The Summer series at Greenwich Flying Squadron twilight races is a separate series that does not count towards the overall season result. Under these circumstances it is easier to be charitable to our fellow sailors when then luff above head to wind and tack on top of you on the line. Meanwhile the fleet disappears around Onion Point as we struggle to build up enough speed for the rudder to work. No one it seems bothered to take a penalty for a collision to leeward so indeed it must be social sailing. It is surprising how fast the back of the fleet can sail especially when they are on the right side of a few large wind shifts. I discovered this when we had to tack onto port at the line of moored yacht near the Woolwich marina. To avoid the following parade of starboard tackers we had to go the long way around back where we came from and away from the big lift along the Hunters Hill shore. The tracks from the chartplotter show the zig zag progress on the first leg up the Hunter Hill shore compared to the straight line on the second time around. To add to our woes for the evening we experienced a 20 degree header just as we cleared Long Nose point on the way to Goat Island.

Contrasting windward works up the Hunters Hill shore line

By Goat Island we had worked up into the tail of the fleet and were just ahead of French Connection and still in contact with Farrst Company and Izzi. We did quite well on the reach and run back to Cockatoo Island and did our normal wide sweep of the wind shadow in the lee of the island. To our surprise the competitors who took the inside running kept breeze the whole way around so we hardened up at the tail of the fleet again. That was the end of the unexpected wind patterns for the evening. Our work up Humbug was efficient so that by the finish we had put Izzi, Fast Company and French Connection behind us and some order seemed to have been restored in our sailing universe. We had in the finish only a minute and a half deficit on Worlds Apart and were in turn a similar amount of time in front of Izzi. While nothing could save us from a second last on handicap the fourth fastest was some consolation considering the adversities of the evening. A lot went right on the day. I had spent a good morning working on the new build and still found time to pick up some parts for Passion and do a repair to the head. The evening on the deck at GFS was enjoyed by a large crowd in very pleasant weather and the trip back to the mooring after the raft up was in very light conditions. We were very fortunate with the weather as the conditions the following day would have made sailing and the function impossible.

Strong winds on Thursday would have made sailing difficult

Passion is loaded up for the transfer to Lake Macquarie for the Australian Laser National Championships. There is a suitable weather window on Tuesday 22nd which should provide gentle beam reaching conditions to Swansea. Some of the tasks that had to be completed in preparation for the trip include;
Replacing the gimbal pivots on the Eno oven.
Buying a new set of flares that are in date.
Splicing a new 46 metre length of nylon rope to the 23 metres of 10 mm chain so that we can anchor at the finish line without having to put the rope to chain splice through the windlass.
Fitting the spray dodger and bimini.
Loading with water and fuel.
I still have to replace the pin in the hinges from the cockpit table that broke at Port Stephens last April but need some sharper drill bits to complete the task and the element in the water heater needs to be replaced if I want a hot shower without running the motor. Aside from these non essential items we are ready to roll.

The rope to chain splice that will run through the windlass if required. The 23 metres of chain should be enough for most conditions on Lake Macquarie

A fresh set of Cat 4 flares ready for Port Stephens in April and to be off shore compliant.

The team at Greenwich Flying Squadron are counting their blessings after the storms and damaging winds abated in time for the Christmas twilight race and BBQ. After the race we dined in the area normally occupied by racks of Sabots but the club was cleared of all movable items to make room for 200 members and guests inside and another 100 on the deck.

Passion’s crew dining in the Sabot storage area at the GFS Christmas party.

Another angle on the Passion crew dining at the GFS Christmas party.

On the water not one of the red division completed the course within the time limit as there was not enough wind for the smaller yachts. In our Blue division race we tempted fate on the start line with scarcely a breath of air behind us and an outgoing tide. Two of the fleet were on course side and only one bothered to return. Agrovation figured that by the time they beat back into no breeze against the tide the whole fleet would be long gone. By going on they at least had a chance to see what result they might have achieved. In the end they did beat us across the line courtesy of a lift on their side of Humbug but we knew they were OCS and were keeping a cover on Worlds Apart. So from the start we took the outside bend with stronger tide and more pressure but even then there were holes and with the breeze from behind we were often blanketed. Such was the case when Gwhizz and Worlds Apart came through and carried on with momentum. Up to then we had been following Jedi and considering ourselves to be fortunate to be so close. From that point Jedi disappeared from our radar as we focused on catching Gwhizz and Worlds Apart. With much advice from the two Laser skippers on the cabin holding the pole and boom out we steered deep away from Greenwich and were rewarded with better wind and a quick recovery into second place. We went so wide that I feared we would not make the big red navigation mark on the corner of Goat Island but we did it well. For once the run around Goat Island went well for us and as we hardened up for the beat home we had caught up to the White division and our friends in Capriole. It was almost as important to beat Capriole home as it was to stay in front of Worlds Apart so we followed her moves pretty closely. Against a tide that was approaching the top we made good angles up to Long Nose point and then took a lift just as we needed to tack away. Once around we were still chasing Capriole and had a Young 88 for company. We went below the Young 88 and to my surprise we soon pulled ahead and lifted up to her line. In these light conditions it is unusual for Passion to pass a Young 88 so I took a photo as a reminder.

