Our result last Wednesday was a thirteen place out of twenty one starters and I was happy with that result. There was really two races, one for the fleet that went for the freshening breeze on the north side of the harbour and one for the fleet that looked to avoid the tide on the south side. We beat the yachts on our side and the result was affected by the dying breeze. A dying breeze always favours the faster yachts in the division as they are home and dry before the breeze really dies. Yes I am happy that we beat Rainbow and Agrovation and Izzi and Trim across the line as these were the yachts we battled against on our side of the course.
Sunday’s West Harbour Winter Series was a similar experience only we added some extra elements of handicap. We did get a very good start and held our own to windward with the furling No 1 Genoa but we set the spinnaker from the lower halyard position when it could have gone from the masthead and when we dropped it we managed to get the rope on the furler wrapped around the base. What was surprising is that we lost not a lot of ground. With the new Passion X the lower halyard will be 350 mm higher than on Passion and the symmetric spinnaker will probable fly pretty well from the lower hoist.
Andrew Richardson from Lisdillon sent some nice photos of Passion taken at Port Stephens. The show the No 1 Genoa that we were using on Sunday and it is clear that the luff could be longer. There are also some good shots with the asymmetric spinnaker which looks strapped down a bit tight.

Passion at Port Stephens by Andrew Richardson

Is that spinnaker too tight?

Geoff on the helm at Port Stephens

We scored am improbable third place in the West Harbour Winter Series division 2 today. With a minimal crew we started with the anticipation of improving our handicap for the later races in the series. Off the start line it seemed that our expectations would be fulfilled. We were even more certain of a handicap improving result when we realized we had left the two big spinnakers on the dock. This was a serious seniors moment and one which left me anxious for the safety of the two spinnakers. We made do with the poled out headsail and it worked pretty well in the conditions. Most of the legs were either dead square or so tight that spinnakers were not a big advantage. The poled out headsail seemed to work much better than the assymetric spinnakers on the square legs. Consequently we had not lost a lot of time and had even gained on some Division 1 yachts that had trouble flying their assymetric spinnakers. The big move came around Goat Island where we have lots of practice on the GFS Twilight races. Here we skirted the becalmed fleet and passed all but the one that got away and finished half and hour ahead. We were kept honest by Red October in the hunt for second fastest and they did get us in the end when the breeze switched 90 degrees.
Most of the fleet in the Division 2 failed to finish or were left so far behind that our unfavorable handicap did not matter.
Just think how awesome we will be when we remember the spinnakers!!

The trip to Mexico for the Laser Masters Radial World Championships was a chance to escape from the approaching cool weather in Sydney I still have a warm glow from the experience of the sailing there and the venue would rank as one of the best I have sailed at. The closeness of the accommodation to the boat park, the quality of the food and the excellent sailing conditions all went together to make it a memorable event. It seemed that every day the breeze filled in at 1 pm local daylight saving time and we commented on being able to set the clock by the arrival of the breeze.
On Sydney Harbour today there was a pleasant warmth left over from our long summer but the breeze was anything but predictable. What breeze we had was a a small fraction of the forecast and it came from all directions. We made an excellent start on the boat end on a beam reach and managed to keep reaching up to the leaders every time the breeze faded. So fickle was the breeze in the middle ground that we passed some of the 1s fleet that had found their private zones of no wind.
We were in exceptionally good company at the top of the harbour in front of our regular competitors and alongside clubmate Agrovation but the reach back home proved to be more challenging.
Against the outgoing tide the 1 knot of wind was not helping us make much headway. We tried to pole out the genoa but the wind would not cooperate in strength or direction. We tried to poke it out to leeward but the breeze would have none of that but we found little gusts of South East breeze to keep moving back towards Steel Point. Just beyond the point the breeze switched to South West and came with some force to help us to the Rose Bay rounding mark. In the switch of the breeze Agrovation gained a few metres and went on to beat us over the line. We were left with a beat back to Point Piper to the shortened course finish at the rounding mark to record a third on handicap and a rare finish in front of the more fancied company in the fleet.

