M Class Logan memorial this Saturday

[floatsome 0]

Th 71st Arch Logan Memorial race will be held this coming Saturday in the vicinity of Orakei.

We expect 9-10 boats to front, with the most interest being in whether or not Snapey on the mighty Matapan is able to break his multi year hoodoo of being bridesmaid! Last year, they lead in the final leg and promptly decided to hand it to Mach One at the last minute. This year the favourites will be Matara, Mach One and Matapan, but expect Motivator and Masquerade to stick their noses in also.

All welcome at the RAYC afterwards for rum and sausage.

[floatsome 0]

Race report:

 

Thank god this race was run on Sunday, as the body needed all of yesterday to recover. For those of you who don’t know the M class, try sailing a 450 kg kauri clinker built with an oversize mainsail with only hiking straps to keep you up right! And then some smart old fellow decided to put raised gunnels just where your thighs are so that you cant walk the next day..

 

Saturday dawned windy and wet, with the forecast for Northerlies 15 knots dropping to 10 knots later. The tide was aprox high about the same time as the start so wind against current would be an issue later. I arrived down at the Okahu boat ramp about 10.30 surprised to see no one there sharpening swords or polishing wetted surfaces. A quick call, quickly allayed any fears of a postponement and soon the ramp was a hive of activity.

Fendall Haliburton was race officer for the day, and was quick to go over safety procedures for capsizes and general safe stuff at the briefing, he must have had a crystal ball as it turned out. A race course was finally picked, after much general discussion, four referrals to subcommittees, three motions and as it turned out, a good decision as it was a bloody cracker.

Eight boats were to face the starters gun, a solid mixture of Reid and Davidson(old + new) designs, they were: Maverick, Motivator,Mach One, Matapan, Mach one, Marksmen, Masquerade and Marquita.

On team Marquita, I had my wife Claire, her monster sized brother, Darren, for ballast and long standing sailing mate Angus. I was hoping for a breezy day as we had been dog tucker in the previous weeks light race.

Race start was set for 1pm, however Fendall said he would wait for us if we thought conditions too trying. A steady onshore breeze was to ensure boat launching a trial, with each of the boats eyeing each other nervously to see who would go first. It was the class president, crazy who was first to kick the wheel chocks out and we all dutifully followed.

The capsize dramas were to commence immediately with the boys on Matara tipping her over whilst Howie was having coffee on his overgrown drinks platform, hoping to stay dry until the last minute. He was quickly recovered to add to the ballast required on the centreplate to bring Matara upright and in time for the start sequence.

The starting guns was fired and it was soon apparent we all wanted the committee boat end, and a now fired up Matara, grabbed that end, shutting us out to second rank, and not to be left out we ensured that Motivator started in the third rank.

Our bad start made us go right, whereas all the smart guys went left and it was Maverick that was to round the top mark first and launch their spinnaker for the brisk run. We were left to battle the other right handers and couldn’t keep a reefed down Motivator in rounding in front of us leaving us donkey last.

The fleet once rounded were heading for a laid mark that wasn’t in the instructions so we decided to follow some now smart guys on Matapan (they went right too) who were soaking hard to the proper mark, and in so doing we were able to pass Motivator and claim 7th. A shocking gybe on our boat marked a change in bowmen, and when we came round the mark, the fleet were still well ahead. Matara was starting to get into her work now with Matapan challenging, unfortunately Mavericks rudder was damaged about now and they were forced to withdraw, elevating us to 6th. We had a reasonable beat to be in touch with Masquerade and Mach One, who both once round the top mark had to gybe set, probably because their gear was still on that side, where as we were windward dropping and were able to launch immediately, making a small gain and to be on Masquerades tail by the bottom mark.