Did Passion really pass a Young 88?

Humbug was frustrating as the tracks show as we needed to tack away from lifts at the line of moored yachts. Fortunately Worlds Apart was on the same line and while they were catching us we felt we had enough up our sleeve to make the finish. The long race time wise meant that the back markers had larger handicaps so I was pleased that we pipped Farrst Company by a fraction of a minute for second on handicap. Needless to say we were miles behind Jedi and they won on handicap by a big margin. The festivities after were enjoyed by all but it was a long night and the wrist watch pipped the midnight signal as I was disembarking from Passion at Woolwich.

The GFS choir helping us get into the Christmas spirit

Wednesday’s twilight race at Greenwich Flying Squadron was a short sprint around Cockatoo and Goat Islands followed be a long wait for the approaching thunderstorm. The forecast suggested a big genoa but the wind on the water was significantly stronger so we opted for a conservative No 2 genoa and powering up the mainsail in the lulls.
From the start we managed to protect our leeward position to reach Humbug ahead of the pack. As usual as soon as we rounded Onion Point we were blanketed by the fleet behind but on this occasion we were able to gybe to starboard and keep clear air along the Woolwich shore. Luckily for us the fleet went high up into the wind shadow of Greenwich while we did a big arc to arrive at Cockatoo Island behind Izzi. Saoirse was alongside us on the run down the Cockatoo shore and Agrovation was running up to us with gusts from behind the fleet.
We kept as wide of the Cockatoo Island wind shadow as Saoirse to leeward would permit and managed to hook into the fresh wind ahead. By this time Izzi had a good lead and one which she kept extending all night.
By Goat Island Worlds Apart had an inside overlap and we had to let her through and follow her home.
Our elapsed time was not helped by an unfavorable knock at the corner of Cockatoo Island on the work to Goat and on the finish line where we needed two tacks to make the finish mark. The third place over the line and fifth on handicap was a good result for the conditions considering our handicap which is just marginally behind Worlds Apart at the front of the fleet.

Avanti made a late charge and was rewarded with  a second on handicap with Izzi the clear winner on the night.

The BBQ on the deck was a pleasant affair for those who finished their meal before the thunderstorm. While the rain was brief it was heavy and that brought the evening to an early close.

For me it was a successful day as I was able to free up the bolts on the oven in preparation for replacing the gimbal pivots. Once I knew that the oven could be pulled apart I was able to schedule a visit to our favorite stainless steel fabricator to weld in new gimbal pivots. That task was completed today, Friday, in most pleasant conditions by motoring around to North Sydney, lifting the oven out, having the gimbal pivots replaced and reinstalling the oven. On the way out we had a good look at the remodeled Wild Oats XI and on the way back observed the exclusion zone being readied for the extreme sailing event. Back at Woolwich the temperature had climbed to 38 degrees C and the wind picked up from the West well in excess of the forecast. Back home it was still 36 degrees C and time for an afternoon nap before a couple of hours of sanding and painting on the new build.

Good tacking angles to Cockatoo but on the wrong side of the shift approaching Goat Island

