Sunday 31 May 2009

Second by 9 seconds.

Remembered the video camera for the Hugh Rose Trophy out to St Aldhelm's and back. It was a long beat short tacking up the beautiful jurassic coast. Started of with the lapper and tack changed to the genoa just before the Arish Mell buoy. Bear away set at the St Aldhelm's ledge buoy and a gybe somewhere inshore. Had a horrible wrap on the gybe (my fault) but managed to get out of it by pinging the guy clip and bringing the spi back to the deck before re-hoisting. Top boat speed about 7.8 knots I think.

Lovely weather and a good race. We sorted out that squeak on the tiller!

Friday 29 May 2009

Thursday 5/6

Damn, forgot to take any photos again! Short handed for the race; Dave, Steve and I to start off with but we got Neil transferred from Sapphire as they had 9 - nice of them and he was really good. A nice race in light airs and lovely weather but the dying breeze got us as Sapphire and the two Sigmas finished in stronger breeze.

Port tack start and a beat up the right hand side to "O" saw us cross in front of Sapphire - brilliant! Kept getting caught up with Folio - but that's another story.

I'll try and get some photos and video footage tomorrow on the race down to St Aldhelm's head.

Tuesday 26 May 2009

A pot at last!

After two years of receiving the Alacrity (!) Cup at the WSC prizegiving and nothing last year, I'm pleased to say that Farr Out won the Spring long distance race yesterday. Something to collect in January is really going to be great, you never know we might collect some others along the way.

It was just Stu, Tracy and myself with Stu driving in a very light airs race that at one time saw us in irons after failing to complete a tack. Dogged persistance worked for us though and we managed to catch the new breeze to catch up with the boats in front: the MGC27 Folio and the Dufour 34 Foxed Again. Handicap gave us the win.

I scrubbed the bottom of the boat by diving on the mooring just prior to the race in brilliant sunshine. The water wasn't very cold at all and the mullet had done a good job of cleaning the keel already.

A great sail and kinda made up for not being able to go offshore for the bank holiday weekend.

Friday 22 May 2009

Thursday 4/6 - third but not a lot in it


No Stephen for this thursday evening race. A nice 14-17 knots from about 230. Flew the Owen Sails Medium No. 1 with full main and the all-white kite. All the crew seemed to be taking it in turns to convince Darren to store the pole on the boom, it worked..

We got spun out by Sapphire on the start which I thought was a bit much but I suppose that's the game and maybe we're more of a threat than we were. Steve Fraser was driving - we'd have been better to port tack start in a fleet of 5 boats and get clear air on the right because that was the favoured side of the beat.

Anyway 3rd WSC handicap and 3rd IRC. Still in second in the series.

A photo of Steve and Stu on the day we went to see Farr Out in Ardrossan marina.

Monday 18 May 2009

Southerly Gale

I'd been looking forward to the YCW Shambles race all week. The race is out to the east Shambles buoy over to Arish Mell and back again, we were representing WSC in the Rear Admirals's cup series and all in all it deserved some effort.

However the God's were not kind and the race was canned due to the southerly blow that we were having on Saturday. It galls me not to continue racing because of some wind, after all yachts need wind to go fast, but I suppose it's better to sit on your backside in the club than loose the rig and put everybody in danger.

Some of the competitors took a drive to Portland Bill and evidently the seas were pretty huge. I think the gusts topped out at 40.7 knots, strong enough but the sea state is also pretty bad usually in that direction.

Steve and I took the opportunity to finish fitting the jackstays and one of the safety eyes as well as fitting the correct cleats for the kicker now that they'd arrived.

Friday 15 May 2009

Another Drifter - Thursday 1 series race 3

Last night's race was again in no wind. A good start at the pin end with Hooligan OCS above us. Windward mark was I with no wind from about 230. We stayed left even when Snow Goose had tacked in. The zephyrs we were chasing disappeared with breeze filling in from the right (!) towards the end of the race at the windward mark after about 40 mins. Second on handicap. Happy enough with the result and really, really, love our new Raymarine analogue wind instrument.

Team Farr Out are going to name sponsor one of WSC's new optimists http://www.weysailclub.org.uk/, getting it ready for Millie and then Sam. We're gonna call her "Giggles Too" after our last boat the GK24 Chuckles Too and her comedy tender Giggles. Nice name for a kids' boat we think

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Second to La Salmo

Saturday series @ WSC. A really enjoyable race round the cans and a brief moment of glory as Iduna (X332) went the wrong way and we were out in front. La Salmo deservedly got the win on handicap, but we'll take the second. I particularly enjoyed the slam-dunk on Folio (MGC27)!

http://www.weysailclub.org.uk/content/view/298/151/

Snap!


Last thursday evening's race was an adrenaline rush... flying downwind we performed a spectacular broach and snapped the carbon pole on the windward shroud. Maybe should've changed to the ally pole in close to 30 knots, but then again.......

Early Season

I moved Farr Out into the cove at Weymouth Harbour yesterday due to the forecast easterly gale which is the only direction that gives us concern about where we're moored. It was a difficult job getting off the fore and aft mooring in an already lumpy harbour.