Sunday, November 16, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
BOOST
Todays race was the funest races I have sailed in for a long time!
The 15/20 knot SE set most of the fleet including us up with the little rig with us knowing that ours is pretty quick in a straight line and therefore feeling confident. With Sammy and Bill Walker along with Pete, Kate and kyles mate (our photographer) out on the spectator ferry the pressure was on us to sail well and get a good result.
After a general recall which enabled us to line up and test our speed. We were certainly quick and ready to nail the start and first work.
We decided to rack up middle of the line towards the pin as the left hand side up to Nelsons point was where we wanted to be and where we thought the race to the top mark would be won.
Our start was clean and we were smoking along with Active Air above us and Pure Blonde below.
At the top mark we rounded in third position, however everyone was very close together.
The first spiniker run was a smoker! Where we flu down the harbour to the bottom mark. Unfortunately it all came unstuck when we went for the gybe drop gybe around the bottom mark in some serious pressure, I stuffed up the turn and we put it in the drink.
Not to worry cause five other boats had done the same!
Once we got it up we were a little bit angry with a few heated words but we got on with the job and started our fight back along with Active Air who were the leaders and had also put it in the drink.
By the end of the race after sailing really well we finished 9th which isn't to bad but it would of been good to see what we could of done if we had of kept it upright.
Anyway our little rig with the fine tunning we have done to it is a ripper along with our little yellow spin, so we are really enjoying the fresh conditions and hopefully from now on we can keep getting results in the top ten.
Thanks heaps to Sam and Bill and everyone one else who came and watched I think it made us sail heaps better.
Remember to watch Sail Cam TV for all the footage of the race.
The 15/20 knot SE set most of the fleet including us up with the little rig with us knowing that ours is pretty quick in a straight line and therefore feeling confident. With Sammy and Bill Walker along with Pete, Kate and kyles mate (our photographer) out on the spectator ferry the pressure was on us to sail well and get a good result.
After a general recall which enabled us to line up and test our speed. We were certainly quick and ready to nail the start and first work.
We decided to rack up middle of the line towards the pin as the left hand side up to Nelsons point was where we wanted to be and where we thought the race to the top mark would be won.
Our start was clean and we were smoking along with Active Air above us and Pure Blonde below.
At the top mark we rounded in third position, however everyone was very close together.
The first spiniker run was a smoker! Where we flu down the harbour to the bottom mark. Unfortunately it all came unstuck when we went for the gybe drop gybe around the bottom mark in some serious pressure, I stuffed up the turn and we put it in the drink.
Not to worry cause five other boats had done the same!
Once we got it up we were a little bit angry with a few heated words but we got on with the job and started our fight back along with Active Air who were the leaders and had also put it in the drink.
By the end of the race after sailing really well we finished 9th which isn't to bad but it would of been good to see what we could of done if we had of kept it upright.
Anyway our little rig with the fine tunning we have done to it is a ripper along with our little yellow spin, so we are really enjoying the fresh conditions and hopefully from now on we can keep getting results in the top ten.
Thanks heaps to Sam and Bill and everyone one else who came and watched I think it made us sail heaps better.
Remember to watch Sail Cam TV for all the footage of the race.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Any Publicity Is Good Publicity !
Yes! It was the day where Gooby and I were supposed to prove ourselves as capable young sailors, that our reputation till yesterday had portrayed us!
With the pressure on after Greig and Benny's performance last weekend, Iain Kyle and I were taking in every word of wisdom given from Greig before leaving the beach for the 4 lap E/SE 5 to 10 knot race right in the middle of the harbour. The sun was shining the cameras were rolling and we were ready.
after an ordinary start and a bit of a struggle up the first beat we rounded a crowded top mark with the whole fleet in about 10th position.
Gaining one boat on the first down wind a comment was made by Gooby that "This is our race boys" Meaning that in the shifty and patchy conditions there were massive gains and losses that could be made or lost and if we played it smart we could really do well.
Up the second work we got our heads out of the boat and simply sailed towards pressure and always on the lifting take which took us to the top right hand side of the course screaming in to the top mark on starboard in a top 10 position.
Once again the top mark was heavily crowded. On approach, there was good pressure on the inside and with Therlow Fisher Lawyers advanced and below us. A gybe set decission was called.
As we rounded the mark Therlow Fisher decided to gybe set aswell. As soon as I saw them turning I made the decission to push our boat through the gybe a little harder to try and get us above Them on the exit of gybe set. This turned out to be a manouver that was to much for us to handle and we ended up in the drink. My thoughts on why we capsized are....
1. trying to gybe set when the boat was going to slow and far to loaded up
2. Pushing it to high on the exit to try and be above another boat
3. Crew work
4. Communication and decission making
The Alternatives ( From Dave's perspective)
1. We could of done a safe straight set. But I thought it was the wrong way to go.
2. We could of done a slower gybe set and been stuck behind or below Therlow Fisher Lawyers and potentially rolled by another boat
The argument is that maybe it was smarter to take one of the two options above and try and make gains at different parts of the race. However we are racing and when faced with such a situation to either take shit for a while and play it safe or go hard and have a real go at it. At that moment my mind was all about racing rather then being conservative, especially in the light conditions.