This week we got the start just right being on starboard tack on the windward edge of the fleet. Agrovation tacked across the fleet on port and back onto starboard just ahead of us but then stalled allowing us to pull up alongside and to windward. As we approached Onion Point Agrovation wanted to pinch us out and luffed as high as they could go. With our small closely sheeted genoa and full main we were able to match their height but once they were headed and their genoa backed we were out of there. They could not tack on top of us and with the header they were stalled holding up the whole fleet to leeward. We tacked away much earlier that we would have liked but the prospect of Agrovation involuntary tacking onto port with the big header was too much of a risk and we did have the benefit of the lift. By sheer luck we shaved Onion Point at mid tide and just hung outside the line of moored yachts along the Woolwich shore. Looking back we could see the fleet becalmed in Humbug and we counted our good fortune to have scrambled away.
While we had a big break on the fleet we were sailing with our smallest headsail and the wind was easing from the 25 knots earlier in the day so we took no chanced and tacked to cover any changes in the breeze.
Out tacks to Cockatoo Island were pretty impressive and it does show the advantage of a small jib in shifty conditions. Behind we could see Irukandji had broken away from the pack and was giving chase. Their chance came on the approach to Goat Island where we were caught on the wrong side of two shifts. Our tacks here look as bad as our earlier ones look good and it was here that Irukandji made up all the lost ground. From there we had little hope of holding this longer lighter faster yacht on the reaches and runs home.
We were rewarded with a second fastest by a good margin over Worlds Apart and a first on handicap to seal our spring series win. A series equal third on fastest times was also appreciated in such company as Irukandji, Jedi and Worlds Apart.
Ron put our improved performance down to the 200 kg of lead we removed from the hull after the RANSA series. I am inclined to agree as we have managed to keep Passion moving in the big breezes without the lead and any weight saving is good for the light airs. The other factor in last nights good performance was the new forestay. Joe Walsh replaced the forestay we damaged last week and set up the rigging the way he likes it. This is with less mast prebend and hence a fuller main which suited us in the lighter conditions. We made good us of the backstay to flatten the main in the gusts when needed so I think we will leave the rig a little looser from now on.

After a relatively quiet Spring series it was good to get a fresh breeze and zip around a longer course. For the race the wind varies between 15 knots to a short peak of 30 knots and Passion with a clean bottom, the small No 3 jib and a full mainsail handled the conditions well.
Ignoring the problems with the Genoa halyard we started to leeward of the fleet and just reached Humbug first. Saoirse soon ran over the top of us but then proceeded to take the fleet up into the lee of Greenwich leaving us alone on a course out the middle in breeze. That got us to Cockatoo Island first but we soon had the fleet blanketing us from behind and closing quickly. Saoirse and Irukandji out a little wider came out first but we held off the rest of the fleet. On the wind we were having a good duel with these two and managed to stay close for much longer than expected. The green men on Saoirse seemed to be sailing better than usual but to be fair the conditions suite her non overlapping headsail.
By Goat Island Saoirse had a lead over Irukandji and us on Passion that would hold to the finish line. For a short time on the run from Goat back around Cockatoo Island we carried a 30 knot gust down and looked to make up ground only to lose a similar amount as we negotiated the large fleet of early starters rounding Cockatoo for the beat home.
Out third place on time and second on handicap was all we expected and enough to put us in the lead for the series.
Frank recorded the tracks on his phone and they show we enjoyed some very good tacking angles against an incoming tide.
After the race it was time to go up the mast and unwrap the genoa halyard from the forestay. I think I will enjoy not having a furler on the new boat as it will save eight kilos of weight eight metres up in the air or the equivalent of 32 kilos extra lead on the bottom of the keel.

The yellow tracks are from Wednesday 25th Nov and show good angles in a fresh breeze.

We made a poor choice of which side or the fleet to sail and suffered when the breeze freshened from the North ahead of the later Southerly change. We were stuck out in the tide in little wind and going nowhere fast. Most of the fleet sought the northern side and worked along the Hunters Hill shore in stronger breeze, a better angle and less tide. We had some company with Tartan, Tashtego and Saoirse on our side and it was only a shore hugging move along Cockatoo Island that allowed us to pass these three. The run down the South side of Cockatoo to Long Nose point and the reach to Goat Island were contrasts. The run was in fading air with the genoa poled out while the last part of the reach to Goat was in a strong Southerly change. Anticipating the change we were well to windward of French Connection and managed to catch her at the bear away around Goat. It was not a pretty sight seeing yacht of all size rounding up in the gusts. The Beneteau 40.7 Fireball from the black fleet kept us entertained and apprehensive as the gybed and rounded up in front of us. In this confusion French Connection and Tartan regained the lead over us and our own several moments of round up let them escape for the time being.
Ahead the fleet had run out of breeze on the entry to Humbug so now was our chance to make up time. Running deep into Humbug we tried to go for Onion Point but the overlap from the Green Division Tana kept us above our desired line and later they blanked us on the run to the line. Ahead we could see Gwhizz, who had been well in front of us for most of the race, being overtaken by Tartan while we were lucky to hold our French Connection who was taking our wind from behind.
Irukandji and Jedi were officially first and second over the line while Worlds Apart and Faarst Company were missed in the melee at the finish.
Our handicap place of seventh will move out to ninth once these two are included in the results.

