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June 23, 2008
Puxley Polava
After a cabin breakfast last Saturday morning Jan and I took the trot boat out to Ninjod. Our plan was to race in the Crouch Yacht Clubs' Puxley Trophy race to Levington. We were using the race as a delivery trip ahead of our house move to Melton, Woodbridge.
This year's Puxley Trophy race was low on entrants with most of the other CYC skippers being away. The only other entry (also 2 handed) was Nick and Angie aboard Gambit.
We barely made the starting sequence on time having found a minor issue with the mainsheet system (it was in bits on the cabin floor!).
We started close hauled on starboard tack weaving through the moorings at Burnham-on-Crouch in 10 to 12 knots of wind. The wind speed increased a little to 15 knots once past the river Roach and as we bore away towards Outer Crouch and Buxey 1 & 2 our boat speed increased to 6.5 knots over the ground against the tide. At Buxey 1 we looked behind us to see the day-glow color of Gambit's kite.. We then decided to hoist our Asym.
With the Asym up we quickly pulled away from Gambit. Our line towards the Spitway was very tight with the Asym up, we could not get much higher and we discussed dropping the Asym. We chose to keep it up and 20 yards from the mark we took a big knock. This resulted in us missing the mark by 40 yards and ending up heading down wind into the Spitway while we took the kite down. Angry and cheesed off we retired!!
Once into the Wallet and heading towards Diffusers we had a cup of tea and cheered up. With Jan at the helm white sail reaching we saw speeds of up to 9 knots over the ground.
As we turned towards Harwich the wind went behind us. The new kite was put on deck and sorted, the pole raised and the sock hoisted. As the sock was raised the pole fell forward and we wrapped the kite around the forestay.. Heading up didn't free the wrap! Jan put on the chair and with pilot on sailing downwind under main alone I hoisted her up the mast. While up there struggling with the kite we crash gybed and Jan was bounced around. Other yachts thought this looked interesting and motored towards us to watch the action. This really didn't help.
With the kite sorted and back on the deck, Jan badly bruised we entered Harwich harbour. We started to tidy the boat and while Jan was standing the swell rolled us and we crash gybed (again). The boom and her connected and pushed her into the cockpit. The main sheet swept across the boat and whipped the back of her head. She went below and once checked over we put the sails to bed and motored into SYH.
Our 1st sail out of the river this season was an eventful one.
Congratulations to Nick and Angie with Gambit on their victory.
Posted by ninjod at June 23, 2008 11:52 AM