We had another memorable week at Port Stephens for the annual Sail Port Stephens regatta. This year we joined in the race from Newcastle to Port Stephens on the day before the regatta. This was our first Category 4 offshore race and the low seas and light conditions made it a very easy one. We pretty well matched a Beneteau 36.7 which is good benchmark for us but were well beaten by the Jeanneau Sunfast 37 with a huge overlapping genoa. The regatta proper started with the Commodores Cup and an offshore race around the three islands off Port Stephens. We were caught out by the fresh breeze and struggled with an oversize genoa. A reef in the main helped but we scored an own goal when we shook out the reef prematurely. The handicapper had some pity on us and as the breeze lightened for the next two races we scored a second and third for a fourth overall. The last race was a beat up the bay and a beat back as the breeze and tide changed in unison. In the smaller sub group of the Jeanneau yachts we were punished less by the first race result and won on a countback. That won for us our third bucket from Port Stephens and the three are stacked into the one shelf in the family room. The Port Stephens Regatta proper started on the Thursday with the first of two offshore races. Both were sailed in good conditions. In the first we were lucky to spot the fleet leaders becalmed and sail around them. The second was a long beat out and rewarded the yachts that has the courage to take the header all the way into the north side of the bay to escape the tide. We were not so courageous. The last race in the bay had a couple of triangles with a lot of spinnaker work. We picked the breeze on the first windward work but missed the big right shift from the approaching rain on the second. We carried the mighty asymmetric on the way home and mowed down the Sunfast 37 which carried only a large genoa on the leg. It was tight but a terrific leg made all the better by the leaders falling into a hole on the finish line. In the tight racing the handicappers achieved a good result as we were just 27 seconds out of third place overall. For the sake of 27 seconds we went from third to eighth in the regatta. The asymmetric spinnaker is working much better since we took it off the furler. The extra luff length without the top swivel and bottom furler drum and gear means the luff can be carried straighter.

Because three crew are going to Mexico for the Laser Masters Worlds we did a one day motor sail from Port Stephens back to Sydney. The breeze was too far south so we motor sailed with a double reefed main and entered Sydney Harbor at 8pm. Today there was enough sun to dry out the spinnakers on the back lawn and to appreciate how big is our awesome asymmetric kite.

Just the two of us on the way from Sydney to Newcastle

Running home after the last offshore race

Crew concentrating on the spinnaker set on the last offshore race

The awesome asymmetric out to dry. I knew that garden had to go.

The symmetric spinnaker struggles to cover the same area as the asymmetric

Three Sail Port Stephens buckets in four regattas neatly stacked in the bookcase.

Due to the light conditions the starters sent us out on the shortest possible course around Goat Island and back home. We made an aweful start. As we circled close to the start line we were trapped by a row of starboard tackers and after taking the last stern could not make the pin end mark. On tacking back to starboard we found Izzi was also trapped so at least we were in company with our rival for the point score. We both chased the fleet out of Humbug and found most of them becalmed in the lee of Greenwich Point. We both went wide and made up a few places by sailing the long but fast way around the point. Agrovation was in a class of its own ahead and to windward and in the only wind strong wind on the course. We went for tide free area around Long Nose and once there made good gains on the fleet. In a master stroke Kevin sent us short tacking back to Long Nose to stay out of the tide and we emerged in second place. Only French Connection made it around Long Nose close to us and by going lower made better progress towards Goat Island. Eventually a bit of breeze filtered westward and we gained speed to chase French Connection. Again at the Goat Island mark we hugged the shore to stay out of the tide and managed to sneak in front of French Connection. We had just enough breeze and just enough angle to clear the mark and head for the safety of the incoming tide on the way back to Humbug. French Connection never made the last five boat lengths to the mark. Five times they tried to round the make and five times the tide was stronger than the wind. We were in fact only the second Blue fleet yacht to round the mark. The tide was now carrying us at one knot back to Humbug while the breeze was varying from zero to two knots. Back in line with Long Nose we could see no yachts behind us except the few left on the course still trying to round Goat Island. One by one the engines came on as the skippers and crew realised they could not make the cut off time. By now the tide had peaked and there was no flow and no wind so with ten minutes to go we too took to the motor and dropped sails. As we motored through Humbug we found Agrovation short of the finish line by a distance we would normally travel in a few minutes. As we motored past they too were dropping sails. Ahead a loud cheer went up from the deck at GFS as the last yacht to finish crossed the line with fifteen seconds to spare. In all six out of sixty completed the course while everyone else was beaten by time and tide.

Tracks from 16th March twilight showing the tacking angles up to Goat Island

The fresh breeze suited our selection of the No 2 genoa last night and we made a good start following Agrovation on the beat to Cockatoo Island. Izzi and Worlds Apart were in hot pursuit and we lost and gained ground depending on who was on the lifting side of the course. We held them out for the work to Goat Island until we tacked away from Izzi and let them get to the port lifting tack first. By now the breeze had deserted us and in the light conditions it was hard to know if it was just an under canvassed boat or a second wrong move at the approach to Goat Island that let Worlds Apart through. From Goat Island it was a drift and in these conditions the heavy laminate on the No 2 genoa was too much for the breeze. Some breeze filled in from the South East and brought Gwhizz around Goat Island and into our rear view mirror. Eventually the breeze came down on us and we accelerated away from Gwhizz but Worlds Apart and Izzi were long gone. Much to our surprise we found Agrovation reaching back into Humbug after doing a extra tour of the river. The had been so far in front that they thought they were a black division boat. Try as we might we could not pass them and so finished with a fourth fastest and fifth on handicap. I had thought we would do better on handicap but a rain squall at the finish brought back the strong breeze and the tail of the fleet raced home. For the season points Izzi made up a lot of ground and with just two races to go it was good to see the handicap system give us a little more help for the next race. They also leapfrogged us on the most fastest times and are chasing Worlds Apart for the series. It will take a couple of great results to catch these two.

