Anthony and Cy

Blown out

So sure enough, it is blowing really hard. When I arrived at the site this am, it was in the 30’s. It dropped a bit and about 6-9 boats went out. Of those, most were either really good teams such as the Gold Medalists from Spain (ESP) or not as veteran. So of the 9 that went out, only 3 returned on their own power or w/o breaking anything. It took the Spanish 3 times to get off the beach and have everything right, only to break their rudder. No masts came down but there was plenty of carnage. Most people were out for about 15-20 mins before returning in. Once in, it really started to blow topping out in the high 40’s. It has died a little bit but is now raining VERY hard.

We moved the craft under the tent and are doing lots of boat work. Nothing major, just sweetening up the craft a bit such as tightening and sealing the wings, making some spare halyards and sheets and pimping out Cy’s spinnaker launch system.

Here is the live wind readings for the day:

First Sail in Sorrento

It looks as if the next few days might be unsailable due to high winds so we packed in a good sail today. I got up really early and returned the “hire” car and took a bus back to our town. There was no wind and it was hot and sunny so we finished off a few projects and rigged our third mast. The water is very shallow (see attached photo of area) and it is very easy to flip, stick your rig in the sand and break it so it is nice that we have three rigs. The wind finally filled in and we went out and joined in with a little group that included the top ranked Germans who got 5th at the worlds, the top Austrians who were 2nd at the worlds and the winner of the US trials, Tim Wadlow and Chris Rast. The tunning was ok but quickly deteriorated as the wind shut off again and it started to pour rain. There were some other not so good teams doing practice races, so we joined them for a while. The current was running at over 2kts and it made it lots of fun. I have always liked lots of current. We did well in the races, even winning one of them. The GER, AUT, USA group was racing as well on another course and since they are so good, we joined them. We did one start vs them and it was a good one and then did one race to the weather mark and we all rounded together so that was nice.

Below is a picture of the Mornington Peninsula. The race course is just over the sand bar to the north east of where it says, “Sorrento”. You can see the big channel that runs east west. The current in that channel was moving at over 3kts but still moving very fast over the sand bars.

One of our main sponsors is VERTICAL YACHTS, aka Chris Rosenberg. We thought it would be nice to put up the company “Logo” on the mainsail. So I asked Chris to send us his logo and we would get the sticker printed out and put it on the sail. Simple enough right? Well we got the logo and put it on. Not sure how it represents Vertical Yachts but at least you can see it!

Don’t worry I am kidding. This is the Estonian team and for some reason they have a Sean Paul look alike with a Mr. T starter kit on their sail. Have no fear, our look is a little better!

Okay, over and out!

Through the “Outback”.

Well we have arrived in Sorrento after driving for the most part of yesterday. We loaded up the kit into and on the car. It was a source of more than a few funny looks and comments such as, “You really sure about that?” or “The boats longer than the car!” I will let you be the judge for yourself:

Thankfully, we got some help from the Americans who took one of our gear boxes and a rig for us to Sorrento. The Japanese team also tooks three of our mainsails which help greatly with space and all so important weight up high. We left Sydney at around 12 and got to Sorrento around 11pm after getting lost only once. For all you world travelers out there, google maps doesn’t work so good down under.

The country side was the same the whole way. It consisted of small hills that had some trees and some pastures with lots of sheep, cows and horses. The only kangaroo sightings were unfortuntely dead road kill victims. Two things stuck out though, one was that of all the small towns we went through, we only saw one school. The other, well, I am not sure what was going on but there was a submarine half buried in the land and the nearest body of water was 5 hrs away.

Our housing is really nice. The housing is about 800 meters from the club. Cy and I each have our own room and it is a very nice house that is very much like a Caribbean home. Today we unloaded, sorted out the club surroundings and went to the local boat shop. The YC is very nice as it is a brand new club house and is located right on the beach. Space will be a major issue though as the beach can only fit one row of boats and there are 65-70 boats as well as over 100 29ers!

Ok thats it for now. Out for a sail tomorrow.

The Last Day of SIRS

Hello All,

After yesterdays frustrating results and conditions, we had a little better day today.

The wind was very shifty and blowing 12-4kts and dieing through out the day.  Most races were filled with lots of great moments and some bad moments. Sometimes the shifts went our way and other times they didn’t.  The first race was so so as we finished 16th. I am happy with a top ten but a 16th was sort of a bummer.

The next race started off shitty as I thought we were over early as we were poked and could see the RC boat and the pin. It looked as if we were over and heard the single horn of a indv recall.  The pin was right there so we rounded it and restarted.  We were able to pass quite a few boats but got passed by a few as well towards the end to again finish 16th.  It was nice to know we could sail through the fleet and we need to remember that this is a training regatta and the best thing we can do is learn here.

