The two races were being run by Hebe Haven Yacht Club, as part of their regular club racing. The particular difficulty with this series is that all fleets start at the same time, which means anything from 25ft (i.e. us) to over fifty are looking for the same part of the start line. This wasn't my first experience of it, but it was my first attempt at a good start in such a fleet. Unfortunately, it defined the races for us.
The first race was a two lap windward/leward race. I started somewhere in the middle of the line, but was a little late pulling the trigger so was quickly buried by some bigger/faster boats, and struggling to get clear air. So we tacked off to the right hand side of the course.
Saturday's tides and wind in Port Shelter. With apologies to GoogleMaps.
Unfortunately, this meant we were in tide for much longer than those that went hard left. They punched through the tide (and also got a little more pressure) so rounded a little way ahead of us. We were sixth out of eight, and it stayed like that!
Race two, and I had a spectacularly bad start. We decided that the only way to get to the favoured left hand side was to win the pin. I know, kind of arrogant for only my second start in a fleet of 40 yachts! There were two of us out there, both with the same idea. The other was the eventual winner (Black Magic) so at least it was the right place! I was a little early for the start, luffed a little, slowed too much, and was suddenly below the layline. Right - time for a quick tack. Tack - oh bugger, now I'm on port with three forty foot yachts bearing down on me. I tack back, failing to complete in time and hence fouling Avantgarde. Then I ran into the pin.
Time to disentangle myself from the anchor chain and do some turns! We managed to gain one place in the race, but ended with a seventh.
However, far from being a total tale of woe, there were lots of good points. One was my crew - it was pretty top notch, with Ollie, an ex- 18ft skiff sailor, being the new addition. Secondly, downwind speed was good, and once we'd made the first mistake with the tide we were generally going in the right direction at the right times. It was a shame that once we realised that it became a procession - there was really only one way to go (upwind and down) and therefore very few passing lanes. The other great point was that there were 8 Magics sailing, with two to three regulars still on the dock. Hopefully that will continue next season.
Same again in two weeks time. I have a similar crew, so here's hoping that I discover some starting skill in the meantime!
good job man, with a skiff 18 sailor on board, sure sure you'll love your boat sooner... is there any girl too?? the trick to win in hk water so far for magic... if you can feel it yet...
ReplyDeleterounding pin end buoy not exact a news...
trawling the pinbuoy anchoring line will be even messier...
trawling upwind mark anchoring line will be the whole world arrowing boat...
please beware in hk tide & current together can be real strong (even as big deep sea as Lamma), those anchor line could be in a big 45 degree underneath the sea that your 25 footer or some 45footer (of which i witness before) can trawl the mark & moving the mark together 360 or even 720...
for the tide of hk waglan (open sea at hk most east) at 17 july 10, tide was starting 2.30pm to ebb till 7.30pm. so in portshelter at least half to 1 hr delay tide effect... from hko.gov.hk
so your grey arrows should be flat at first race (kind of changing at the tide peak), & reversed 180deg when 2nd race start... but the key is which side more stronger for your boat to follow the tide both up & downwind only... correct?? did i confusing you even more??
good experience you unentangling your boat in your first racing day, sure you can imagine if it's a big one like us, it'll take triple longer time to do the same action... basically same result for instant retirement before real start, almost can forget the real race.
comparing to your 25ft sporty one, mine old 37ft suppose to be racey one even worst. at least you're racing with your same class same size same rating 7 others to target at...
first race our start was messed by another magic who up & push us to sail through the 'fish-ball' & com boat... & yes... of course they got their right of the world to do, but their so much smaller jib & main up too high & stop their boat to move too… so they’re too close to comboat (which sure blocked their wind too)...right before last 5 second... what a slower boat they started comparing with your class other 7 ones...
good tactics depends on different view. all they originally need is to punch in the startline in high speed, sure off they could have got even better wind & speed to compete... our boat never could block none their wind, but sailing into their astern dirty water instead...
means so so late we crossed the start line, so we tack into right side of the upwind course, there we lost to hard left boats... just like your case... sure we all knew we lost the race.
4 impalas around us all the time caused so much differences in our results from all other seasons. their windshadowing up & downwind, more team work my bilingual crew need to work on…
2nd race we're fine but never perfect as there was a 52footer punching through our windward side at our start. even after first race, my bilingual team started to concentrate & working a bit better... yet yet so hard on the water we beat 3 impalas with only 1 impala finishing in front of us... we lost to the last impalas in results... a 9 foot smaller boat... time to dig more to fix at our boat, should be better maybe next year summer instead...
how will your boat name change into?? & how is this name Shenanigans come from?? cheerscy