on the way out of the harbour was going to pay with a left hand lift off Pencarrow. The FULL go left strategy was tempered somewhat by Rock Monitor alerts, and consideration of tidal influences... the by now outgoing tide was stronger mid-channel... so as a result we put a small series of tacks in to reach Moaning Mini. As the final tack for Moaning Mini was called by yours truly, one of the 'doubting faction' on board was heard to comment "You think we're going to lay it from here? Good luck with that!" Admittedly Westy had come out of the tack quite low - in order to build speed in the light conditions - as the speed built he came up, and up, and then Huey did as predicted by the lay line calling faction... and what do you know, we laid quite comfortably in the end. The doubting faction acknowledged what a good call it was, and then resumed enhancing morale by distributing the next round of food parcels.
It had taken FOUR HOURS to reach the entrance to the harbour - something that usually takes approximately 1 hour. The race record for the Ship's Cove race is 4 hours 39 minutes and 43 seconds. It seemed quite safe today. Mark Ansell argued successfully for a keep high (south) track and therefore avoid being sucked into the Sinclair Head vacuum strategy.
The Guarantee was about 300 metres in front of us, and as we freed up slowly heading across the south coast they went for their gennaker. Figuring that due to our being 2 to 3 hours behind normal schedule the Sinclair and Karori rips were likely to be a little 'boisterous' we thought the gennaker might be difficult to keep set in the unsettled sea way and fickle winds. Instead changed from the light airs heady to the almost 1 year old Linton Sails Jib-top accompanied by the cute little Linton sails staysail.
The Sinclair Head rip was indeed lumpy and confused, although hardly threatening. Nevertheless the jib-top/staysail combination did seem to work to our advantage - we felt we'd halved the distance on The Guarantee by the time we cleared the Karori rip, and we thought the boats behind us had lost out significantly by being sucked into the Sinclair Head vacuum.
The Guarantee then peeled to their mast head kite, and we hoisted our kite too, however The Guarantee did begin to slowly pull away from us. Vesna then had a shift on the helm as we rounded Cape Terawhiti. Under clear skies in warm sunshine we were peeling off 6.5 - 8.5 knots of boat speed with the tide helping us. Morale was high. Lunch packs were distributed and consumed and no one could think of many places we would rather have been. However we did notice just how slow our progress to date had been when we saw the Awatere returning bound for Wellington.
It was too good to last, however. Approximately mid-Cook Strait we slowed, and then pretty much stopped. As can be seen by our GPS track, that was not the worst of it.
The bad news was the wind had died, at least where we were, and the tide had changed. We were heading south, despite sailing at 1 to 2 knots through the water. The good news was that Gucci and Am Mer (near Cape Terawhiti) and Bootlegger and Montego Bay III (further out to sea and heading towards Tory Channel entrance) were a loooong way back. We could only identify which boat was which by the colour of their kites. Interestingly Gucci and Am Meer were on starboard gybe in a Northerly (the fourth North/South change) while Bootlegger and Montego Bay III were still in a solid Southerly. We were in the hole in between. It was noted that Nicki had never finished an offshore before, and talk of the 'Curse of Nicki' developed over the following few hours...
This hole dragged on and on and on. And on. And on and on and on. Morale was low, extremely low. Estimates had Bootlegger overtaking us, still storming along in the southerly. Eventually some breeze kicked in. Our heading was 015 and our boat speed was 2.5 knots in a 3 to 5.5 knot north-easterly. However, our Course Over Ground was 220 at 1.5 knots Speed Over Ground. We were not amused. To make things worse there was an annoying 1/2 to 1 metre swell/slop which was conspiring to shake any power out of our sails. The Food Distribution Department conducted a pre-emptive strike against any mutinous thoughts by making some ham and cheese toasted sandwiches. Morale rose dramatically. As the afternoon wore on we could see a Northerly a mile to windward, and we could see a southerly 2 miles to leeward. We'd edge into the Northerly, only to have it slide away again. Gucci was now only about a mile astern after earlier having been almost half the width of the Cook Strait away.
