Our small loyal crew of four enjoyed a quiet but entertaining afternoon chasing wisps of wind around the west harbour. The breeze was true to forecast at around three to seven knots with some very big shifts to reward those who went the right way. In our case the right was was to keep Passion moving and we succeeded on several occasions by going lower and faster to the new breeze. The highlight of the day was setting the big red white and blue spinnaker for the legs back from Goat Island to the shortened course finish at Cockatoo Island and in the process holding our the Adams 10 Boxer.
Early in the race we were hindered at the start but once away we started to catch the rear of the yellow fleet and were well amongst it after the run down the south side of Cockatoo Island. The downside from the hampered start was the leaders of the blue fleet catching us and giving us more than our fair share of wind shadow on the square run behind Schnpper and Spectacle Islands but to our delight we managed to round just in front of most of them and promptly worked away with some good lines up the north side of Cockatoo Island on the long work to Goat Island.
On the return from Goat Island to Cockatoo mark we were happy for an early finish as the wind died completely thirty minutes later. In our division we finished across the line ahead of five yachts and were rewarded with an eighth place on handicap out of the fifteen starters.

With the winds forecast to be around 20 knots we set a conservative rig of the No 3 genoa and a full main for the RANSA Winter Wednesday race. The course suited Passion better than last week as we were able to pole out the genoa and follow the wind around the course. The breeze for the downwind leg had a lot of holes and we rarely saw the forecast 20 knots. We rounded the turn mark behind Viva and L Eau Co and were promptly rewarded with a large lift that made us look good as we lifted above these two. When the wind headed we were forced back into L Eau Co’s dirty air as they were determined to pinch out from under us. We tacked away to take advantage of the knock and that is the last I remember of L Eau Co on the course. Izzi was a little ahead and the Jeanneau SO409 Solange was just behind so we had plenty of company to race up the course. The shifts to windward were so great that we were forced to tack on the knocks and the smaller headsail helped to get the tacks done in an orderly fashion. Around Steel Point we were unlucky to get a knock that required us to tack away from the rocks while those a few metres ahead had already cleared the rocks and could take advantage of the slightly more free work into Rose Bay. We got a little of this back in the approach to Point Piper where we kept some room in reserve and just cleared the mark while Izzi and Larrikin had to tack back for the rounding. Around the island Larrikin cleared out but we kept in touch with Izzi and just ahead of Solange. The last beat to the finish was in two parts. The first was a quiet before the storm when the breeze dropped to seven knots and we struggled to keep Passion moving with the No 3 genoa. This is probably where Larrikin gained time on us and certainly when Solange with a larger genoa moved up alongside and to windward. As the breeze freshened it lifted giving Solange a free kick. We in turn lifted inside Izzi and as the lift progressed we made up some of the ground lost in the light airs. Now the breeze honked in at 30 knots accompanied by icy cold rain. Ron had the mainsail dumped and flogging in the slipstream of the air from the genoa. I had the backstay on hard to flatten the main as much as possible and we enjoyed the ride to the finish line.

Shifty conditions for the Wednesday race

Big temperature drop with the icy rain squall

In the finish we had Rainbow, L Eau Co and Enigma well behind and were within seconds of Solange and just a little behind Izzi so we were happy with the result. On Handicap we scored 7th out of the 14 starters which is a big improvement on last weeks second last. We benefited from a clean bottom but the divers said it was in good condition and there was nothing to explain last weeks performance. I will stick to my proposition from last week that Passion does not like the broad reaches where we cannot set the pole.

Yes sadly we performed very poorly on Wednesday with a last fastest and a second last on handicap. The divers will check the bottom before the next race but as it is not long since the last antifouling I do not expect they will find much wrong.
On the first down wind leg we were not well positioned for the gusts that seemed to pass to windward and not come over the course. Gwhizz and Star Ferry both now in division 2 started five minutes behind but by half way down the leg had all but caught us and L Eau Co. Now reaching is not our strong point and it was an awkward broad reach where we had difficulty flying the genoa as well as our competitors. We had the black carbon genoa up which is great for windward work but does not seem to fly so well on the light air reaches.
When the breeze did set in for the work home we were already well back. L Eau Co pointed higher and soon passed us. There were some huge shifts on the way back to the finish line and if we had been on the right side of two of these it might have been a less somber story.
Apart from our individual place I have no more details as the results are not out. The previous system worked well but someone thought they might fix a not broken system and now it is fully broken.

