Windy Wednesday
I believe Pooh Bear called a windy Wednesday "Winds-day". And that's what we had for last nights twilight race.
For this Windsday (sounds like a Kiwi saying Wednesday) we had Cap'tn Paul, Precision timekeepr and trimmer Ben with daughter, 2 of RBO's English pick ups and the RBO herself.
Heading out amongst the whitecaps a first reef in the main and a bit of unrolled jib were the order of the day.
Played the start cautiously and quickly flipped over to port tack. Escaping the congestion and having some nice clean air.
Now when the North Easter gets going it really funnels down the narrow part of the harbour from Sow & Pigs reef to Rose Bay. It was funneling and making the harbour look more like a rapid.
Panacea is aiming for Sow & Pigs and our first mark unfortunately we are heading for Shark Island. Tacked over to starboard and even with right of way crossing the fleet on such a day is a bit spooky. We were aiming for Chowder Bay but heading for Taylors Bay. Obviously the port tack is the favoured tack so over we go. Trimmers enjoying the gym workout.
A bit of easing and ducking and more gym work as we weaved through the big boys heading toward us on their downwind run.
Finally we reach the mark and we appear to be not quite at the back of the fleet but a long way from the front of it.
Round we go a big ease on main and jib, unfurl all the jib and all seems relatively calm. The difference between banging into the wind and then running with it always amazes people. Calm enough for a beer. Whip the RBO into being bar person.
The sun heading for the horizon gives the City a burnt orange glow of silhouettes. The bridges black outline makes it look almost fragile. All very nice but we are racing and downwind has been our forte.
The Capt'n has us goose winged (Main out to Port and Jib to starboard) which can be a bit nerve racking. (A scything boom crossing the deck with murderous intent if you get the angle wrong) We manage to catch a few boats. The last run from Shark Is to the finish sees Baltic Lady trying to climb over Panacea. The Cap'n wants no bar of this and we head up then head down and keep the Lady at bay. It looks and feels like a dead heat between Panacea and Baltic Lady at the finish.
Overall not a bad race and the English boys enjoyed it and we came mid fleet.
Twilights coming to a close only 2 more races. It is a mid week break that will be sorely missed until next season.
For this Windsday (sounds like a Kiwi saying Wednesday) we had Cap'tn Paul, Precision timekeepr and trimmer Ben with daughter, 2 of RBO's English pick ups and the RBO herself.
Heading out amongst the whitecaps a first reef in the main and a bit of unrolled jib were the order of the day.
Played the start cautiously and quickly flipped over to port tack. Escaping the congestion and having some nice clean air.
Now when the North Easter gets going it really funnels down the narrow part of the harbour from Sow & Pigs reef to Rose Bay. It was funneling and making the harbour look more like a rapid.
Panacea is aiming for Sow & Pigs and our first mark unfortunately we are heading for Shark Island. Tacked over to starboard and even with right of way crossing the fleet on such a day is a bit spooky. We were aiming for Chowder Bay but heading for Taylors Bay. Obviously the port tack is the favoured tack so over we go. Trimmers enjoying the gym workout.
A bit of easing and ducking and more gym work as we weaved through the big boys heading toward us on their downwind run.
Finally we reach the mark and we appear to be not quite at the back of the fleet but a long way from the front of it.
Round we go a big ease on main and jib, unfurl all the jib and all seems relatively calm. The difference between banging into the wind and then running with it always amazes people. Calm enough for a beer. Whip the RBO into being bar person.
The sun heading for the horizon gives the City a burnt orange glow of silhouettes. The bridges black outline makes it look almost fragile. All very nice but we are racing and downwind has been our forte.
The Capt'n has us goose winged (Main out to Port and Jib to starboard) which can be a bit nerve racking. (A scything boom crossing the deck with murderous intent if you get the angle wrong) We manage to catch a few boats. The last run from Shark Is to the finish sees Baltic Lady trying to climb over Panacea. The Cap'n wants no bar of this and we head up then head down and keep the Lady at bay. It looks and feels like a dead heat between Panacea and Baltic Lady at the finish.
Overall not a bad race and the English boys enjoyed it and we came mid fleet.
Twilights coming to a close only 2 more races. It is a mid week break that will be sorely missed until next season.
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