An excellent beat from us saw us overtake Masquerade and Mach One ( who I believe had to go on crew retrieval duty)even though the wind now was a solid 20knots, but the worst part was the seaway which was in solid wind against tide mode making it hell for the mainsheet man every time we hit a "wall". Darren's hands were down to last coat of skin we eventually got in but not once did he bleat, probably too scared of me, not! Anyway we got to the mark into another great hoist and immediately hopped on the plane, catching some cool waves although I did bury it completely down the mine, much to my wife's consternation or should I say F words, and resulting in her doing a backward somersault into the rear of the boat to get the bow up! She said she fell but looked pretty good from where I was sitting.

Anyhow, things were getting interesting up front, Matara was streaking away and Snapey on Matapan was a solid second. This must have been going through Snapeys mind that he was heading for his 7th bridesmaid title, as he seemed to decide to do a little dance on the back of Matapan and in the process, throw the tiller away, the control of the boat netting a result of a capsized boat - no second prize this year Paul who maintains he slipped!

We couldn’t believe our luck, a podium finish in sight with only Marksmen and Matara now in front of us, it was to get even better with a well executed gybe at speed and in pressure saw us sail neatly over the top of el presidento and claim second place at the bottom mark. Surely Matara couldn’t have a whoopsy too!!??

When we rounded the bottom mark Fendall was bleating his eternal horn, obviously indicating

that he had had enough of our histrionics and wanted to end our fun there and then. We and most of the fleet decided otherwise, we thinking we could catch the horizon job Matara somehow

and have some more fun. El presidento on Marksmen decided to also have some more fun and tip her out 25 m short of the finish line, perhaps he wanted to test the safety procedures or wanted to get his hands on some trophy this year; read: upside down trophy??

 

Anyway a great day had by all, some of the best M class racing had for some time. I will be back next year and resist the lure of plastic two wheelers, hopefully campaigning a brand new M.

Top marks to Howie Spencer. A slick boat, with an even slicker crew. They showed why they are the boat to beat at the moment and why they had full bragging rights in the RAYC clubhouse afterwards and very full rum glasses.

 

Special thanks to Fendall and the RAYC for a great event.

[PaulR 3]

Race report:

 

The starting guns was fired and it was soon apparent we all wanted the committee boat end, and a now fired up Matara, grabbed that end, shutting us out to second rank, and not to be left out we ensured that Motivator started in the third rank.

 

You can only be lucky that we didn't climb into your cockpit, you were pinching so high

 

Our bad start made us go right, whereas all the smart guys went left and it was Maverick that was to round the top mark first and launch their spinnaker for the brisk run. We were left to battle the other right handers and couldn’t keep a reefed down Motivator in rounding in front of us leaving us donkey last.

 

Special thanks to Fendall and the RAYC for a great event.

 

It was a most pleasant time and made our day to get ahead of you like that . . . . and again a little later as well, but we only let you catch up the second time because it's 30+ years since I last raced in a M or similar in those conditions and I was definately rusty (not crusty but also knot as able as I once was) and let the mainsheet go in the tack across you, but recovered easily.

 

The constant expectation of going swimming kept the anxiety and blood pressure UP

 

Yes well done Fendall & RAYC. The hot shower aferwards was really good too. Cheers.

[floatsome 0]

The results:

Name

H/Cap

Finish time

Elapsed

Corrected

H/cap Place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

M47

Matara

.967

15:17:42

1:47:42

104:11

3

 

2

M44

Marquita

.928

15:21:49

1:51:49

103:45

2

 

3

M9

Marksman

.996

15:21:59

1:51:59

111:32

5

 

4

M6

Masquerade

.918

15:22:15

1:52:15

103:06

1

 

5

M46

Mach One

.996

15:23:03

1:53:03

112:36

6

 

6

M45

Motivator

.925

15:30:16

2:00:16

111:18

4

 

7

M2

Matapan

.967

15:30:50

2:00:50

116:51

7

 

DNF

M51

Maverick

.924

 

 

 

DNF

[floatsome 0]

Some photos courtesy of Will Calver:

 

http://www.oceangallery.co.nz/

[Guest]

too hard to find, try this

 

http://www.oceanphotography.co.nz/light ... egatta2011

 

(WIll - too hard to find stuff on that site mate)