For the next race, we loosed the rig and had a so so first beat to round somewhere between 8th-12th. The rest of the fleet did a straight set (plane bear away) and we saw a big gust coming down the right side looking upwind so we did a gybe set. Sure enough the fleet sailed too far under a hill and could not get out of the corner and we rounded the bottom mark 3rd.  After the bottom mark, the spin sheet got caught around the bow for the second time and Cy had to shimmy up there and clear it and we missed a few shifts and rounded in the 6,7,8 area.  On the last run, again we gybe set and passed a few boats to finish 6th.

Overall, we finished 12 of 28?. Defiantly, could have done better if we could have survived the 25-30 kts day.  We are starting better and have been working on our bow down mode that I mentioned earlier, we were a little weak at recognizing when to switch to this mode. Today we played around with it a bit and were happy.  Our crew work, especially our tacks, gybes and gybe sets have been really good. Our actually leeward mark roundings are getting better but the approach has been weak and I need to work on that.  It is very hard thing to judge as Cy needs time and room to get the kite down but if we do it too early we stop and go so slow.  I have been a little too cautious and need to make the approach smoother so we can hold our speed right up to the mark and not have to make any last min gybes without the kite.

The craft is packed up, all sails, masts etc are loaded on the boat. We will lift the whole kit up onto the rental car tomorrow. It might be a bit scary looking as the car is quite small!  We will drive 12 hrs south to Sorrento which is about an hour south of Melbourne.

Enjoy,

Cy and Anthony

Day 3 of SIRS

Race Fans,

It was not such a flash day. It was blowing really hard as in the mid to high 20’s. We started the first race and survived the bear away and had some good pace downwind but flipped on the gybe when I turned too fast. After that simple things such as the trapeze shock cord broke and it got really tough to deal. With out the shock cord, the trap hook flies about 10 feet off the deck and about 5-8 feet behind the boat! So we pulled out and tied to fix the shock cord problem. We borrowed bit of it from the spin halyard bungee system and were headed out to for the next start when that broke as well. Right before we wiped out though the rudder cavitated out, so when we were upside down, I had a look at it and sure enough it was unzipping on the leading edge.

We had to make the decision to head in as sailing with the rudder coming apart was not going to work. What is most frustrating, is that I checked over the shock cord last night noticed a wear spot and fixed it. The rudder is brand new as well.

Many other teams struggled as well with lots of masts down. The last race had only 8 starters of 28 teams. It was a bit strange that we raced as the class rules say you can’t start a race if it blows over 25kts.

So we gave the boat a big once over, dropped the rig to check it over and replaced all shock cord on the boat. Tomorrow is supposed to be 10-15kts.

Hopefully we will have better news to report! As for now we are in 12th overall.

Below is the press release from the regatta:

Sydney International Regatta 2007

Sydney, Australia

Conditions took their toll on competitors at the ISAF Grade 1 Sydney International Regatta, as the breeze kicked in on Sydney Harbour.

Two competitors were carted off to hospital; one with a suspected broken ankle, another with a nasty cut to his forehead, not to mention the numerous breakages amongst gear on boats.

Gavin DAVIES, from Shell Cove south of Wollongong, was skippering his Tornado out to the start of the race when the catamaran turned over and DAVIES got his foot caught in a strap. The ankle went one way, his body the other.

Crew Kez STEVENS stood by his skipper who was laying on the trampoline of the cat. A stoic DAVIES said: “I’ve only been back in Australia four months and thought it would be good to come and do this regatta.” Ambulance officers arrived and treated DAVIES before taking him to hospital.

In an earlier incident, 29er youth skipper, Nick BRUNNING, arrived ashore with a gash in his forehead and swelling already in evidence after being hit with the boom on his boat. He too was treated and taken to hospital. Both he and DAVIES will be fine.

The day started well enough with a steady southerly breeze, but winds coming from the south and southwest increased once racing was under way, with strong winds in the 25 knot range and big gusts hitting the various Olympic and Youth classes sailing at the Yachting NSW organized event.

As winds increased, event officials at Woollahra Sailing Club abandoned the Youth 4.7 Laser races for the day, but all other classes got racing in.

During racing, boats capsized all over their various courses, Nathan OUTTERIDGE, Australian 49er champion skipper said: “In our third race, only five boats were upright on the start line; the rest were upside down in the water. It was a constant 25 knots in that third race, too much for the 49ers.”

OUTTERIDGE and his crew Ben AUSTIN fought hard in the three races sailed today to take the series lead by a slim one point margin from yesterday’s leaders, Jorge LIMA and Francisco ANDRADE (POR) after scoring 2,4,2 results. Third place is held down by consistent Brit’s Paul CAMPBELL-JAMES and Mark ASQUITH.

