Apollo Bay Sailing Club

Tell Tales

Every time I sit down to write the telltales I try to think of a couple of interesting things about what our club does that are not directly related to the race but might be interesting to people that do not sail.

Like how each week a couple of our sailors have to take on the task of setting the course and managing the race. The set-out of the course means dropping off three buoys (marks), with ropes and anchors, about 1 km apart to form a triangle. Next, anchoring the Helena G (duty boat) about 100 mts off one of those marks as a “start line”. Then they must go through the 10 minute start sequence raising and lowering flags to set the fleet off on time. If all goes well, there won’t be too much to do and you just get to enjoy watching the fleet go around until you need to set up a finish line and record the times. Then pack it all up.

Some clubs have designated people who run their races week after week. So those people get very good at doing just that. But I think it is really special to have a situation where most of our sailors, once or twice a year have to be the race officers of the day. It’s a huge responsibility and we are so thankful to every crew that does it.

So well done to Stephan and Kelly for providing us with an interesting and enjoyable course this week (with a slightly unorthodox start sequence). With a NW wind predicted to shift left to SW it looked pretty safe to set the top mark at 270°. But with a much bigger swing to the left (to dead south, 180°) it meant it became a reaching start and first leg.

With the beat becoming a beam reach (and all needing to quickly calculate what that would mean for the rest of the triangle) it was off to the “top mark”. The first leg was most interesting for the fact that Lids (sailing solo) couldn’t decide whether he wanted to stay in or get out of his boat (Windswept). Luckily, he chose the former.

At the first mark April Dancer was the first to turn right, with only metres to Affrodite, Euffamism, Fern Elizabeth, 10+1 and Windswept. The second leg became (as usual) the first spinnaker leg and Affro managed to just squeeze past AD at the drop.

The third leg “kind of” became the beat. Luckily the wind models had not only got the wind direction wrong but had also totally fluffed the strength. A lack luster 7 knts turning out to be 12- 15 knts. The racing was tight and there were a couple things that deserve a mention.

Windy pulled off a very nice inside pass on 10+1 at one mark (who said there are no passing lanes on a course like this?). The racing was so tight between Affro and AD that it was Affro over the line by 1 second at the finish. 10+1 dashed past Euffa at the last mark, in the freshening breeze, to secure 3rd over the line. And Fernliz secured 1st (on handicap) by only 2 seconds. Well done all.

Life is good. Come Sailing!

To find out more please see our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club.