Big Boat Report
Secretary
Four boats presented on cool, breezy, sunny afternoon; perfect early summer sailing. Moths and super-maxies and pre-Hobart ocean racers added to the Harbour's traditional racing fleets.Yesterday's sou-easterly eased during the morning and, by the time of our start (at 2.00pm - thank you John V), a nor-easterly sea-breeze had come in. It was less steady than usual, with knocks and lifts and holes but it blew us around the course and challenged our ability to trim to the wind.
Time & Tide won the start, but the shackle which held the sheet to the genoa gave way 10 seconds later. Swift fixit by T&T's deckie had us racing again, but 100m behind. It looked like a long race for us, trying to pick up crumbs.
Umbakumba led around the first mark from Chenonceau, and again around the Taylor's Bay mark. Chenonceau's crew had put a reef in her main, however, and it paid dividends Less overpowered, Chenonceau was strongly competitive, leaving Corinna behind and, further, T&T was still trying to make catch up, as we all took on the long work to the Sow'n Pigs mark.
The mover on this leg was T&T; we trimmed hard and sailed to the variable wind, passing an uncharacteristically slow Corinna. Umbakumba still led as we turned downwind to Shark Island, and it was this leg that sorted us out. Chenonceau went for a kite set, but the halyard jammed and the crew had to drag the the great sail back in. Umbakumba and T&T were short-handed and kept our kites in their bags, but we poled our headsails and had smooth runs south. Corinna set her kite successfully, and kept in touch, but could not push through the rest of us. By the time we gybed for home (with 18 footers whistling past) Umbakumba andT&T had pulled away, for a race to the finish.
We were on a broad reach and T&T poled first, and was into the lead before Umbakumba followed suit. And that was decisive.
Across the line:
TIme & Tide
(30 seconds)
Umbakumba
(45 seconds)
Chenonceau
(3 minutes)
Corinna
We race again on January 18
Hope to see you then
Jonathan