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June 15, 2005
EAORA Janes Cup and Thames Estuary races
I was asked how we got on during last weekends races... My reply is as follows:
"Basically the Jane's cup was the 1st race on ninjod ( www.ninjod.org ) . We were completely fired up and ready to go. Class 3 started and I was feeling good.. Class 2 started and I was feeling ok.. We started ( not a bad start ) and I just overcooked everything. Sail trim was appalling and consequently I stalled the boat in the light airs. As and when the wind raised above 8 knots I caught up a few but then it dropped and I made a balls of it again… It was just a very bad day.. Still not one to give up I finished, got the toot and proceeded to start the engine and head towards Medway YC to get drunk. It was then that we discovered a diesel leak. I called the committee boat and told them that we had issues and were going to resolve out issues in Queenborough. I didn’t want to head down the river in next to no wind with a fuel leak!
We thought we had the problem sorted and got up Sunday morning for the Thames race. Unfortunately we had not resolved it properly, our engine stalled and small amounts of fuel dribbled. The forecast was that the wind was dropping so I made a call to abandon the race and ensure I could get my crew & boat home without incident, at that time I had some wind and tide in my favor! So, relaxed and under little pressure I sped out of the Medway with a kite up reaching towards Blacktail Spit & Maplin. By the time we got to S Whitaker we had 20knots (ish) up the chuff and were fizzing along quite nicely… A bad gybe then caused a monster broach. We recovered the swimming kite, put up a blade and beat back up the Crouch.
I have since read "The big dummies guide to sail trimming" and been to "sail school" and have kicked myself . Oh how I wished I had raced Sunday, Oh how I wished I had not bothered to get up on Saturday.
I am off to do the Solent-> Santander in under a month and after that will be doing more EAORA events. From where I currently am I can only improve !"
Posted by ninjod at June 15, 2005 01:42 PM