What should our tactics be?

So how did you get on then Ellistine......

Well done, it is a nice feeling the first time you win a club series

Ellistine, thats fantastic news well done.

 

Its been great reading your posts over the last year, from buying your boat, to learning to race and askiing for tips on here.  Keep us posted on further progress, you are a great success story of our sport at grass roots level!

Excellent news, no blow by blow account?

I love reading stuff like that, what you did at the start and why, that sort of
thing..

Don't you just love this sport?

Originally posted by G.R.F. Excellent news, no blow by blow account? I love reading stuff like that, what you did at the start and why, that sort of thing.. Don't you just love this sport?

I did a write up last night and then managed to wipe it
earlier today during an edit

Just for you Grumpf I'll have another go;

Basically it was a bit blowy. At 24kts gusting 27 it was
aptly Y&Y Forum "Championship Wind" strength.

We had been talking in the car on the way to the club
about having a go at doing a 'safe' gybe where you let
the kite back onto the jib during the turn. With this in
mind we headed out early for a bit of practice.
Immediately we were screaming from the shore on one of
them beam reaches where there's so much spray you wished
you brought a snorkel.

After clearing the mored yachts we raised the kite, shot
off, decided it was now or never to throw in a gybe and
promptly turtled the damn thing. At that point the
decision was made "Good news dear, we wont be gybing this
evening".

After circling a couple of lads trying to right an upside
down Laser 2K that had ejected it's boom we made our way
to the start line.

As always the hardest bit of the race when it's windy is
staying upright in that bloomin back and forth stuff
while you wait for the OD to find the right flags. I was
convinced they were going to abort but eventually the
Asymmetric class flag was raised. 4 and a bit minutes
later we were approaching the line. The previous day the
asymm class captain had 'enlightened' me on starting
tactics by pushing us OCS. This time we started mid line
away from everybody else. I wasn't going to fall for it
again.

I had fully planned to choose the same side of the course
as the second place boat but once the hooter went and the
red mist descended all plans were forgotten and we
charged off on whatever course required the fewest
maneuvers.

Our first shock was when the class captain came blasting
past us in his 2K. Our immediate thought was "we're
screwed" but then we realised we were sailing a good 10
degree higher so we stuck with it.

Once we eventually found the top mark, and discovered we
had overshot it, we cracked off and steamed in on the
mark (on port) and was the first to arrive!

We had planned to wait and see if the other boats raised
their kites before raising ours. When a RS400 came
steaming past the order was sent to her up front to
unleash the fury.

At the gybe point we met the RS400 again but they were
struggling to maintain the same sort of speed with their
boat upside down. We dropped our kite and did a very
orderly tack around before hoisting again and making of
for the bottom mark.

The second windward leg was a good'n and with wifey fully
flat on the wire we were first to the top mark again.

This time at the gybe point things started to go a little
bit bad. We ran over the kite during the drop and whilst
yelling at the crew to keep pulling (how heavy can a kite
full of seawater be?) we somehow managed to gybe. I think
our 'sea anchor' actually helped our cause at the point.
Somehow the kite eventually popped up but at the same
time the jib sheets came untied and were now flapping a
long way forward of the forestay. We were now motoring
along on just the main with the crew stood on the bow
trying to grab the jib sheets. On her return to the
cockpit I got her to pass one to me so she could recleat
the other. Predictably I dropped it so off to the bow she
went again.

By the time we got the jib operational again we had
reached the bottom mark and amazingly only the RS400 had
got past us. Not so good was the fact that the kite
halyard was now the wrong side of the jib sheets so we
wouldn't be able to hoist it for the last downhill run.

At the top mark for the final time we were neck and neck
with the RS400 and all the boats that mattered were well
behind.

We started our two sail run to the bottom mark which
initially felt awful. Then I recalled grumpfs advice on
trimming to get yourself on a wave and then ride the
sucker. After a lot of shouting "forwards", "backwards"
we got into a rythm and had a right hoot surfing the
waves (Cheers Grumpf).

We rounded the bottom mark for the last time and headed
for the line. The RS400 got there 30 seconds before we
did but importantly the RS200 that was second to us in
the series was a good couple of minutes back!

We won the race on handicap and very nearly on the water
too!

On the way back in it was decided unanimously to dump the
car in the carpark and have a few celebratory ciders.

Job done! Our first series win in our first season of
racing.


Unfortunately we now can't take part in the clubs Novice
Race on Saturday. Ah well

Rotomoulding. It's the future you know!

Edited by ellistine