For our part the order of the title for this post was reversed as the wind taketh away on the way out of Humbug but giveth back in plenty on the work to Goat Island. To be fair, it was probably not fair as the win back was massive compared to the loss but then it felt good to be lucky.
Some of us had a long day as we took our sail maker out for a review of the rig just after noon and enjoyed a couple of hours of test sailing in 12 knots. The conditions were ideal for a test sail and I will share all the advice we received. Number 1 was to keep the vang on to windward as we do not have a mainsheet traveller. He observed our mid leech was laying off before the head so that was easily fixed. Number 2 will be harder to implement as he suggested a couple of gorillas on the mainsheet. One for letting off and one for pulling back on. Now non of our crew are young enough to be described as gorillas but we will try our best. Number 3 was a small increase in mast rake to increase the windward helm. I am not sure about this last one as we are pretty well behaved and I don’t want to round up more in the gusts so we will see how the vang sheeting goes for a few weeks.
In the race proper we started on time if a bit low on the line. We made good progress to Onion Point but again got buried in Humbug with the fleet behind. As the course was to leave Cockatoo to starboard we went low only to be headed on what is normally a broad reach into the corner of the island. All the fleet except Flashback and Lisdillon charged off from further to windward leaving us close to the back of the fleet.
Around Cockatoo Lisdillon came with following wind threatening to go inside at the point and we could not have that. (You do understand Andrew) As soon as we could I headed away from the wind shadow of Cockatoo into clear air.
Now this is where the wind giveth back as we had pressure and angle to burn hitting our target speeds of 7.1 knots SOG on more than one occasion.
The tide was flowing out at this time and being mid stream did help with the boat speed but it felt good to be catching the fleet quite quickly.
By Goat Island only Jackpot and Dump Truck were ahead and we were pleased to be sandwiched between the Ker 11.3 twins.
Flashback loomed up around Goat and went East from the gap while we went deep and benefited from breeze through the gap.
As good as the breeze from behind was we could not make an impression on Jackpot and their secret supplementary crew. Over our shoulder Much Ado V was menacing and drew alongside at the turn into Humbug. Here our master strategist, Kevin, insisted on a run deep to the shore and a risky beat alongside the moored yachts. By sheer luck we managed the corner at Onion Point having skirted the becalmed fleets in mid stream still battling the outgoing tide.
At this point a nose in front of Much Ado V stretched out to a minute 23 seconds which hardly seems fair but we will take it all the same. Flashback was just another 20 seconds behind. Out in front was Dump Truck a full four and a half minutes ahead and Jackpot over one and a half minutes in front of us so the closest battle of the evening was for third to fifth fastest. Lisdillon and Sweet Chariot were just a minute behind this group and rightfully claimed third and first place on handicap.
Now Christian Beck on Dump Truck was back on board after last Wednesday winning the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and could clearly do no wrong this week. The green hulled mean machine picked all the shifts out of Humbug and was so far up the beat to Goat that our big wind shift made little impact. Indeed we were still lifting towards Long Nose on starboard when they hooked into the next lift on port heading into Snails Bay looking like a winner. Perhaps they have the gorillas on the mainsheet that we need.
Nice photo of Passion X taken from a passing ferry
Passion X just ahead or Much Ado V off Onion Point on the way home