Archive for July 2015
Despite the forecast for no wind a light south easterly breeze sprang up as we passed a pod of dolphins on our way to the starting area. The dolphins were enjoying the sunny Sydney day and bow riding the passing ferries and breaking off to jump out of the water.
We set the black carbon genoa with the backstay very slack to induce a bit more luff round hoping to go quicker in the light reaching conditions and it seemed to work.
At the start we had observed the first fleet get off the line cleanly and thought that our fleet would behave but it was not to be. Living edged luffed Izzi in front of us right up to the start boat leaving us two second short of being able to bear away for the line on the gun. The go round was expensive as we were last off the line alongside Rainbow for a long loose work to the top mark just inside the Sow and Pigs. The work back to Rose Bay via Steel Point was tighter and here we picked up the back half of the fleet in the shifty conditions around the point. Into Rose Bay we crossed tack with Rainbow a few times until going our different ways to the far corners of the Bay and coming out almost on par. Crackerjack suffered in light air on the wrong side of the bay and fell well behind.
On the broad reach to the finish line we did better closer into shore than the fleet and made up ground passing Izzi and almost catching Rainbow.
The handicap result was a fifth place with a casual in the mix so we will score four points for the day. This is an excellent result considering the time given away at the start.
The Didi 40 Cr hull glassed and sanded with some fairing in progress
A front view of the Didi 40 Cr hull glassed and sanded.
We have been away in Canada and the USA for sailing in the World Laser Masters regatta with two fellow crew from Passion. We enjoyed the sailing and the wives enjoyed the touring so it was win win. Prior to departure we had some very wet weather and as soon as the Sun came out I caught a winter bug so in all I have had a six week break from boat building and need to make up some time. We landed back in Sydney on Saturday morning after a long flight from New York but by the afternoon I was back sanding down the fibreglass on the hull. I can recommend working in the Sun as a good cure for jet lag. After two more half days of sanding I have spent the afternoon with my long fairing battens checking for any hollows and am happy with the finish. There is still some glass weave to fill before the painting starts but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Tracks from a windy West Harbour Winter Series
Four of Passion’s crew for today alighted from a flight from the USA on Saturday morning and enjoyed a windy sunny Sunday back on Sydney waters.
Just as the West Harbour Winter series started at 1:00 pm the breeze gusted to 30 knots and held around the 20 knot mark for most of the day. Off the start line we reefed the mainsail without losing much ground to our over canvassed competitors. Some of the competitors called it a day early in the afternoon so we found ourselves with just a few competitors for company. On the odd occasion we were in the lee of a hill or island the breeze did fade away but not for long. The windy conditions and short runs kept most of the spinnakers in the bag for the day and we managed 8 knots on the reach under No 2 genoa and reefed main.
Conditions were a bit too windy to take advantage of the frequent wind shifts so for most of the fleet it was a matter of sailing as best as possible and waiting for the handicap results to see how they fared.
Finally the handicap results have been posted and we scored eighth out of sixteen starters. The good news is that we are now equal first of the GFS yachts with Lisdillon the new Reichel Pugh 36 and will need to beat her in the last race for an outright win.