Saturday, 7 December 2024

As I Saw It (and remembered it!)

The day started with some of the fleet down early helping new member Dane, the owner of Viking, put the rig up for the first time and we look forward to seeing him on the water in the new year.

6 Etchells hit the race track this week. Chris got Knot Easy on the water with Al on the helm and Scottie in the middle. Marty was back with the Saint while the balance was made up of the usual suspects of Athena, The Project, Waterloo Too and Rapscallion. With Patto out injured  and Wicko away, Will was joined by Commodore Warlow and Sumsy on Waterloo Too.

Race one started in a shifty 10k Nor’easter. Starting at the boat end Knot Easy tacked off to the right shortly after the start followed by The Saint and Rapscallion. This proved pivotal as the breeze stayed in the right for the beat. Knot Easy who had gone hard right had a comfortable lead at the top followed by Rapscallion. Back in 3^rd and 4^th The Saint and Waterloo Too were having a close battle and just behind them Athena & were also locked in a tough encounter.

A change of course for the second beat saw the top mark moved right and Rapscallion closed to within a couple of lengths of Knot Easy by mid beat before they extended away again to easily lead around the top while The Saint and Waterloo Too were duking it out with Warlow prevailing just before the top to round in 3^rd. Athena held off the Project to be 5^th around .

The run didn’t provide any passing opportunities and the finish positions mirrored the final mark with Knot Easy taking the first bullet of the day.

Race 2 saw the breeze shift back to the north but unfortunately the top mark wasn’t moved meaning after a short beat off the line on starboard it was a drag race on port to the top. Knot Easy got their nose in front to hold off Waterloo Too while Rapscallion just held of Athena and The Project who were on their hip while the Saint to leeward rounded in 4^th in the gap created by the bad air from Rapscallion on the other two.

The left mark at the bottom was favoured by several boat lengths. Knot Easy and Rapscallion took this mark while Waterloo took the right. Naturally all the fleet tacked back to the left corner before settling in on the long port lay to the top. Rapscallion actually forced Waterloo Too to duck them before they also tacked for the top slightly overlaid.

At the top Knot Easy snuck around just ahead of Waterloo Too while Rapscallion had to duck The Saint to round 4^th. Right on their transom was The Project. Knot Easy held off Waterloo Too to take their second bullet of the day. Rapscallion managed to get the inside running on The Saint at the bottom gybe mark and crossed the line 3^rd with The Saint 3 seconds behind and just 5 further back to The Project. With the race course being a drag race and just 34 seconds separating the top 5 boats it shows that there is not much between the boats in boat speed.

Happy birthday this week to our youngest member Sophie and to Miller for his big 50.

Saturday sees the last racing for the year followed by the annual ‘Splice the Main Brace’ function.  See you all on the water.

(The author accepts no responsibilities for any inaccuracies, distortions of the truth or outright lies.)