I did think we did better than that but that's handicapping for you!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Poop - we came 6th
No so bad except it was out of 8 boats!
I did think we did better than that but that's handicapping for you!
I did think we did better than that but that's handicapping for you!
Monday, November 01, 2010
Balmain Regatta
On a day that started out sunny and ended in a downpour, but well after we had put the trusty Cheshire Cat away, we had a boat full of rock stars and sailed a great race. A reasonable start in mild winds around the Balmain islands leading to very brisk winds around Goat Island and then a run home, well ahead of our rival Rogate and several others in our division - non spinnaker B open yachts. With John, Jenni B (ex CYC youth training coach) and Terina, Julie and Dayna we had a great time, maybe a bit too much chat from time to time with everyone catching up on the months or years of not seeing each other. Jenni and John were not happy with the placement of some of the running rigging so did some instant rethreading.
After the race we stopped for a beer and wine but then decided to take Cheshire Cat home to bed before heading back to the club for the results. Just as well, apart from selling Jenni B my extra dinghy it meant that when the rain bucketed later we didn't have to go boating in the wet. We did have to climb the club stairs and the very steep hill to the car so managed to get completely soaked anyway.
And we know we didn't win or come second but have no idea where we placed as the rest of the results have not yet been uploaded to the BSC web site found here
After the race we stopped for a beer and wine but then decided to take Cheshire Cat home to bed before heading back to the club for the results. Just as well, apart from selling Jenni B my extra dinghy it meant that when the rain bucketed later we didn't have to go boating in the wet. We did have to climb the club stairs and the very steep hill to the car so managed to get completely soaked anyway.
And we know we didn't win or come second but have no idea where we placed as the rest of the results have not yet been uploaded to the BSC web site found here
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Another great day out
Cheshire Cat continues her excellent performance with Balmain Sailing Club.
Shrugging off the disappointment of being demoted from second to fifth in the winter series Cheshire Cat was back with a second in the third spring series race. The first was cancelled due to severe winds. For the next one Cheshire Cat was mastless at Noakes waiting for a mysterious "part" for the forestay. The second race we were in Lake Macquarie earning over a thousand dollars for the Cancer Council and Marine Rescue so this was our first race of the series.
A windless start gave way to a light breeze as we made our way around Spectacle, Snapper and Cockatoo Islands. We were doing OK when we fell in a hole and Amon Re passed us just off Woolich. But we weren't last by a long shot and as the wind picked up so did we and eventually passed Amon Re, Rogate and a couple of others when we caught a lift and managed to avoid tacking on the work from Berry's Bay back to Rozelle. Fine steering by Jenni and exceptional crew work form terina and me kept us in front. We even overtook Southern Aura II around Goat Island as the wind picked up. Sadly Amon Re and Southern Aura II managed to pip us by seconds at the finish but on handicap we came second.
Even three handed these girls rock!
Shrugging off the disappointment of being demoted from second to fifth in the winter series Cheshire Cat was back with a second in the third spring series race. The first was cancelled due to severe winds. For the next one Cheshire Cat was mastless at Noakes waiting for a mysterious "part" for the forestay. The second race we were in Lake Macquarie earning over a thousand dollars for the Cancer Council and Marine Rescue so this was our first race of the series.
A windless start gave way to a light breeze as we made our way around Spectacle, Snapper and Cockatoo Islands. We were doing OK when we fell in a hole and Amon Re passed us just off Woolich. But we weren't last by a long shot and as the wind picked up so did we and eventually passed Amon Re, Rogate and a couple of others when we caught a lift and managed to avoid tacking on the work from Berry's Bay back to Rozelle. Fine steering by Jenni and exceptional crew work form terina and me kept us in front. We even overtook Southern Aura II around Goat Island as the wind picked up. Sadly Amon Re and Southern Aura II managed to pip us by seconds at the finish but on handicap we came second.
Even three handed these girls rock!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I have been asked how to donate to Heaven Can Wait's two very worthy causes, NSW Cancer Council and the NSW Marine Resuce volunteers. If you go here and select Cheshire Cat then click the "donate now" button you should be able to follow the prompts. But be warned I think it closes tonight, Sunday 10th. You will find more details at the Heaven Can Wait web site.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Heaven Can Wait - but the rain didn't
What a big adventure.
Cheshire Cat entered the Heaven Can Wait Regatta in Lake Macquarie. The regatta is a fund raiser for the NSW Cancer Council an the Lake Macquarie Marine Rescue Service.