As I predicted last time I commented on the Blue fleet at Greenwich Flying Squadron, Izzi will be the one to beat in the overall series. We did it tonight by one place on fastest time and one place on handicap but it was a great battle all the way around the course. In similar conditions to last week we went for the bigger No 2 genoa and with a bit of fine tuning I was able to set the genoa cars a notch further forward for more drive down low.
From the start it was Agrovation, Izzi and Passion out in front. Both Agrovation and Izzi seem to reach faster than Passion but once on the wind after rounding Cockatoo Island we found the right gear to hit the lead. We avoided a tack to clear Long Nose and that gave is a little breathing space for the reach to Goat Island. We turned the navigation mark at Goat Island a nose in front of Agrovation but were restricted in our options by the fleet in front. In the end Agrovation got outside us and forced us higher than we would have liked into the lee of Goat Island where we sat waiting for breeze. Izzi made up ground and on the run back to Cockatoo they also passed us with their own private gust. From Cockatoo to Humbug we watched the gusts carefully and took the wind shifts as they came each time making up a few metres on Izzi and Agrovation. In the final tack for the finish we were going to tack under Izzi but they did now want us there and bore away to take our stern. We then tacked above them on starboard and held on until level with the finish line so we could tack in front for a second fastest time.
At the final rounding of Cockatoo Saoirse came right up on our transom but could not get through our wind shadow. We captured the freshening breeze around Cockatoo and headed for home while they waited another 12 minutes for breeze so we count ourselves very lucky on the night.

In the Twilight overall series our lead is being whittled away by the charging herd and now there are six yachts within seven points. Unless we can pull a rabbit out or the hat we are about to be dethroned. The most likely successor is Izzi who have scored second place in three of the last four races and only now the handicap system is throwing us a few crumbs.
I should not complain because we have beaten Gwhizz by a single place on handicap these last two races and still they have to give us a few seconds. A few seconds is all it will take if we keep having photo finishes with Gwhizz like Wednesday night. Neither crew knew who had won the tussle until our support staff presented a photo taken at the finish and that was how the official finishers saw it too.
Now we have not done a stellar job these past two weeks. The prior week we set the No 2 genoa and were under powered for the run around Schnapper and Spectacle Islands and over powered in the beat to Goat Island. The fleet split on the run down the Hunters Hill shore so it was hard to tell how much of the result was luck. This week we set the No 3 genoa which was more suited to our diminished crew numbers on the night. Surprising we managed a fourth fasted just holding out the back markers on the last run down around the lee of Cockatoo Island and overtaking Gwhizz on the finish line. There was very little tacking in this race so it was a test of who could keep their yacht moving with fewer round ups in the gust. In one gust we had a grandstand seat as a gust hit Jackpot just as she passed the barge in Snail Bay and there was not much room between the mast head instruments and the crane.
Saoirse is built for these conditions and reached away for a fasted time and the ever reliable Northshore 38 Izzi was second. The Northshore 38s are particularly good once they free up a bit and Wednesday’s race was about a good a conditions as they can get. Passion is not going to catch them in these conditions but perhaps the new one will.

The last race of February was around 18 knots and we set the No 2 genoa

The first race of March was around 20 knots but not much beating for our smaller No 3 jib

The warm night and light breeze tempted a large crowd to stay for the post race BBQ at the Greenwich Flying Squadron. Hopefully the pleasant atmosphere and good food made up for the disappointment of some of the crews who found themselves a few hundred metres short of the finish line when the breeze died. Indeed at 10 pm when I was putting Passion back on the mooring at Woolwich there was no detectable breeze.
Sitting on the start line like a Laser does not work for a 6,400 kg yacht and so we were passed by Gwhizz and Saoirse to leeward and Izzi to windward. While we made the tight reach into Humbug in good order once we turned for the broad reach to Cockatoo Island we were blanketed by the following fleet. In one of our least successful downwind legs we were passed by the whole fleet. Normally we would give Cockatoo Island a wide berth but the wind was still fresh and we had the full rig up so I chanced a line a little closer that usual and we were rewarded with a lift above the tail enders. Now we had an outgoing tide to help and after crossing tacks twice with French Connection we ended up on the right side of a lift which gave us a good gap. In front we had Tartan, Saoirse, Worlds Apart, Izzi and Gwhizz to catch and they were a long way in front.
In the beat around Goat Island we passed Tartan who stayed on our hip all the way back to Humbug. Worlds Apart with their distinctive large mainsail with the Jeanneau logo was not far ahead and Saoirse was in between. Izzi was up near Worlds Apart and finished ten seconds in front of her while G Whizz was out in front all alone. Luckily for us Saoirse and Tartan went too close in to Greenwich and slowed in the wind shadow. By the time they escaped from the windless zone we were well away and enough away to beat them on handicap. The rest of the fleet struggled home in dying breeze so the early finishers were the handicap winners on the night. For our troubles we collected the mandatory bottle of wind at the results presentation.

