Apologies for the length of this write-up (broken down in two parts), but what a cracking weekend – the story deserves to be told! Are you sitting comfortably…?
Committee boat, Outsider, set a tight line for the start of Race 1, as a dozen boats gathered in a blustery Northerly of about 15 kts. Decisions, decisions… a good ¾ nm beat to the windward mark, so set #1 or #2 genoa, reef the main or not? Wizard crew changed to #2 and, finally, a reef in the main. The cruisers had a quiet chuckle, finished their coffee, then simply tweaked their roller reefing…
The start itself was a bit of a melee, with all boats on or close to the line at the gun. This fleet is certainly learning its stuff. A couple of boats tried a port-tack, pin-end approach (seeTactical Tip below), while the rest hunted as a pack, happy to take their chances and muscle their way to the windward mark.
ABC boat Cloud squeezed first around the top mark, but there wasn’t a lot in it, as the fleet freed off toward Datum Rock. Only there did tactical options present themselves – to drop down a few more degrees, allowing use of spinnaker (just, albeit with the odd broach), or stay high and shorten the track around Lamma, but run the risk of sailing into the island’s lee.
Unlikely as it seems, those close in faired best, followed by boats taking a wide berth. Those in the middle fell into small but frequent holes. Thus Shindig drew ahead of her tight little group, as did Shockwave hers. But then came the Lamma Channel and a new set of choices.
The flood offered a lee bow to the Chesterman mark, but it was a lucky boat that was able to thread the busy Lamma Channel without dodging in- or out-going commercial traffic. Looking ahead, Rosemary was able to side-step the mid-fleet boats, Epic, Soko and even Shockwave, thus making up a lot of ground.
By now, though, the lead boats had stretched their legs, finishing well out of sight of any other boat in a single tack from Chesterman Rock - Cloud taking Line Honours in only 2 hrs 45 mins, with Wizard 10 mins behind.
ABC boats kindly laid the finish in the usual spot off Middle Island, but camouflaged the black bollock ODM in the haze, behind an orange race mark and a two fleets of racing dinghies. Excuses, excuses…
The fleet finished in quick order then quickly slipped into ABC Middle Island to swop war stories and work off their thirst in readiness for Manager Philippe de Manny’s famous spread. And they weren’t disappointed – a brace of succulent lambs, cooked Moroccan-style on the spit, giant barbequed salmon, a selection of delicious curries. What scoff!
And so to the evening’s prize-giving and the results of Race 1…
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Photos courtesy Sue Fernie, David Wilson and Craig Carlyon. See the photo gallery for more pics.
Read about Day 2 and overall results here.
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