Sunshine to start with
Rain at the end
Our intrepid team, Julie and Terina, Dee, up from Melbourne specially and me, set off from Balmain on Thursday in sunshine. The boat was full of edible and drinkable goodies thanks to provisioning queens Terina and Julie. A seal at the green channel mark near Obelisk saw us off and dolphins accompanied us up the coast. With the sails hoisted we made our way to Coaster's Retreat for the night and an on-shore BBQ and way too much wine. There were only a few tents in the camp ground but lots and lots of wallabies with joeys in their pouches grazing the lawns.
Good winds after Norah Head
Next morning at dawn we fired up the motor and headed for Swansea to catch the high tide across the bar. The wind was too light most of the way to abandon the motor but when it did kick in around Norah Head we stormed up the coast in 20 knots arriving in perfect time to cross the bar at slack tide. I wondered what all the fuss about Swansea Bar was all about.
Tiring work!
Safely inside the channel we waited for the bridge to open and then motored across to Toronto where Mark Cherrington from Balmain Sailing Club who is also one of the organisers of HCW had a spot on the wharf for us. We tied up between 2 Balmain boats with another inside the marina and a 4th to arrive later.
We managed to get the boat a bit wet on the way up the coast so when trying to make a cup of tea the gas alarm went off and that was the end of the mid-ocean cuppa. To get it fixed I went to the bar of the Toronto Royal Motor Yacht Club, as you do, and was directed to Greg (Woodsey) Woods. Greg came to the boat, found the alarm, and worked out how to fix it but needed overnight. So showers in the Club and dinner in the bistro were the solution.
Race day meant another early morning, partly because Greg said he'd be back at 6.30am! We later discovered from the cleaner/barista at the club that mornings are not his best time! He eventually arrived as Dee and I set off for the briefing so we left Julie and Terina to look after Greg. Lucky girls. By this time he'd taken a bit of a shine to us all-girl boat.
Briefing over we tidied up and went out to the start line to do a few runs and test the wind. The start line was a bit protected but the wind was blowing just past the headland. An OK start saw us in a good position out wide so we could avoid a tack. We caught some boats and were looking good. As we were in Division 2 we didn't have to do the full stretch of the lake but were to turn off around Pulbah Island. One boat lost its rig in the 20+ knot breeze and when the rain came we heard another one radio the race committee to say "we're wet and cold and we're coming in".
Bigger boats ahead of us
We were having fun, keeping out of the dead patches and staying in the wind. Strong winds took us across the top of Pulbah and into Belmont where the pressure dropped and we slowed down for a while. There is something to be said for having boats in front because you can see where they lose the wind. The second last mark was at the top of a protected bay and everyone slowed down. Then a quick couple of tacks and we were back across the line and had finished well within the time limit.
It had been wet and cold and strenuous so we did not regret for a moment our decision to do the One Lap Dash and not the 24 hour race.
Back on the marina and Woodsy turned up, most surprised we had finished so early! Being girls and all. While I sat back the crew cooked a feast and Julie's friend Carolyn from Newcastle joined us for dinner and a hilarious evening.
A pre-dawn start was needed for us to make the 6am bridge opening so we could catch the high tide again to cross the bar on the way out of the channel. There was no breeze and it was drizzling as we motored across the lake and we felt for all those hardy 24 hour sailors.
Swansea Bridge at dawn
It took longer than I expected to get to Swansea so we missed the 6am bridge opening and had to wait til 7am which meant we were crossing the bar 2 hours after high tide. I had been told by locals that up to 2 hours was OK. But it was by now blowing steady NE which is the worst conditions.
Ready to head south - a bit of weather about!
The Marine Rescue guy reported the mouth was "becoming rough" and was non-committal when I asked was it navigable so we thought we'd have a look and see if it was safe. A stink boat was going out just ahead of us which was great because we could see how they handled the seas. We all agreed it looked OK so off we went. Cheshire Cat rode beautifully through the swell and before too long we were past the bar and into slightly calmer waters. But now I do know what all the fuss is about. Another hour and it definitely would not have been possible to go. But we were safely across so up with the sails, a reef in both the main and the jib, and we were off.
We flew down the coast with several squalls reducing visibility and speeding us along. Julie had very sensibly kept a log on the way up with headings and times so we knew where we should point and where we were even though we often couldn't see the coastline.
But when we could see we saw loads of whales, blowing, tails in the air, jumping and waving their fins. And some more dolphins.
Thank god for wet weather gear
It was a bumpy ride and hard work steering. And Woodsy's fix of the gas alarm stopped working so we couldn't even make a cuppa much less the noodles we were craving. So we decided to stop off in Coasters again. We collected a small gas BBQ from Terina's boat Firefly so we could cook the spag bol for dinner. The crew were dreaming of hot showers again but when we got ashore discovered that the Parks and Wildlife had blocked the hot taps. Dee was the only one game enough to have a cold shower. We resorted to a sparkling red instead while the dinner cooked.
