Pelican Point, WA, *B161, CR11m

A half arsed attempt at racing @ PDSC. Turned up late, had no idea about the course or start procedure. Thoughts of following someone around the course were naive. So gave up and went for a few runs across the bay. Nice cruise ableit underpowered in 10-11kts. I think it may have picked up a knot when I got off the water so hopefull Pointman got planing. scarrgo of course was flying.

Melville Beach, WA, AU

 Starboard Formula 155, NP Zone 4.2 then 3.0

Started with the 4.2m2 then changed down to the 3.0 with the gusts getting stonger.

Had fun with dad.  He got out the Mistral One Design - the same board and rig he has had since 1993.

Rocked up to PDSC for Opening Day and the prospect of some formula racing.

Seabreeze came in on cue, but was only 10-11K to start.  I hit the water @ 2.30 and pretty much abandoned the idea of racing straight away, as I was nowhere near planing.

Plodded back and forth for the next hour, getting increasingly frustrated and thinking I might need to call Jenny Craig, cos Macka, Sean and Stevio were all sailing rings round me

Fotunately Huey upped it a notch to 12-13K around 3.30 and I was away

Tacked all the way up to Wallyworld, it was nice and flat up there after the washing machine chop through the middle of the river

Chased the mad Scotsman up there, and we had a drag back to Melville.  Pretty evenly paced.  It was quite fresh up there (15-16K) and I even had an over the bars after getting overpowered on a reach

Fortunately the mast didn't smack the nose, so no harm done.

Headed back downwind, but the wind completely crapped out around 5.30, so I aborted the run back to PDSC and pulled into Peli.  Slogging into Peli was a major pain in the arse, I kept running aground and collecting snot weed.  After a walk of shame along the Matilda Bay foreshore I was back to the car and eventually home by 7.  Long afternoon, but glad I persevered.  Had a pretty good sail (bookended by slogfests).

Don't think I'll bother with racing again on a 10-15K forecast.  I need 12-13K to plane, so it will have to be 12-18K to make it worthwhile.

2 categories

South Fremantle, WA, AU

Late sail in a nice steady 15 knot wind although stinkboats made the chop really manic.

F2 SX 77cm, Turbo 7.5, Vector Weedy 40