The Moths have done their usual disappearing trick during Nationals
time and have gone off the news radar. Maybe it’s got something to
do with South Lakes - not much news tends to get out of there
anyway… because not much happens I guess.
3 days of the event have been raced so far.
The New Years Day invitation race was an experience, kind of like
sailing in a fan-forced oven. With 45 degree temperatures and a
gusty Nor-Westerly - it was a complete pain in the ass. Only about
10 boats managed to get around the course before they died of
thirst. I finished 5th after doing 4 laps, with Ian Sim on a Scow
winning after racing his 2.
Day 1 - races 1 & 2 were pretty average. Race 1 was raced in a
flukey light SE breeze… after a long on-water postponement in a
milpond. Not sure about these 10 o’clock starts. Rohan managed to
foil better than anyone else… no seriously… he won. Les in his
low-rider was 2nd, I was 3rd.
Race 2 was a bit more eventful, with the lead changing on every leg
of the course between Rohan, Robo and myself. Rohan started on port
and took sterns heading right. When we converged he was in the
lead. Robo and myself led Rohan around the top mark for the
half-downwind to the middle. Rohan then got better pressure
downhill and came through between us for the tight-reach across to
the wing mark. At the bottom mark Robo had a better rounding and
passed Rohan. On the next work Robo extended and I passed Rohan.
Robo capsized on the reach and I led around the wing mark and
middle mark. Rohan then passed me on the square after a dodgey jibe
and led at the bottom. I crossed ahead upwind but Rohan got back
through just before the top mark. Rohan dropped off foils on the
tight reach and I passed him - again. At the wing mark we gybed
simultaneously and raced off for the middle. Rohan passed me just
before the mark, then I stuffed the last gybe again and missed a
pressure line. Rohan won, and Robo came down with the breeze and
got through for 2nd. I was 3rd. Daylight 4th. Bugger.
Now that was all a bit too exciting really.
So back to the 10 o’clock morning race for Day 2. Did I tell you I
don’t like these morning races?
Another hour or so postponement and then a start in a light
sea-breeze. The foilers were looking pretty ordinary in the light
breeze - not being able to get to the magic 7 knots of boatspeed.
Les looked good til a small gust let Rohan grab the lead. Les got
away again but yet another gust got Rohan enough distance to hold
on for a 15 second lead. Chris, Robo and I paced around with the
low-riders, but didn’t have enough runway when the wind finally
kicked to finish them off. On the last gybe (starboard-to-port),
Robo steered through a boat length in front - and in a puff I blew
down straight into him. He capsized and ended up caught with his
hydrofoil on the windward side of my hull… not a good look. I
finished 6th behind Rohan, Les, Mic, Phil and Chris.
So after that Robo and I agreed to stay away from each other.
The afternoon was a bit more interesting, with a good SE breeze
gusting up to 15 knots. It was a four-way battle up the first work
with Amac in contention. I led around the
top and held on til the bottom. Amac went for a pitchpole on the
reach and ripped his rudder pin out the back of the gantry. Rohan
passed me on the work and led for the run to the finish. In the end
the margin was about 10 seconds. Robo was 3rd. 4th was
daylight.
The 2nd race was a bit less eventful. Rohan led from start to
finish. We stayed close for a while before Rohan cleared out in
good pressure. Robo capsized along the way then passed me again on
the final run to the finish…. but in the patchy breeze close to
shore for the finish I kept the boat up just longer and pulled
through for 2nd by a boatlength.
So the leaderboard after 5 races isn’t surprising. World Champion
Rohan is ahead with 5 wins. I’m in 2nd with 3,3,6,2,2. Robo has
4,2,8,3,3. Les has about 2,5,2,7,8.
The more interesting - and unpredictable - leaderboard is for “The
Golden Cleat” tipping competition. Mark was leading going into the
2nd day. Hopefully we’ll have an updated leaderboard after 5 rounds
- if Donosan manages to get some sleep.
And only 5 races to go… and 2 more of those bloody morning
drifters…
A few quick photos on flickr. A few videos to
come.
On the topic of corrections… Mark thought I should correct
thedailysail for their
innacurate reporting of my boat weight. It was quoted as 11kgs. But
a boat as small as mine would have to be made of tungsten to be
that heavy! It’s only 9kgs thank you very much.
Update #1: About 300 photos
available in a gallery on Flickr.