Next morning we left for Sydney and the promise of lunch at Jenni and Deirdre's. Terina requested a fire and we tried to guess what would be on the menu. The wind was still strong at around 20 knots mainly from the NE so we made excellent time of 3.5 hours head to head. Funnily enough Woodsey rang just as we were coming through the heads to see if we had made it home. I think he's going to come looking for us at Balmain. I'm not sure he understands the significance of the rainbow flag!
With the lunch beckoning the crew did a fab job of packing up and getting everything off the boat at the pontoon in record time. And we were sitting in front of the fire, drinks in hand by 2pm! Full of tall tales and feeling very proud of ourselves. We raised $900 blitzing our $500 target. So thanks very much to all who donated.
And now we know just how well Cheshire Cat handles big seas.
Cheshire Cat entered the Heaven Can Wait Regatta in Lake Macquarie. The regatta is a fund raiser for the NSW Cancer Council an the Lake Macquarie Marine Rescue Service.
Sunshine to start with
Rain at the endOur intrepid team, Julie and Terina, Dee, up from Melbourne specially and me, set off from Balmain on Thursday in sunshine. The boat was full of edible and drinkable goodies thanks to provisioning queens Terina and Julie. A seal at the green channel mark near Obelisk saw us off and dolphins accompanied us up the coast. With the sails hoisted we made our way to Coaster's Retreat for the night and an on-shore BBQ and way too much wine. There were only a few tents in the camp ground but lots and lots of wallabies with joeys in their pouches grazing the lawns.
Good winds after Norah HeadNext morning at dawn we fired up the motor and headed for Swansea to catch the high tide across the bar. The wind was too light most of the way to abandon the motor but when it did kick in around Norah Head we stormed up the coast in 20 knots arriving in perfect time to cross the bar at slack tide. I wondered what all the fuss about Swansea Bar was all about.
Tiring work!Safely inside the channel we waited for the bridge to open and then motored across to Toronto where Mark Cherrington from Balmain Sailing Club who is also one of the organisers of HCW had a spot on the wharf for us. We tied up between 2 Balmain boats with another inside the marina and a 4th to arrive later.
We managed to get the boat a bit wet on the way up the coast so when trying to make a cup of tea the gas alarm went off and that was the end of the mid-ocean cuppa. To get it fixed I went to the bar of the Toronto Royal Motor Yacht Club, as you do, and was directed to Greg (Woodsey) Woods. Greg came to the boat, found the alarm, and worked out how to fix it but needed overnight. So showers in the Club and dinner in the bistro were the solution.
Race day meant another early morning, partly because Greg said he'd be back at 6.30am! We later discovered from the cleaner/barista at the club that mornings are not his best time! He eventually arrived as Dee and I set off for the briefing so we left Julie and Terina to look after Greg. Lucky girls. By this time he'd taken a bit of a shine to us all-girl boat.
Briefing over we tidied up and went out to the start line to do a few runs and test the wind. The start line was a bit protected but the wind was blowing just past the headland. An OK start saw us in a good position out wide so we could avoid a tack. We caught some boats and were looking good. As we were in Division 2 we didn't have to do the full stretch of the lake but were to turn off around Pulbah Island. One boat lost its rig in the 20+ knot breeze and when the rain came we heard another one radio the race committee to say "we're wet and cold and we're coming in".
Bigger boats ahead of usWe were having fun, keeping out of the dead patches and staying in the wind. Strong winds took us across the top of Pulbah and into Belmont where the pressure dropped and we slowed down for a while. There is something to be said for having boats in front because you can see where they lose the wind. The second last mark was at the top of a protected bay and everyone slowed down. Then a quick couple of tacks and we were back across the line and had finished well within the time limit.
It had been wet and cold and strenuous so we did not regret for a moment our decision to do the One Lap Dash and not the 24 hour race.
Back on the marina and Woodsy turned up, most surprised we had finished so early! Being girls and all. While I sat back the crew cooked a feast and Julie's friend Carolyn from Newcastle joined us for dinner and a hilarious evening.
A pre-dawn start was needed for us to make the 6am bridge opening so we could catch the high tide again to cross the bar on the way out of the channel. There was no breeze and it was drizzling as we motored across the lake and we felt for all those hardy 24 hour sailors.
