The CST Composites 2020 i 14
World Championships
sailed at Perth Dinghy Sailing Club
January 2nd to the 10th
Sunday and I'm over near the start just off the jetty near the Nedlands rugby club and fields.
I've arrived just in time for them to regather from a general recall, too many boats over the line, so with a U flag up they tried again and even I could see the boats ragging across the line. Its a soft day and everyone is going for the clean air start. This time, the black flag went up and an orderly start was made with every one heading over the line on the right side.
The breeze, well it was a westerly with a bit of south in it and nothing better than 10 to 14 knots, so straight up the centre they went . Miles away from us, I think I was lucky to get the start line. However up to the top they went and I took a chance and drove up to Tawarri to get a look at the fleet as they came down the breeze. Sure enough the sailors still thought that there was a lot of Westerly in it and right down the centre they went again. No hard angles to be had and so no one diving into the northern side to pick up a ride on the breeze off the land. A few came over to try something different, but even they weren't going to come all the way over. Pity.
Up they went again with the Brits in a clear lead and it wasn't going to be an Aussie day at all. In fact by the end of the first lap, the start boat was seen wandering their way up to the top mark to do a windward finish after the second lap. Fair enough I guess, we don't want those poor battered sailors (refer to yesterday) working too hard.
A comment as to the number of safety, mark layers, media and stray spectator boats actually on the course. I do understand the need for the media boats to be on the water and close to the action, but it seems that everyone thought that they had to be as close to the action as possible as well and when the late comers off the start line went right, not left, several boats had to beat a hasty retreat. I'm sure that the RO will sort that out as the NOR does state that all boats must be 50 meters outside the course.
I'm working on a boat today. I'll catch up when I can.
I've arrived just in time for them to regather from a general recall, too many boats over the line, so with a U flag up they tried again and even I could see the boats ragging across the line. Its a soft day and everyone is going for the clean air start. This time, the black flag went up and an orderly start was made with every one heading over the line on the right side.
The breeze, well it was a westerly with a bit of south in it and nothing better than 10 to 14 knots, so straight up the centre they went . Miles away from us, I think I was lucky to get the start line. However up to the top they went and I took a chance and drove up to Tawarri to get a look at the fleet as they came down the breeze. Sure enough the sailors still thought that there was a lot of Westerly in it and right down the centre they went again. No hard angles to be had and so no one diving into the northern side to pick up a ride on the breeze off the land. A few came over to try something different, but even they weren't going to come all the way over. Pity.
Up they went again with the Brits in a clear lead and it wasn't going to be an Aussie day at all. In fact by the end of the first lap, the start boat was seen wandering their way up to the top mark to do a windward finish after the second lap. Fair enough I guess, we don't want those poor battered sailors (refer to yesterday) working too hard.
A comment as to the number of safety, mark layers, media and stray spectator boats actually on the course. I do understand the need for the media boats to be on the water and close to the action, but it seems that everyone thought that they had to be as close to the action as possible as well and when the late comers off the start line went right, not left, several boats had to beat a hasty retreat. I'm sure that the RO will sort that out as the NOR does state that all boats must be 50 meters outside the course.
I'm working on a boat today. I'll catch up when I can.
Its Saturday and the previous day was simply blown out, though the Sharpies went out and did their two races. Mind you they are three up and they are a stiffer boat or so I'm told.
Its a soft start to the day and we were assembling on the board walk below the old Majestic site. Sure enough the breeze was beginning to arrive and the RO had the start boat out near the restaurant on the water at Nedlands. 1.4 nautical miles was the original call and a wind direction of 230 was agreed on. That essentially had the top mark up near Brickies, slightly to the North and it meant a fair bit of work for these sailors as they had a three lap race to deal with.
Start time and 10 to 15 knots with one boat who was OCS and remained so for the race. Oh well. However another skiff fell over in the start sequence and caused a little confusion down near the pin end. Just an average start for a worlds I guess. Then the racing began in earnest with the majority of the fleet barrelling up the centre well away from us, but we were patient as we knew that once they came around the top they would come toward us.
Well we were right for the first 4 or 5oo metres, but a gybe took the leaders over to the north side and we were again left without anything closer as the fleet lined up like sheep following a bellwether and took off over to the north. The traffic of boats on the water wasn't too bad, but there was the odd power boat venturing onto the course area.
The second lap and the breeze was climbing, they had had a problem with a wandering mark up at the top (I think) and there was a couple of boats over by now. Into the third lap and it was clear who the leaders were, but there were stragglers falling way behind and they were to off set the second race to first 1530 hrs and then to 1600 hrs. ( That's 3 hrs on the water already. )
Then away they went again , with a solid 20 plus on the wind speed dial. The list of boats that had retired or had damage and retired was mounting and on the boardwalk we were looking at a fleet of 40 + boats, not the original 66 skiffs. There were a couple of boats who had problems and were blowing down onto the freeway at the eastern end of the river and one of the safety boats was hard at work getting them back to the shore. But that wasn't the problem for this start.