Against the tide with little wind is not a good look

A strong run out tide makes for good tacking angles

In the wet conditions we opted for a conservative No 2 genoa for the twilight race. In the light conditions in Humbug we were at the back of the pack and watched Worlds Apart and Irukandji lead out around Cockatoo Island. We gained a few places around Cockatoo Island by poling out the genoa and at the turn to go to Goat Island we were on the tail of Gwhizz.
The rig we set proved very effective to windward out in the fresher breeze and it seemed that we just needed a favourable shift to pick up Worlds Apart. The tracks show we did well but the outgoing tide plus run off from the rain were big contributors to the good angles.
On the run around Goat Island Izzi had a good run and made up ground while on the reach back to Humbug we carried the wind up to Worlds Apart. Going into Humbug we were three deep but Worlds Apart had her nose in front and worked into the freshening breeze first to take second over the line to Irukandji. We were happy to be third over the line and hold out the fast finishing Izzi.
On handicap we won by just over a minute which puts us second in the series just one point behind Worlds Apart.

Gusty conditions provided plenty of exercise for our small crew on Wednesday night and despite muscle stain no one left the field.
Ever since we managed to keep Passion moving in 20 knots with the tri radial carbon fibre genoa in one of the RANSA Winter Wednesday races I have been more confident to set it in conditions when we might have set a No 2 in the past. The extra sail power comes in handy in the many wind shadows on the course and in the gusts the flogging main does not seem to slow us too much.
At the start our plan to start on Port at the windward end was thwarted by the starboard tack Tartan. It was a good plan and we were well positioned when Tartan alone tried to take the fleet. Unfortunately their move was not well executed and all they achieved was to push us off the line and to the back of the fleet. We were heading to Goat Island and by good luck or good sailing we managed to clear Long Nose Point on port while many of the fleet had to tack away. As they tacked away we took all the sterns and picked up half the fleet in one move. It was a similar story at Goat Island where we worked the boat hard to avoid a tack and again it paid off to bring us up to the transom of Izzi and Agrovation.

On the broad reach back from Goat to Cockatoo Irukandji and Jedi cleared out while we had a close match with Agrovation. Worlds Apart poled out their Genoa for a while but had to run deep to keep it flying. Izzi tried to keep her genoa poled out too but it was so far around the forestay she did not gain from it. We did well with the genoa to leeward particularly as the breeze headed us along the Cockatoo shore. At the turn we took the inside line and with plenty of breeze about the wind shadow was our least concern. On the work from Cockatoo to Humbug Worlds Apart seemed overpowered and could not clear Clarkes Point. We had Izzi to windward, a ferry to the stern and the port tacking Worlds Apart to contend with. There were plenty of port and starboard crossings on the way through Humbug and we almost cleared Onion Point but to expect three out of three was too much so we tacked away and had to tack back onto starboard below Worlds Apart. We crossed the finish line overlapped which in my book was an excellent result. Izzi and Agrovation were close behind.

On the chart I have marked this weeks tack into Humbug in red and you can see how we lifted into Onion Point. last weeks we tacked out of Humbug and I have marked that track in green. We were not so lucky last week with the shifts in Humbug but got our luck back this week.

A big thanks to the crew for their hard work on the night.

Tacking through Humbug

We did have a good start and were first over the start line and did lead for a little until the wind shifts in Humbug did not suit our position. Still we got away well and the full wardrobe we set was ideal for the evening. We were a bit over canvassed in the gusts but used the area to advantage as the wind faded into the evening.
Over the line we were well beaten by a new J88 and a Nothrshore 369 but not disgraced. Worlds Apart our regular rival and Izzi our Winter Wednesday foe managed to finish in front but our fifth over the line was enough to secure a equal third on handicap.
The evening on the deck at GFS proved to be much more pleasant than the day and those who stayed for the BBQ enjoyed fine conditions and fine food.

The last race of the RANSA Winter Series was almost identical to the previous week with perhaps a little more breeze. The six yachts that places from third to eighth finished within a minute of each other and unfortunately we were the eighth.
The first leg was a reach to the heads followed by a reach back to Steel Point. After a very good start the faster yachts progressively sailed over the top or by the lee but we managed to hold out Rainbow at the turn. On the work back to Steel Point we sailed a higher course and in the fresh conditions risked going close into the point. With that one move we overtook Enigma and looked to have prospects for a good handicap place. Unfortunately I focused too much on staying in front of Rainbow and did not appreciate what a large knock we, Rainbow and Enigma took over on the Shark Island side of the course. Had we tacked on the first header into Rose Bay we might have finished much higher up the order.
We had a tight contest with Rainbow all the way around Shark Island and managed to time our tack to the turning mark to perfection to open up a small lead. We needed all of this lead to manage the broad reach to the finish line in dying conditions. Meanwhile Enigma who had been tucked away well behind made up enough ground on the broad reach much as she did last week to pip us on handicap.
The light breeze on the run to the finish did not help our handicap prospects as the faster yachts were already home in fresher conditions.
Despite the modest result we enjoyed the afternoon and celebrated the end of the season with a glass of bubbly.

