The Results:

On board today, Tim and the Commodore as well as yours truly. Starting at 16 min past, we had the no3 headsail, and full main, in a gusty NorEaster. Reach down the first leg toKauri Pt, then on the wind, and we have the right sails up for these conditions gusting to 20knts true wind speed. On the wind the Firsty is loving it.

Pointing 5 dev higher than other boats, we are making short work of the windward work. Pass all but Satisfaction on the wind, it’s a Gybe around Bayswater, then coming out of Bayswater, we notice that somehow our beautiful carbon Kevlar main has ripped.   We decide to pull in the leach cord to take the weight, of the tear and hopefully reduce any further damage. Under the lee of Birkenhead we decide to drop the main to apply some sticky back repairs in the hope that it won’t rip any more. Pretty Woman passes us by to windward as we effect repair then with the main back up we try to maintain our position in the fleet. Waterwitch is looming from astern, and it’s all we can do to hold them off to the finish as we nurse the broken main over the finish. 3rd on line on a Mark Foy start behind Satisfaction and Pretty Woman.

Looks like more boat vouchers required for a mainsail repair :-(

We learnt a lesson leaving late for the opening day race and thought it would be prudent to be at the boat 10am and get away a little earlier. Damn Auckland Marathon threw a spanner in the works with that one, there is nothing better than a 2KM walk carrying sails to get to your boat! However, we made to the the start line with time up our sleeves as we where on minute 20. Having everyone ahead gave us a little bit of an indication on what to expect and plan for as we only had a crew of, myself, Chris driving and the Skipper on bow. A favorable course for the NE that had filled in had us only need to put in one tack to get above the Chelsea bouy.  Up ahead was the fleet and some confusion on Waterwitch rounding Chelsea rather than leaving to Starboard.. Up to the bridge and breeze now constantly upwards of 15+ Kn had the bigger boats in their element. Through the bridge where we were able to over the top of the 88s, Phil and Craig both rounded well ahead at Bayswater. Gary on WW snuck around with a clean mark rounding. Off on the reach we go.. MHO was the option for ease of the furler... Sometimes the easy option should be overlooked as we had a few issues with the deploy. Once we were up and away we saw Firsty drop their main for a repair which gave us the opportunity to slid past. Around Kauri and back up with the genoa and Satisfaction in our sights.

Unfortunately for us we ran out of race track and Phil took the gun, although I hear that he wasn’t driving, thus congrats Duncan! Thanks to the tower team and other boats for a great afternoon out. Brad

The first mark foy for the summer. The forecast is 15knts, NE. My crew is John and Bronwyn. Scott we have loaned to Waterwitch. The race line is overcast, with a gusty breeze funnelling out of Helliers Creek. Seven boats line-up including new member Mike with Cavalier 2. Welcome. The course is (S) of Chelsea, Bayswater (S) and finish. Cavalier 2 starts as scratch boat followed by Satisfaction +8 and then Nona and Waterwitch sailing two handed. We hit the line to perfection with full main, number 1 and incoming tide.

Some of the gusts coming through the valleys are fresh, our highest recorded at 18knts. We get to Kauri and it tightens up as we try to sail a line to Chelsea and with Eye Spy not too far behind. The ensuing battle with ES will continue for the rest of the course. The first time we cross, we are ahead of ES. The second time we have to dip ES and third time to make Chelsea (S) we are back in front. Satisfaction is a speck in the distance, we have past C2, and Pretty Woman is powering behind. Through the bridge, there is another fleet between us and Bayswater which we navigate with care. PW powers past and ES catches us just before the buoy and we have to let him in. Our rounding is a little undignified while ES seems to be very close to the nav light on the buoy.

Ease sheets and we set our sights on ES who is running a number 2 headsail which gives us some hope . Through the bridge and we close up  and probably look like synchronised performers as one goes up, then the other, then down, up – you get the picture. We just can’t get past as we look at ES’s boom over the life lines.

We spot our chance. A lone fishing boat ahead and we are like conjoined twins, heading right for them. This will give us separation. We bare down on the fishing boat ... then the plan dissolves as the fishing boat, probably looking at our bows heading right for him lifts his anchor and makes a hurried exit. Around Kauri Pt and the breeze is more gusty and bending in direction.  The anchored barge up ahead should give us separation. We go via the shore line and ES heads out  (where the breeze seems a little stronger).  He has the edge all the way to the finish. Well done ES and the fleet of six others. Thanks to the start tower, although ES and Nona are given the same time at the start for the bottle of wine. We toss, we lose. Oh well, it was a good day and fun tussling with another boat.

Satisfaction was once again rather sparse on dancing girls for the first race of the Surprise series.. hmmm ... skipper, four crew. we were going to have to concentrate.

 

But before the racing thing we had some traditions to continue .... we knew it was going to be a good day when the champagne cork was caught. 

 

We motored down to Hobby and had enough time to practice a few tacks and jibes .  Our start was eight minutes which meant we were second to start after new club boat Cavalier 2.  Off we went .... "YES!" we all shouted with excitement "there is going to be good breeze!!"  we all agreed that once again it was great conditions for  Satisfaction!

 

The crew were working like clock work.  However due to the gusty conditions the champagne bucket went flying across the cockpit  washing the floor with pink bubbles... bugger. We caught up with Cavalier 2 - shouted encouragement at them and welcomed them to HYC and then pasted them.  

 

The whole fleet was behind us, however Water witch were going great guns. I was sure they would catch up with us, however at the first mark they gibed around and started heading home??!! ":What the blazers.. have we got the course wrong??" nope we had not got the course wrong.... unfortunately for Gary they had!  We continued on to Chelsea while trying to avoid the Squadron 7's boats.  Around chelsea and time to head home.  A very brief discussion was held regarding the genniker and we concluded  that it was too fluky.

 

Still at the head of the fleet all we had to do was not let anyone past us.  Phil retired to  a bean bag and Duncan took over the helming, while mike and I trimmed.  We had to concentrate and were surprised that Firsty was not catching us and that she was still under white sails... not a spinnaker in sight.

 

There gusts kept most of us concentrating and so did the fact that Pretty woman were gaining on us (and she was looking very pretty!), as were the rest of the fleet.  Lots more trimming and concentrating, and finally across the line first!  Lots of high fives.

 

Head sail furled and cheese in the oven?!  On the way back to the marina it was observed by Duncan and myself that "ranger rock" - isolated danger mark ... has had a make over... very pretty!

 

Great day on the water and luckily us the conditions were perfect for our 17 tonnes.  Also great to see Cavalier 2 out on the water.   Thank you to the start tower and Nigel!