The Etchells, IODs, and 105s were having their Nationals, whilst we were “Last Blast”ing - and it’s been many years since we’ve seen that many boats on a Saturday. Seven 24’s turned out for the last race before our Nationals - a good opportunity to tune up.

Skippers frantically sought the changed course card - which was fortunate as Jay Hooper, Race Officer, had found every available inflatable mark and then left them strewn over the Great Sound. There were reds, greens, yellows and oranges. The other boats were finishing their second race when we arrived, and then there was a delay whilst the Race Committee did what they do best - subtly rearranged everything whilst the sailors muttered abuse. Finally we were into a sequence for course 3 - up, left, down, up, down, up, down, left, or any variation thereof.

With the breeze from the south being stable, it was a day of boat speed, and playing the small shifts. On Sadiiqi, we were running a sailing course for our 2 new crew - one of whom had never stepped on a boat before, the other was the only Kiwi never to have sailed (we suspect prison). As Kiwis are used to being abused and ostracised, he went on the bow, and did a splendid job, or for those skippers looking for crew for next season, he was hopeless so don’t bother. We spend the day in the middle of the fray, close to the boats that decided to fly jibs, even though the breeze was low-mid teens. The jib boats did ok, though it was painful to have them reach across your bow all the time - “pointing like a broken finger” as Craig says.

In the third race, Jezebel tacked just after the start line, in what appeared to be a very bold ducking move with Solaise close to weather. The resounding crash meant that it was unlikely a well laid plan was going well, and two crew swimming from Jezebel indicated that all wasn’t well on board. It was only a matter of time before Gavin’s crew started swimming for it, or so we thought. It transpired that Gavin had lost the stick rather than the plot, an autotack into Solaise and a dunking for the crew then followed. Solaise had crushed gellcoat, a small hole, or is written off depending on the point of view, Jezebel’s front bumper was bent and will need boat clinic before next week.

Results - still not made it to the RBYC website, so no idea of the order of play. New Wave, Siren and Gripper were toward the front, but no horizon jobs today.

No one hit a mark on the way back in - that’s a first for a while.

Nationals documents available.

• Notice of Race
• Sailing Instructions
• Entry

Please advise crew that weigh in and registration will be at RBYC as per NOR. Boat entry is $50 - please bring cash or cheque.

Crew membership is required for those boats not in the boat membership scheme.

A light breeze from the NW, clear skies, and no humidity - joy! The forecast was SW going W, but that was flawed so what would the day bring, and can I have a job as a weather forecaster (with expectations so low, how can you fail?). Ross was RC for the day, and set a short beat and got flags and an asthmatic horn in action - 3 laps and we’re off. Sadiiqi had a stellar start at the boat end and headed right in a good shift. Siren and Solaise led the chase pack, but it was all over by the first windward mark - Sadiiqi had a large lead and the course was now skewed so passing lanes were slim. New Wave slowly clawed back boat by boat, and took second ahead of Siren.
Race 2 and more 3 lappers - the course remained skewed, so it was a drag race up and a drag race back. Erin led off the line and just kept going and going and going…. New Wave again was chasing through the fleet, and took second ahead of a consistent Siren in third. On Jezebell Gavin had been thrown off the helm and Jodi was now driving to yells of “you go girl!”.
Race three and oh dear - three reaching laps (marks still not moved). Siren had now figured out the course and flew off the line and tousled with Erin round and round, to take the bullet. After Erin was a consistent New Wave for third.
Great racing despite the skewed course, lots of action at the marks, and tight finishes.
On the way home Erin joined the ranks of Moxie and New Wave in creating the cathedral bell sound of a J hitting a navigation mark square on - Mark “45″ now has a blue line on it. A slightly deaf Erin crew were found in the bar afterwards - well they seemed deaf as I asked them to buy me a beer…..

The Race Committee, led by Jay Hooper, dusted off some old courses to add variety to Saturday racing. The team littered the Great Sound with marks, and soon guns and flags started race 1. Breeze was NE (ish) with big shifts as all easterlies seem to have. First race New Wave led off to the right with Gripper leading the lefties. Boats that didn’t peel right soon paid the price - New Wave led at the top of the course chased by Sadiiqi and Solaise. After several laps of shifty 10 knot breeze the top three were New Wave, Sadiiqi then Solaise. A pause whilst marks were moved, though to the untrained eye they seemed to be i the same place. Crews spent the time warming up in the sun - it was a bit of a chill day with water temp now in the low 70’s, and a wind coming from Iceland (or is that IMFland now?).

Race 2 was an Olympic course - triangle then sausage. All I remember is that going left off the start was a really bad idea. Top mark in last and then fought way beck to 4th. Gripper and New Wave were first 2 though not sure which way round. Solaise owned 3rd place for the day.

Last race was now three laps with a windward finish. This time on Sadiiqi we wanted to go right, and that was the way to go! After 1 lap Solaise led from Sadiiqi with New Wave clawing back to 3rd following a poor start. At the first leeward mark Solaise led, but shortly tacked away leaving Sadiiqi and New Wave to head to the favoured right. Solaise shortly came back, but lost the lead at that time. The 3rd upwind had Sadiiqi to the right of New Wave heading up the course, with Solaise tucked a bit further back. A major shift let Sadiiqi make the mark, whilst the trailing boats needed 2 tacks - game over for first at that point. The final circuit had a great fight between Solaise and New Wave with Solaise leading the way. Just shy of the windward finish Solaise crossed New Wave rather than tack on her, and in the final shifts of the day New Wave finished ahead.