We had a very pleasant afternoon on the harbour with sunny skies, a cool breeze and plenty of action to keep us occupied for the race. Our day was probably saved when Ian suggested that we get back to the start line. This keen observation of the dying breeze meant we got back to the line with seconds to spare while many in the fleet were late to start and had a painful day at the back of the fleet.
The afterguard in concentration mode
Up at the pin end of the line it was not much fun compared to the lower boat end where Allegro, Luce Change and Silky started. We were sitting on the line with little breeze and what little breeze we had was all over the shop while below Allegro was steaming away close hauled. Eventually the north east breeze filled in and we commenced tacking towards South Head. Courtesy of our more timely start we had the company of Trim and Krakatoa for a while. Krakatoa the all carbon flyer in the fleet picked on shift on the shore better than we did and passed by a long way off. Trim kept us company for much longer being on the same side of the course and not picking any great shifts.
Our real problem for the day was how to do a fast 720 degree turn to exonerate ourselves from an unlucky port and starboard. We were going to cross The Biz by a good boat length when we were headed and they pinched up rather aggressively rather than holding their course. Now I think this was their undoing for the day because it caused them to tack away from the lifting breeze onto the rather nasty header we were experiencing. For our part we should have tacked early and then would also have been on the lifting tack and probably a couple of places higher up the finish order.
Nasty knock resulting in a port and starboard and 720 degree turns
From here we made up a lot of ground to pick up Izzi and close the gap on The Biz. The beat around Shark Island was a good one as we tacked right on the lay line and made good ground on The Biz again.
Generally good angles against an incoming tide
In the lee of Shark Island The Biz made another poor decision and match raced a fellow Etchell right up into the wind shadow where they parked allowing us to reach away lowed down and pick up two places. Izzi sailed well on the reaching legs to be right behind us at the finish and Enigma also made up ground.
Meanwhile back in the fleet the unlucky sailors who did not have Ian’s advice to get back to the start line were struggling home. Rainbow, Crackerjack, GWhizz and Star Ferry all had very ordinary days and finished at the back of the handicap list. For our part the eight place was a fair reflection of the good start, the 720 penalty and the good finish and in the big fleet in light conditions an eighth is a good result.