Morale was sorely tested when we heard Nedax reporting their finish time just before 5 pm. Nicki's raspberry and white chocolate cake tempered the mood briefly, but the continued frustration of slow, if not backward progress was eating away at us. We had a seabird join us. What was really depressing is the bird was paddling along and gaining on us. Mark Ansell threw the bird some wasabi peas for revenge.
Following the 1820 sched. the dominoes began to fall. Marangi had been last seen as we left the harbour entrance behind. They were the clever ones it seemed, having pulled the pin early on. Next to go were Bootlegger and Am Mer.
We heard Bob on Montego Bay III call Wellington Maritime Radio on channel 16. "Bob's had enough" was the call... Wellington Maritime transferred Montego Bay III to Channel 71, and we followed to eaves drop. Bob came onto 71 and said "errrr, stand by Wellington Maritime Radio, we are just reassessing our options..." 5 minutes later he was back to withdraw and report he was motoring to Tory Channel entrance.
Up ahead The Brothers were not getting closer very quickly. The Guarantee was tight in on the shore of Arapawa Island - barely discernable in the distance, and we could just make out Andiamo near Cape Komaru. Other than them it was just ourselves and Gucci.
The mutinous faction briefly tabled the prospect of withdrawing ourselves, but almost before the words were out of their mouths a 10 knot North-wester kicked in and we were off heading straight at Cape Komaru at 7 to 7.5 knots. Morale surged, especially when Tony announced that now we were as far north as we had been 5 hours earlier... mutter, mutter, muttah paneer... There was even (briefly) crazy talk about changing from the number 1 light heady to the number 2! During this time we saw the Awatere for the third time today heading back to the South Island. Would this race ever end?
With the tide having changed again, yes we really had been out there THAT long, our main tactical concern now was not to go too far and be swept well past Cape Komaru on the strong tidal currents. As a result we deliberately tacked early, figuring we could always tack again if needed. We did need to tack again, and when we tacked back the doubting faction again threw a "good luck with that" call out there, but in the end we cleared the rocks of Cape Komaru comfortably.
Splendid. All we had to do now was ease our way up Queen Charlotte sound and we'd be done.
Pffffft. Huey was having none of that, and the 'Curse of Nicki' was strong... The wind crapped out again as we sailed headlong into another transition zone. Morale was extraordinarily low at this point. The Wales versus France semi final had started, and the sun had dropped and once again we were becalmed doing under 1 knot, no wait, with no speed registering on the speedo at all. Pants! The Food Distribution Department then began cooking steak, onion, beetroot, lettuce and cheese burgers. Just the smell of steaks cooking and onions caramelising keep the murderous thoughts at bay. Westy was trimming heroically and Mark Ansell was a picture of determination on the helm. Eventually a southerly kicked in (the fifth North/South change) and we were off again with Gucci a few hundred metres astern. I was absolutely exhausted and just slumped on the rail as Nicki helmed us across the line to successfully finish her first off-shore. It was 2115 and 23 seconds, giving us an elapsed time for the 40 mile race of fifteen hours 15 minutes 23 seconds. Easily the longest Cook Strait crossing any of us had done. Last year I'd done the 117 miles to Nelson in 10 hours 50 minutes, and the 72 miles Mana - Picton race in 10 hours 15 minutes...
It was a race that at times seemed it would never end. But we found out at breakfast the next morning we were the 4th boat to finish, a good reward for hanging in there. Waking up to the beauty of Endeavour inlet was a highlight too...
...my Sunday involved breakfast at Ferneaux Lodge ($22.00), a water taxi to Picton ($52.00), a shuttle to Blenheim ($70.00 split 2 ways with Gordy = $35.00), a flight to Wellington ($99.00), the Airporter Express bus into the city ($8.50) where I picked my car up from the yacht club and drove to the Back Bencher, had a steak burger ($7.00) and then off to see the Phoenix win their first home game at the ring of fire for the year 2 - 0 against The Newcastle Jest.
Priceless.
[ Photos and video Brandon Clarke and Mark Holmes ]
Priceless.
[ Photos and video Brandon Clarke and Mark Holmes ]
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