Some of the RANSA winter Wednesday fleet before the scooted away to windward

GWhizz, Passion and some of the crew of Izzi went to Port Stephens for the annual Sail Port Stephens,

Apart from the regular crews Geoff Lucas from Capriole sailed on Passion and Michael Groves from Agrovation sailed on GWhizz to add to the GFS numbers at the regatta.

GWhizz managed a third on the second day and a first place on the last day of the Commodore’s Cup to seal second place for the series and a trophy each for John and Graeme. Michael Groves at the helm on the last day picked some very good wind shifts and the team had GWhizz moving well for a great win.

Passion managed a fourth and fifth place in the first two races but the handicap of 1.008 for the last race was too much for her.

In the Performance Cruising Divison of the main Sail Port Stephens event Passion managed a second place only losing on a countback to Campeador from RSYS.

Al Fesco the excellently sailed Triton 36 from RMYC Pittwater skippered by ex NS14 sailor Dave Griffin was third with GWhizz 8th.

With the three day 30 knot southerly set predicted following the Sail Port Stephens event discretion was judged to be the better part of valour and Passion with GWhizz and many of the visiting yachts being left at Port Stephens to await a more pleasant trip home.

GWhizz crew at prize giving

Passion crew at presentation – missing is Malcolm

Dave and Elaine with the prize

Nelson Bay Marina full for the regatta

Passion with Kath at the helm and symetrical kite aloft

Ron Kath and Dave at work in light conditions

Geoff and Elaine

Passion with Assymetrical Spinnaker

The rain held off for the last of the twilight races at GFS and for the final BBQ of the season. After nine years the caterers are moving to Queensland and we will need to find new caterers for the coming season. They did superbly well for their finale.
The crew of Passion did the best they could of a slow start and managed fourth place on handicap. The pin end of the line was favoured but the wind backed leaving us the leeward yacht in a freshening gust and so we were well run over by the whole fleet but for Tartan who started late. The wind shadow at the exit to Humbug proved as challenging as ever and those with their nose into the breeze first were well rewarded while we took dirty air from everyone. We benefited by staying high on the course on the beat to Long Nose and picked up Avanti and Farrst Company. Gwhizz managed to tack back from the point and onto our line just in front so we had to follow them all the way to Goat Island. Around Goat we took the high ground for once and reached over the top of Gwhizz more by good luck than good management and from there we kept our air clear to lead them home. Up in front the early bolters were not having it all their way. Agrovation had cleared out again but Izzi, Worlds Apart, Saoirse and French Connection were having a close battle for second fastest. Through Humbug we kept Passion moving in the light and shifty conditions to make up some good time on the fleet and secure the fourth on handicap.
Very fittingly at the results presentation Saoirse won the award for the yacht with the most difficult to pronounce name.

Our twilight race result was rescued by one good move at the approach to Humbug. By sailing wide to leeward of the fleet we escaped the wind shadow of Greenwich and sailed away for a third fastest and second on handicap.
The forecast was for light winds and after the black fleet not finishing last week they were sent out on the same course around Goat Island as the white, green and blue fleets.
At the start we were out maneuvered by French Connection who made sure we did not have room to tack or gybe in front of them to return to the start line so we were 20 seconds late at the start. While we were late we were in the right position and powered up so by Humbug we were up near the front of the pack. Worlds Apart hug the north shore while we looked for breeze mid channel. Agrovation mid channel in front of us did best, was never headed and went on for a well deserved first and fastest. On the work to Goat Island we observed Agrovation on the right side of a couple of good lifts which complemented her good boat speed. Worlds Apart powered through our lee on the approach to Long Nose and French Connection did better mid channel than we did in Snails Bay so by Goat Island we had a bit of catching to do. Wide around Goat Island worked this week and we poled out for the long run home.
Jackpot and Soundtrack from the black fleet overtook us but had trouble getting away on the run home. French Connection and Gwhizz were closer to the bridge while we went just a couple of boat widths wide of Long Nose on the way home. The run was very square and at times over square which gave us clear air with which we were able to keep just ahead of French Connection and Gwhizz.
At Greenwich Point the four fleets merged into one large one and as they each tried to protect their breeze they went higher and closer to the wind shadow. Gwhizz had a good squirt of breeze and charged purposefully into the wind shadow. We slipped away to leeward of the whole pack and had Worlds Apart in our sights.
It was deadly light in Humbug, so light that the fleet was becalmed for long enough for us to get a ten minute break.
Last night was our chance to turn the tables on Izzi and Saoirse who were left out on the course in light air. We have been there before so we know they will come back.

