Race report from Rapscallion Well I am not sure if we started a minute late or the CWC Y.C Yacht that was supposed to be starting with us started a minute early … you decide ?? As we were surfing past Kauri point, hitting 9 knots of boat speed our dilemma was whether or not to fly the kite, we concluded that we may be risking the rig over the side and thus resulting in the team having to count a DNF ! Much to Mark J disappointment the kite remained in the bag ! The up wind legs proved to be ‘ interesting ‘ with Mark J clinging to Rapscallions topsides /cabin top 1980’s America’s Cup style !!! It didn’t take long for Blue Beat and Unity to go charging past: A moment of opportunity to help HYC yachts get away at the windward mark as we found ourselves in a position sitting on a CWCYC yacht preventing him making a clear rounding of the mark; you may well notice parts of Soundwaves outboard sitting on Pile Bouy…the racing rules have changed over the last 20 years however I believe it is customary to do a penalty turn after hitting a mark ?? Despite being almost tail – end – Charlie we had a lot of fun and a bit of a laugh …roll on next year !!  Race Report From Young Entertainer Bean Rock was recording about 18 knot average and 25 knot max - this was at about 11 o'clock. Sam, Dunc, Blair, myself and new guy Mike set up Young Entertainer for a max 25 knot race. By the time we had set up the boat the wind was gusting over 30 knots. Blair suggested a reefed main and a no.3 head sail. I was having none of it! Young Entertainer was going to 'send it' in honour of our fallen comrade Kevin Jones. We got to the start area and it was blowing its t!ts off! Up with the main - with a reef and full number one head sail. We were late for the start but we knew once we went with the wind we would be off and didn't want to be over. We started second to last with only the massive 'Marilyn' behind us. We picked up three boats down wind to the first mark. Blair eased the boat around and Mike slammed home the main sheet. Mike is a grinder on TP52 'V5' so his strength and skill were well needed. We did well going back up wind with a tiny head sail and tacked to the shore for more smooth water and good upwind speed. The next mark was busy with boats running a port rounding and others running starboard roundings. Again Blair, Sam, Dunc and Mike slammed it home and we passed another 2 boats on the way down to the bottom mark. Around the mark and we are heading for home, tacking all the way passing boats and making way. We are in third place and chasing Unity. We lost third place to a CCYC boat as a result of a poor tacking decision made by me. Not to worry, we had to look after the boat and get us all home safe. What a great race with fantastic competition from CCYC! HYC kept the trophy but we know the CCYC boys and girls will be back next year to win it! Bet Jonesie would have loved it out there - probably would've been single handed!  From Blue Beat What a great day we all fell from the top to the bottom of the boat, David had a swim or I should say a dip! Great crew work. LETS DO THAT AGAIN!!!!!!!! CHEERS Gary Race Report from Unity Looking at the Wind Speed coming out the channel the call was made for the number 2 headsail, where is the number 2? Buggar, it's at home. Oh well, windspeed is only in the low 20s we will go for the furler, smaller than the number 1, should be fine. OK, now the windspeed is over 30, let's go for the number 3. Good start with Mirage another 1020. OK we will go with the small kit guys, up she goes... boat speed up over 10 knots straight away... windspeed over 30, cripes how are we going to gybe this thing? I think we will drop it and go bare headed while we gybe. Kite back up and we are at the bottom mark before we know it. What's that.. someone has broken there stick. Oh dear. Beating back uphill and it looks as though we have got the right sail combination, we are actually doing good boatspeed and picking off a few places. Once more around the course and beating back up hill we find ourselves in the lead. We may do OK here. Uh Oh, here comes a big 50 footer making ground on us, if we can lay the finish line we can hold him off cos he will have to tack. But it's not to be, we have to tack to finish and they beat us by 30 seconds. A wild and windy day. Oh well, we still retain the Golden Rivet with 0.8 of a point to spare. Craig McMillan (commodore)  Race Report from EYE SPY Choices choices..........wind was peaking at 26knts at Bean Rock so we decide to run with the No.2 headsail and spinnaker. Not a bad choice as it turned out. Our start was once again lacking in urgency. The timer on the boat failed so our start could have gone + or - 30 secs. We had some time to make up so the spinnaker was set to hoist but decided to wait till the jibe around Kauri Point. Good move as some of the gusts would have been 25+ knts and that makes the heart race when jibing a kite. Passed 3 or 4 boats on the run to the bottom mark .........nice fast ride. Busy time getting rid of the kite and a raised voice from the skipper as the mark went passed. Round the bottom mark thinking maybe a reef might be prudent. Greg spotted the fact the main outhaul was still loose and with gusto put himself on his butt in the cockpit after the line broke. Good time to reef maybe? Bit of a battle up wind as we avoided as many confrontations as possible as wind was now over 30knts. We left the spinnaker tucked safely away in a wet pile on the floor on the short down-wind leg which made for a more relaxed bottom mark rounding. Head for home........dip the eleven........muck up an opposition boat..........dip Nona........lots to watch for up wind. Finish mid fleet quietly hoping we have done enough for a HYC win. TREV  Race report from Nona: The race for the Golden Rivet Trophy had everything, Wind,rain,wind, sunshine,wind, triumph and damage...oh, and wind. As the fleet motored to the start line in sunshine, the thoughts of a fresh salt breeze in the face did indeed become salt in the face,eyes, ears, nose and other areas of the anatomy especially if rail crew failed to take the waves for the skipper. The wind gauge was shrieking at 30+ knots. A fleet of 10 boats from CCYC competed against HYC's 6 boat in a mark foy start. The battle was not against CCYC but the conditions as Shekinah withdrew with gear failure and Freestyle retired with half a mast (this was taking reefing points to the extreme). The results saw Marylin take line honours after starting 24 minutes behind the scratch boats. The mighty trailer sailor, Rapscallion hung in there and finished ,beating one CCYC boat home. The points were close...too close. The difference of a coat of paint. On the low points system, HYC - 38, CCYC - 38.8 HYC retains the Golden Rivet Trophy and bragging rights. Well done to the competing boats of both teams and many thanks for the hot food provided by the Social Committee. ANONa |
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