Swansea Bridge at dawn
It took longer than I expected to get to Swansea so we missed the 6am bridge opening and had to wait til 7am which meant we were crossing the bar 2 hours after high tide. I had been told by locals that up to 2 hours was OK. But it was by now blowing steady NE which is the worst conditions.
Ready to head south - a bit of weather about!The Marine Rescue guy reported the mouth was "becoming rough" and was non-committal when I asked was it navigable so we thought we'd have a look and see if it was safe. A stink boat was going out just ahead of us which was great because we could see how they handled the seas. We all agreed it looked OK so off we went. Cheshire Cat rode beautifully through the swell and before too long we were past the bar and into slightly calmer waters. But now I do know what all the fuss is about. Another hour and it definitely would not have been possible to go. But we were safely across so up with the sails, a reef in both the main and the jib, and we were off.
We flew down the coast with several squalls reducing visibility and speeding us along. Julie had very sensibly kept a log on the way up with headings and times so we knew where we should point and where we were even though we often couldn't see the coastline.
But when we could see we saw loads of whales, blowing, tails in the air, jumping and waving their fins. And some more dolphins.
Thank god for wet weather gear
It was a bumpy ride and hard work steering. And Woodsy's fix of the gas alarm stopped working so we couldn't even make a cuppa much less the noodles we were craving. So we decided to stop off in Coasters again. We collected a small gas BBQ from Terina's boat Firefly so we could cook the spag bol for dinner. The crew were dreaming of hot showers again but when we got ashore discovered that the Parks and Wildlife had blocked the hot taps. Dee was the only one game enough to have a cold shower. We resorted to a sparkling red instead while the dinner cooked.
Next morning we left for Sydney and the promise of lunch at Jenni and Deirdre's. Terina requested a fire and we tried to guess what would be on the menu. The wind was still strong at around 20 knots mainly from the NE so we made excellent time of 3.5 hours head to head. Funnily enough Woodsey rang just as we were coming through the heads to see if we had made it home. I think he's going to come looking for us at Balmain. I'm not sure he understands the significance of the rainbow flag!
With the lunch beckoning the crew did a fab job of packing up and getting everything off the boat at the pontoon in record time. And we were sitting in front of the fire, drinks in hand by 2pm! Full of tall tales and feeling very proud of ourselves. We raised $900 blitzing our $500 target. So thanks very much to all who donated.
And now we know just how well Cheshire Cat handles big seas.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
Cheshire Cat is going to Lake Macquarie for the Heaven Can Wait one lap dash. We have opted not to do the 24 hour race this year, saving it for 2011 when John Harris can join us - we hope!
The organising authority of the fifth Heaven Can Wait 24 Hour Yacht Race and One Lap Dash is the Heaven Can Wait Yacht Club. The Venue is the Toronto Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto.
The Heaven Can Wait 24 hour race was conceived and promoted by Lake Macquarie resident, keen sailor and cancer survivor Shaun Lewicki as a major annual sailing event on the lake, to promote sailing, the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle/Hunter region – and to raise funds for cancer research.
Proceeds of the 2010 will again benefit the NSW Cancer Council and the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (now Marine Rescue NSW). You can sponsor us by logging on to this very pink site
We (Anni, Julie, Terina and Dee from Melbourne) set off on Thursday and will stop overnight at Pittwater before making a dawn start to reach Swansea by lunch time when the tide will be on the turn and good for bar crossing.
The race starts at 11am on Saturday and will be finished by 5.30pm. This is the course.
We will of course have the rainbow flag flying high, along with the Balmain and ASCC burgees. And maybe even the cocktail flag!
The organising authority of the fifth Heaven Can Wait 24 Hour Yacht Race and One Lap Dash is the Heaven Can Wait Yacht Club. The Venue is the Toronto Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto.
The Heaven Can Wait 24 hour race was conceived and promoted by Lake Macquarie resident, keen sailor and cancer survivor Shaun Lewicki as a major annual sailing event on the lake, to promote sailing, the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle/Hunter region – and to raise funds for cancer research.
Proceeds of the 2010 will again benefit the NSW Cancer Council and the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol (now Marine Rescue NSW). You can sponsor us by logging on to this very pink site
We (Anni, Julie, Terina and Dee from Melbourne) set off on Thursday and will stop overnight at Pittwater before making a dawn start to reach Swansea by lunch time when the tide will be on the turn and good for bar crossing.
The race starts at 11am on Saturday and will be finished by 5.30pm. This is the course.
We will of course have the rainbow flag flying high, along with the Balmain and ASCC burgees. And maybe even the cocktail flag!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Too Good To Be True
It never pays to be too happy or too pleased with life. Something will come along and bite you in the bum immediately.