Zig zagging in light air on the way to Goat Island

Wednesday evening was the slowest race of the year and the dying breeze produced some unique results. Every fastest time yacht also won their division on handicap. As the evening wore on and the prospect of finishing within the time limited dimmed more and more yachts called in on channel 73 and announced their retirement from the race. None of the black fleet could complete their course and the late night made for a smallish attendance at the BBQ and presentation.
We made a well timed start to leeward of the fleet but Agrovation higher on the start line reached across our bow to give us all their dirty air. This was particularly damaging against the incoming tide and we lost a lot of ground pinching to round Onion Point. Gwhizz showed the fleet a clean pair of heels but on the run through Humbug we poled out our big genoa and blanketed the fleet. This left us a bit high into the wind shadow and we saw Worlds Apart to leeward nose into the freshening breeze to make a handy break on Izzi and Agrovation.
On the work to Goat Island we were pinching into a big incoming tide immediately behind Izzi. I tacked away chancing a bit of tide against stronger breeze in the middle and in the process lost ground on Izzi and Agrovation. Izzi got away while there was breeze and left us to play with Agrovation for the rest of the race. In the end they went a bit too close to Greenwich Point and languished in the wind shadow. They were unlucky as the wind had swung south and the Greenwich shore was almost the windward shore but once into Humbug the breeze swung back reestablishing the wind shadow. We were never more than a few metres in front but with the incoming tide abating and with no wind the speed across the ground was down to .3 knots and a few metres takes a long time. For the last 200 metres to the line we hooked the boom up with the boom topping lift to get a bit of twist in the sail and that seemed to help us get home in the dark. We were 18 minutes behind Worlds Apart and Agrovation finished 15 minutes behind us which is quite a feat seeing we were in touch at the entry to Humbug.
Fourth fastest and fourth on handicap was a fair result from ten starters and a fair reward for the crews tireless efforts to get us to the finish line.

The lightest night of the year, so far.

Wednesday night provided a spectacular light show when a storm cell moved up the Parramatta River and engulfed the Greenwich Flying Squadron twilight fleet just as they were crossing the finish line. In the calm before the storm places changed and the race for many was lost in the confused wind.
The wind forced out of the storm cell was in the opposite direction to the prevailing wind and rose from zero to thirty knots in a matter of five minutes. In the dark and gloom it is a wonder that the finishers were able to place yachts as they crossed the line.
For our part it was a bit of a dud race. We made a good start and were first into Humbug but the newer faster yachts in the fleet are able to take our wind on the run through Humbug to pass Cockatoo Island to port. Around Cockatoo Island we were forced to go too close into the wind shadow to protect what wind we had from the following yachts while to leeward Saoirse found wind and powered away to beat us over the line by 16 minutes. So far ahead of the fleet were they that they finished before the storm cell took away the prevailing wind. Worlds Apart, Gwizz, Izzi and Agrovation were all in the mix for second place and the navigation mark on Goat Island there was not a lot between them and us.
On the way we might have done better if we could have tacked onto port on Long Nose and were not driven well past the point by a starboard tacker and the earlier fleet returning from Goat Island. But for that delay we might have sailed around Goat Island in breeze instead of drifting around it in dead calm. I thought we were doing the sensible thing going wide around the Island while the foolish ones who were hugging the shore would sail into nothing. Well we all sailed into nothing only we did it the long way and the fleet was well gone by the time we emerged from the Bermuda Triangle. I thought everyone passed us but had not counted on Tartan who was well back waiting for the storm front to sweep them home for a good place on handicap. By luck we managed to sail past Avanti who did the regulation wide arc of Greenwich Point while I played the dying prevailing wind running away with the stronger puffs. That did not stop us all waiting in the lee of Greenwich until it swapped from lee shore to windward shore. In the switch we were able to pass French Connection and then sail until we had her clear astern to recover some dignity for the evening.

