Race Report 12/2/2011

Perfect 10-15knots and clear blue sky met us at the boat park for what was to be a great day on the water.
The tuggers and squidly put in big rig, and the Sled with guest skipper Cassie B put in #2 as we were lacking the extra 50kg required for big.
Cass nailed the first start and the Sled did what it does best... lead. a few tacks later and the extra power of the squid had us beat, but we held the tugger to the top mark.
Downwind, the squid showed us their new threads and disappeared to the bottom mark. A nervous Cass decided to do it Cherub style, so the tuggers also drove past us (after putting it in on the top mark bear-away).
Next beat and Cass drove it low and dirty, pulling us back into 2nd with blinding speed. After a shakey set, we set off to the finish with the tuggers bearing down on us. they managed to get us by 25m in the end. was a good battle. Squid was in the distance celebrating their kite purchase with champagne.

For the 2nd race, the wind kicked to 12-15 and we were started to dump quite a bit of main. the big rig boys were also shaking some cloth apparently. the heat was on. The tuggers got the best of the start and pulled away up the first leg to lead with squid close behind and Cassie drving too hard into the corner and finding out how not to bear away in a skinny 12. No kite so we were up and away quickly, kite up and then we overcooked the gybe, so had a longer splash. Onlyl just enough weight on the centreboard to get the boat back upright. Next work and we were once again in low groove, trying to make up some ground. Then... bang!! SPlash!>!!> wtf??? rig gone. forestay lashing didn't like the long christmas layover, so decided we'd had enough fun fo rthe day.
Thanks to the young kid in the rubber duck who held us and dragged the sled home. Not sure how the last lap went, but Tristan was calling the day his, so i guess they dominated.

Skinny took an early mark to head off to Mexico to see some sheila (dirty weekend report to follow shortly - skinny). The rest of us had a bbq and beers at my place.
Good times.
Richard

2011 Starting UP! by Ben

The breeze was great, N/NE freshened up to top end second.
Our first race started in my usual style, about 5 minutes late... so we followed a few boats around the course, while I tried out my skinny boat legs. Everything was different and I put it in once or twice.. tried my best to execute the advice Tristan had to offer.
Second race.. hit the line on time, with pace & clear air, just down from the boat. Had to smile as we rolled the fleet off the line - compared to the 505's we were footing like bastards, and every time we came over one they'd pinch a little.. lose pace and die in the arse. heh heh.
Got to the top mark(s) well ahead, but the others and 50's decided to go around the closer etchells mark. Had an awesome run, wind had picked up nicely now and well ahead of the fleet. Misjudged the layline so had to put in three gybes. Last gybe the vang uncleated while tristan dropped the kite. My brain freaked out, (no vang + skinny boat = capsize) so I put my plan into action: had a big wobble and put it in to windward.. no room for error here!
Went around the next lap, mostly driving off the jib in the gusts. Skipping off some awesome ramps and trying to keep it flat. Coulda done with a fruity at the back.. something small happened, maybe lost footing a little and we stuck the nose in for nice mine, both landed at the forestay. Tristan's turn at the helm.. and it's nice at the front of these boats! (for starters, your nose isn't in your crew's bumcrack!)

Ben

bang !!...splash... what was that?

Interdomions Final Results

Inters Almost Over

Inters Halfway

INTERDOMINIONS!!

Race Report 11/12/2010 by Ben

Well I thought Skinny might have gotten around to a race report by now :) so you get my version.

Terry and Richard bailed so as usual it was Squid and Tuggers. Was a long morning with the weigh in (PB: 51.5kg (??? not sure about this), Squid: 46.5kg) and then I found our Board repair stopped it fitting and I'd forgotten to bolt up the rudder pod, a bit of angel grinder action etc. got us going, also had to fiddle with backstay tension again etc.

Put in third rig, strong Northerly but at least the tide was in this week. Bit anxious about what was going to happen with waves on the dropping tide..
Before the start, could have even been 4th - but dropped a little on the first leg. Neither of us got a great start, both a bit late on the line and we had a 505 right in our way. PB smashed us getting to the top mark, starboard tack was a killer against the chop running down the inside of the islands. Lucky for us, their pole launch block tore off the front bulkhead at the first hoist and we went past shortly after. Think it was fixed by the bottom mark but I wasn't waiting ;) and we were pretty happy with our race, fairly clean and didn't make any major mistakes. Except for me getting hooked up at the first gybe which tristan had full view of!

By the start of the second race the wind had dropped to barely 1-wiring and it was pretty lumpy off the start- we were on PB's lee bow after Tristan tea bagged and so they tacked off early.. We had our eye on the line of clouds coming across and stayed on starboard, another minute and the start of an awesome wind change was with us.. took the header for a long time, then tacked and reached across to the windward mark, rounded it with the Hobies who had started 5 mins earlier :) A leg of sloppiness ensued which saw us back on the wind to get to the bottom mark (and now finish line). 2 bullets for Squid, yeah!!

Just after the finish a good southerly squall (maybe maxed at 30 kt?) came through.. so we got to test our re-jigged 3rd in all conditions, running nicely now. No more 1 1/2 strings for us! Wanted to put the kite up for a blast but it went as quickly as it came..

Ben

Mantra

"In our game, it's all about bullets. And Risk. And Reward. But mainly bullets" - windows

Please Explain

Foxy Lady Too (Peter Pollec and Jamie McCrudden) capsized in a similar location, and in a disastrous sequence of events, was run over by a large sailing ship. The outcome was not a favourable one, with the skiff being totally cut in half, and much of the rigging not salvageable. Both skipper and crew were not injured in the accident, jumping clear of their capsized skiff second before impact. The ship continued down the harbour with Foxy Lady Too stuck on its bow, leaving witness to wonder if the skipper had even seen or notice the crash.