The first gear breakage of the day was the American 49er crew of Jonathan GOLDSBERRY and Charlie SMYTHE. “It was carnage out there man,” said GOLDSBERRY from San Francisco. “We busted a few things. The main problem was our jib track. The block jumped out of the track so we couldn’t tack. It’s blowing hard out there.”

Sailing a chartered boat here in Sydney, the two qualified sixth in the USA Olympic trials. They are one of four American crew’s headed to Sail Melbourne in early January for the 49er worlds.

“Sailing on your harbour is quite an experience,” said GOLDSBERRY, “All the traffic and the stiff winds, but we’re having a blast,” he said. The two will repair their boat in time for tomorrow’s final races.

Day 2 of SIRS

Race fans,

Today started off with no wind and a postponement on shore. We were in the second group of boats to leave the harbor today but when we arrived the first group (lasers) had not even left yet.  We sat on shore for about two hours and finally headed out in  about 5-9kts.  It was a bit rainy and cloudy so yesterday’s monstrous crowd was a no show.

This wind condition is the one that Cy and I spent over two weeks practicing while in San Diego so we felt confident.  We started away from the crowd in the middle of the line and went left.  Only the Portuguese came out of the right and us and the Canadians came out of the left and rounded 1st-3rd with us in third.  We gybe set which was not the right thing to do but everyone else around did it as well.  The next lap was uneventful but there was a big car carrier coming that was going to go right through the course so the finished us at the top mark and we finished 3rd.

The next race was a bit the same but no it was getting a bit nasty and we could hear thunder.  The harbor had that look as if it might just start blowing 30 at any second.  We started left again and had a good start but the right was very strong.  We decided to get over there and as were on port, we got lifted and that got us back into the top 10.  Downwind it started to blow so I took the spin sheet and Cy came in a put some turns on the shrouds to get ready for the big wind. We had passed a few and were now in 5-7 area.  The next beat we lost two by being too far right (where the storm was approaching from) as there was one last lefty that the Polish and Canadians got around us on. Dam it for doing the right thing!   Downwind it got really weird as the leaders were sailing out of wind and the people behind were coming in hot with lots of wind. We were able to condense a  bit but others behind us got closer.  I tried to be a cowboy at the finish and pass the Polish and it back fired and we lost two to finish 9th.  Still a ok race.

That was the end and we headed in to beat the big rain and am now at the hotel cooking up a curry stirfry! Tomorrows forecast is for 25-30 so we will see what that brings.

Day 1 of the SIRS Regatta

Hello,

Today was day one of our second warm up event here in Sydney.  This is a multiclass event with all the olympic classes here sailing. Unfortunately, all 400 boat are launching from the same club and the same ramp.  It was the cause for some major log jams!

Having survived the  launching  ordeal, we sailed out to the start having thought our traffic issues were over for the day.   Wrong we were!  There were over a 1000 boats out on the water, literally.  It was much more of a traffic dodging contest than racing.  There was an E22 event as well as hundreds of other racing craft. The wind was about 12-20 kts.

The first race was so so as we got jamed up at the pin in a cluster, but showed some good speed around the course to finish 16th.  The next race we had a good start only to get rolled by a boat that was over early and trying to turn back.  Still hung on though with some major traffic issues to finish 10th.  The next race was a bit of a bummer as we were in the top ten or better and Cy’s harness hook broke so we limped around the course with Cy jerry rigging his harness upwind and then sitting on the wing downwind.  Our perseverance paid off though as three good boats flipped right before the finish and we passed them.

We seem to have a really nice light air high pointing mode but are average when it comes to breezy bow down stuff and knowing when to switch.  Once we are put in the situation where our mode is dictated to us, we  can easily adapt and put the pedal down.  We just need to get better and learning when to switch.

The traffic today was unreal. For you STT people, it was like racing in Great Harbor during new years. Except make all the anchored boats racing. For you Npt people, it was like racing during the Jazz fest. We had Ferries, 300 ft square riggers, plus all the sail boats.  All of top teams pitch poled at some point in the race.  We got to watch the #3 team in the world (Aussies) stick the bow into a bad set of wakes and both got flying around the front when the bow dug in and the boat was standing on end with the rudder in the air.  Cy and mine’s major for the day was were flying downwind in full breeze and huge waves.  We have about 10-20 degrees of turning between sailing hot and soaking.  There was a full keeled 1940’s style cutter coming upwind with a massive wood bowsprit sticking out 4-6 feet. We were on starboard going downwind and he was coming upwind on port aiming right at us.  Unfortunately, it was a real life chicken contest between the massive 40 foot lead mine with a rock solid bowsprit vs the wimpy, all up 270 pound, 49er with the carbon fiber bowsprit.  We were looking right down that bowsprit of his going,  “holy shit what are we going to do?”  We yelled and he did nothing  Luckily, Cy flogged the  kite and we were able to head up enough just enough to go down his windward side and our leeward side.  He had a rail full of people and we were so close that our spinnaker side swiped the entire crew on the rail hopefully giving them a bad case of spinnaker cloth burn! We were so close that our leeward wing was under his boat.  Lets not forget we were going down wind at 15- 20 kts either!  It is funny now but in truth, it really isn’t. It was a major close call.