Fickle winds ahead of the storm

The meal after at the club was well attended and I particularly liked the mint flavoured fruit salad. We were able to take a tub home for the modest donation of a $2 gold coin so we could enjoy it again today.
Courtesy of a few yachts that did not return for the meal and results announcements we were able to take home a bottle of wine from a surprising sixth place on handicap one second ahead of Worlds Apart who while second fastest was becalmed in the approach to the finish line.

With the arrival of Agrovation last year and Saoirse this year to join with Worlds Apart as bigger longer faster yachts our proper place on fastest time is probable fourth. Last night we hung on for a fourth fastest in very light conditions and we should be content with that. Unfortunately as Martin noted we have a crew of Laser sailors who want to be first.
While it was a frustrating night being caught in various wind shadows it was still a very enjoyable one and post race when the adrenalin settles down you realize how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to sail in such testing conditions on what must be the best twilight sailing area in the world.
We set our largest genoa which is best for reaching and running and used it to good purpose in the light dying conditions at the end of the race to stay ahead of the following pack and almost catch Saoirse. Worlds Apart bolted at the start and was not to be seen all night. Agrovation was naughty at the start which left us in their dirty air all the way through Humbug. We stayed in touch with Agrovation all the way around Cockatoo and on the way to Goat Island but lost her on the Balmain shore when I was too timid to tack in front of the ferry. The extra few meters needed to clear the ferry left us in the wind shadow where we languished until Agrovation had drawn away and Tartan, Gwizz and Saoirse had sailed past. Eventually we edged out of the wind shadow and took off after the five yachts in front. Now we were running and reaching and using the large genoa to advantage. On the long slow reach back to Humbug we managed to overtake Tartan and Gwhizz while Saoirse used her long water line and large sail area to power away. French Connection put in a late appearance down to leeward but we managed to bear away in a puff and get clear air to windward of her. In the last run to the finish line Saoirse found her own patch of light air while Kevin held our big genoa out to windward so we almost caught her on the line.
The tracks show we did some pretty nice angles out of Humbug on the way to Cockatoo Island and if you look have in the bottom right corner you can see a little deviation when we almost tacked but found the ferry dead in front so had to go back.

Good angles out of Humbug.

The last plywood flat panels have been fitted to the hull of our Didi 40 Cr

Due to some very nice weather Friday afternoon and Saturday morning I was able to finish the last two panels on the bottom of the hull. I did spend a lot of time fairing the keel, stringers and ply doublers so it is no surprise that the glue joins are close and well filled with epoxy adhesive.

In the week since finishing the side plywood I have completed 75% of the bottom plywood panels. I may miss my self imposed target of completing all the bottom ply this week due to an unexpected commitment but I am happy with the progress.

75% of the Didi 40 Cr bottom ply is complete. This view shows the shelves in the quarter berth already installed.

The weather has warmed up and that makes gluing in the middle of the day impractical. One sheet before 10 am and one sheet after 5 pm is about the best I can manage. Also working in the sun on top of the hull in the middle of the day is not that enjoyable so today I took off in the air conditioned comfort of the car and purchased my potable tank lining epoxy paint. I want to apply as much as possible from the outside and just leave the hull inside to complete after the moulded ply round section of the hull is finished. I have chosen Interplus 1180 and the left over will be ideal for interior areas I wish to finish in white such as the engine bay. Between purchasing the potable tank lining epoxy and fixing the second sheet to the bottom I spent some time preparing the tank interior for the paint. I have lined the plywood with 225 gram woven cloth which I have overlapped at the corners over the interior triangular cleats so the surface has minimal tight corners and should be relatively easy to clean when required.

Didi 40 Cr water tanks being prepared for the potable water tank lining.

I am waiting for the glue on the last panel to cure before pulling the tarps over for the night so I took some photos for the record. The first one shows some detail of my fibreglass reinforced joins where I have 850 grams per m2 of glass on both sides where I am looking for every millimeter of space for the stainless steel diesel fuel tank.

