ANZ Sail Fiji

[smithy09 50]

Squealer has taken a mile or so out of Django. Those guys are going great. I wonder if Squealer has MH symmetrical kites and are making better speed than Django and her asymmetricals only? Looks to be almost a knot in it...

[B00B00 310]

Nothing quite like having another boat nearby to race against.

 

Agree that having someone pushing you makes a massive difference in a longer race. They both look to be having a great race. Fantastic conditions for the final few days. Its good to see after the painful first 3/4 of the race. Gutted not to be out there right now...

[ballystick 72]

Squealer ahead by 0.3 nm with just over 9 to go - fantastic!! There'll be some stories after this including the after-match activities.

[JK 28]

9 seconds in it at the finish!!

[Guest]

A boat length after 1200 miles! There will be some FB's drunk today - watch out Denerau!

Also Bullrush over Carrera by 2 minutes. Go the mighty Elliotts!

[smithy09 50]

Squealer really have got that boat sorted now. Django are no push-overs. Anyone know how the handicaps were set in this race? That handicap of Django's is not their PHRF from YNZ.. I am surprised that Squealer rates higher than them as well. Always ready to be enlightened though!!

[Guest]

Squealer really have got that boat sorted now. Django are no push-overs. Anyone know how the handicaps were set in this race? That handicap of Django's is not their PHRF from YNZ.. I am surprised that Squealer rates higher than them as well. Always ready to be enlightened though!!

 

There is always arguments regarding the present handicap systems.

 

The time to argue is before racing starts.

[Battleship 100]

I don't think it is an argument just someone asking a perfectly reasonable question. I was also surprised Squealer had to give Django time.

Great performance from both crews at the end of the day.

[smithy09 50]

I don't think it is an argument just someone asking a perfectly reasonable question. I was also surprised Squealer had to give Django time.

Great performance from both crews at the end of the day.

 

Thanks Willow. Not trying to slag anyone off here. Awesome race by both of them, and fun to watch on the tracker. Good humour in the reports from both boats as well. That makes yacht racing a blast, even for spectators.

[Guest]

If you look at the history of the two boats, Squealer has always rated higher than Django. Although the Elliot is slightly shorter, it has a considerably deeper keel, much greater beam (the two boats couldn't have looked more different when sitting side by side in Denerau Marina), a much larger squaretop main and bigger flying sails. After the Squealer guys dropped the rig (agonisingly) approaching Fiji last year, they installed a carbon mast as well. Upwind it seems that there is not much in it, both of us pounded and smashed our way north for the first four days. In the light, I think Django has the edge, being slightly less sticky. Off the wind, not much in it with both boats jumping onto the plane early and staying there (as you can see from the tracker!), but beam reaching or breeze forward of the beam, Squealer is quicker, being more powerful. We were approx 150 metres behind them approaching the finish, which is a reef entrance - by turning for the line early, we gained enough to be just a prod length ahead, but couldn't hold them on the tight reach. A 10 second gap after 1200 miles is about as cool a finish as you could get to an ocean race. The real story of this race for us was how hard we pushed each other - both crews partied HARD after the race and of course swapped a million stories. But the overall theme was one of relentlessness, which made for the best ocean race any of us had ever sailed (at least the last few days, anyway - the slog out of NZ was tough). And when I say "ever" sailed, this should mean something, given the collective racing miles on both boats. It was a privilege to race against such a strong team, and indeed such a strong fleet, so we were absolutely stoked to come 2nd overall - beaten by Blizzard, who essentially out sailed all of us. They were very clever picking the weather in what was a highly tactical race. Hats off to all the competitors and also to the race organisation (top notch) and particularly to the Sponsors. ANZ announced at the prize giving that they'll be back in two years as headline sponsor. Bring it on. And bring on Musket Cove in 2015.

[Island Time 1,235]

Great effort AJR, I watched the whole thing remotely, as did others here. Tough race, well sailed!

[John B 106]

Thanks for the insight AJR, good to see your post on the race. I hope there's a few more like it to come.

[Island Time 1,235]

I got this from a friends son, his first offshore was this race - on Steinlarger 11. Its on the front page, but I though I'd put it here as well. Well done Jono!

 

_____________________________________________________

 

First Time Offshore: Jonathan Francis (Jono) on Steinlager 2

From a young age I aspired to be like Sir Peter Blake, Grant Dalton and the other sailors who took on the challenge to race and circumnavigate the world. Now aged 18 I feel like I’m taking the first steps in the right direction to make my dream of completing the same feat, a reality.

Earlier in the year I was lucky enough to come across an exciting sailing opportunity made possible by the New Zealand Sailing Trust. They were offering to take a youth crew aboard Steinlager 2, to sail in the 50th Anniversary Auckland to Fiji ocean race (ANZ Sail Fiji).

Once I was selected to be a crew member the build up for the race began. We were required to complete a qualifying journey and our Advanced Sea Survival Course (ASSC). This was done over a long weekend out on the Hauraki Gulf. The course involved an early morning swim in our wet weather gear practicing the operation and righting of a life raft. It also covered a huge range of skills and survival techniques, from firefighting to distress signals. It was a well worthwhile course which prepared us for any major, but hopefully unlikely, events.

During the weekend we also ran the boat as if we were in race mode, with watch rotations and optimum sailing for best performance. From our training site off Kawau Island we circumnavigated Great Barrier Island (overnight), sailed down the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula and onto Waiheke Island for the third night. A definite highlight was seeing dolphins playing in the blue phosphorescence during our 2am watch. As part of the buildup we also competed in a Royal NZ Yacht Squadron Rum Race.