The Balmain Sailing Club has revised its Winter Series results. We are now not only not 2nd but have slid to 5th!
So we now have a DNS (did not sail), a DNF (did not finish), a 1st, a 4th and two 7ths. Bummer.
Maybe we should have stuck with the ASCC after all!
I am waiting to hear from the handicap person what happened as it is a bit odd that we seem to be the only boat affected. I don't want to be paranoid but....
The Balmain Sailing Club has revised its Winter Series results. We are now not only not 2nd but have slid to 5th!
So we now have a DNS (did not sail), a DNF (did not finish), a 1st, a 4th and two 7ths. Bummer.
Maybe we should have stuck with the ASCC after all!
I am waiting to hear from the handicap person what happened as it is a bit odd that we seem to be the only boat affected. I don't want to be paranoid but....
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Blogs I Like
There are a few blogs I check regularly. One is Berrimilla sails on...
Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier have sailed Berrimilla twice around the world doing Sydney-Hobart and Fastnet races at either end. One circumnavigation was via the North West passage. Berri is a 33 ft Brolga. The guys, both in their 60s, are interested in so many things and write funny and fascinating stories about their travels. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy features for fans of those books. So do bird and flora pictures, ruminations of the world and the vagaries of people, the weather and life in general. Alex is presently on his way home from visiting the Mars Institute research base in the Arctic very close to the path of Berri on her northern journey. They are both so interested in everything that their blog is a continuing joy.
Sailing Leapfrog is fun at the moment as friends of Scott and Tony's sail Leapfrog to Cairns for them. The naked bottom is a bit scary but.
I liked Junk and the read is still pertinent even though the voyage is long over. It was a precursor to Plastiki and a catamaran really made of flotsam and jetsam rather than the much more highly engineered Plastiki made from carbon dioxide filled water bottles.
Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier have sailed Berrimilla twice around the world doing Sydney-Hobart and Fastnet races at either end. One circumnavigation was via the North West passage. Berri is a 33 ft Brolga. The guys, both in their 60s, are interested in so many things and write funny and fascinating stories about their travels. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy features for fans of those books. So do bird and flora pictures, ruminations of the world and the vagaries of people, the weather and life in general. Alex is presently on his way home from visiting the Mars Institute research base in the Arctic very close to the path of Berri on her northern journey. They are both so interested in everything that their blog is a continuing joy.
Sailing Leapfrog is fun at the moment as friends of Scott and Tony's sail Leapfrog to Cairns for them. The naked bottom is a bit scary but.
I liked Junk and the read is still pertinent even though the voyage is long over. It was a precursor to Plastiki and a catamaran really made of flotsam and jetsam rather than the much more highly engineered Plastiki made from carbon dioxide filled water bottles.
Photo Competition
Now I have your attention.... I thought some pictures would be good.
This picture did not win the ASCC's competition but got an honourable mention.
I submitted this picture as well but it was not so successful.
I thought it did a great job of epitomising the ASCC. Sparkling water, rainbow flags, Sydney Harbour in all her glory, very relaxed crew ....
This picture did not win the ASCC's competition but got an honourable mention.
I submitted this picture as well but it was not so successful.
I thought it did a great job of epitomising the ASCC. Sparkling water, rainbow flags, Sydney Harbour in all her glory, very relaxed crew ....
Three Wins In Two Days - Priceless
Well it's official, we won the two races we sailed in the ASCC Winter Series.
The Vice Commodore is confident we would have taken out the series but Balmain was the sweeter win this year.
The Vice Commodore is confident we would have taken out the series but Balmain was the sweeter win this year.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Rock Stars
Yes we have had another win!
We had a big weekend. Two races with the ASCC on Saturday, a night sleeping over in Blackwattle Bay and then the final Balmain Winter series race on Sunday.
Blackwattle Bay
Saturday was ideal conditions with bright sunshine and northerly winds 10 - 15 knots - Cheshire Cat's favourite conditions. And the crew feels the same. We blitzed both starts leaving even Jo's 36ft Bavaria in our wake. She caught us both times eventually but we finished within a minute of her both times which is pretty amazing. In race 2 we passed her on the run with ease. But upwind she is faster, and points a bit better as well. It was fun to be so close and so competitive and even better to find out selves so close to a boat that was bigger, newer and one we would have though was a faster boat. Laine and Costa were sailing very close races behind us with only minutes between them.
