1st Satisfaction 2nd Nona 3rd Firsty 4th Blue Beat 5th Eye Spy 6th Six Gun Justice This was a mark foy race with the aim being that the fleet should finish not too far apart. The conditions were testing on the crews and the gear...with 20 plus knots at the start sail choices had to considered carefully.. too reef or not to reef. All in all it was a great day on the water and everyone seemed to have a great time. Race report from Eyespy by JK Last of the Mark Foy races held in Heavy Weather. We start at 11 minutes with Bluebeat and Satisfaction. On board Trev, Greg and JK Due to Trev`s concern of having steerage due to a very dirty hull and Rudder, no Spinnaker today. This proved to be the case as he had trouble controlling Eyespy with white sails! After the Start we cover Bluebeat who tries to roll us. We both end up under the Beachaven Cliffs which results in no wind or 25kts.We finally head out into the channel but by this time the other Boats are well ahead except for Craig, who is last to start, rapidly catching us. Bluebeat finally passes us to Windward and off we go for Kauri Point. Just before we round Kauri Point we reef the Main Which turns out to be a good choice as we pass Bluebeat before the Bridge (They had to do an extra Tack). As we Approach Bayswater the Mark disappears under a heavy Rain Squall, much to the Skippers consternation! We finally Round Bayswater with Bluebeat in close attendance. Up ahead Craig is broaching (the big yella is easy to see) and even Nona Launches a Kite, but not for long! (what did the crew put in your cup of Tea Denise?).Behind us Bluebeat puts on spectacular show when they launch their Kite. They broach before its even fully up and continue to broach at regular intervals all the way to Kauri Point. By the Time we get to Kauri Point we have caught 6 Gun Justice and Bluebeat finally catches us. All 3 of us round Kauri Point line abreast and head for a sprint finish. Blue Beat passes us to leeward and finishes about 15 secs ahead with 6 Gun going like the clappers close behind. So, started 3rd to last and finished 2nd to last but what a Show in between!! A Great Day Out Race Report from Nona Well, the forecast is 20 to 25, gusting 35 NE and possible rain. Definitely number 2 headsail, and as a bard once uttered, “to reef or not to reef – that is the question” With Bean Rock 23 to 20 we will try a full main and see how it goes. Today is John, Brian a new boaty and Mark P. We make for the start, but first have to re –tie the headsail sheet back on and then go for it. It is piping threw Helliers Creek and all the gully’s. We stay in the middle as it is not far off low tide. Blue Beat and Eye Spy stay close to the land side and have their own personal play and Satisfaction is further out. Some of the gusts are making it an effort to stay in the centre of the channel as we round Kauri Park with Six Gun it at the very edge of the outer channel. We start riding the gusts in an effort to pass Chelsea Yellow buoy to starboard but it looks as if we will need a couple of tacks. We have a perfect line to pass inside Chelsea and through the bridge when this voice pipes up “Starboard” on Six Gun. The only rightful reply is a loud “Port”. We dip and our line is not so good. Finally through the bridge with Satisfaction closely behind. They overtake before Bayswater mark just as the rain comes. We both put in tacks to get around the Mark and my trusty crew set about organising the small spinnaker after getting the “look” for suggesting the big kite. The kite is up nicely and we head after Satisfaction. Through the bridge and we are gaining as Satisfaction has not hoisted a kite – yet. I then do my impersonations of a racing salmon with several roundups with the kite. (Give me strength!!^**??) We sort of get back on track and see Satisfaction hoisting his big kite. It seems to have several longitudinal strips on one side. The kite is dropped into the sea, retrieved and then someone (Judy?) is part way up the mast untangling something. We sail past trying to put some distance between us and Kauri Point. It is starting to get a little soft. Around the corner and we drop the kite and crack the sheets with Satisfaction coming up behind and windward. He comes down and passes us, he has a very nice hull when viewed at close quarters. The gusts (up to 22 knts) are bringing out the racing salmon again as we try to stay ahead of Firsty who is rapidly gaining. After covering a great deal of ocean we manage to stay in front of Firsty and finish second. Thanks to crew, John, Mark and Brian (who by the way thought the roundups were EXCITING). Also thanks to the start tower crew and the social committee for the hot food. A hot shower and cup of tea is well earned. ANONa. Firsty's Race Report - by Tim Mann Firsty started 19 minutes after the gun with Craig, Wayne and myself on board we new we were in for a busy day, so busy in fact that we neglected to turn up the radio so that we were unaware of the change in the start line, so no worries about being over. A reef in the main and number 3 head-sail saw us nicely powered up and on the hunt to overtake our competitors, everyone was in good breeze so it was not until Chelsea that we finally got in front of Eye Spy and Blue Beat, with the commodore showing great sportsmanship tacking onto port rather than strain his voice and calling us on starboard, thanks Gary! Rounding Bayswater just ahead of Six Gun we popped Big Yella and went after Satisfaction and Nona ( with a kite up? Stop it Denise!). These two proved to good for us on the day and we ran out of race track to cross third. Thanks to all involved and see you next time. Have A Happy Easter! 'The Justice's Race Report - by Darcy Blackmoore It was Duncs birthday on Saturday and he and Sam asked if Cristin and I would crew for them on Six Gun Justice for Sundays race. We were keen as and we knew it would be 'Justice' weather - with a good 20knots blowing down the harbour. We had the first start and got away well in a good breeze. Dunc was on the helm, me on main sheet and Sam and Cristin on head sail trim. We had another mint plan to sail fast and sail where there was wind. We did this well and managed to keep out of most of the holes. Our plan was to not let any other boat pass us until the bridge. We had the Justice sending it nicely with Dunc helming the boat through the puffs and crew trimming to the inch. Sammie asked if V drink makes your pee yellow? I guess....Sammie also asked that if any other boat got near us that we should yell 'STARBOARD' as loud as possible. I did this when Nona came into sight. I yelled a few times and then this voice of reason appeared from the helm of Nona... It was Denise - i think she was telling me off... not sure. Nona got passed us before the bridge - then Satisfaction rolled past with about 14 people on board all looking very comfortable. Cristin slipped and let the head sail go - which was awesome because a good puff hit us at the same time. Timing is everything! We made the bridge with only a few tacks and headed for Bayswater. Firsty got passed us too with some very slick crew work! Around the mark and we are heading for home. We reached over 8 knots of boat speed on GPS. Nice! Up ahead Satisfaction, Nona and Firsty all put kites up. Nona was first to wipe out - not once, not twice but thrice - well 5 times actual. You could hear Denise saying something. Satisfaction blew their kite to bits - expensive confetti and Firsty had a sweet couple of masthead kite round ups! Brilliant. We are still two sail down wind sailing. Looking behind we see Eye Spy and Blue Beat neck and neck. Up goes the kite on Blue Beat - the noise of a kite not set is not a nice noise. Blue Beat wipes out and Trevs eyes are getting pretty big! Eye Spy takes the high ground and stays with two sails. Still, the Spy is pretty hard to pass and Blue Beat blows there back stay - lucky big Mark is on board to hold the rig up. The Justice is staying with the big boys as we round Kauri Point and head for home. Its a good sail to the finish and we finish only about 15 seconds behind the 88s. We done 'Justice' proud! Great crew work too and a very good afternoon at the club! |
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