While the scores were only so so, they would have been much better if the trapeze hook had not failed. It was a definate plus not to have flipped on such a crazy day especially when lots of the other teams did flip.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I can only imagine how many boats will be out there!

Stay tuned!

Training between regattas.

Race Fans, We finished up the Aussie Nationals and start the next regatta, SIRS, on Satuday.  We have spent the last couple of days doing boat work and sailing.  We had some issues with our new rudder as it was a bit bigger and didn’t fit. Finally we got it sorted this am and went for a quick sail, bent the vang arms and came in. The vang arms were our fault but are easily fixable and we were back out after lunch.  We did a downwinder to the Sydney Opera house and then beat back up to the club and did some laps with two of the Finnish teams as well as one of the Aussie teams.  It was a nice relief that all systems were working well and we were going fast. We did some modifications to the spinnaker hoist systems so that it was easier for Cy to get the halyard up and down quicker and they seem to have worked.   We will practice again tomorrow and then get ready for the regatta this weekend which runs through Tuesday.�

Day 4 Ausi National’s

Race Fans, Yesterday was the last day of the Australian National’s. There were only two races of 14 left on the schedule.

We arrived and it was blowing extremely hard and we postponed for about 1.5 hrs and then headed out. Once out there it wasn’t that windy. 49ers can deal well with wind on most points of sail but what really makes it hard is the waves. Luckily, they put us inside the bay and the water was very flat. Points wise, we were quite a few points ahead of the guys behind and about 10-12 points behind the guys infront, so we were pretty solidly in our spot.

The first race was quite exciting, we had a so so start but sailed well up the beat. We were in the low teens as the lead pack approached the top mark. Of course a monster of a puff came down just as everyone was trying to bear away (by far the hardest part of 49er sailing). The Kiwi’s in first try to bear away and just can’t do it and end up keep going on a reach/upwind trying and waiting for a lull and eventually fliped. The Brits are next and they do it but get out of control and bow digs and both guys go flying around the front. We get around and go to bear away and are about 3/4 through it when some young Ausi hotshots wipe out just in front of us and we have to avoid really quickly. We don’t flip but we end up stopping but are able to quickly get it going again. We sail a great second beat and get well into the top ten but then lost on the next couple of legs to finish in the teens.

The next race we do about the same.We were about 2/3 through the race and in the top ten but blew a gybe and weren’t able to catch back up. The wipe out was a bit funny though as we came out of the gybe and we both hook in to our trapezes, and are off at full pace. All of a sudden, Cy drops out of the picture literally as his hook came off the trap wire. So he immediatly falls in the water and holds on to the spin sheet. This “clothes lines” me but my feet are in the straps so i don’t get taken off the back of the boat where Cy is hanging out skipping across the water holding on to the sheet quite well. We were moving at 15-20 kts before the situation and now with Cy, the sea anchor, fully deployed, we stop something quick when the spin sheet, now turned ski rope comes tight, and I go flying around the front but don’t quite clear the front and land sideways on the gunnal and got a massive “charlie horse” on my leg. Cy claws his way back to the boat and up onto the centerboard and looks down and sees me there laughing at the situation but with a look of total pain. Which of course made him laugh!

In general, we are going well and sailing smart. When we are hitting all the cylinders, we can sail through the fleet well.We just need to clean up some parts and keep plugging away.

A few firsts and some small victories.

Race Fans, Another good day for Cy and I.  The day started light and picked up to mid/high teens. We again sailed four races but today we were back out in the main Sydney Harbor.  It was Sunday so every sort of craft was out again. Todays highlight was sailing next to the 100′ sailboat, Wild Oats and the American ST65, Rosebud.The highlights of the day were: We port tacked the fleet. For you non-sailors that is like getting a steal in basketball,  running it down fullcourt and dunking it! Completely jumped out of the water while going downwind fully arched up and ripping. We hit the first ferry wake and sorta got some air then the second steeper wave hit us square on and we jumped high enough to  fully clear the third!  Luckily there was no fourth wave or we would have gone THROUGH it!  Twice started next to the Ausi team that finished third at the worlds, and were able to hold them off on the long starboard tack after the start.One first day of the regatta when it was really windy, I didn’t put on enough shroud tension or lower the tack of the jib down. So today we went through the full range of tune and seemed to have some moments of ok speed.  Todays finishes were 9,9,13,7 out of 32. Tomorrow is the last day and we are scheduled for two races.