Race 2
Most boats crossed the start, which had been set up properly, spot-on. A fresh easterly and a favorable current left very few tactical options except to stay in the middle where the favorable current was strongest but where the traffic was.
The trick was also to consider the traffic as part of the strategy. Rather than be punished by it, work around it in a way that it blends in with the use of current, wind, land masses and all the other factors that determine our strategy. Not only: “whenever in doubt get out of the way”. A tugboat that is towing a 1000T barge at 8 knots can (probably) stop by reversing the prop but the barge itself cannot stop. It will continue to move for hundreds of meters. And besides that, in the fairways and traffic separation areas they have the right of way. We are supposed to cross the fairways in the shortest time possible and get out.
Bliss got to the bridge with Koala, Little Sunshine, Skellum and Shockwave coming up fast from behind. In a strong gust Bliss snapped a port shroud and was incapacitated for some time. Garry and Nick jury-rigged it just as two ferries passed and tossed them around. As this front group rounded the bridge the middle group was coming up from The Brothers. Sabi Star with her long water line was gaining slowly on Rosemary with Thea and Xakanaxa gaining dangerously and getting closer. At the bridge Rosemary was still leading the middle group but got caught with her pants down on the port side with a series of 6 tugboats, which took 25 minutes to pass, and during this time she was forced to stay there, unable to cross. Instead of complaining let’s put it down as experience and make sure we plan better the next time. When the traffic allowed her Rosemary finally crossed to find that Sabi Star, Thea and Xakanaxa had passed her. First Erik on Sea Ray passed us and told us that the Marine Department launch had ordered us to keep to the right, to starboard. We did this but after the bridge there was no traffic in sight and we edged closer to the centre where we made full use of the current and to our surprise we overtook the group of bigger boats. In the gusts we were overpowered but in the lulls we were ok so we decided not to reef. Koala, Skellum, Little Sunshine and Bliss were tiny dots in the distant mist and it seemed impossible to catch them. Later we learned that the wind had shifted. They had a broad reach while we ended up close-hauled. Surprisingly the bigger boats close to us, Thea, Sabi Star, Kolwezi, Shindig were not pulling away as fast as we expected them to. We were always looking back fearful of the sight of Authority and Wizard charging down on us but no sign of them. We knew that if we had any chance of beating them they would have to catch us after Hei Ling Chau.
Up to this point the smaller boats had done a fast passage. We expected to catch up with them sooner but here we were barely past the bridge and they were already out of sight behind Kau Yi Chau. After Kau Yi Chau our strategy was to stay out in the middle where the current was strong and then cut in at the last moment, with the kite.
Something was changing; the boats coming from behind were gaining very fast. This is usually a sign of wind gradient or diminishing wind up front. The first boat we passed was Bliss who was doing surprisingly well, then Koala and then we started chasing Skellum who was fast and we were gaining only marginally. Shockwave was entering the Cheng Chau/Hei Ling Chau channel and seemed unstoppable. Little Sunshine was hugging the Hei Ling Chau coast. But Why? We were soon to find out. Al and Philippe were so much ahead of us that they understood the extent of the hole. It was a massive hole that the whole fleet would be affected by in one way or another. But Little Sunshine had positioned herself so close to land that she was feeling the sea breeze. (The breeze created by the landmass warming up and heating the air, which rises and pulls in air from the sea). Their kite was up and full while everybody else’s was either wrapped around the forestay or flapping around like laundry, causing the crews within hearing range to be creative with the use of the English language. Little Sunshine was moving steadily forward at minimal speed but pulling away from the fleet. During the time the rest of the fleet got through the hole she was so far ahead that only 2 big boats from the other division managed to pass her and she got a comfortable and deserved first tin her division. Authority was the first of the rear group to reach the hole and, coming from behind, they had the advantage of seeing what had happened. They tried to go around the hole and to some degree succeeded but it was a longer route and in the meantime the wind was starting to pick up. They too picked up the new wind and started charging up the channel and passed Little Sunshine in front of the Explosives depot. At this point Shindig, in hot pursuit managed to steal second place from Little Sunshine by passing her in front of the Monastery and to get second place with Little Sunshine third. All in all the hole had been a negative influence on the front-runners because it equalized the race and took away the advantage of the staggered start. It was like starting a second race all over again. Rosemary had managed in the hole to pass Sabi Star and Skellum and as the breeze picked up she lost precious time putting the kite away. Boats with limited crews are handicapped when it comes to changing sails.
Wizard had seen the whole scene from behind and had decided to go around the hole and was now charging up the channel like a steam train. She passed nearly everybody and managed to get 3rd place in her division. Exciting finish between Xakanaxa and Thea with Thea beating Xakanaxa by5 seconds. Shockwave beat Kolwezi by 40 seconds to earn a deserved 2nd place in her division. Meanwhile Just behind them Sabi Star was trying to catch up with Rosemary. Slowly she inched up and closed the gap.
As we approached the finish line we were fighting for third place. An artery-busting finish where Rosemary beat Sabi Star by one second. To get 3rd place in her division.
Sabi Star crew said (at the prize-giving and after a few beers) that they let Rosemary win. Thank God we have so many gentlemen in our club. Skellum, Epic and Bliss were close behind. Sotally Tober was getting banged around by ferries and decided to get out of the hole by motoring.
Conclusions: it was a fantastic race and I personally enjoyed it immensely. Thank you all for your spirit and support. The moral winners are Bliss, Koala and Sotally Tober.
Bliss for the steep learning curve and for continuing the race in the face of adversity and, up to the hole, doing very well. Koala for doing the race solo on day 1 rather than retiring when his crew didn’t make it. Good on you Steve. Sotally Sober for trying hard. Better luck next time.
The Handicap committee will have to have a hard look at the performance numbers and continue to monitor them. Epic seems to have passed from a position of excess advantage to one of disadvantage. It’s hard to judge on just one race and we’ll certainly try to work out something fair. Sotally Tober and Bliss will need looking at too. We are only human (some of us more than others) and “errare umanum est” (to err is human.) But all in all the rating can’t be that bad since the fleet arrived more or less at the same time.
Race 2
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