Archive for the ‘Classic Posts’ Category
The Samurai Douse
Thursday, May 15th, 2008 by TomBacardi Cup - National Match Racing (Part 1)
Sunday, August 14th, 2005 by sadiiqi6 teams took to the water in IODs early on Saturday - teams Sadiiqi (last minute weight loss got them in), Siren, and Erin (with a little bit of Gripper thrown in - Grerin?) represented the J24 fleet, and Alec Cutler, Blythe Walker and Paula Lewin rounded out the hopefuls qualifying for Gold Cup. Winds S at 12-18 and blue blue skies - perfect conditions for IODs.
The first part of the day was spent in round robin. I can only comment from the Sadiiqi boat - we were on ‘Shadow”, which coincidentally is all black. It did however differ from Sadiiqi in a few other respects though - long, very heavy, no cooler and of course where did they leave the backstay (down below in the cabin on this one!). The boat had a tall deck and low boom - was like being on a laser when tacking. We got the bits put on - this IOD seemed to work ok and not have too many funky bits, sharp bits, broken bits or that IOD speciality funky sharp broken bits.
Race 1 was against Mike and the Grerins - it was a good tactical prestart - Mike fought for the boat end with Sadiiqi pushing. Mike was luffed alongside the committee boat and after the start Sadiiqi edged ahead , tacked across, and protected the right side. After that it was a close two laps but Sadiiqi took the gun. The Sadiiqi - Siren match had John doing some funky moves in the prestart, baffling his own crew as well as us. After the gun he worked the left side of the course to great effect, and got the gun after a gybe fest down to the finish. Mike beat John in their match. Sadiiqi’s other highlights were holding Paula out in the prestart for a penalty - she managed to extend enough to take it; having a 3 minute luff with Alec C; and with Blythe having a call and red flag go against us… sigh - but that’s match racing. So with Mike, Pete and John all on 1-5 there was an ajudication that John was 4th, except he wasn’t there, so Mike now was 4th. So Mike went into the semis where he was up against Blythe. Mike lost that one and went up against Paula for the plate final.
I now hand over to Grerin to relay their thrilling match with Paula, as we had retired to the bar by then to cool off.
It was as pointless as sending Nova Scotians to dancing lessons…..
Wednesday, April 27th, 2005 by TomSailors are used to delays (bar opening times, court appearances, etc.) so the initial 2 hour delay whilst the Great Sound was refilled from above didn’t have too many grumbles despite the bar not being open. I mean what sort of astute business brain does it take to work out that 150 sailors trapped by a Noah sized deluge for at least 2 hours in a bar might possibly equal staggering bar profits?
On to the racing. Boats made it out to the newly refilled race course for a 2pm start, which was difficult as the wind had been out on the town last night and was a bit slow and staggery. Anyway shortly after 2:15 the 105’s started their race, and all eyes eagerly awaited who would cross who at the top of the mark - would the Somerset shore pay off? Etchells next then J’s began to get ready. As the breeze started to increase a little some boats changed the rigs up from the 5 knot setting to the 10 knot one (a wise choice), others didn’t. The start was won convincingly by Sean and crew - they stormed quickly left (in not much breeze) with most of the pack hot on their heels. Stuart had a poor boat end start, tacked away onto a horrendous header, which every so slooooowly turned into a golden lift. The lefties paid the price of hanging on too long, save for Mayhem who started picking up places as the worked their way back right. At the top mark Stuart led Mike and Todd round, with Tony playing catch up behind.
The first run turned into a reach, then a run again, with the breeze now picking up nicely. Still genoas everywhere though.
Next leg had most of the 105’s and many of the E22’s heading to a red mark, and the rest to the yellow. No C flag for us so yellow it was. The squall then arrived unannounced, without as much as a “good afternoon”. Sean and Stuart were hesitant about showing their keels, the rest of the fleet wasn’t so coy - there were bottoms everywhere. A scary bunch of E22s tried to fly chutes and were well out of control - not pretty. The beat quickly turned into a 35 knot reach with genoas up, followed by a reach to the finish.
The R/C ignored the boats crossing and the N flag said it all.
Stuart was the first non-finisher with Erin and Mayhem in hot pursuit. Back to the dock to moan about the N flag etc etc, have some beers, increase the strength of the wind and hoist wet underwear up the mast to dry (classy move guys!).
Tomorrow is another day…..
IRW 2004 - Day 1
Monday, April 26th, 2004 by TomIt was with some envy that your class captain watched the J24 fleet leave the RBYC dock on Sunday morning. The best dressed, Cayman, Colorado and the local Mayhem teams, the worst dressed, Geoff Evelyn (stripped shirt, white collar, red pants, gold tie!), the late arrivals from Halifax, half asleep and Mike Hill missing 50% of his sails.
Off they went, outboards spluttering, Stuart Jardine, of course, choosing to sail out - “I don’t believe in those things” he said. This correspondent then went home for a bacon sandwich to return to the race course mid way through the second race. After a consultation with the crash boat we learned that John Nicholls, in Siren (BER 19) had won the first race, squeezing out Mike Lewis (BER 
and Jon Corless/Todd Olsen (BER 12). Stuart Jardine (GBR 4215). An 80 degree wind shift caused some delay as the marks were reset and then they were off again.
At the second weather mark rounding Corless/Olsen were just a boatlength ahead of Jardine, with Lewis and Boyce (New Wave) following a little further back. The Mayhem combination gybed ahead of Jardine to get the inside track, but Jardine held just a fraction more boatspeed and picked up the win by less than half a boatlength, Lewis finished third, Boyce fourth.
