CREW
Foredeck - Nanci, Kathleen
Mainsheet/Timing - Pam
Jib Sheets - Steve & Jay
Tiller - Ron
Ron was supposed to be out west racing 6 Metres this race, but due to adverse weather (too much wind to tow the boat to sail in too little wind) returned home a week early. Susan couldn't make it and was missed but she used her time well and uploaded Brendon's fabuous video of the heavy weather Wednesday onto Circesailing.com. Thank you Susan.
WIND
Forecast was for possible thunder storms and very heavy rain later in the evening but lightish winds during the race. It was spitting rain as we rigged the boat.
SAIL SELECTION
Wind was around 5 to 8 knots out of the east. Skipper Ron decided to go with the heavy #1 just to give that hard working light #1 a rest. It looked like the wind would hold and he hoped that there would be enough to fill the heavy sail down wind. It had stopped raining but it was cool.
THE RACE
The course was a windward/leeward 3x around. All our competion was out despite the forecast of thunder storms. It looked like the committee boat was slightly favoured so we managed to get a good start right beside it but Veloce to leeward nipped us for the jug. Abra was pointing higher and though she started to leeward we were falling down into her dirt. Alpha taked away first and passed our transom, then Veloce did the same. Then we tacked away.
We sailed to the layline but Alpha tacked before it and we ducked her. We tacked at the layline with Veloce close behind. When we got to the mark we passed ahead of Alpha who paid the price of her two extra tacks. Blue Streak and Abra were surprisingly not that far ahead. We managed to hold off Veloce and Alpha on the down wind leg but were struggling to keep the heavy #1 full in the 6 knot breeze while we were moving 3 knots. But good pole work on the foredeck, augmented by a bit of muscle from Jay, and Steve playing the pole managed to keep us ahead. We got tangled up with Gone with the Wind and Morning Star at the leeward mark and had to round outside but by a good rounding with Pam getting the main in quickly and the Genoa boys doing the same managed to sail out from under Morning Star after rounding and got clear air.
The wind was good for the heavy jib up wind and good grinding and skirting and main sheet trim made for good tacks. We hung on into the Island right to the layline followed by Veloce. Alpha tacked away to the middle of the Bay but when we crossed tacks on the layline she had lost several boat lengths. We rounded the second windward mark well behind BS and Abra but in front of Veloce and Apha. Amelia was no where to be seen.
Again on the downwind leg we struggled to keep the big sail pulling but managed to stay ahead of Veloce and Alpha. Still no sign of Amelia.
The last upwind leg is where Skipper Ron blew it. We went into the Island again to the layline but seriously overstood the mark as we tacked almost in the QCYC cut near the ferry dock. Veloce siezed the opportunity and tacked on the layline behind us. We fetched down to the mark and stayed ahead but gave up several boat lengths lead. We rounded a couple of boat lengths ahead but they closed that on the down wind leg to establish an over lap. We pulled ahead again near the finish but only crossed 13 seconds ahead of them. Unfortunately, we owe them some time. It would be close.
RESULTS
Veloce nipped us by 7 seconds on corrected time to finish 1st. We were 2nd and, shockingly, Blue Streak was 3rd, 1 minute 23 seconds behind us on corrected time. Alpha Omega was 4th, Abracadabra 5th, and Amelia was a disappointed 6th, left wondering why they're going so slow this year.
A good start to the Second Series.
Well done again Circe Crew!!!
Skipper Ron