Friday, May 12, 2006

Mad Dogs and ASCC members

Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun but some ASCC members go out racing when the predicted winds are 20 to 30 knots. In our defence the forecast was that the winds would strengthen later in the afternoon and we expected to finish by 2pm or thereabouts.

Cheshire Cat started a bit late after making sure we knew how to reef the main and making sure all the lines were accessible and untangled.

After a comfortable sail from Towlers to Bradley’s Head we were walloped with strong winds coming out of Neutral Bay. We watched lots of other boats struggling and broaching as we rounded Fort Dennison and managed to avoid gybing for the run down to Rose Bay.

Rose Bay proved to be particularly difficult as the wind, gusting to 37 knots, funnelled straight across the harbour, knocking boats sideways and whipping the seas into a nasty froth and bubble. After rounding the Rose Bay mark several of the lugs holding the main in the mast snapped and we decided to call it quits. Turning on the motor and dropping the main we thanked Hughey (the first one not the second) for lazy jacks. Furling the jib proved a little more difficult as the sheets had wrapped themselves into a huge knot which aimed squarely at the heads of the brave crew. Finally all was secured and we motored home all the way being run down by Balmain yachts still sailing in the three island race.

We didn’t see Top Knot’s mast fall or Leap Frog run almost aground but we did see Alcyone, Jenny Handley and Kelly’s new boat, drop sails and turn on their motor just off Point Piper. I don’t think I have ever been so glad to get back onto the mooring where we had a cleansing ale and some lunch before an eventful row to shore. Thanks to two boys in a zodiak who were enjoying the conditions and looking for some fun we were towed to the Balmain Sailing Club after efforts to row into the wind to the pontoon near the Dawn Fraser Pool proved completely fruitless.

Unfortunately we were all too busy to take photos.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Racing in a Gale

Sunday's ASCC race was held amid gusts over 40 knots. We did almost no damage but others in the race had a broken mast and a minor grounding amongst the damage. Only one of the 6 starters finished and that was the biggest boat. See Leap Frog's post for more detail and a wind graph for the day.