The result from our first race in the super hot Division 1s at the RANSA Winter Wednesday Series was as expected.
The wind on the day was a little stronger than we had anticipated so we started with the No 3 jib and a full mainsail. We won the start at the pin end right on time but that was the last time we won anything. The four big boats in the fleet which are clearly in a class of their own left Marloo, Blue Chip and Passion X in their wake. The wind was on the most favored angle for Passion X on the first leg so we hung in and managed to fit between Blue Chip and Marloo at the top mark at Cannai Point.
The wind had picked up to 16 knots as we turned for the work back to Steele Point and the smaller headsail was well suited for the breeze strength. An initial lift had us looking to be pointing higher than Blue Chip and Marloo but the first header proved that it was just an illusion and as we worked up the course we fell further behind. In Rose Bay the breeze lightened and we were powering up everything we could. The foot of the main was eased and the backstays left loose to power up the main and headsail but the breeze was just too light for the rig.
Working into Rose Bay we had a few minutes sailing below Allegro from Division 1 and felt a little better as we seemed to hold our own.
The reach to Point Piper was painful as the breeze died right away leaving some of the slower yachts stationary near the mark. By now Marloo was just a spec in the distance and Blue Chip even further away.
Perhaps if we had carried the No 1 Genoa we would have had a one minute lead at the top mark. We then may have lost this time gain on the work to Steele Point but made up time in Rose Bay where the breeze was lighter. We did have a very light patch of wind around Point Piper which may not have been the case with Blue Chip and Marloo.
Perhaps there is four minutes we could have saved with the larger headsail and perhaps a minute or two as we get more accustomed to the lighter hull.
Sunday is the start of the West Harbour Winter Series and we are in a division more suited to our yacht so hopefully we will have some close competition.
These are the sails we carried today in the first of the RANSA Winter Wednesday races. Photo from the sail to Newcastle
The chartplotter tracks from the first of the RANSA Winter Wednesday races.
Light winds in the middle of the first RANSA Winter Wednesday races