Back at the dock it transpired three boats are leading the regatta on 5 points (Lewis, Jardine, Corless/Olsen) with Nicholls close behind on 7. The usual bar room karate ensued then we all decamped to Fort Hamilton for canapes and cocktails and to watch the sunset. Simply perfect.
Saturday March 27 racing is ON
Saturday, March 27th, 2004 by TomAt the skippers meeting it was decided that each skipper take a turn at writing up a Saturday. For some reason I am up first so here goes.
It wasn’t 18 knots, well actually it was at some point. Definitely windy enough for jibs until it eased up. We got the wind speedo out and it said get your genoa up, so that that is what we did for the final race and it was fine.
Race 1 was cool, got an ok start. Hit the first wind shift ok and sailed the boat flat and high to get a nice lead by the top mark with Sadiiqi and Mayhem chasing. It was 3 laps which was a bit strange and we held our lead through out by covering the fleet, The only cockup was a spinnaker take down where the halyard knotted and we had to sail upwind with it held down by the crew until Lorrie sorted it out.
Race 2 and not such a good start I thought Mayhem were over as they were above me so I bore off and they weren’t, durrrr. Sadiiqi were sailing well and were battling it out with Mayhem all around the course. We were in third and battling with IOD’s all around the course trying to get back in touch with Pete and Jon but it never happened so that is how it stayed.
Race 3, another 3 lapper and things got more interesting. At the pin end start Gripper tried to Port tack the fleet only to have to crash tack because of us on Starboard, he pulled his crew up out of the water and carried on sailing ahead and underneath us. The genoa didn’t seem to be helping too much but it wasn’t hurting us either. After a few tacks Sadiiqi and Mayhem came in from the right to take the lead and we followed. A good downwind has us round the mark inside Sadiiqi and sail the beat nicely inside then. When they tacked so did we with a nice lee bow only to watch Geoff our new crew go flying uner the guard rail and go swimming. At this point I thought of deploying our new life sling and getting him. Bugger that, a quick gybe and tack then a sail by with the genoa flapping and we hauled him back on in less that a minute. Now where were those other boats? Mayhem and Sadiiqi were off again and we dogged it out with everyone else. At the last top mark we tacked inside underneath Solaise only to have the genoa sheet wrap itself around the mast eye for the topping lift and we got killed. Siren and Solaise sailed around us and off on the final downwind. Siren gybed early and we stayed left with Solaise. We both caught a nice wind line and overtook Siren, who came back on starboard, we gybed just infront and tried to call Solaise on starboard as we headed for the pin end. They gybed at the last second and we had to give them room to get around the mark so bore off and they got us by inches. Bugger.
Oh well, a good day out and it showed we have lots of work to do on boat handling. It must be the start of the season!!
See you all out there next week.
Mike Lewis
Relax?
Friday, May 23rd, 2003 by sadiiqiAnother Wednesday night! 25 boats on the line, sunny skies, spinnaker start, 18 knots breeze and a long course. At the end two boats aground, one boat holed, lots of yelling at the finish and mutterings about ratings at the bar… The following may help…..
1. Thou shalt not take anything other than safety too seriously.
If you can only remember one commandment, this is the one. Relax, have fun, and keep it light. Late to the start?-So What! Over Early?-Big Deal; just go back. Too Windy?-Quit. Not enough wind?-Break out the cold beer. The point is to have fun and stay safe. As the ad says, “Safe boating is no accident.”
2. Thou shalt honor the racing rules if thou knowest them.
3. Thou shalt not mess up thy boat.
4. Thou shalt not covet thy competitor’s boat, sails, equipment, crew, or PHRF rating.
5. Thou shalt not amp out.
6. Thou shalt not protest thy neighbor.
7. Thou shalt not run out of beer.
8. Thou shalt always go out for a crew dinner or drink afterwards.
9. Thou shalt bring thy spouse, kids, co-workers, friends, and whomever wants to go.
10. Thou shalt not serve alcohol to underage sailors-especially if thou art in the employ of a yacht club.
11. Thou shalt always try to use the old sails.
12. Thou shalt never, ever schedule anything at work after noon on a race day.
13. Thou shalt always thank the race committee and the skipper after the finish.
14. Thou shalt not refer to weeknight racing results when discussing PHRF ratings.
15. Thou shalt not worry; thou shalt be happy.
Courtesy of SpinSheet Magazine. - www.spinsheet.com
One up on the Opti Kids
Monday, May 12th, 2003 by TomYet again Saturday was cancelled (too windy!) and the optis went out! Pete even sailed up and down the harbour just to so them that we can do it. BUT on Sunday four J24 sailors got one back on the little rascals. After a practice sail in Elizabeth (getting ready for May 24th) an opti child was heard to ask “Are we going out today, isn’t it too windy” the response was “If Elizabeth can go out, your certainly going out!!” and a smile was seen on my face! For once we had beaten the 7 year olds.
Race Week Limerick
Monday, May 5th, 2003 by TomThere once was a Novi Sailing Team Who went to Bermuda so keen. Unhappily the mighty Black Seal, Affected their ability to wheel So they left skid marks to show where they’d been!
Broach
Friday, May 2nd, 2003 by TomA sailing technique by which the mast may:
1) become the most forward part of the boat or,
2) used tactically, become the first part to cross the finish line
Offset
Friday, May 2nd, 2003 by sadiiqiUsed to describe:
1. Mark used near windward mark,
2. Emotions of crew as they miss 1. ie “they were very offset”.
3. Essex sailor announcing something has been completed “Offset the spinnaker guv”.