Its been a dissapointing month for racing:
With a few of us at SIRS on the 6th a poor club roll up and stong winds saw racing cancelled.
A week later a big westerly made a cancellation an obvious choice.
And this week the closeness of Christmas meant another small turn out of 5. Too many work and family commitments this time of year.
But I tested a couple of new bits. I have fitted a John Ilett foil to my rudder. I also have a new MSL3.
For a few years I thought my old V Stiff Thorpey mast would not suit a KA sail with their generous luff round, but at SIRS I compared my mast to one of the new small dia HM CST masts and found it very similar in stiffness and weight. So apart from the extra windage my mast has come back into fashion.
The rig felt good, the wind was variable enough to try a few settings and it adjusts well. I did have a lot of lee helm though and the rake needed adjustment.
The foil change was more noticable, whereas with the smaller symetrical rudder foil the boat would sink stern first in the light patches, now it stays level and on the foils much longer. It seemed to me the symetical foil arument was lost but Dave did the reverse and tested a new small symetrical and thought he had found some extra speed, as if he really needs any!
The joys of development and testing?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Gypsy Bowl Teams Race
The Gypsy Bowl is an old NSW Moth trophy which has not been raced for for at least 10 years. It declined when the number of moth clubs shrank to too few for an event. Now we have 4 clubs in Sydney Pete Harney revised the event and rean it at Northbridge. The last sunday before Christmas was the only time when no clubs raced but it seems most people are busy on other things. But we had more than a dozen moths and it made an enjoyable event.
So the Gypsy Bowl event lives. Not sure where the trophy is though?
Three teams competed,
The local NSC/SMSC scow team.
The Balmoral Bladerider team, and
a mixed group comprising Alan (just home from Finland), Les (BYRA mostly), Eric (Balmoral) and me (StG),
nominally 4 boats per team with only best 3 to count.
The course as a short two lapper and the scows got a 6 minute start.
The scows beat the mix in race 1, We beat the Bladeriders in race 2, The Bladeriders beat the scows in race three. All even!
Then top scows Andrew and Ian Sim went home to a serious? other apointment. So the scows lost their last two matches and the event was decided when the mixed team beat the Bladeriders again.
So we won!!
Wind was good for NSC, 0 to 12kts and only swinging through 40odd degrees. But very tireing, lots of leg work.
It all went smoothly thanks to Pete and Jim and other NSC helpers and a nice BBQ afterwards.
This event must happen every year but a better time might attract more teams
So the Gypsy Bowl event lives. Not sure where the trophy is though?
Three teams competed,
The local NSC/SMSC scow team.
The Balmoral Bladerider team, and
a mixed group comprising Alan (just home from Finland), Les (BYRA mostly), Eric (Balmoral) and me (StG),
nominally 4 boats per team with only best 3 to count.
The course as a short two lapper and the scows got a 6 minute start.
The scows beat the mix in race 1, We beat the Bladeriders in race 2, The Bladeriders beat the scows in race three. All even!
Then top scows Andrew and Ian Sim went home to a serious? other apointment. So the scows lost their last two matches and the event was decided when the mixed team beat the Bladeriders again.
So we won!!
Wind was good for NSC, 0 to 12kts and only swinging through 40odd degrees. But very tireing, lots of leg work.
It all went smoothly thanks to Pete and Jim and other NSC helpers and a nice BBQ afterwards.
This event must happen every year but a better time might attract more teams
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Day 4 SIRS
Another nice day with 12-15 mostly and sunshine. Start was delayed until the sea breeze filled in and then we had three quite short races in quick succession. This helped get a few scores on the board as few of us went over the short 10 minutes after the winner time limit.
Charlie McKee stayed near the front and took the series. John Harris finally sorted his borrowed boat and won the last two races after Dave Lister stacked with a good lead after the final mark of the sereis.
I scored 9, 10, 11 for 10th overall, one higherthan my normal 50% target. But I had a good series for days 3 and 4 and built some spee, technique and fitness, which is what most of us mothies see the regatta is for.
Charlie McKee stayed near the front and took the series. John Harris finally sorted his borrowed boat and won the last two races after Dave Lister stacked with a good lead after the final mark of the sereis.
I scored 9, 10, 11 for 10th overall, one higherthan my normal 50% target. But I had a good series for days 3 and 4 and built some spee, technique and fitness, which is what most of us mothies see the regatta is for.
Monday, December 8, 2008
SIRS day 3
A much better day, good 15-20 ENE and we only waited a half hour for the Lasers to finish.
Bora won two races and Dave won the other by a big margin, finally showing everyone the speed we have been talking about.
But Charlie is leading the series with a string of small numbers.
