Sailing The Winner

Yesterday started with very light winds and the threat appeared to be that we would not get a sail in. The models said otherwise and those of us with little faith in the models were proven wrong as the breeze built to a steady 7 knots and building seabreeze.

The start was in Dent Passage with the ebbing tide running north and the breeze coming from west it was going to be an interesting start. The committee gave our division course 1 which is a trip North West to White rock leaving it to starbord then around Denman Island and back to Dent Passage from the Northern end.

The start was interesting trying to hold up with the tide pushing us towards the line where we found ourselves facing the wrong way trying to hold our line.

Having a few technical (Read --Hearing Impairment ) issues, Sailing Adventures had the opportunity to start on 3 occasions as they were out of sequence so keen were they to get the race underway.

The start was fantastic for Sailing Adventures once again crossing the line just as the hooter went. CEO1 had taken a more conservative start and crossed 15 secs behind. The traffic was congested as the fleet tacked up the passage. Sailing Adventures headed towards Henning Island keeping in clear breezes. CEO1 stayed tucked near Dent Island and fell into a bit of light breeze.

Staying out on the right hand side of the course proved worthwhile for Sailing Adventures making it a single tack to White Rock with the tide carrying them clear of Pine Island.

CEO1 sailed on the breeze looking for speed and trying to take tactical advantage of the current unfortunately they had to tack out to clear Pine Island and then tack back on course They where sailing exceptionally well over a slightly longer route.

Sailing Adventures turned around White Rock ahead of all of the Sunsail fleet and a  20 minutes ahead of CEO1 the lead was to be eroded very quickly as CEO1 stepped up the  pace on the reach around Denman Island in very fluky breezes in the lee of the Islands.

From Denman Island it was a run to Dent Passage with Sailing Adventures still maintaing a lead. On the run it was noticed that the gear was stuck in reverse and there was a drag for Sailing Adventures. The rest of fleet was gaining rapidlly on the run with Avanti overtaking Sailing Adventures. As the fleet approached the bottom of Dent Island the teams had to switch it up and concentrate to maintain any advantage going to the line.

CEO1 had sailed a blinder catching up 15 minutes to only cross the line 5 minutes after Sailing Adventures with Sailing Adventures crossing the line 2nd for the the Sunsail Fleet having just held out the Helly Hanson  sponsored Team Sunsail.

The handicap results proved the theory from the day before with the CEO1 taking the race over Sailing Adventures results being CEO1 12th with Sailing Adventures 17th.

The series score is now 2 Line Honours to Sailing Advetures with One each on handicap in the duel.

For the reagatta it is Sailing Adsventures 12th and CEO1 17th.