For the restart of the RANSA Winter Wednesday series we were down a crewmember on our already skeleton post Covid 19 lockdown complement but the breeze was forecast to be light so away we went.
The start was heavily biased to the pin which was barely passable in starboard tack but we managed to start behind Hitchhike at the pin. Hitchhike tacked early to port while we were pinned down on starboard by Amanti. In a safe leeward position we were able to hold Amanti and eventually pinch up to windward but with not enough room to tack. In the lee of Bradley Heads Amanti tacked allowing us to follow. A left shift had us looking famous for a short time but as the wind went back east we dropped down behind the line of the early tackers. Allegro was first to tack to starboard onto the new lift and this move gave her a clear lead. Unwilling to do frequent tacks with a small crew we crossed the harbour missing another shift east to lose Amanti and Krakatoa.
we ran back to Steele Point with Krakatoa and went with her into Rose Bay but at the rounding of the Rose Bay mark we were forced to give room to another division yacht allowing Krakatoa to pass to windward with the freshening breeze. Eventually I went chasing the wind and found a streak that came below Shark Island that helped us pass Kratatoa and make up ground on Amanti. Unfortunately we rounded slowly allowing Krakatoa to climb above us and Amanti to step our strongly in front. Perhaps the dirty air from the TP52 was too much for too long but the last leg was not a good one and we let the seconds tick away for a seventh on handicap.
congratulations to Krakatoa for a good race and to Allegro for picking the breeze well on the first windward work. These two deserved their first and second on handicap.
We were happy with our boat speed in the seven to seventeen knots variable breeze and we played the foot and backstay pretty consistently to keep the power on. The single adjustable backstay made for a more relaxed sail particulaly at the top mark gybe and in the conditions we felt we were not losing a lot with the cut down main and old jib.
Allegro’s sails looked a picture in all black and if I was to be envious I would be envious of those.