Epoxy glass corners have been used where I need a square finish for the stainless steel diesel fuel tank. The corner in the background also has a 25 mm triangular timber cleat on the other side. I have made this double secure because the wider cockpit of my wide stern version is cantilevered from the other side of the join.

The last photo shows the chainplate frame already installed, stabilized by the 6mm ply shelves and with the hull ply sheeting already glued and screwed to the frames. The frame has still to be glassed to the hull and I am saving a lot of these jobs until I have the ply bottom finished and can tidy up the garage. I don’t use it as a timber workshop and a glass workshop at the same time for fear of contaminating the rolls of glass. Also these will be ideal wet weather jobs once the radius chine is completed.

Didi 40 Cr chainplate frame already installed and secured with 6mm ply shelves.

Tonight we chose the big black genoa despite the wind gusting pre race to over 18 knots. We reasoned that the breeze would die as it does most evenings and I was encouraged by Frank’s support to go for the big one.
We won the reaching start and poled out for the long run to Spectacle Island. A big header made the poled out geonoa less effective than the genoa set to leeward but we hung on to shave Clarke Point by a barnacle and a half. Bearing away we had the fleet behind and a full dose of dirty air from six keen followers. Izzi managed to blanket us and nudge in front around the island but we hung on to their stern all the way to Snapper Island and rounded up harder to have a windward position on them. Izzi tried hard to pinch up under us but the large genoa gives us power and height to hand on in a pinching contest so eventually we prevailed. On the beat to Goat Island we picked the shifts pretty well and also put a loose cover on Izzi.

A good windward work gave us a lead around Goat Island

Around Goat Island we went closer to the leeward shore than usual to discourage them from going above us as they did last week. The strategy paid off as we were able to keep clear air and stay ahead.
The reach back to Humbug was in fresh air and Saoirse was powering along looking for a passing lane above while Izzi was charging along to leeward looking for a passing lane there. Again we were forced to go closer to Greenwich than we usually dare but it paid off with us maintaining the windward position into Humbug.

Saoirse leading Passion last week.

The course the line was a tight beat so we covered both Izzi and Saoirse and held on for a fastest time by the slimmest of margins.
The rest of the fleet did well to catch the three leaders on the way home so for our efforts we scored a second last on handicap.

Wednesday was a good day to pick up Passion from Noakes and return her to her mooring at Woolwich. I arrived at 7 am and Passion was in the travel lift ready to be launched. In quick time she was back on the mooring and I did a bit of housekeeping while waiting for Elaine to taxi me back to Noakes to retrieve the car. En route we had coffee in Blues Point Road and a chat with one of our sailing friends before heading home.
The forecast for the evening race was for around 20 knots so the No 2 genoa which was already on the furler was the logical choice. The smaller genoa worked well while the breeze was fresh and we were comfortably second behind Saoirse, the Dehler 38 with the unpronounceable Gaelic name. In the lee of Cockatoo Island on the tight reach to Goat we were run over by Izzi and French Connection who found some breeze in the lee of the island. Izzi soon dropped on us and gave us all the dirty air they could find while we pinched up to pull clear ahead of French Connection. At the clearance mark at Goat Island we were dead ahead of French Connection with a lead of 20 metres when a big lift put her alongside and we were forced to tack behind her stern. She promptly tacked on us and started to bear down to give us her dirty air. We were pinching as high as we could to clear the island so we could not force her higher but neither could we tack away from the shore. I don’t know how we cleared the last pylon but we managed without being knocked onto port into French Connection so we lived to fight another day. Now we were chasing three yachts. Izzi had made up a lot of ground on Saoirse but could not bridge the last gap. Fench Connection was just ahead and we had every intention of blanketing her once around Onion Point but alas the wind would not cooperate. We found our own private wind eddy and stalled while they took off and lead us over the line by a minute and a half.
As disappointed as I was with the result I felt for Gwhizz who got separated from the leaders and never made it back to the top group. Avanti who had been sailing well the past few weeks was also well behind so mid fleet was not a bad result for Passion given the fading conditions.