High tailinf on the Wedgetail with the Circus Freaks

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High Tailing on Wedgetail with the Circus Freaks...

 

PADDLE PADDLE PADDLE!!! Was the call as a 4 metre monster wave appeared out of nowhere and threatened to break over the stern engulfing all the Circus Freaks sailing aboard Wedgetail! Before we could contemplate the meaning of life, Matty G bore the boat hard down the wave and the scream of YYEEHAAAAAAA resonated aboard as the Bow of Wedgetail lifted higher into the air as the speedo climbed above 18 knots surfing down a monster wave straight into the back of another spray everywhere and heading straight towards the entrance of Tory Channel.

 

The Circus Freaks are the former crew of a popular Young 11 Flying Circus at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, and they were back in town for another crack at one of sailings most elusive race records, the Cook Strait Classic! The record had hardly been threatened for 25 years since freak weather conditions provided Cotton Blossom II the dream run to complete the 32 NM race in 3hr30mins. 3 years since the teams last attempt at Everest we were back together again coming from all corners of the country.

 

This year we were invited to sail aboard the newest addition to the Port Nich fleet, the 42ft Wellbourn Designed Wedgetail owned by Meric and Heather Davies, whose daughter Rebecca (Bex) happens to be one of the most notorious Circus Freaks. All the freaks were incredibly excited to be sailing on such a cool yacht , and when the weather routing model predicted a record breaking run, then the excitement turned into a trance like state of Valium fuelled delirium.

 

Sunday morning dawned cold and grey, the leftovers from yesterday’s southerly gale still peppering the city with 25 knots and a dash of east. The backdrop was perfectly set for a stunning performance by Wedgetail and the Circus Freaks, it was game face on as the crew dropped the lines and Wedgetail slipped out of her berth to await the starter’s gun. Three tacks later and we were clear of Wellington heads and cracking off at Moaning Minnie, the plan was hatched on Saturday to put the height in the bank between Moaning and Sinclair head, resisting the urge to try and fly a chute early all the way across, and cashing in on the interest as we got closer to the entrance of Tory Channel. At Sinclair Head, the point we had chosen to hoist the chute there was much debate as to what was the ideal weapon of choice. Jib top? A3? A7? Meric had a blinder in what was to be a master stroke of a decision and one of the great calls of the day to go for the A7, pretty much the closest thing we had to a bullet proof vest onboard. Nek minnit....

 

80% of the course and the entire fleet behind us, it was getting close to decision making time as how to approach the entrance into Tory channel, we had been enjoying some exciting rides down some pretty large waves and the breeze had gradually built all the way across and swung round more to the south east. 30 knots with the average wave height around 3 metres and it was hammer down when a particularly large wave at an awkward angle coincided with a mean little bullet and all the crew heard from helmsman Matty G was “I’VE GOT NOTHING!!!” it was all it took as we rounded up hard healed right over, water pouring over the leeward rail when the A7 blew apart, Matty G wrestled with the wheel to get Wedgetail back in the right direction and the mast back into the air. The foredeck team leapt straight into their work, getting down the A7 which had split in two, only holding together by the luff and leach tapes. As soon as the remains of the A7 had been retrieved, bowman Jonny was clipping on the A3! “If the breeze is going to blow out our small one, then we will put up a bigger one!” The A3 set and people almost fell off the back of the boat as Wedgetail surged forward this time on top of another monster wave accelerating up and over 18knots of boat speed. With 4 knots of tide under us the entrance to Tory arrived very quickly amid the exciting events prior. We executed two gybes to line up our entry into the channel, and our entrance was as grand as Kate Middleton at her wedding as we threaded the needle, hoisting the No.4 headsail and dousing the A3 as we made our turn, one mile from the finish.

 

Some tricky conditions and an Orca were the only things between us, the finish line and breaking the record, violent squalls and 90 degree shifts kept us on our toes right up to the line where we crossed in 3 hours and 23 minutes!!!! We had the record by 7 minutes. What ensued was a Wedgetail/Circus Freak frenzy!!!

Celebrations in Picton were in full swing as other competitors finished a memorable race and came to join the dock party, a big thanks goes out to Meric and Heather for letting us come sail on your seriously cool yacht Wedgetail! From all the Circus Freaks! THANK YOU!!!

 

 

 

Cook Strait Classic Crew – Wedgetail - 2011; (in no particular order)

Meric, Matty G, Bex, Paul JD, Sparkles, Jonny Boy, Rowdy, Colt, Sparkles, Maximus

 

[smithy09 50]

Nice write up MS!!

[mattyg 0]

Nice one Max! That was a lot of fun! Great write up!

Next one is the Nelson race!