After the chaos at Cockatoo a quiet moment running down the back of the island
After a wet weekend in Sydney the rain cleared and the Sun shone enough for a pleasant Wednesday twilight race. We made a good start in eight knots of breeze and were first into Humbug but also first into the first patch of no wind. Out of Humbug we were still near the front of the fleet and held that to the corner of Cockatoo where the breeze headed causing the fleet ahead to tack away from the point in starboard. We might have picked our way through except for Jackpot who also tacked away from the point. We had trouble tacking away onto starboard because Joli was overlapped above us so we had to stall until a gap opened so we could escape the chaos. Eventually back on port we had lost Joli, Jackpot and Utopia with the fleet behind also closing. Down the back of Cockatoo we carried wind and managed to round inside Joli with Meridian trying to pass inside us. That kept us close to the Island in disturbed air while ahead Dump Truck took off first into the clear air followed by Jackpot, Much Ado V and Utopia. At this early stage in the race Infotrack was nowhere to be seen. Along the leeward side of Cockatoo we managed to hold off Meridian at the expense of some time on the fleet further out and in clear air. Once into clear air we had an entertaining tacking contest with Joli and Meridian where due to some favourable wind shifts and a bit of covering we managed to hold our own.
On the run back to Long Nose Joli drew alongside where she stayed for the leg while behind Meridian was having troubles which took a long time to fix. Reaching to Cockatoo from Long Nose was not our best leg as Joli slipped away by a couple of minutes and Fireball sprinted away from the tail and came right up to our stern.
Around Cockatoo for the last time we could see Jackpot, Much Ado V, Utopia and Joli not far ahead and in light air. Unfortunately we were not able to find any stronger wind to make any further gains and the last stage through Humbug was in almost no wind. At this stage Infotrack had already finished in breeze with Dump Truck somewhere in between and as we finished the breeze returned bringing the tail home with a flourish.
On handicap the front and back of the fleet did well with Infotrack winning from Fireball, Dump Truck, Sweet Chariot and Ausreo with Passion X back in sixth place.
On a night like tonight sixth place was a good result and even had we finished alongside Joli who was two minutes ahead we would have gained only one place.
When the progress scores are updated we should be up with Joli and just one point ahead of Utopia with Fireball’s second place tonight bringing them in at fourth but there is still a lot of sailing to go and some big drops coming up as we approach the end of the series.
Getting a favourable lift on the way to Goat Island
Nice full genoa on Utopia
Luffing up to keep Meridian behind. Photo taken from Utopia
Dump Truck gets into the breeze and takes off.
Genoa fully powered up in the light breeze
The fleet is so close yet so far away.