Stuffed up weekend

We spent three days at Woolahra SC waiting for racing, watching other people sail and got three starts and 2 finishes out of an 8 race schedule. So there is no NSW champion for 2009 because 5 races were required.

Yes there were long periods when the wind was too light or variable for the SC to set a course but there were other times like all of this afternoon when there was raceable winds but where we did not get to race.

Admittedly there was never enough wind for foiling even for the lightweights, but there was enough for the 12ft skiffs to get more races than we had. But thats sailing and that easter in NSW. Its almost always a light wind series. I have been doing easter regattas in a lot of classes since about 1967 and have never before lost a regatta result because insufficient races were completed.

For those who would rather be foiling the whole race maybe easter is the wrong regatta for them. For those of us who do best in the light winds we feel like we were robbed of a good result by a less than enthusiastic race committee.

For what its worth this is what happened on the track.

Friday, AP till some wind came at 3.00, Race got underway at 4.00 with half the fleet unable to make the start due to not being ready to launch when AP was dropped and getting stuck in a hole on the way out.

Consistant 5-8kts and Pete Harney lead in his Hungry Tiger with old style centreboard and rudder, ie no foils. I was 2nd just ahead of a chasing bunch of light weights.

Late arrivals expressed angst to RC who responded by hoising N. Too late for resail in fading wind, day and two races lost. Pete and I protested arguing race should have been shortened not abandonned, we lost .

Saturday: Missed last of early morning westerly at scheduled 10.00 start so waited again till 3.00. Got one 2 lap race in 5kts NE. Scott won from Nathan, Pete was about 4th. I was 6th. No time for another race. Would have been if the race was shortened to one lap.

Sunday, This time we went out and got the early westerly at 10.00. But then we gaot went home as it dies a little and then came back again long enough to have another start. Probably not enough for a whole race but all together there was enough for a couple of one lappers.
Pete won , I substituted my old CB for main foil and slid home 4th, Scott, Nathan and other stars were behind.

We waited till 1.00 when the NE came back and the RC decided he could not get three races in before 4.00 so canned everything. Pack up, two races only No result.

But at least I was 4th on the card after 2 for what little it matters.

a lille pissed off.