Light airs and an outgoing tide produce some good tacking angles.

Tonight was all about avoiding mistakes. The north east breeze was forecast to die out before a late southerly front so we set the large black genoa in anticipation that by the time we had run down the south side of Cockatoo Island the breeze would have abated. The sail selection worked to plan as we won the race out of Humbug. We were aided in no small part by Gwhizz going high under the Greenwich hill and carrying Worlds Apart and Agrovation with her. French Connection and Izzi went low as we did and we three emerged well in front of the pack. Izzi won the run down the south side of Cockatoo but only by a couple of boat lengths. She undid all her good work by taking the corner at Schnapper Island so close that she ran aground and we had to take avoiding action.
Izzi’s problem left us with a small gap to French Connection and with Saoirse stopping to assist Izzi there was one less close follower.
On the beat back to Goat Island French Connection got on the winning side of one shift to make up ground but then went off to the north while we played the shifts up the track.
From the approach to Goat Island all the way back to Greenwich Flying Squadron we had to contend with light shifty conditions. All the time we could see Worlds Apart making ground on us only to fall into the same quiet patch we had just traversed and so the lead widened again. As we crossed the line the southerly started to come through bringing the back markers through the fleet with speed so Gwhizz was a close second and Farrst Company made up a lot of ground to give her a handicap chance.

Respectable tacking angles on a quiet night

Our No 2 genoa started life as a cross cut flex kevlar laminate with taffeta on one side and we had some good races with it but I felt the flow migrated too far aft. We had the sail retro fitted with carbon strings and that has made it into a very stable shape sail which we use in over fifteen knots of breeze. Over the season I have progressively moved the genoa cars further forward and that has helped with more drive low down and more even streaming of the tell tales. The clew now hugs the deck and while the sail is only 35% overlap we seem to generate good speed with it. As the overlap is shorter we can tack faster and that was put to good use on Wednesday night.
We made a good start although Kevin said we could have fitted the whole Laser fleet between us and the line at the gun. Despite that we crossed the line with speed and made it first into Humbug. The last we saw of Jedi was Ray telling us the course before he took off for another fastest time. Worlds Apart powered over the top of us off Greenwich Yacht Club so we had to follow in their dirty air. On straight line speed Izzi was below and in front and French Connection above and behind but not for long. French Connection used the height to advantage approaching the navigation mark off Goat Island while the rest of us slowed pinching to avoid a tack. By avoiding the tack we passed Izzi and managed to stay in front for the night. Around Goat Island I sailed high enough to stop Izzi going over the top but Farrst Company sailed through to leeward and Worlds Apart and French Connection opened up a sizable lead. In the run back around Cockatoo Island we sailed low and slightly be the lee to keep clear air and were able to pass Farrst Company and keep Izzi at bay.
The work back to Humbug and the finish line was where the ability to tack the No 2 genoa was put to good use. With Kevin calling the shifts we tacked on the headers and made up the sizable lead that French Connection had established around Goat Island. At the same time we drew away from Izzi and Saoirse. Farrst Company had a little altercation and did a 720 which put paid to her handicap chances for the night and explains why she dropped so far behind. Agrovation will have a clean bottom next week and will be back in form.

The wind record at Sydney Airport for the evening of our twilight race

The words of our former Twilight Captain were true again on last Wednesday when the last placed yacht in one division was awarded a prize. If Mark had not been there would we have awarded the prize to the yacht that did not finish? Yes we too won a prize courtesy of better performing yachts whose crews did not return to the club for the most enjoyable BBQ.
The race was pretty uneventful in our division except that this week Izzi got the better of us on fastest time to push us back to fifth fastest. The results do not show this but will in time be corrected and Izzi may well jump to second on handicap for the night.
The black fleet had an interesting start with one yacht starting her motor to avoid a collision and then doing turns and restarting. I agree with the principle that yachts should be able to use motors to avoid collisions but the RRS require that we specify this in our sailing instructions (rule 42.3 (i). Oh well I did say it was social sailing.