Wednesday 26.10.22

Twilight Series 1 Race 1

Weather: warm and humid with showers  – 16 degrees

The wind was estimated at 5 – 10 knots from the west southwest

 

What a difference a week makes!

 

Last week we had a spectacular sunset. This week it was a drizzly grey afternoon, but the weather didn’t deter our skippers, and we had 39 boats sail in the first race of our Twilight Race Series 1.  (And that’s the 1^st race of 5 in this series if anyone is wondering!).

 

Our Race Officer David Taylor noted that the winds weren’t the strongest so opted for a shorter course to enable the boats to get through the race.   After a good pursuit start to the north, the wind ran out of puff, the rain increased and we started to get the calls to retire, one after the other – and in the end, no one finished.

 

Thank goodness the Harbour room was set up for a big get together, every table filled with members relaxing and catching up, enjoying a warm meal and a drink.

 

Saturday 29.10.22

Non Aggregate Race 2

 

Weather: 17 degrees, West/South Westerly winds, strong to very strong at times with rain squalls

 

Results:

PHS 1^st Buck, 2^nd Sunshine, 3^rd Panacea

AMS 1^st Sunshine 2^nd Matador 3^rd  Sea Eagle

No result for ORC as there was only one boat entered

David Taylor, Richard McGarvie, Paul Dunstan, Steve Mills and Ann Rogers in the Tower.

 

Interview with Julian, Sam and Ron from Buck

Ron: The race was a bit wild and woolly, and Jules oversaw setting up the boat – he did a great job of doing what he did, and Sam did as well. Essentially the boat was sailed by blokes who haven’t had a shot.  We gave Sam a shot on the helm today; that was his first full race on the helm and My God, he worked us! “We’re tacking now, and we’re doing this, we’re doing that!” So, Sam was making all the decisions with a bit of guidance.  He made all the decisions about what sails to select, reefs coming in, reefs coming out, and all that stuff.  I just acted like a nobody on the boat and did what I was told – most of the day I was biting my tongue because I wanted to say stuff, put in input when I was asked, and kept out of it, I admit to one dramatically incorrect tack where everything got tangled up, and we had big knots in the winch – other than that it’s these guys stories – you need to ask them!

 

Julian: We started with a reef, did this, did that – because the weather was all over the place and there were several squalls, rain, big waves, we were steering over the waves!  Our boat is very light compared to other boats, it’s very touchy, and it needed a lot of adjustment on the main and the headsail – there was lots of work for the three of us, but it was fun, and we had flashes of brilliance!  Sailing on Buck just isn’t bout sailing, Ron teaches you personal responsibility and discipline, and they’re characteristics I’ve learnt over the year I’ve been with Buck, so that’s important.