autumn series race 4 - surf's up

Library photo. I wasn't getting my phone out in those conditions!

The forecast was getting worrying and the bay delivered. 30 knot gusts and upto 36 knots at one point. The southerly wind gave us some big waves and FarrOut loves to play in big waves.

When we left the mooring we could already see that it was rough out there so we had the number 4 on the deck and screwed a reef in as we hoisted the mainsail. You could see the wind coming over the stone pier and we were ready for it as RWH and then Draig were clattered by big gusts.

Sailing around pre-start was hard work in itself and there were more boats out there than actually made it to the start line. The Corby 29 Foxed 2 went back in with set-up issues, Draig ripped their mainsail taking a reef amongst others.

One that made the line was the X99 Excalibur and with no reefing points in the main, they didn't have that option. Up by the windward mark (F) they were knocked down by a big wave and it was incredible to see their keel right out of the water. After this I think the gybes down wind might have been a little too much and they headed back in.

FarrOut was loving it though and we surfed downwind (12.7 knots top speed). I'd had the forethought to de-rig the spinnaker gear so it didn't get in the way and so we wouldn't be tempted....only a fool would have hoisted in those conditions ;)

We were short this week, just Steve, Adam, Alice and I so we got Alice to do mainsheet which I think was an experience for her.

Our last beat was dreadful and I was whinging at Steve who was driving, we didn't realise until near the end that the port side rub rail was hanging off in the water, a proper sea anchor! By the end of the race it was completely detached and lashed to the side.

So a couple of things to fix but an exhilirating ride and well done to Andy Gaunt and his team for setting an achievable course in a southerly gale and staying out there on the commitee boat!

We were fourth... Rattler was joint second with Scoline. I loved see Rattler surfing off after Crystal Voyager and overtaking at speed, brilliant.

Autumn Series Race 3

The forecast was for very light airs for this race so we went with five crew rather than our usual six. As it happened the breeze wasn't as bad as we thought and although light in places we were able to sail quite well.

Another "on the money" start for FarrOut. That's two consecutive weeks of good starts in a fleet where as the slowest boat that should be more difficult, this week with only Draig threatening us to leeward.

The RO had set a triangle sausage course with a laid wing mark. Unfortunately the shifted breeze in between laying this mark and us getting to the windward mark made it too deep for the asymmetric kite choice meaning that we had to sail angles to get there. This probably lost us places in the end, however on the "by the lee" sausage leg we were gaining ground quite nicely on the two Sigma 33s Scoline and Snowgoose.

Again an acceptable performance from FarrOut in this Autumn series IRC fleet. Kind of weird that there's some really fast boats sailing in the PY fleet due to a lack of IRC certs. Hopefully this will be amended for the spring series.

Autumn Series Race 2 - Plenty of wind

Really enjoyed the race on sunday, especially the 10.1 knots of boat speed as we planed our way to Overcombe. FarrOut was fifth but they were well sailed boats (and a lot of money!) in front of us. You can only do what you can do....one of the best starts of the season, we were off the line in front - it didn't last long though.

Nice to have Darren back after his back injury, only to have Adam damage his back and not be able to make the race.

Frustratingly No Wind

Alice, Stephen and Adam in the sunshine

God I hate no wind days. Some people might relish the opportunity to test how good a sailor they are by spotting little whisps of air in the distance and perfecting sail trim, me I'm too grumpy for that and just hate it, I just wanna thrash around at high speed.

But that was sunday's start to the YCW autumn series, no wind accompanied by a searing sun. Our start was pretty good and we knew which way to go but the lack of a genoa in our sail inventory as well as going hunting for wind that didn't appear was the death knell for the short, fat laser 28. All the boat trim, not using the rudder and twisted sails couldn't make up for the malaise both physically and spititually that we were in as we watched all the faster boats in the IRC fleet and even the PY fleet sail away from us.

You could say that we should concentrate harder on our light airs performance.....I say go fishing or water skiing on a day like sunday, that was no weather for sailors!.....yeah we were last.