After stopping off at Cobblers for very delicious mulled wine and some nibbles, and losing Terina to Jo's boat briefly, we headed for Blackwattle to rendezvous with Helen and Deirdre coming by car and Charlie and Ange in their boat. With the two boats secured to the public pontoon, if not exactly legally (except that we were picking up and dropping off people as allowed) we had a very lovely BBQ dinner and way too much wine. After dinner Deirdre offered to take all the dishes back to her place and put them in the dishwasher which was a great relief to us all.
We went to bed very tired but hoping to be pumped for the big race on Sunday. That didn't go quite to plan as a few sore heads were had in the a.m. Julie's alarm went off around 6 which was a bit of a shock but we all went back to sleep til closer to 9am when Jenni started cooking bacon and eggs and hash browns. And it was another sunny morning so we ate on deck, still nicely tied up to the pontoon. Eventually a dog walker came and told us we weren't supposed to be there so long. Other than that no-one came near us or the pontoon until a couple of boys in a little yacht pulled up, picked up another couple of boys and cruised away.
And so did we, to collect Jen and Nicki from the Balmain Sailing Club ready for the race. As we were a bit early we picked up a rather skanky empty mooring. And just as well. There was a nasty looking black cloud headed our way. As it passed there was thunder, lightening, hail and 30+ knot winds. It was very close to the start of the race and next thing we knew the cancellation/postponement light came on at the club. The crew all disappeared below but I was worried that the mooring might not hold so stayed on deck with the motor running just in case.
As you can see from the Seabreeze graph (seabreeze.com.au) it passed as fast as it came and we hoisted the main sail, but cautiously with a reef in it, ready for the start. As the wind dropped away we realised we needed to shake out the reef. This made us slow off the start but was a good call. We had a great race, again close to some other boats which always makes it more interesting. A few big gusts around Goat Island, along with a ferry in the way, slowed us a bit. And with bigger winds we reefed the headsail a bit to keep some control. Even then we broached a couple of times but not too badly. And the boats around us got away from us.
We were last across the finish line and we weren't hopeful of a decent place. We dropped off the crew at the club with all the luggage and took Cheshire Cat to our mooring. By then the wind was back up to 20 knots and gusting more so it was a struggle to get secure. I couldn't see or hear what Jen and Jen were saying and stupidly came up to the mooring from the wrong side which made it even harder for them. But eventually we were sorted and I rowed ashore as penance.
Back at the club we were having a beer and a sausage as they read the results. As the other boats close to us in the point score were read out the tension was palpable. Again we thought they'd forgotten us. But no - we won! Again.
The blokes from Ambitious, who we passed and who retired to the bar instead of finishing the race (not very ambitious of them) were fulsome in praise of us all girl crew. Rather too fulsome in a couple of cases!
We were all exhausted but stoked at what a great weekend it had been. But we also wanted very badly to get home for a hot shower and a lie down.
We had a big weekend. Two races with the ASCC on Saturday, a night sleeping over in Blackwattle Bay and then the final Balmain Winter series race on Sunday.
Blackwattle BaySaturday was ideal conditions with bright sunshine and northerly winds 10 - 15 knots - Cheshire Cat's favourite conditions. And the crew feels the same. We blitzed both starts leaving even Jo's 36ft Bavaria in our wake. She caught us both times eventually but we finished within a minute of her both times which is pretty amazing. In race 2 we passed her on the run with ease. But upwind she is faster, and points a bit better as well. It was fun to be so close and so competitive and even better to find out selves so close to a boat that was bigger, newer and one we would have though was a faster boat. Laine and Costa were sailing very close races behind us with only minutes between them.
After stopping off at Cobblers for very delicious mulled wine and some nibbles, and losing Terina to Jo's boat briefly, we headed for Blackwattle to rendezvous with Helen and Deirdre coming by car and Charlie and Ange in their boat. With the two boats secured to the public pontoon, if not exactly legally (except that we were picking up and dropping off people as allowed) we had a very lovely BBQ dinner and way too much wine. After dinner Deirdre offered to take all the dishes back to her place and put them in the dishwasher which was a great relief to us all.
We went to bed very tired but hoping to be pumped for the big race on Sunday. That didn't go quite to plan as a few sore heads were had in the a.m. Julie's alarm went off around 6 which was a bit of a shock but we all went back to sleep til closer to 9am when Jenni started cooking bacon and eggs and hash browns. And it was another sunny morning so we ate on deck, still nicely tied up to the pontoon. Eventually a dog walker came and told us we weren't supposed to be there so long. Other than that no-one came near us or the pontoon until a couple of boys in a little yacht pulled up, picked up another couple of boys and cruised away.