I had an enjoyable day with some close racing for the back of the diminished fleet. Had a few swims in first race but got around clean in the other two and am finally making almost all of the gybes without touchdown. Got real numbers on the score card now, 14, 9 & 11, which do not sound so good but there are some classy sailors in the fleet so I feel happy for an old bloke.
Made the commitment to do the peak hour traffic struggle tomorrow as I have left the boat in the compound for the 10.00 am start.
Bora won two races and Dave won the other by a big margin, finally showing everyone the speed we have been talking about.
But Charlie is leading the series with a string of small numbers.
I had an enjoyable day with some close racing for the back of the diminished fleet. Had a few swims in first race but got around clean in the other two and am finally making almost all of the gybes without touchdown. Got real numbers on the score card now, 14, 9 & 11, which do not sound so good but there are some classy sailors in the fleet so I feel happy for an old bloke.
Made the commitment to do the peak hour traffic struggle tomorrow as I have left the boat in the compound for the 10.00 am start.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
SIRS regatta half way?
I think I am beginning to hate big mixed class regattas.
First this is the most expensive regattas for ages, about 50% up on the nationals for one. Not sure where all the money goes, there are over 200 boats and we got 3 big sponsors stickers to attach to boats so there must be heaps of money coming in. Maybe there are professional race crew, and the huge start boat must cost a bit to run, but I do not see how this is any better for moths than a small club regatta with 4 or 5 people and a couple of outboard powered run abouts.
Then, because we share the Race management and on water crew with 2 or 3 other classes we never seem to know when the races are on. And these people for all their effort do not seem to understand moths much or how fast they go in different weathers. Complicate that with a busy harbour and all the clubs using very similar marks and you would be kind to say that so far its heading towards a bit of a disaster for most of us.
Day 1.We waited for an AP to drop, but since we could not see the signal mast from our designated rigging area we really waited until some 49ers launched as we were sharing the track with them. It was looking better at 3.30 anyway as the laser Rads had spent from 12.00-2.30 waiting on our track for a wind to settle and got 0/3 races in. A good 15-20 southerly arrived in time.
Race 1, Got away Ok but 30secs out a manly ferry crossed all but Bora, so he got a good lead and held it unlit he lost lap count and went for lap 5. Scott and Ben followed him so Charlie won. (Check places elsewhere I might have iit wrong).Problem was most went around a mark N of Clarke Is and a coulple went around a similar one SW of Cl Is. which was also the one the 49ers went around. There were a couple of other red marks in the area and none of us really know which was the right one.
Race 2. With about half the fleet absent due to broken bodies or boats, the RC set another 4 lapper, and everyone one went around the 49er mark. No race 3 as the two 4 lappers used up all the time. Two results one race down. Not many finishers, which is a shame when three 2 or 3 lappers could have made for a better days racing.
The posted results do not appear to accept people went around different marks so the odd result may stand. I heard the next morning from a SIRS regular that the mark mix up happens every year, so it beggs to ask why cant they find some cleaver solution like different coloured marks?
Day 2.Morning racing in a soft westerly. The windward mark was easy to find because there was only one, and they sent the 49ers off early to show us where to go. It was conveniently placed in the lee of Chouder head which made the soft and patchy westerly even dodgier.
The lightweights flew well and the heavyweights didn't. So with a 10min margin after the winner to beat or score DNF, some quit after 2 laps and a lot more did the distance for not good at all. Three boats scored. Scott won from Matt Day. The small mothy lives again. Why we needed a 3 lapper on such soft wind is something only the RC could explain. An example of no moth experience I guess.
So Race 3 took about an hour and a half and they quickly sent us off on a 2 lapper but 30secs later a 20k southerly hit making the W leg a reach, so not surprise when the N flag apeared at the first mark.
Now it was now about 12.00, The laser Rads who got no result on day 1 arrived on schedule, the course and big start boat need to be relocated, some of us decided time was up and sailed home. A lot hung around as did the 49ers, and hung around, and hung around, and watched the lasers start. etc etc. etc. Someone decided to ask the boat if there was any more racing and was told not till 2.00, so the word spread and several moths went into Clifton beach to rest and save the gear.
At 1.40 odd they went back to the start and watched the finish of a moth race with 6 or 7 boats only. After this was over someone decided that it was over for the day and sailed home. All in winds up to 20kts
Regardless the SIs say the next signal shall be ASAP after the finish of the previous race, and its hard to stretch that to an hour or more after starting some other races?
There are a lot of tired people and a lot of pissed off people.
My own position is all DNF due to a broken rudder gudgeon in race 1, and getting lapped in race 3, followed by an early sail home assuming the Lasers had the course per the posted schedule. But as I am with over 2/3 the fleet with a full set of alphabet its not really a bother. What is pretty odd is that I am one place lower on the list than Simon Nelson who has not even fronted yet, with or without his boat.