In heindsight of course we would take option 1 or 2 because the rest of the race after the capsize was sailed really well and we pulled back from second last all the way up to 15th passing 7 boats in the last lap and a half.
However if we had the time and opportunity to put some training hours in. I'm sure a simple manouver like a tight gybe set would be easy.
All this drama made for a fantastic photo that was today posted with a short article in the Daily Telegraph and even though the boat might be on its way to being up side down with gooby launching himself over the wing and myself clining on with frustration. I follow the statement of Dick Smith that "Any Publicity is Good Publicity"
Lets hope Clive agrees!!!! :)
Oh boy! this 18ft stuff is sure a challenge but we are having fun and one day I'm hoping that it will come together for us. ;)
With the pressure on after Greig and Benny's performance last weekend, Iain Kyle and I were taking in every word of wisdom given from Greig before leaving the beach for the 4 lap E/SE 5 to 10 knot race right in the middle of the harbour. The sun was shining the cameras were rolling and we were ready.
after an ordinary start and a bit of a struggle up the first beat we rounded a crowded top mark with the whole fleet in about 10th position.
Gaining one boat on the first down wind a comment was made by Gooby that "This is our race boys" Meaning that in the shifty and patchy conditions there were massive gains and losses that could be made or lost and if we played it smart we could really do well.
Up the second work we got our heads out of the boat and simply sailed towards pressure and always on the lifting take which took us to the top right hand side of the course screaming in to the top mark on starboard in a top 10 position.
Once again the top mark was heavily crowded. On approach, there was good pressure on the inside and with Therlow Fisher Lawyers advanced and below us. A gybe set decission was called.
As we rounded the mark Therlow Fisher decided to gybe set aswell. As soon as I saw them turning I made the decission to push our boat through the gybe a little harder to try and get us above Them on the exit of gybe set. This turned out to be a manouver that was to much for us to handle and we ended up in the drink. My thoughts on why we capsized are....
1. trying to gybe set when the boat was going to slow and far to loaded up
2. Pushing it to high on the exit to try and be above another boat
3. Crew work
4. Communication and decission making
The Alternatives ( From Dave's perspective)
1. We could of done a safe straight set. But I thought it was the wrong way to go.
2. We could of done a slower gybe set and been stuck behind or below Therlow Fisher Lawyers and potentially rolled by another boat
The argument is that maybe it was smarter to take one of the two options above and try and make gains at different parts of the race. However we are racing and when faced with such a situation to either take shit for a while and play it safe or go hard and have a real go at it. At that moment my mind was all about racing rather then being conservative, especially in the light conditions.
In heindsight of course we would take option 1 or 2 because the rest of the race after the capsize was sailed really well and we pulled back from second last all the way up to 15th passing 7 boats in the last lap and a half.
However if we had the time and opportunity to put some training hours in. I'm sure a simple manouver like a tight gybe set would be easy.
All this drama made for a fantastic photo that was today posted with a short article in the Daily Telegraph and even though the boat might be on its way to being up side down with gooby launching himself over the wing and myself clining on with frustration. I follow the statement of Dick Smith that "Any Publicity is Good Publicity"
Lets hope Clive agrees!!!! :)
Oh boy! this 18ft stuff is sure a challenge but we are having fun and one day I'm hoping that it will come together for us. ;)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
SUPER SUB
Yep!!! We may not hav got the early results we wanted this season but we sure got it right when it came to picking a skipper and sheet hand to fill in for Iain and I!!!!! Creig and Benny were CST's Super Subs on sunday sailing an amazing race which saw them in the lead for the first two laps until an unfortunate capsize that was all Kyles fault hahahaha (Kidding Kyle you're alright).
A 6th place at the end of the race was the best result of the season and Gooby and I are certainly going to have to lift our game and get some results on the board if we we want to keep our spots on the team, our reputations in tact and Clive "MR CST" happy.
All the footage of the race is on www.sailcam.tv/
With only a little bit of boat work to do things should be right for this Sunday and We are hoping it is fresh so that we can get our speedy little rig up and have a good race.
Start is at 2:30 and I want to see some more supporters down there to cheer us on!!!! Come out on the ferry for the afternoon, experience the harbour, the racing, make a bet, enjoy a drink, fun time and cheer us on!!!!!!
A 6th place at the end of the race was the best result of the season and Gooby and I are certainly going to have to lift our game and get some results on the board if we we want to keep our spots on the team, our reputations in tact and Clive "MR CST" happy.
All the footage of the race is on www.sailcam.tv/
With only a little bit of boat work to do things should be right for this Sunday and We are hoping it is fresh so that we can get our speedy little rig up and have a good race.
Start is at 2:30 and I want to see some more supporters down there to cheer us on!!!! Come out on the ferry for the afternoon, experience the harbour, the racing, make a bet, enjoy a drink, fun time and cheer us on!!!!!!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
MICK SKULLY TROPHY
18ft Skiffs
Mick Scully Trophy
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Sydney Harbour
Yet another North-East wind (the fourth from as many races) greeted the 23-boat fleet for the Mick Scully Trophy 3-buoys race on Sydney Harbour today.
