I am on light duties for a couple of weeks so the light weather on Wednesday night was just what the doctor ordered. For most of the night I occupied the back corner with Elaine and we shared the back stay duty. From the stern I could get a very good view of the mainsail and played the back stay on and off according to the strength of the breeze. After eight months of sailing Passion X I was still surprised at how responsive the mainsail is to back stay tension and Ron was able to leave the mainsheet in the one position for much of the windward works. In the light conditions we drifted out of Humbug with the fleet closely packed. Dump Truck had her nose in front at the exit and was first to the breeze. Soundtrack had edged ahead to leeward and also took off early so there was a good crowd going down the side of Cockatoo Island. From recall we had Flashback to Leeward on starboard and Soundtrack in front when a competitor pushed through inside alongside the continuous obstruction and then wanted room to not hit Soundtrack. We could have argued all night but rule 14 says avoid a collision and I was in no mood for a protest hearing so I told the crew to let it go. My reading of all the discussion on continuous obstructions is that the yacht passing inside must have a clear path and that includes all other yachts ahead which are obstructions. If the passing yacht is naturally faster and has a following wind that blankets the clear ahead yacht then there is no way they should go inside. If they want to be there they have to win the race to the corner of Cockatoo Island. Irukandji was having a good night and threatening to go inside around the end of the island so we pinched up into the dirty air of Soundtrack and which was not the fastest place to be. Soundtrack and Jackpot ahead drew away while we had an absorbing tussle with Irukandji and Flashback all the way to the finish line. Flashback made a huge gain alongside the Greenwich shore while we lost out on the Balmain shore but with all the wins and losses we came together at the navigation mark off Goat Island with Flashback streaming in on starboard. It did not help our case that Irukandji had just tacked onto port above and overlapped so that we had no where to go to other than take Flashback’s stern below the navigation mark. Perhaps it was the outgoing tide or the lift off the sails of Flashback but just as we tried to tack we lifted to the mark and scraped around it with inches to spare. Once we regained our composure it was time to chase Flashback down and try to stay in front of Irukandji. From my perch at the back of Passion X I aimed the Gopro camera at Irukandji and ordered her to stay behind. I aimed it at Flashback and noted her sweet sail settings and tried to emulate them on Passion X to a degree of success. We made a little break on Irukandji which lasted to home and soon ran down Soundtrack. The fleet ahead of Jackpot, Dump Truck and Much Ado V were becalmed in Humbug and we hoped for another miracle by hugging the Onion Point shore. Flashback ahead had to tack away from the shore while we lifted further along and were able to tack back ahead. (Thank you wind gods) From behind Irukandji also caught Flashback to add to the insult. Our fourth across the line was a little undeserved but as always we take what crumbs we can. Talking about crumbs the series wrapped up tonight and we were 4th fastest over the spring. There was a tight race between Jackpot, Flashback and Passion X and to be fair Dump Truck might have won had the paper work been in order but as I said we take what crumbs we can.
Stay there Irukandji
Nice trim on Flashback sails ahead
Fastest times result for the spring series