A power boat owner wandered his way onto the start line and then decided to drive through the fleet in an attempt to break free. I'm sure that the RO said something, but we didn't hear it where we were. However the fleet had been started and another race was underway. There were boats falling over left right and centre with reports on the radio that this boat or that boat was retiring with broken rudder blades or similar and I happen to catch Brad Devine step off the boat on the first work up the river. Did a fine job of recovery, hopped back on board and pulled a very creditable 4th in the second race.
However, it was a long day on the water and the seabreeze was in a relentless mode. There will be a lot of sore bodies on Sunday. The maxim of the day was survival, keep the boat upright and minimise mistakes. Looking forward to the third race.
Enjoy the photos.
Its a soft start to the day and we were assembling on the board walk below the old Majestic site. Sure enough the breeze was beginning to arrive and the RO had the start boat out near the restaurant on the water at Nedlands. 1.4 nautical miles was the original call and a wind direction of 230 was agreed on. That essentially had the top mark up near Brickies, slightly to the North and it meant a fair bit of work for these sailors as they had a three lap race to deal with.
Start time and 10 to 15 knots with one boat who was OCS and remained so for the race. Oh well. However another skiff fell over in the start sequence and caused a little confusion down near the pin end. Just an average start for a worlds I guess. Then the racing began in earnest with the majority of the fleet barrelling up the centre well away from us, but we were patient as we knew that once they came around the top they would come toward us.
Well we were right for the first 4 or 5oo metres, but a gybe took the leaders over to the north side and we were again left without anything closer as the fleet lined up like sheep following a bellwether and took off over to the north. The traffic of boats on the water wasn't too bad, but there was the odd power boat venturing onto the course area.
The second lap and the breeze was climbing, they had had a problem with a wandering mark up at the top (I think) and there was a couple of boats over by now. Into the third lap and it was clear who the leaders were, but there were stragglers falling way behind and they were to off set the second race to first 1530 hrs and then to 1600 hrs. ( That's 3 hrs on the water already. )
Then away they went again , with a solid 20 plus on the wind speed dial. The list of boats that had retired or had damage and retired was mounting and on the boardwalk we were looking at a fleet of 40 + boats, not the original 66 skiffs. There were a couple of boats who had problems and were blowing down onto the freeway at the eastern end of the river and one of the safety boats was hard at work getting them back to the shore. But that wasn't the problem for this start.
A power boat owner wandered his way onto the start line and then decided to drive through the fleet in an attempt to break free. I'm sure that the RO said something, but we didn't hear it where we were. However the fleet had been started and another race was underway. There were boats falling over left right and centre with reports on the radio that this boat or that boat was retiring with broken rudder blades or similar and I happen to catch Brad Devine step off the boat on the first work up the river. Did a fine job of recovery, hopped back on board and pulled a very creditable 4th in the second race.
However, it was a long day on the water and the seabreeze was in a relentless mode. There will be a lot of sore bodies on Sunday. The maxim of the day was survival, keep the boat upright and minimise mistakes. Looking forward to the third race.
Enjoy the photos.
I'm breaking a promise to myself to not go near the water this week and sure enough, a great sea breeze was enough to drag me down to watch the International 14's Worlds.
These are from the teams events and I'm still trying to work out how two Brit boats managed to collide with each other when they weren't even racing, leaving one of them cleaning the mud off the tip of his mast as the skiff flipped over.. may be he needs one of the Puffin Pacer bobbles on the top of his mast :-) . I believe one of the skiffs managed to rip the rudder box off his transom on the first day, by rotating his foil a little too far, so that it acted as a brake and tore the whole thing away. Rapidly repaired of course, but a salutary lesson to be learned when you're driving these spirited skiffs in 25 knots.
Hope to catch up with a bit more of them as the regatta progresses.
Enjoy.
These are from the teams events and I'm still trying to work out how two Brit boats managed to collide with each other when they weren't even racing, leaving one of them cleaning the mud off the tip of his mast as the skiff flipped over.. may be he needs one of the Puffin Pacer bobbles on the top of his mast :-) . I believe one of the skiffs managed to rip the rudder box off his transom on the first day, by rotating his foil a little too far, so that it acted as a brake and tore the whole thing away. Rapidly repaired of course, but a salutary lesson to be learned when you're driving these spirited skiffs in 25 knots.
Hope to catch up with a bit more of them as the regatta progresses.
Enjoy.