Sailing Club

Tell Tales

A warm summers day with a light easterly greeted sailors on Saturday.  Usually the sailing course consists of sailing in first a ‘triangle’ and then an ‘upwind/downwind there and back’ colloquially known and a ‘sausage’ followed by a couple more triangles.

Today a race briefing there was consternation. The course would start with a sausage and then a triangle after. There was a bit of muttering. As Pink Floyd nearly said “how can you have your sausage if you’ve not had your triangle?” Could it be done?

Five boats set out. 10+1 with Captain Ken and crew and summer migrant Phil on the little Aero hit the start line just right. Krafty Ken sucked all the wind up with his big sails leaving none for Peter and Anton on Euffamism so they tacked smartly off in the other direction.

Ian and Gary on Windswept came right up the line and unfortunately clipped the buoy beside the duty boat as they squeezed past which led to a small time-penalty at results.

At the top mark Aero Phil was in a narrow lead ahead of April Dancer and Euffa – but then the sausage directly downwind allowed the flying fifteens to hoist their brightly coloured spinnakers – and overhaul the single sailed Aero.

April Dancer got away to lead for the remainder of the race but Euffamism and the Aero had a Titanic struggle (well not really Titanic in that neither hit an iceberg, or sank!). 

The wind dropped late in the race with 10+1 showing a speed of 1knot over ground – the cause of much debate on board as to whether the 1knot was forwards or backwards with the tide.  Anyway Ken called it quits – or did he!

At the finish, April Dancer led and Euffamism just overtook the Aero riding the waves to snatch second place and leave Phil gnashing his teeth just meters behind. Windswept came in next with some great spinnaker work to make the most of the waves. And 10+1 just metres behind, though the sails were down and the ‘iron jib’ working hard.  Ever the gentleman Ken did switch the engine off to cross the line!

Another good days sailing with a beer or two after.

Results

Life is good. Come Sailing!

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