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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts
Initially Posted - 09/10/2012 :  06:57:12  Show Profile  Visit Prospector's Homepage
After a woefull season of barely getting out, I finally made time for the boat this past weekend.

There was a race scheduled for Saturday morning (medium distance) and a set of three races on Sunday. The forecast for each day was wildly different.

Sunday came in overcast with wind warnings. At the skipper's meeting there were disclaimers and reminders and ponderous looks around the room.

For crew I had my daughter and a new french friend. She speaks very limited english, but takes instruction well - if she understands what you are asking. Not really a problem since she has been sailing in France, and most english speakers new to sailing don't know a genoa from a traveller anyways. Between my limited french and her limited english, we would do well.

We lined up at the start. Wind was blowing nicely. The 5 minute gun went off, and the wind lightened slightly. 4 minute gun - less wind. 1 minute gun and I started thinking maybe the 110% jib and single-reefed main was the wrong sail combination to use. 1 minute and I am nosing along the line next to a C-22 with the rest of the fleet pushing behind us.

Then the start... we drifted across the line and got called over early with just a whisper of wind to work with.

I circled the end and restarted, behind most of the fleet and working windward to the first mark some 4 miles away in a light breeze, behind all the boats save the C-22, and cussing my choice of a small headsail.

About a mile after the start, the wind strengthened. Soon we had a strong, steady, offshore breeze with no waves. Iris dug in, and we were really sailing. Our line would take us to the windward mark on one long tack. waves started to roll and break. We passed a Viking 28, and then another boat in the big boat fleet - both struggling with full mains and genoas. At the windward mark we were about halfway up the fleet, working through a cloudburst, and having a helluva time.

Our next mark was 4 miles inland, a neighbouring club's race mark. It was a struggle to get teh right line to the mark as it was in the bay that had the wind swirling and inconsistent. By now winds were gusting 35, and water was stinging my face as it fell. Everyone aboard had raingear and tethers, but I was still reminding them to have a hand for the boat, and not to take any undue risks. we made it through the chop in teh bay, and came to teh mark with 2 boats still behind us. Then one of them retired from the race with a broken steering gear, leaving us with only the C-22 at the back of the pack, the only remaining white sail boats.

On the long broad reach/run back to our home club, we would watch the spinnaker boats take off in the heavy wind, and we would try to keep up, surfing the waves and hitting 7.5 kts on the knotmeter (GPS verified). It was a great ride home. What a rush!

In the end we finished last on corrected time, but it was a great sail. I love fall sailing - maybe we saved the best of the season for the end of it.

Sunday's races were long and slow with variable winds and light breezes and bugs, but oh what a day Saturday was!

(footnote - Saturday was also race day in Toronto Harbour where a Dragon sunk, and a collision occurred on course. If you want to go out in big wind, it can be exhillarating, or disasterous.)
"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts
Response Posted - 09/10/2012 :  07:38:25  Show Profile
Yepper.. she will be there when the time is right!
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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts
Response Posted - 09/10/2012 :  09:52:53  Show Profile
Sounds to me like you won.... corrected time is all about nothing. But I'm a cruiser now and when I pass you, I am winning. And if you pass me while I am down below making a 4 cheese veggie omelet, I am still winning...

Sten...
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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts
Response Posted - 09/10/2012 :  11:34:20  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by redviking</i>
<br />...And if you pass me while I am down below making a 4 cheese veggie omelet, I am still winning...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

From what I've seen, PHRF corrected time in the extremes of huge wind or no wind is a silly crap-shoot where small boats generally lose.
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 09/10/2012 :  12:12:31  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
Gotta agree with Sten, and an omelette sounds pretty good right now. Sounds like you guys had a grand time. I've been out racing a few times when the wind was pretty perky, and it's definitely a rush to do. Plus, what a great way to spend time with your daughter & friend.
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.