For the former Australian champion Micah Lane and the Macquarie Real Estate crew of Paul Schulz and Niall Kinch it was a great result for the newly formed team.
Macquarie Real Estate took line honours by 33secs from James Francis’ Pure Blonde while Thurlow Fisher, skippered by 18ft skiff rookie Bruce Savage, was a further 1min 24secs back in third place.
Early honours went to the David O’Connor skippered CST Composites which led the fleet to the first windward set of buoys.(It was Really Graig and Benny!!!)
The boats rounding the red (nearest) buoy totally dominated as CST Composites was followed by Macquarie Real Estate, Pure Blonde, Thurlow Fisher and Omega Smeg 2 (Ian Henderson).
This group maintained their advantage downwind to the wing mark where CST had increased her lead over Macquarie, Pure Blonde, Thurlow Fisher, Omega Smeg 2 and Panasonic 2 , sailed by Andy Budgen and his Project Racing Team from the UK.
This group had opened up a good break over the next group which was headed by Active Air-2UE (Matthew Searle) and Kinder Caring Home Nursing (Brett Van Munster).
CST continued to lead to the bottom mark and held off the Macquarie Real Estate challenge on the second windward leg.
While CST Composites was first to set an extra, the 3-buoys handicapping system turned this around as Macquarie took advantage of the red buoy while CST had to go to the blue on this lap of the course.
There was still little between this pair and Pure Blonde at the end of the long spinnaker run back to the bottom mark.
The three teams approached the mark with little between them but CST’s hopes were dashed as the skiff capsized as she attempted to round the mark.
Macquarie Real Estate held off the Pure Blonde challenge to the final set of windward marks and headed for home with a 20secs lead.
Lane and his team eased this out to the final 33secs margin at the finish.
Omega Smeg, skippered by Daniel Phillips, finished fourth, ahead of the UK Project Racing Team (sailing a borrowed Panasonic 2 skiff until their own skiff clears Customs) and the early leader CST Composites.
For father and son John Winning (Yandoo) and John Winning Jr. (appliancesonline) it was a race they will probably both prefer to forget.
The pair, along with Cameron Mc Donald’s Club Marine lost all hope when they tangled at the start.
Each lost several minutes with Yandoo capsizing during the incident.
Race 1 of the NSW Championship will be sailed next Sunday.
Today’s result sheet is attached and photographs will be published on www.18footers.com.au.
Mick Scully Trophy
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Sydney Harbour
Yet another North-East wind (the fourth from as many races) greeted the 23-boat fleet for the Mick Scully Trophy 3-buoys race on Sydney Harbour today.
For the former Australian champion Micah Lane and the Macquarie Real Estate crew of Paul Schulz and Niall Kinch it was a great result for the newly formed team.
Macquarie Real Estate took line honours by 33secs from James Francis’ Pure Blonde while Thurlow Fisher, skippered by 18ft skiff rookie Bruce Savage, was a further 1min 24secs back in third place.
Early honours went to the David O’Connor skippered CST Composites which led the fleet to the first windward set of buoys.(It was Really Graig and Benny!!!)
The boats rounding the red (nearest) buoy totally dominated as CST Composites was followed by Macquarie Real Estate, Pure Blonde, Thurlow Fisher and Omega Smeg 2 (Ian Henderson).
This group maintained their advantage downwind to the wing mark where CST had increased her lead over Macquarie, Pure Blonde, Thurlow Fisher, Omega Smeg 2 and Panasonic 2 , sailed by Andy Budgen and his Project Racing Team from the UK.
This group had opened up a good break over the next group which was headed by Active Air-2UE (Matthew Searle) and Kinder Caring Home Nursing (Brett Van Munster).
CST continued to lead to the bottom mark and held off the Macquarie Real Estate challenge on the second windward leg.
While CST Composites was first to set an extra, the 3-buoys handicapping system turned this around as Macquarie took advantage of the red buoy while CST had to go to the blue on this lap of the course.
There was still little between this pair and Pure Blonde at the end of the long spinnaker run back to the bottom mark.
The three teams approached the mark with little between them but CST’s hopes were dashed as the skiff capsized as she attempted to round the mark.
Macquarie Real Estate held off the Pure Blonde challenge to the final set of windward marks and headed for home with a 20secs lead.
Lane and his team eased this out to the final 33secs margin at the finish.
Omega Smeg, skippered by Daniel Phillips, finished fourth, ahead of the UK Project Racing Team (sailing a borrowed Panasonic 2 skiff until their own skiff clears Customs) and the early leader CST Composites.
For father and son John Winning (Yandoo) and John Winning Jr. (appliancesonline) it was a race they will probably both prefer to forget.
The pair, along with Cameron Mc Donald’s Club Marine lost all hope when they tangled at the start.
Each lost several minutes with Yandoo capsizing during the incident.
Race 1 of the NSW Championship will be sailed next Sunday.
Today’s result sheet is attached and photographs will be published on www.18footers.com.au.
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