Thursday, March 20, 2008

Some eye candy

I haven't got any pictures of this year's regatta yet so here are three of a brilliant start last year. That's Gavin, Dee and me in the foreground in MMM. A little hiking and away we go!



It's nice to have the significant others on board from time to time. Here's Helen

and Mally with Haitham

Here's Laine's new boat Quest at the Harbour Party
and Laurie's Sampinguita

Costa and the cops

And here's the two Cunard queens passing each other at Fort Denison. The QE2 at the back at least looks like a ship. The Queen Victoria looks like a block of flats.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

ASCC Races

We've done two ASCC races this year and no Balmain ones, mainly cos of the demands of Mardi Gras, and the desire for some casual sailing and picnic lunches. The first one was on February 24th when we raced against Quest, Laine's new boat, Antares and someone else who I forget. On board were me, Julie, Mally and Karina. We had a nice race and later found out we came 2nd.

Cheshire Cat at anchor

Then we went off to Farm Cove where we dropped Karina at the Opera House and collected Helen and Haitham. Back on anchor beside the Mardi Gras Harbour Party we met a woman from another boat who swam up for a chat. Quest was also nearby and Antares came soon after having dropped Tony home. Two police boats started circling Antares but eventually left them in peace. Laurie also arrived in Sampinguita (sp?).

Helen and me on the foredeck

A gorgeous lunch followed plus a little dancing to the disco music. Then we saw a big orange funnel moving along the tree line above Mrs Macquarie's Chair. The Queens were on the move.

As the Queen Victoria backed out of Circular Quay, the Queen Elizabeth 2 was steaming out from Garden Island. They passed either side of Fort Denison while we had a fabulous view of the whole thing. Heaps of helicopters overhead and lots of boats watching.

After a little more dancing we got sick of Wayne's new boat Far Out bumping in to us as he had anchored too close and decided to head home. Wayne is parked too close

It was a school night after all.

The next race was on Sunday 16th when Julie, Terina and Lea came with me. We raced against Antares, Quest, Leapfrog and Alcyone. A big turnout for the ASCC.

Tacking before the start

We had an OK start in Taylor Bay after having got to the line too soon and having to tack.



But we sailed to Lady Bay, back to Rushcutter's Bay back towards Watson's Bay and a finish in Taylor Bay. This time we came 4th of 5 boats. Not so good. Then a lovely lunch in Athol Bay before heading home.

Crossing the start ahead of Antares


Next is Broken Bay!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

ASCC Regatta

I sailed again with Gavin and Dee in the ASCC regatta. It was another terrific day. The regatta always (touch wood) seems to have good weather. This year was with spinnakers. I was a bit anxious because I had only ever flown a spinnaker once and that was years ago on Sisterhood, my previous boat. But Gavin and Dee came up Friday so we could have a practise in the afternoon and Jenni Bonnitcha, star that she is, lent us one of the Elliotts for a couple of hours while her girl trainees also had a session training for the Marineassess regatta.

So I was feeling much more confident by Saturday mroning. A little bruised but not completely scared. Dee was still recovering from a broken wrist so while she did the jib and flew retrieved the spinnaker I did traveller and put the pole out. Mostly it went really well. There were only four boats which was very disappointing, but one of them was skippered by Dale our rival from last year with Paul White, a UK sailor and president or whatever of Glory - the International Gay Sailing Organisation, and Neil Cosser, Vice Commodore and all round good sailor of big boats and Topknot. The other two teams were Jenny Handley - skipper with Kelly and Pat and Chris - skipper with Robert and our Mally, thrown in at the last minute after Scott had a migrane and couldn't sail.

We had a continual battle with Dale's team and Jenny and Chris were also very closely matched. And we all had a fab time. Mally couldn't take the smile off his face!

Our team won four races and came third in fourth race. That was a shock. It was one of those times when every shift went against us and in Dale's favour. To have Jenny's team also beat us across the line given they were not using a spinnaker shows just how badly the shifts hurt us. But it certainly inspried us for the last race.

In the last leg of the last race Gavin said jibe the spinnaker but not the main. I just looked at him! We hadn't practised that and I had no idea how to approach it. What side of the mast should I go, how do I make it work without falling overboard. Anyway then he said don't worry, it's fine, and we crosed the line first again. So my gobsmackedness didn't matter. That's the good thing about Gavin, he doesn' shout and he can compensate for my incompetence. I suspect if we do this again that will be the first thing we practise!