[2019 SSANZ Round New Zealand race]

Just talked to Skins. Wind 15 From North. 6m lumpy sea , really horrible . FRO and main on. Expecting plenty on the wind tonight. But blue skies and cold! Then as we spoke breeze went back to West. Just a wee snapshot.

[2019 SSANZ Round New Zealand race]

How's the race going?

[SSANZ 100]

Charleston

   Got off to a fairly slow start on port. luckily this put us on a nice port tack lay line that took us cleanly through Motuihe passage and north of D'urville rock. Boat was going nice and fast up to about this point but then it became to choppy for us to safely hullfly down wind without risk of cartwheel. Excess obviously was catching us by now and we coud see them foiling gradually up to us. We decided on an early gybe to Gannet which cost as Excess got the angle right and did two less gybes than us.  We stayed close to them through the back of Waiheke and even overtook again briefly after Tarakihi when they fell into a wee lull. It started to get fairly puffy as we started to leave Waiheke's lee and then we got caught napping by a gust that gave us one our closest moments to date. When we recovered we saw that Excess was on her side. We stopped, dropped our jib, notified coastguard, granny tacked about and sailed around them to make sure all was ok.  We could here them communicating with coastguard. They (Bruce and Mike) indicated they were fine and motioned us to get going so off we went. So after that fright we dropped in the 2nd reef and changed to the number 3, then off to the black rocks.  We didn't hoist the jib till 3/4 the way to flat rock.The boat sailed somewhat better in that breeze with main only as the headsail tended to blow the bow off a bit. when we finally did break out a jib we got nailed by a squall that was blowing spray off the top of the water so jib down again. Eventually made it to Flat rock - after 4 hours!! then the breeze more or less died. We didn't shake the last reed out till about Murrays bay level as, we were tired and really probably just wanted to nurse the boat along. Then the breeze really died and went aft at Wakatere ( after I'd coiled the kite sheets) and had to go to a reaching sail for the last bit. -Tough day for us for sure and a pity our running mate had an early exit.

    Thank you to Ssanz

 

Cheers Casey  

[timberwolf]

Ditto , we on Charleston are looking forward to yours and Dans return, nervously or excitedly - I'm not sure which.

 

Casey