The title is a bit of an exaggeration as we did have to tack around a couple of marks as well but out on the course there was just one tack to make the Rose Bay mark and one tack around Shark Island. Apart from that it was a beam reach up and a single board back to Steel Point.

Tracks from our two tack race today

We generally do better relative to the fleet with a square run and a work but today we were powered up close to the top of the wind range for the carbon tri radial genoa and managed a fifth place on handicap.
I have not yet seen the times for today’s race but from the series results shown on RANSA’s web site our position was fifth just behind Enigma, Izzi, Trim and Mercedes IV who was first.
This result moves us up one place in the series to fifth overall just ahead of Rainbow and looking at the scores a fifth is the best we can do with one race to go.
What more can we ask for but a beautiful spring day on the water and finishing in the top half of the fleet.

At 9 am at home it was cold and overcast but by the time we hit the start line the sun was out warming the day. Motoring through Humbug on the way to the start line we spotted our seal enjoying the high tide in the harbour and this time captured him on camera.

A seal in Humbug enjoying the Spring weather.

The north east breeze kicked in as we motored to the line ensuring a good windward work to the top mark. We set the carbon tri radial genoa as we seem to be able to carry her into higher wind strengths successfully and enjoyed a work where we crossed tacks with our competitors, Izzi, Fidelis and Viva on several occasions. The strong outgoing tide always makes for complimentary tracks on the chartplotter but we did try to take advantage of the lifts and knocks and seemed to to quite well compared to our usual position.

Complimentary tracks with an outgoing tide

The run back to Steel Point was very square and the rhumb line kept us out in the tide. Perhaps we should have jybed away for a clean line of breeze away from Ichi Bahn, Viva and Izzi and less tide but we hung on on Starboard gybe until the point at which time Izzi crossed behind and went above. Up front in Rose Bay the fleet was tight reaching to the mark while we were still running square in the same direction. Izzi to windward got the strengthening header jumped ahead. Around Rose Bay we were reaching to Point Piper with the fleet not far in front and feeling pretty happy with our position. Agrovation had a nice new set of sail on board and had been well ahead but here she was retiring from the race after an unfortunate collision. Rainbow who had been late off the line was still well behind and we had Enigma and Viva covered. It was fortunate that we were so well up at this stage because the breeze began to fade so we were coming home in lighter breeze than the front markers. Viva was very notable punished by the dying breeze and Enigma and Rainbow not helped at all.

Across the line we were happy with the result expecting to see Mercedes do well as they sailed well in the fresh breeze off the start line. On handicap we tied for third with Larrikin with Mercedes first and Amante second so it was a great first race of Spring.

A slower race today meant that the handicap times expanded out enough for us to finish sixth in a fleet of thirteen yachts. I had expected to beat Enigma, Viva and Britannia who were behind or in close company on much tougher handicaps but I never imagined we would be at the front of a group of six boats all within 90 seconds on handicap.
The race started in quiet conditions not at all like the forecast. In the seven to ten knots we were surprised to see the big blue hulled caravan Viva matching us on the reach to the heads. This was doubly unfortunate as she blanketed us for most of the reach and rounded in front. Rainbow went high for clear air and while she was well above the course it seemed to pay off. Izzi, the same design was stuck below us and Viva and did not get away until she also decided to go to windward for clear air.
The work back was a long beat to Steel Point. We tacked on one knock and back on the next to be above the fleet and while that looked good for a while the fleet in front lifted above our line so we came our about line ball with our starting position at the Rose Bay turn but just sneaking around in front of Viva.
On the work to Point Piper for the turn around Shark Island we picked up Britannia and Enigma who were caught with a big header as they approached the mark. Britannia got away but we kept Enigma and Viva at bay to the finish.
The tight beat to the finish was not all beer and skittles as we had a No 2 division yacht right in front. She was too big for us to go to leeward and too quick for us to pass to windward so she slowed our finish. I was blaming this yacht for our demise until I saw the handicap results. Rainbow the fifth placed yacht on handicap was so far in front I doubt we could have beaten her even with the interference we were suffering so now I can stop muttering.