Wednesday Night Racing – July 31, 2013

Wednesday Night Racing – July 31, 2013

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Strong wind with good holding power promised to get us all home in short order so a long race was called for and delivered. The Junior racers were asked for input and the result was a great bash into wind and sea to U 62 off the Prevost shore, followed by a run to Welbury Spar and then a broad reach over to Ganges Shoal followed by a run to the finish.  This was to be the debut race of Matti Troyer’s new rocket ship, an R22 with high roached main and big asymmetrical spinnaker. The boat was packed with excited sailors, none over the age of 20, and was much admired by the older sailors. This is truly a fine addition to the racing fleet.

The club end of the start line was a hard fought for spot with Caliente staking her claim early and driving all challengers almost head to wind on the final approach. With fifteen seconds to go the Flying Fifteens appeared like slippery eels with the Kay D sliding across the almost stopped Caliente’s bow while Sprite took the space right at the mark for a perfect start. As Caliente gathered way, with her superior speed and pointing ability, she soon forced the Kay D’s hand, making her tack before the big red machine shut off her wind. Ducking Sprite the Flying Fifteen race was on with the boats neck and neck.

Final Dash and Kay D played the Goat and Deadman Island shores and were rewarded with a big lifting Port tack return with extra wind bursts from between the islands. This put them in good shape up the beat, with only the fast Caliente working ahead to leeward. An incident between the Rocket 22 and Electra saw the big blue boat doing turns. Once out of the harbour the majority of the fleet tacked over to Scott Point. Caliente poked her nose out into Captains passage and tacked over while Final Dash, the Rocket 22 and Kay D drove right across Captain Passage almost to the Prevost shore before tacking and picking up over a knot of positive current. Caliente rounded first followed by Final Dash, the Rocket. Electra and Second Wind had picked off the slower Kay D, who only managed to round in fifth. Caliente had declared no flying sails but Final Dash and the Rocket hoisted immediately. Electra and Second Wind had some scurrying on deck but the big sails were not deployed allowing the Kay D to reclaim fourth spot, hitting 9.2 knots on a surf just before the Sisters. Sprite, who had struggled on the long slog to U62 did a gybe set at the mark and began a spectacular come back on the down wind legs. She also did some surfing under spinnaker that went over nine knots.

Ganges Shoal Marker, which was missed by many racers last week proved to again be allusive with both the Rocket and Kaitoa remembering it at the last minute and having to do a difficult tight reach to get to it. This proved a good spectator sport for the rest of us as these two high power boats, pressed hard, put their sailors to the test. There was some spectacular flapping and kiting and broaching to be had and a few lessons learned no doubt. This beautiful wind brought the fleet home less than 15 minutes apart, first to last and provided an exciting night of sailing across the board.

The heroes of July Wednesday Nights, Final Dash pulled off third place this evening but the top places went to those boats designed for the rough and tumble of the high wind Solent, the Flying Fifteens. Sprite’s fantastic downwind legs brought her close but she had to settle for second and the race went to the Kay D. Special thanks to team IMP, the Leitches, father and son, who gave up sailing Imp to crew on the Flying Fifteens. I hope the surfing made it worthwhile. We have been blessed with good winds this July, lets hope it continues into August.

Martin Herbert
aboard the Kay D

Official Results (courtesy Philippe Erdmer – ‘Kaitoa’)

Course: See Above

Scoring with SISC Club ratings:

Scoring with PHRF ratings: