2015 Racing By

So, about that racing start.......

The plan had been to fit a retractable bowsprit, ready for a code zero, and have new sails for the beginning of the season.  Of course no plan survives first contact and although the bowsprit was fitted and proven to be effective with the asymetric spinnaker, the new sails had not arrived in time for the first race.  No matter, going into the final race of the first Club series we had an unassailable lead.  All we had to do was turn up........Clearly the crew had looked at the forecast and decided racing would be cancelled.  Gaz and I contemplated sailing 2 handed, but eventually decided we could not leave (or return to) the berth safely in the gusty conditions.

Our first ISORA was 9 May Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead - new sails still not arrived.  John and I slipped at 0705 on 8 May to catch the tide for our delivery trip to Dun  Laoghaire.  Conditions, were light ENE, but that did not save the old mainsail, which soon developed a 2m tear.  We still had a phone signal and asked the remainder of the crew who were coming over on the ferry to bring the even older cruising main, so we could complete the race home the next day.  Needless to say we were not very competitive and to make matters worse we were still carrying our old, much higher, handicap!

Our second ISORA was Holyhead to Douglas, Fri 22 May, evening start.  The new mainsail was fitted immediately prior to the start, but the headsail was still in transit, so we were carrying the old genoa and hence handicap.  The start was a drift, but a breeze soon filled in and we made good use of the tide to be close to the lead by Victoria Bank.  The night saw a tactical battle in light and shifting breezes.  However, the morning found Pipedreamer in a hole with the remainder of the fleet sailing round.  We finished last at 1400!

Our third ISORA was Douglas to Dun Laoghaire on Sun 24 May.  This turned out to be a better race for Pipedreamer and when the wind did drop we managed to sail round the worst of the holes and catch the leading pack - halyard tension?!  The transit home on 25 May was uneventful in light airs.

June arrived and so did the new (smaller) Genoa.  Pipedreamer immediately felt more responsive, appeared to point higher and promised much for the future, particularly as we would now be able to use our new handicap.  The first test was a windy Liverpool Regatta on 27 Jun and Pipedreamer won the day with a scratch crew.  Sadly, we were not able to put a crew together for the Sun and finished second overall for the regatta.

And so to the Lyver Trophy.  The 100NM course was set via 2 virtual waypoints and took us from Holyhead up to the west of the Isle of Man and then south to Dun Laoghaire.  The start was in an E'ly 3-4, but the forecast was for ESE 5-7 with gusts over 40 Kts.  The start can be seen on YouTube and the race progress followed on Yellowbrick.  Our plan was to start at the pin end on a starboard gybe and to stay on the SW side of the fleet, allowing for the flood tide.  This led to a slow start, possibly stemming more tide than really needed, though we avoided the risk of having to gybe for the mark.  We set the Asymetric as we hardened up at the first mark and, with the wind increasing, we flew down the next leg until a series of broaches led to us lowering the spinnaker, though that did not slow us much as we continued to surf down waves unseen in the dark.  We reached the northernmost point of the course at 0205 in rough conditions and in company with a number of other boats.  For a while we sailed a lower than ideal course to take the sting out of both wind and waves, but after a couple of hours we were able to set a higher mode, direct to The Ben of Howth.  At 0600 we had about 25NM to go and were quite well placed in the pack with the wind now decreasing and veering, but with the tide turning to the N.  This made the Ben something of a challenge with some close quarters tacking against wind and tide.  Once through, the fetch to the finish was relatively straight forward.  We finished just behind Mojito and just ahead of Tsunami and Bada Bing - 8th overall on handicap.  As we approached the National Yacht Club pontoon, we found Kerageous already there, but bow down, having taken on considerable quantities of water.  We were later to hear Stories of broaches, a Chinese gybe and halyards being cut - as exciting as it had been, our crossing was relatively uneventful.  Congratulations are due to Jacknife for their impressive win.