Another race another good performance, and more tuning time and lessons learnt. We were looking forward to the race to see how we would stack up against OP and Sue Sea both being the same boats. Match racing on 50 footers now that’s fun!
The budding meteorologists on board predicted correctly. The wind turned out to be a light north easterly tending north easterly to nothing.
A better start, still 10-15 seconds late but in clear air and away to be first around the day bouy. OP were very late for the start and I don’t recall what Sue Sea were up to as I was still trying to pick which flags were up for the course. Course 2, damn, short course just to Rotto and back.
Had my head in the tablet and trying to find the day bouy with bugs watching the puffs trying to pick a bear away or jybe set. Bear away it was big kite up and gone.
A couple of jybes to get through windwills, still haven’t got the angles right and need to work on laylines. Found the day bouy it was near Rotto after all, not near Subiaco as listed in the yellow book. Can’t follow anyone when we are in front, this is different and perhaps a little too close to the Quokkers arms for many thirsty rebellers, still there was no mutiny as the motley crew were still on intravenous rum and we continued on our way.
Out to Fairway with a short dig, no3 kite up to head back to windmills, A radio sched, a little late due again to being out in front, and despite I told all 13 crew to remind me!!! But managed it well before we got to windmills. Dropped the kite around the mark and home. Did I meantion the prawning? (whoops!) keep that one quiet, no damage done.
We made good use of the wind before it dropped out and led all the way in 7-10 knots of breeze to the finish. We arrived back in the bar at around 2pm in Freo to a very unfamiliar scene. Well there really wasn’t a scene as were the only ones there. Will take some getting used to this big boat stuff..! Not only that but need at least 4 jugs before you get a beer. Now I know why the RO drinks wine.
When other crews did finally arrive the news was that wind died completely and most were parked for a great deal of time. Goods news for us I guess. We didn’t suffer this but the wind did drop down to 4-6 knots for a period just before the finish.
Now waiting for corrected results, Monday night at east freo.
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