Saturday 6th June, and it was finally race day. We gathered at the Auckland Viaduct at 8:30am for Customs clearance, final packing/organisation, and briefing.

Television was there to record our preparations and departure and I was interviewed by Martin Tasker and subsequently included on TV One Sports News later that evening (it was a brief appearance – 30 seconds of fame talking about the possibility of sea sickness).

At 11am we said our final farewells and stepped aboard to start our 1200 nautical mile adventure. With 24 crew onboard we looked quite special out there on the start line, all dressed in our red Steinlager jerseys.

At 1pm the gun went, and signaled the start to the 2014 Sail Fiji Race. 20 boats all jostled for position on the line, surrounded by hundreds of spectator boats. This was something I had never experienced before and I truly felt like I was part of a huge offshore race, like the start of the Volvo, Vendee Globe, Sydney Hobart or Fastnet.

Immediately out of the start the difference in yachting development and technology was obvious with Beau Geste and Giacomo rocketing away. It was incredible to compare Steinlager and Giacomo both Whitbread/Volvo boats built for the same purpose but 20+ years apart. It really shows how sailing, and particularly the yachts have advanced in that time.

The 10-15 knot northerly made for perfect conditions as we passed Rangitoto Light, Whangaparoa and the Poor Knights. I will always remember losing sight of Beau Geste over the horizon just before night fall as they accelerated away from the fleet.

The next 3 days consisted of up wind slogging, with wind ranging from 10-45 knots, with our boat speed never dropping below 8.5 knots.

This is where the sea sickness reared its ugly head , affecting 70% of the crew. I will admit that I suffered from sea sickness, (one of the first times ever), but in my defense I was not bed ridden and seemed to impress my watch captain when at 2am a reef was required and I was throwing up on the grinder while grinding the reef in. (Needless to say my grinding partner Steve was not so impressed).

Alistair Moore, the skipper, was insistent that all crew experience all aspects of offshore sailing. This meant while my preferred position is bowman, I also had the opportunity to grind, helm, and contribute to the running of the vessel. On our standby watch we cooked and cleaned, stowed and maintained gear, and monitored the health and wellbeing of both the crew and vessel. Cooking for 24 on a single gimble stove, pounding into large seas was definitely a challenge, but everyone seemed to get some form of hot meal.

By the fourth day and after a few tacks the wind dropped away and the lead we had built up over the first three rough days was all but gone as the lighter TP 52’s thrived in the lighter winds.

Unfortunately we found ourselves too far west of the rum line, praying for a westerly shift which never came. In 72 hours we drifted just under 100 nautical miles, with a maximum boat speed of around five knots. This calm patch while boring from a sailing perspective, was made interesting for other reasons as we saw an Albatross, Skewers, Flying Fish, Mahi-mahi, Dolphins and we even had a Whale visit us in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately on day 5, and still a few hundred miles from Fiji, a tough decision had to be made. With damage sustained in the heavy weather, the continuing calm weather, and the business and school commitments of the boat and crew, the call was made to turn on the motor and get to Fiji as quick as possible for repairs to ensure the boat was returned to Auckland in time to fulfill its other engagements.

This did have great benefits in allowing me to have two days in beautiful and hot Fiji to meet with the other sailors, have a look around the other boats, form sailing contacts for the future, and have a bit of rest and relaxation.

Despite having to retire from the race my first experience of ocean racing was fantastic. The opportunity that the New Zealand Sailing Trust gave myself and the other 3 youth crew was one we will cherish forever, and an important step in expanding our sailing careers into offshore racing.

As I said at the beginning of this report, my goal and dream is to one day circumnavigate the globe by yacht. With this Auckland to Fiji race adventure I feel I am now on the way. Not only have the captain and crew passed on invaluable knowledge, experience and sailing skills, but we have also created new friendships and contacts that will be invaluable to me going forward in my sailing career.

As a dinghy sailor my offshore knowledge was limited but with this race under my belt, I am hooked on offshore racing and hoping there are many more adventures to come.

Currently I am sailing on Blink (Shaw 40) in Wellington as principal bowman, and in the two handed series on Erazer (Elliot 780) with Chris Hargreaves. This coming summer season will see the continuation of my Laser Radial Sailing and hopefully and improvement on last season.

My next two upcoming major offshore races are the Coastal Classic, and The Central Triangle.

If anyone is ever looking for offshore crew I would jump at the experience and opportunity. Every race and more time on the water takes me one step closer to my goal.

I would like to personally thank:

The New Zealand Sailing Trust

The Royal Akarana Yacht Club

Denarau Marina

Erin McKenna – NZ Sailing Trust General Manger

Alistair Moore – Skipper/Mentor (Abbo)

Tom Collicott – Permanent Crew

Jemima Cooper – Permanent Crew

Jason Hendy – Permanent Crew

And the Crew of the 2014 Sail Fiji Steinlager Crew:

Markus Summerville - Youth

Tanya Peart - Youth

Hamish McGill - Youth

Tony Stevenson (Wanabe Youth)

Willie Turner

Alex Rosenthal

Steve Parsons

Ashley Major

Brent Blakey

Matt Woodly

Cath Woodly

Mike Gudsell

Craig Jenson (Groover)

Graeme Wilson (Ozzie Abbo)

Ian Winspure (Doc)

Michelle Khan

Richard White

Mark Summerville

Ian Cook