For the official sanitised version see http://www.sailsydney.org.au/
Maybe it will improve tomorrow? Maybe the accused St George boycott was a better idea?
Tomorrow is a 12.30 race so a sleep in is in order. We will see how it goes before deciding to battle the peak hour traffic across the city for a 10.00 start on Tuesday. NE winds increasing from 12 to strong are forcast for both days.
First this is the most expensive regattas for ages, about 50% up on the nationals for one. Not sure where all the money goes, there are over 200 boats and we got 3 big sponsors stickers to attach to boats so there must be heaps of money coming in. Maybe there are professional race crew, and the huge start boat must cost a bit to run, but I do not see how this is any better for moths than a small club regatta with 4 or 5 people and a couple of outboard powered run abouts.
Then, because we share the Race management and on water crew with 2 or 3 other classes we never seem to know when the races are on. And these people for all their effort do not seem to understand moths much or how fast they go in different weathers. Complicate that with a busy harbour and all the clubs using very similar marks and you would be kind to say that so far its heading towards a bit of a disaster for most of us.
Day 1.We waited for an AP to drop, but since we could not see the signal mast from our designated rigging area we really waited until some 49ers launched as we were sharing the track with them. It was looking better at 3.30 anyway as the laser Rads had spent from 12.00-2.30 waiting on our track for a wind to settle and got 0/3 races in. A good 15-20 southerly arrived in time.
Race 1, Got away Ok but 30secs out a manly ferry crossed all but Bora, so he got a good lead and held it unlit he lost lap count and went for lap 5. Scott and Ben followed him so Charlie won. (Check places elsewhere I might have iit wrong).Problem was most went around a mark N of Clarke Is and a coulple went around a similar one SW of Cl Is. which was also the one the 49ers went around. There were a couple of other red marks in the area and none of us really know which was the right one.
Race 2. With about half the fleet absent due to broken bodies or boats, the RC set another 4 lapper, and everyone one went around the 49er mark. No race 3 as the two 4 lappers used up all the time. Two results one race down. Not many finishers, which is a shame when three 2 or 3 lappers could have made for a better days racing.
The posted results do not appear to accept people went around different marks so the odd result may stand. I heard the next morning from a SIRS regular that the mark mix up happens every year, so it beggs to ask why cant they find some cleaver solution like different coloured marks?
Day 2.Morning racing in a soft westerly. The windward mark was easy to find because there was only one, and they sent the 49ers off early to show us where to go. It was conveniently placed in the lee of Chouder head which made the soft and patchy westerly even dodgier.
The lightweights flew well and the heavyweights didn't. So with a 10min margin after the winner to beat or score DNF, some quit after 2 laps and a lot more did the distance for not good at all. Three boats scored. Scott won from Matt Day. The small mothy lives again. Why we needed a 3 lapper on such soft wind is something only the RC could explain. An example of no moth experience I guess.
So Race 3 took about an hour and a half and they quickly sent us off on a 2 lapper but 30secs later a 20k southerly hit making the W leg a reach, so not surprise when the N flag apeared at the first mark.
Now it was now about 12.00, The laser Rads who got no result on day 1 arrived on schedule, the course and big start boat need to be relocated, some of us decided time was up and sailed home. A lot hung around as did the 49ers, and hung around, and hung around, and watched the lasers start. etc etc. etc. Someone decided to ask the boat if there was any more racing and was told not till 2.00, so the word spread and several moths went into Clifton beach to rest and save the gear.
At 1.40 odd they went back to the start and watched the finish of a moth race with 6 or 7 boats only. After this was over someone decided that it was over for the day and sailed home. All in winds up to 20kts
Regardless the SIs say the next signal shall be ASAP after the finish of the previous race, and its hard to stretch that to an hour or more after starting some other races?
There are a lot of tired people and a lot of pissed off people.
My own position is all DNF due to a broken rudder gudgeon in race 1, and getting lapped in race 3, followed by an early sail home assuming the Lasers had the course per the posted schedule. But as I am with over 2/3 the fleet with a full set of alphabet its not really a bother. What is pretty odd is that I am one place lower on the list than Simon Nelson who has not even fronted yet, with or without his boat.
For the official sanitised version see http://www.sailsydney.org.au/
Maybe it will improve tomorrow? Maybe the accused St George boycott was a better idea?
Tomorrow is a 12.30 race so a sleep in is in order. We will see how it goes before deciding to battle the peak hour traffic across the city for a 10.00 start on Tuesday. NE winds increasing from 12 to strong are forcast for both days.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