And so did we, to collect Jen and Nicki from the Balmain Sailing Club ready for the race. As we were a bit early we picked up a rather skanky empty mooring. And just as well. There was a nasty looking black cloud headed our way. As it passed there was thunder, lightening, hail and 30+ knot winds. It was very close to the start of the race and next thing we knew the cancellation/postponement light came on at the club. The crew all disappeared below but I was worried that the mooring might not hold so stayed on deck with the motor running just in case.
As you can see from the Seabreeze graph (seabreeze.com.au) it passed as fast as it came and we hoisted the main sail, but cautiously with a reef in it, ready for the start. As the wind dropped away we realised we needed to shake out the reef. This made us slow off the start but was a good call. We had a great race, again close to some other boats which always makes it more interesting. A few big gusts around Goat Island, along with a ferry in the way, slowed us a bit. And with bigger winds we reefed the headsail a bit to keep some control. Even then we broached a couple of times but not too badly. And the boats around us got away from us.
We were last across the finish line and we weren't hopeful of a decent place. We dropped off the crew at the club with all the luggage and took Cheshire Cat to our mooring. By then the wind was back up to 20 knots and gusting more so it was a struggle to get secure. I couldn't see or hear what Jen and Jen were saying and stupidly came up to the mooring from the wrong side which made it even harder for them. But eventually we were sorted and I rowed ashore as penance.
Back at the club we were having a beer and a sausage as they read the results. As the other boats close to us in the point score were read out the tension was palpable. Again we thought they'd forgotten us. But no - we won! Again.
The blokes from Ambitious, who we passed and who retired to the bar instead of finishing the race (not very ambitious of them) were fulsome in praise of us all girl crew. Rather too fulsome in a couple of cases!
We were all exhausted but stoked at what a great weekend it had been. But we also wanted very badly to get home for a hot shower and a lie down.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Another First! Now it's serious
Last Sunday the wind was forecast at between 10 and 30 knots depending on which web site I looked at. But it was gorgeously sunny.
With Jenni on the helm and Julie, Terina, Nikki and I poised on the winches we made a great start and pointed perfectly to the first mark in Balls Head Bay. It is great to be among the fleet these days instead of bringing up the rear. We sped around the islands and off towards the bridge to round Goat Island. While expecting big gusts the wind didn't ever get much over 15 knots which suits Cheshire Cat just fine. We had the headsail furled a bit making the tacks easier right up til the run to Goat Island where we let out the full stretch giving us lots of power. As the wind still hadn't increased we left the heady out for the tack back up the harbour making it more work for the girls grinding but they did a fab job and kept us up ahead of Coppelia, Rogate and Umbakumba and just seconds behind Amon Re. The final stretch home was made in one tack. We were pleased but not expecting the final result. As the Commodore announced the results we thought they had left us out. But no - we were first again! Fabulous. And the sausage sizzle was free because it was Tommy's birthday! What more can a girl ask.
With Jenni on the helm and Julie, Terina, Nikki and I poised on the winches we made a great start and pointed perfectly to the first mark in Balls Head Bay. It is great to be among the fleet these days instead of bringing up the rear. We sped around the islands and off towards the bridge to round Goat Island. While expecting big gusts the wind didn't ever get much over 15 knots which suits Cheshire Cat just fine. We had the headsail furled a bit making the tacks easier right up til the run to Goat Island where we let out the full stretch giving us lots of power. As the wind still hadn't increased we left the heady out for the tack back up the harbour making it more work for the girls grinding but they did a fab job and kept us up ahead of Coppelia, Rogate and Umbakumba and just seconds behind Amon Re. The final stretch home was made in one tack. We were pleased but not expecting the final result. As the Commodore announced the results we thought they had left us out. But no - we were first again! Fabulous. And the sausage sizzle was free because it was Tommy's birthday! What more can a girl ask.
Monday, July 19, 2010
We drifted to 2nd!
Sunday's race started in no knots of wind and ended up with about 4 knots! We spent the first 20 minutes (although Dayna says it was 40 minutes) on the wrong side of the start line pointing in the wrong direction, unable to turn Cheshire Cat towards the first mark. The rest of the fleet were drifting away from us at about 0.5 knots. Eventually a stink boat wake helped us turn around and we were OFF! After creeping towards Birkenhead with the headsail flapping we decided to furl it for a while and let what little breeze there was fill the main. It worked and we started to close on the back of the fleet.
Meanwhile the dinghy sailors had started and they too were drifting slowly. We eventually caught up to Amon Re, Scylla and a couple of others. The committee boat had been ferrying beer and collecting bored crew for a while. Then they came past and said the race had been shortened! Like that was a surprise.
