Passion X

The eighteen to twenty five knot breeze provided quite a challenge for the fifteen yachts in Division 1 of the RANSA Winter Wednesday race. Adding to the challenge was the wind direction which was straight down the course so it is a real credit to the crew of Amanti that they got around in an hour and ten minutes. It is not the best direction for Passion X but we have been more competitive with the pin head main and fixed backstay and were not disappointed with ninth on handicap.
Like a lot of the fleet we hoisted a No 3 jib and reefed main but later shook out the reef, again like a lot of the fleet.
The pin was the correct end to start and we were well lined up when Amanti charged back into the fleet from windward. To avoid a collision we had to give up our safe starting position and go to leeward barely making the pin in the process. The tight pinch to the pin was not pretty and we stalled out in the dirty air of the fleet. When the breeze knocked we tacked and were among the leaders well to windward of the fleet. Leeward came across on starboard and being unable to duck her we went back in a safe leeward position but she kept driving towards Bradleys Head and did not stop until we were both becalmed behind the point.
This was a disappointing pointless exercise as it put us right at the back of the fleet and in the full dirty air of Leeward. After a long slow work back into clear air we set off after the fleet. In the far distance Hanni picked up a nice shift off of Steele Point so we headed that way hoping to get into the lift.

We did get back into the lift but it was short lived and back on port tack we were convincingly bested by Fidelis and Tula out wide.

Coming back into the top mark I set my sights on Allegro as a possible target to catch on the run home. Downwind with the jib poled out we held Fidelis and passed Tula. Into Rose Bay and in lighter air we shook out the reef in the main and jumped away from Fidelis and Tula. Along the reach to Point Piper the fast reaching Fidelis came up to our transom and it was touch and go to round ahead. On the beat around the island we tacked back to Shark Island while Fidelis carried out mid stream. In the chase we made up ground on Allegro but were run over at the mark by Fidelis.

The last run for home  was a chase after Allegro and Fidelis and while we were not able to catch them we did make up enough time to beat them on handicap.

Leeward collected second place which is typical of their heavy air performance but we were happy to stay within two minutes of Joli, to make ground on Allegro and to beat Hitchhike over the line.

We were indeed fortunate with the weather on the rain front as there was a prolonged break in the rain during the race. On the other hand the breeze was well under forecast. Joli and Passion X both had crew numbers appropriate for the 20 knot forecast breeze but a bit over the top for the 10 knots we had. That did not stop us getting first and second on handicap and while Joli was a clear winner Passion X had to fight for every second to beat Allegro on handicap.
On Passion X we made the chase a bit harder than it should have been by being 15 seconds behind the line at the start. We went low to avoid the dirty air of the fleet to windward and sailed parallel to Fidelis, Joli and Allegro to the top mark.
At the rounding we continued on starboard enough to get clear air on the leading three and were rewarded with a lift above the leaders. In hindsight we should have used the lift to get more boat speed and try to get ahead of the next shift but alas we went too high and sailed into the quiet air in the lee of Steele Point.
Joli and Fidelis out wide tacked on a big knock and came back ahead. Allegro chased Passion X along the shore and we had an extended passage side be side sailing into Rose Bay. As we approached the Rose Bay mark Fidelis dropped down on our line giving us a dose of dirty air at which point Allegro started to nudge ahead to leeward. As we tacked for the mark Amanti came in on starboard so we stayed high giving them room to round but they managed to touch in the rounding and went back for a second go. That gave us room to chase Fidelis and try to stay ahead of Allegro. Around the Point Piper mark Joli, Fidelis and Allegro went deep while Passion X went straight to the mark. In that phase Joli drew further ahead, Allegro passed Passion X to leeward and effectively sailed around us while Fidelis did not enjoy the detour and dropped two places. The rest of the way home was a drag race chasing Allegro and trying to stay ahead of Fidelis.
We never caught Allegro but managed to cross the line ahead of Fidelis and Amanti who never made up the extra turns in Rose Bay.

Chasing Fidelis

Nose by nose with Allegro into Rose Bay

Allegro goes deep and around Passion X

That is the gap from first fastest back to Passion X in a very bunched fleet. On handicap it was even tighter with just 12 seconds separating Joli in second place and Passion X in fifth. Meridian in third was five seconds in front and Coco in fourth just a single second ahead. The handicapper will be very proud of his work tonight.

The race started in northerly winds gusting to fifteen knots and a little more. On that angle Passion X performed well under full main and No 1 heavy genoa where we hung onto the tail of Agrovation and Meridian until the breeze shifted to the north east and we had to work to the top mark. At the shift the yacht to leeward flopped over and passed ahead of Passion X but it was close at the top.
On the run back to Steele Point we travelled well with the genoa poled out and pulled a few metres ahead of Hanni. On the gybe we left the pole up to leeward and gained on the fleet only to have Amanti drop their pole and reach up under us. On the reach to Point Piper we managed to sail out from under Amanti but on the work around the island they were too smart and too fast while we were locked down by the high pointing Hanni just behind.
Around the island and on the reach home it was anyone’s race. We managed to reach out from under Hanni but could not make an impression on the leaders.
At the finish it was a well enjoyed race with the only surprise the narrow loss to Joli and Meridian on handicap.