A work in progress and some photo updates

November 23, 2017

This post is both pre and post op. The post op is from a fibre reinforced David who is feeling pretty well.

Last night we improved on our previous race and finished fifth fastest. The fresher than expected breeze faded at the end of the race stringing the fleet out a little more and favouring the front runners for handicap places.
Dump truck gave the fleet another lesson but this time it was mainly in how to sail fast so it was Dump Truck then daylight followed by a fast improving Jackpot. Flashback with a new genoa just held out Much Ado V and we followed across the line.
With the light winds forecast the course setters sent us out around Cockatoo Island then to Goat Island and home. The breeze freshened at the start and stayed around 12 to 15 knots for almost the whole hour of the race. In anticipation of sub 10 knots we set the 140% genoa and a full main which served us well on the reach out of Humbug and run around Cockatoo Island. Once on the work to Goat Island Dump Truck and Flashback, who were ahead, drew away and Jackpot overtook us along Cockatoo Island. Much Ado V caught us by Long Nose and Ausreo was right on our stern. A combination of our dirty air and lightening winds allowed us to hold out Ausreo until we could reach away at an angle more favoured to Passion X.
We were clearly overpowered to windward. At 10 knots we are at our limit for maximum boat speed. At 14 knots we should have a reef in the main and the No 3 jib to windward and full sail area downwind. The struggle is to find the right sail combination for upwind and downwind or like Flashback last week change down and then change up the headsail. I was reading the post on Sailing Anarchy

http://sailinganarchy.com/2017/11/21/maybe-not-completely/

“But this speed is crazy. In the last race, we were the king of the light and medium air but we were not fast in heavy weather so we worked really hard to find solutions this winter and this investment has paid off.”

So I think we need to work really hard and we will find a solution. I would like last week’s race over again with the No 4 jib and the main reefed and I would like last night’s race again with the No 3 jib and the full main. But considering what we had up I think we sailed pretty well by adjusting the rig for the up and down conditions and we will improve with more time on the water.

The other post on Sailing Anarchy also caught my eye

http://sailinganarchy.com/2017/11/21/dummy-of-the-day/

So our little pre race bottom touch in the soft mud could have been worse.

Overnight some good photos came in courtesy of Peter Miller.