Race report from Eye Spy: “Golden Rivet # 3”. Love these races as the fleet size is bigger and we have team tactics to think about as well. Gill and JK are my crew for this race and we set up for the predicted light winds. Seems we may have issues winning today as Nona and Eye Spy are the only participants from HYC. Various boats from CCYC get a 3 minute start as they declared two handed and no extras so, when Eye Spy hit the start line the only boat behind was WaterWitch. We had a great battle with Wild Horses on the leg to Kauri point. They hoisted a gennaker That got too shy and allowed us to pass to windward as we were two sail reaching. We tighten up as we head towards Rona and gain a few places keeping close to the shore and in the tide. At Rona we still have Origin ahead and Nona just behind. We hoist the No.1 kite and gain the advantage over Origin. We need to make all the gains we can as we know very well that the last leg towards the club would favour the larger boats. This was indeed true as Origin and Waterwitch get by Nona. Our lead was enough and we cross the line first with a reasonable gap to second. HYC first and fourth. CCYC second and third. Lets call it a draw………….. A great couple of hours sailing with friends. Nice work Gill and JK……… Race report from Nona The day is fine with a light NE breeze as Eye Spy and Nona line up at Hobsonville to defend the Golden Rivet trophy against the hordes of the West, CCYC. The rest of the Hobbie fleet obviously place much faith in our abilities as we are the only defenders. OK, mathematically this could be challenging. CCYC front up with the big boats, Waterwitch, Origin, Shekinah and Wild Horses. It’s a mark foy start and we hit the line on time – for a change, just ahead of Wild Horses and we set our sights on Shekinah. We catch up to Shekinah around Island Bay and then start the zigzagging, trying to get around him. Feint to port and dive down to starboard and we are clear. Eye Spy is further out having his own games with Wild Horses and before we know it we have traded opposition boats. Around Kauri Point and it is tacking up to Rhona and then home . The tide is going out strongly (3.6 tide) so we stay in the channel, inside Chelsea Red and head for Rhona. Eye Spy is windward and level. So far HYC, 1st and 2nd. Too early to count the chickens. Eye Spy comes across in front to round Rhona with us right behind. Time to ease the sheets as Eye Spy hauls up his spinnaker. Nona does not as we are short handed with John and myself and two first time sailors, Sophie and Karolin 19 years young from Germany. Coming up to Kauri Point the big boats of Origin and Waterwitch are starting to haul us in as we thread our way through a very large fishing contingent. Around Kauri Point and Origin is on our heels and the wind starts to play games going from 4 to 12 knots at a whim and any direction in the 0 to 180 degree Quadrant. Around Island Bay and Waterwitch, out towards the Hobbie side of the Channel passes us. OK, we are now fourth- we set our sights on keeping ahead of Shekinah. This we do with the finish reading, 1 Eye Spy 2 Waterwitch 3 Origin 4 Nona 5 Shekinah 6 Wild Horse At the end of the day water line length does sometimes count So who won the Golden Rivet 3...................................................................... It was a DRAW. It was a little disappointing to see a low turnout, which was due to many factors. The competing boats came off the water in the knowledge that this was a race of quality over quantity! Thanks to Nigel in the tower, Sharon and Yvonne on the BBQ and Tim on the bar. It was a good if tactically frustrating day but my first timers thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, which in the scheme of things is the name of the game. NONa |
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