Boz (39135km):
1908 days ago 2 categories Cervantes, WA, AU
Wrap up on a awesome as JJ would say weekend at Cerventes, arrived Friday and knew it was going to be on, blowing a good 18kn at 10am for the GPS challange set for later in the day. A good turn out of crew for the Friday and Patrick D spending some time explaining rig setup and how to get the best from your gear, dispelled a few myths about boom height and mast base position and setup of harness lines. Great to have someone like Patrick D taking the time out for the group and fine tuning the sails for people on the beach to get the most out of their sails.
Well for me the GPS challange was never going to be the hour so just concentrated playing in the rough in about 20 to 25kn and getting the board and sail setup for the Race on Saturday. Eventually ventured to the flat zone to throw a couple runs to get the speed but ended up getting thrown on one of the runs and shearing the actual front foostrap in two, Well that was a bit of a challange, how to get back to the start position 2k's away. Thankfully it was the starboard front strap so what better way to get back than to throw in a NM run across the chop as the Port front strap was in good condition. You can ask anyone and this run was a scary as and a proper challange runing with the swell/waves for the whole NM, happy with the 29.1 but when I looked at the track should have gone another 100 metre as the NM started at mid 20's and finished low 20's for 100metres, peak speads in the NM where 33's for approx 500m with average of 30's apart from the begining and end, ah well next time will know better. Happy with the second placing considering it was Daniel E who took the honours.
Saturday the big day arrives, slightly less wind at the start of race than the previous day and decided to rig the KAR6.3 expecting a build up by the time I sailed to the start line. Spot on was happy with the setup, had a brilliant start hit the start line at speed and up there with the front pack, settled in nicely for the run to the first mark with John Norton to my left keeping pace and the big guns just in front of us. The first gybe mark was interesting could see the guys coming deep from windward and decided to duck in front close to the marker, well the mayhem that caused as I was on the inside the outer guys had to give way and next thing several are in the water with this little black duck just avoiding going in with the rest. The rest of Race 1 was trying to chip away a couple of places managed a 13th posi just in front of Claude and pipping two right on the last 50m stretch to the finish line.
Race two another great start at speed through the start line but that's about all she wrote on that one, first marker too close to the marker clipped it and in the drink I went, saving grace was the sail was the right way just no wind with such a big fleet, was playing catch up and doing well closing the gap but the third marker was a disaster. Following Craig from the CST was on his tail coming to the gybe mark and concentrating on passing him on the outside, what was obscured from vision was Jonski in the water on the other side was too late pulled the board up and got tangled with one of the nicest guys on the Mandurah Mobs team, lost quite a few places but that's racing a dismal 30th. Thankfully we had one discard for the race day so wasn't too concerned.
The wind has now booted in a good 25 to 28kn and decided to change down to the 5.5KAR expecting it to stay in and it did for a while duringRace 3. We are into a rabbit start on race 3, not my favourite and had a dismal start played catch up through the course was great just picking of as many as I could finished 20th and it was so much fun with the 5.5, could have stayed with the 6.3 as during the race the wind had started to back of.
Race 4 decided to stay with the 5.5 even though the wind had backed of. Bagged out the sail as much as possible and still had a bit of power so rather than change up again went off to the start line with what I had rigged. A bit better start but had to pump like crazy to get going, the large fleet takes a hell of a lot of wind away and was in a small wind shadow at the start line. Once clear was all good, a real cruisy sail could have really done with the 6.3 but happy with a 16th finish.
Sunday well a bit of a non event but nobody really cared too much as we had 2 awesome days of sailing and this was going to be a bonus if we did run a race. 1:30 race called to start at 2:15 so for a giggle thought I'd rig the 7.1KAR and as I only bought up the little 59 wide 88l manta this was my board choice. It was about 15kn when I started to head to the upwind start line but on the last tack to get to the line the wind just died to about 10kn, Snide came out with the boat to tell me 7min to start but all I could manage was snail pace floating to the start line, well missed the 7 minutes and the fleet was set off while I'm still trying to get to the start line so I could officially turn around and go back through the line for a start. Managed to get there turn and float towards the first marker. Caught up to Pointy but he got a lucky gust and got around the first marker and he was off, took half the next leg before I got a small gust to get on the plane and managed to stay on the plane till the finish line picking off a few places to finish 29th, thankfully this race did not count towards the results.
To all in the GPS, this is one of the most enjoyable events runs by dedicated windsurfing people and has to be on your wish list, so much fun and as pointy has previously said there are races within races suites everyones level. Great weekend with great people a lot of laughs and some bragging rights thrown in if you do well against your mates. Oh forgot Kenny rookie of the year no one more deserving for his dedication to getting to the events and giving it a go well done mate.
manta 59 kar 6.3 kar 5.5
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