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Highlights:
Racing. Finally - after a long hot summer. Finishing in one piece.
Downers:
This "Rapper first; Jackal second' thing is starting to get to me. I don't think we should let them win again.
Result:
2nd on CN and 2nd on IRC.
Lessons Learnt:
Probably none yet again - apart from the fact that vangs seem to be better for reaches or downwinds. NB: I must remember to start more aggressively. Today's really, really sucked.
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Autumn Series Race 1. Friday 29 September
Wind 62-74 knots, North Westerly, 15-20 knots at times
It seems like a long time ago that we raced, or even took Jackal out of the Marina, and in fact it is. The summer has passed and temperatures are starting to cool off again. we've been trying to hold this race for about three weeks now, but stuffing around; RYA yachtmaster courses and general ineptitude has seen the schedule a constantly adjusted one. But not any more. Now we're racing (after three weeks of superb conditions, gentle 12 - 15 knot breezes) in a virtual hurricane.
Briefing's at 12 noon for a 13:00 start, and it's one of Mike's crazy courses - all short legs and mark-roundings. Bob can't make it for two races so we sign on Eric, a new member from the US fleet. I introduce him to the rest of the cruiser fleet as a 'highly trained natural-born killer' so there'll be no messing with us today. No messing.
Armed with our new crewmember we set off from the Marina early to practice a little. We havn't sailed for months, so I'm hoping I don't do something really stupid. It's not calm out here, a good stiff breeze and plenty of lee-rail under, rounding up out of control, weather helm and spray. Just what the crew like. I just wish quietly that we had a few less knots of wind for a first race of the series. Especially because those Rappers like it rough - and we have real trouble staying upright.
My comments to the fleet about Eric obviously havn't worked. Nobody clears out of our way on the start, so we're late, on port. Just ahead we tack to Starboard, forcing Helmwind to do the same and flog our way up the course, sails a-flappin, and passing astern of the Rapper we then go to port to try to gain. Around East Bouy in second place (dammit) we inch closer but remain in second until the third leg when we finally reach past the Rapper. Gybing around Pumphouse Port Bouy we reach back for West Pole, with Rapscallion right on our stern, with just a slight overlap to windward. A sudden gust sees us round up (weather helm, honest) giving Mike a fright and forcing him to round up to avoid us. Nerves obviously bruised, he falls back and sensibly maintains an ever-safer distance from us.
We havn't flown the bitch. Which does NOT impress 'I-like-a-good-broach-Neil'. But the legs are short and the angles are all wrong for us. There's only one downwind where its a possibility but we've rigged on the wrong side and by the time it takes to change we would be almost down the leg. Luckily nobody else flies spinnakers either, though I do wish that the Rapper would try, and broach.
Tacking on a shift and staying in the middle of one of the upwind legs we take a good chunk of time from Rapscallion, and continue to work on our sail trim. I realise I have made a stupid mistake by using the vang on the first upwinds, not realising why I can't seem to back the main a little, and moronically only release this on the latter legs of the race. That makes a difference, but we're only about 3 minutes ahead. Eric keeps squinting up at the sails and playing the trim, which indicates that he's done this sort of thing before. A bit of a bonus. But we finish at 15:00:36, only four minutes up on Rapscallion, and come second, which is obviously Eric's fault. Stands to reason: He's new, hasn't sailed on Jackal before, doesn't understand our ways... It can't be our fault. After all, Rapscallion only had us by 12 seconds - and we were about 12 seconds late for the start...... which must be Eric's fault as well. After all, I was only helming.
In retaliation he comments on the lack of beer aboard. Which surprises me. I thought the US Navy were used to it being 'dry' at sea..
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