Today’s fresh conditions frightened off all but the hardiest sailors and only five yachts contested the Division 1 race at RANSA. With forecast winds over twenty five knots and spot readings coming in over that level I was surprised that the race was conducted but if racing is on we are there for the party and party we did. In the pre race test run with one reef in the main and the No 3 genoa still furled Passion proved a handful so we took the safe option and put in the second reef. Kevin called the start to perfection so we lead the fleet for a short time until Silky decided that she wanted us to sail up into the lee of Bradley’s Head while Allegro charged down the course to leeward. It seemed a strange tactic as we could not pull away behind their stern and Silky was only driving both of up into the wind shadow of Izzi. Graham and Kath were aboard the start boat doing the duty crew work and Graham took this photo of Silky below us. Compare the sail area and see just how conservative our rig was for the day.
Passion with two reefs keeping up with Silky with a full mainsail
Eventually SIlky pulled away so we could clear Bradley’s Head and in the process we both squared away to the breeze and attempted to pole the genoa out to windward. Rainbow kept the genoa out to leeward and pulled away so eventually we conceded defeat and lowered the pole. In the process we lost a little ground on Silky and Izzi and rounded in last place for the beat back to Steel Point. On the wind we passed Silky and Izzi and took a little time out of Rainbow’s almost two minute gap she had on us at the turn. By this time Allegro had powered over Rainbow and was reaching away to the Rose Bay mark and we held a slim lead over Silky and Izzi but the best was yet to come. Beating out of Rose Bay the wind was approaching thirty knots and our more conservative rig was proving superior to Rainbow’s single reefed mainsail so that by Point Piper we were ahead by a good margin. Graham’s and Kath’s photos from the start boat shows how much Passion was heeling and how much the double reefed mainsail was just flogging in the gusts.
Passion’s double reefed main flogging in the gusts
Kath’s photo of Passion beating to windward
Ron on the mainsheet was pleased we had two reefs in the sail and he got good assistance from the crew all day to drop the main and wind it back in whenever the breeze allowed. In the reach around Shark Island Rainbow with the larger main made good gains from behind and was right on our transom as we rounded for the last beat home. Once back working to windward we showed the wisdom of our sail selection with better height and just a touch more speed so that by the finish we were almost two minutes in front of Rainbow. Even the broken starboard genoa sheet could not stop our progress as we flopped over onto starboard tack and Kevin tied off the shortened sheet just in time to tack away from the yachts moored near Point Piper. For the last beat to the finish line I asked Kevin to tie on a spare sheet to the genoa as a precaution but it was not needed and we crossed with our best ever fastest times place. Congratulations to all the crew for a solid days work and a special thanks to Kath and Graham for doing our duty turn and allowing us to enjoy a memorable day on the harbour.