Determined to persevere when all around us were abandoning the race we managed to pass Rogate at the corner of Snapper Island and finally found a small breeze. The wind made us forget all about the beers we were about to open. It was quite exhilarating to be clocking 2.5 knots on the speed log and we finally felt we might actually finish within the 3 hour time limit! And we did, with about 10 minutes to spare.
When we got to the club they asked if we actually did the race! The cheek of them. It was because we had furled the heady. They thought we'd decided to quit! Never! And we came 2nd which was great.
Meanwhile the dinghy sailors had started and they too were drifting slowly. We eventually caught up to Amon Re, Scylla and a couple of others. The committee boat had been ferrying beer and collecting bored crew for a while. Then they came past and said the race had been shortened! Like that was a surprise.
Determined to persevere when all around us were abandoning the race we managed to pass Rogate at the corner of Snapper Island and finally found a small breeze. The wind made us forget all about the beers we were about to open. It was quite exhilarating to be clocking 2.5 knots on the speed log and we finally felt we might actually finish within the 3 hour time limit! And we did, with about 10 minutes to spare.
When we got to the club they asked if we actually did the race! The cheek of them. It was because we had furled the heady. They thought we'd decided to quit! Never! And we came 2nd which was great.
Monday, July 05, 2010
A DNF and a Win!
After a few very pleasant social sails where we just pottered out had lunch and came home Cheshire Cat is now back into racing having entered the Balmain winter series.
Julie says it's 10 months since she last raced. Her knee op had something to do with that.
So on Sunday 20th we gathered early with a plan to scrub the poor Cat who had been suffering from neglect and bad weather. But flat batteries kyboshed us getting round to Balmain Sailing Club for power and water. We still did a clean up and Alan Clarke jump started us from another battery. Thanks Alan. Lucky he was at the marina at the time.
We eventually chugged to the start line a little late and then with very light winds found ourselves on the wrong side of the line at the warning signal. That meant getting to the right side of the line, doing a 360 which we did with great skill! and starting. Given the lack of wind and the very grungy bottom we moved extremely slowly round the first leg of the course. It was a lovely day so we enjoyed ourselves. And it meant newcomer C Moore didn't have to work hard.
We were soon being lapped by the faster boats even though they too weren't going very fast. We finally approached the line in front of the club as the cut off time loomed. We didn't manage to finish even the short course! Only one boat finished (just a minute or so in front of us) the long course but results were taken from the short version. So we scored DNF.
Then on the 4th July, with new batteries and clean bottom, we set off, got to the start in time and even though I missed the warning signal we started close to the rest of the fleet. Then we started the chase. We eventually passed three other boats (Rogate, Copelia and Ambitious) by virtue of squeezing past the edge of Cockatoo Island when they all had to tack. And we held the advantage for the rest of the race, almost passing Umbakumba as well at Goat Island.
And so we won! That will bugger our handicap but we don't care. It was great to not be last for once. And the day was lovely, if a bit cold, and the sausage sizzle and beer at the club, plus the prize of a bottle of sparkling red, made it a great day.
Julie says it's 10 months since she last raced. Her knee op had something to do with that.
So on Sunday 20th we gathered early with a plan to scrub the poor Cat who had been suffering from neglect and bad weather. But flat batteries kyboshed us getting round to Balmain Sailing Club for power and water. We still did a clean up and Alan Clarke jump started us from another battery. Thanks Alan. Lucky he was at the marina at the time.
We eventually chugged to the start line a little late and then with very light winds found ourselves on the wrong side of the line at the warning signal. That meant getting to the right side of the line, doing a 360 which we did with great skill! and starting. Given the lack of wind and the very grungy bottom we moved extremely slowly round the first leg of the course. It was a lovely day so we enjoyed ourselves. And it meant newcomer C Moore didn't have to work hard.
We were soon being lapped by the faster boats even though they too weren't going very fast. We finally approached the line in front of the club as the cut off time loomed. We didn't manage to finish even the short course! Only one boat finished (just a minute or so in front of us) the long course but results were taken from the short version. So we scored DNF.
Then on the 4th July, with new batteries and clean bottom, we set off, got to the start in time and even though I missed the warning signal we started close to the rest of the fleet. Then we started the chase. We eventually passed three other boats (Rogate, Copelia and Ambitious) by virtue of squeezing past the edge of Cockatoo Island when they all had to tack. And we held the advantage for the rest of the race, almost passing Umbakumba as well at Goat Island.
And so we won! That will bugger our handicap but we don't care. It was great to not be last for once. And the day was lovely, if a bit cold, and the sausage sizzle and beer at the club, plus the prize of a bottle of sparkling red, made it a great day.
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