He has another 10 hours to go until its over!

Weather report
3 races yesterday 4/10(aust).Wind started at 10-15 knots,went to 15-18 knots then built up to 25 knot gusts
Steve did swim,and brought in by rescue boat,Don't know if there was any damage

Now Stephen knows which cat REAL men are sailing ! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

F16 with spinnaker 1-up in a blow; there is nothing like it.


Don't let it beat you Stephen, get back on that horse as soon as you can and bend it to your control !

Wouter

What are you going on about???

T_A, are you still there? You are usually so quick to give feedback that I have to wonder how you are doing after the event. Hope you are OK and that the event was fun and not "fun" or even worse, "interesting".

T_A,

Hope you are OK, Will you get the chance to have another go?

It is worth putting the effort in; I sailed my Inter 17 for 6 years before getting the F16 that helped, but I still did a fair bit of swimming to start with.

I'm sure even Wouter swims now and again....

Forster is a great spot for sailing, but for Internet it is a bad spot. Plus it is a public holiday there today (ie NSW) so they would be caught in the massive traffic jam trying to get back to Sydney.

Folks,
Over the weekend I have spoken to both Gary and Steve.
I would suggest that James knows Steve better than some others on this forum hence his earlier response to Wouter.
When the dogs had blown off the chain I understand that Steve was still pulling the kite.
This is not my story to tell so I suggest a little patience would be in order. In a couple of days maybe Steve or Gary or hopefully both can spare the energy to tell the story.

BTW- I expect if Steve was towed in as claimed it was a precaution as the boat was a loaner. I understand that the damage to the boat was a broken cross arm.

I still think it bad Karma to ask for a "Crash Course" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Dear Wouter went swimming 6 times on the third day of the 2007 GC in only 2 races !

The only glory I can lay claim to that day is that I righted my boat singlehanded and unaided all times and finally sailed it back to safety without any help (or crew). Boy was I beat ! Muscles trembling ! And yep it was blowing dogs off chains then as well and I did pull the kite in all. Actually I never flipped in teh kite manouvres but always later on when tripping over a wave.

But going swimming is not the point. Just as with rodeo, the true character is to be found in finding the strength to get back on that horse and continue. Once the skills has been mastered you have got alot of fall-downs to further glorify the achievement !

Wouter

I've been sailing F16's since 02 (well Stealth R originally) and I still end up swimming more than most!! Guess I must be crap <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Maybe you should ask the horse's opinion. He might have good reason for wanting you off his back.

BTW- I expect if Steve was towed in as claimed it was a precaution as the boat was a loaner. I understand that the damage to the boat was a broken cross arm.

I still think it bad Karma to ask for a "Crash Course" <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> [/quote]

I thought my comments would stir up the owner,Besides i think we have been sailing to-gether long enough now to know that mean no harm to himself or his boat.
However i still stand by the claim that the boat can't go out without capsizing
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Now i really am LMAO

Bah! If I don't get into double figures nowadays when going for a sail I know I have had a good day.

LOL, relax Wouter, it was a joy to sail. I have been a bit quiet lately because my girlfriend’s parents have been in town (from NZ) and I guess it would have been bad manners to ignore them to keep you up to date.

Initially, I was wondering how you cope around the cans setting, gybing and dropping the kite solo but jumped in and realised it is actually a piece of cake. Setting and dropping I just tucked the tiller extension between my calves and hamies whist on my knees and rocked side to side to make any necessary directional changes. This was minimal as the boat tracked very straight. Gybes, well picking up the lazy sheet , dropping the ex loaded one after the gybe and sheeting the new one was very quick. I also found all the sheet and halyard loads very light after stepping of the F18s and Tornadoes. Hardly surprising with smaller sail area, less weight and less load on the boat.

Before the race in about 8 to 10 knots I set the kite heading out to the start and went through a few gybes then a drop. Rounded up and headed upwind until I met up with Garry steaming down under kite, turned around and ran alongside on a few gybes.

Race 1, I left my start watch on the beach so ran with the fleet on the line. First race I was over with several others and a General is called. 2nd start and I get a good start half way down the line trying to avoid some of the fun and games people were playing at the boat end. Garry got smashed on the start at the boat end and left in irons as the fleet took off. Those who started down the line sailed into a filthy header whilst a few late starters on the boat end (including Garry) found themself on a healthy lift all the way to the top mark on a single tack.

The breeze at this stage started to gust up to 15 knots and swung a long way to the right. The reach across the top mark to the clearance mark turned into a square run with the downwind leg being too tight to hold all the way under kite for the solo F16s. I swam twice at the clearance mark as I set on the run across to the clearance mark, attempting to gybe immediately, before gathering enough boat speed to execute the gybe safely and got knocked down exiting the gybe. I quickly learned to go into the gybes aggressively with max boat speed to avoid this..... Not much weight to hold the boat down on a solo F16, especially when you are still fairly central on the tramp. On my second swim, Garry joined me in the drink after finding the bottom whilst strung out on a downwind. I guess he will tell you more. Course completed but finished down the back of the fleet.

Second race came in fresh with some big bullets coming down the course. I tacked of fairly soon to the right to take advantage of the lifts along the shore line and extra pressure. I found myself at the top end of the fleet and did not think twice about setting the kite. It was time for a bit of redemption. Some of the F18s and Garry elected not to fly the kite in this race which was probably a very good move. On the 3rd and final downwind, a big bullet hit and I stuck both bows in. I folded the kite but found this to be a bad move as the main without kite rounded the boat up and over I went. With thoughts of going through Phill’s main sail in mind, I jumped behind the main but managed to break the tiller cross bar in the process.

I kicked up one rudder and righted the boat but could not steer it into the wind and over it went again. I elected to play it safe and drop the main sail, right the boat and get towed in. Unfortunately after 3 swims and climbing onto the hulls about 8 times, my back started to give me some trouble. I went into the regatta recovering (and starting to look good) from a back injury which I have been suffering from for the last 6 months. I decided not to risk it any further and spend some time up there with my girlfriend and her parents. The rest of the regatta forecast looked spectacular and tailor made for the F16s with what looked like about 10 to 15 knots on Saturday.

I am yet to see the regatta results, but I know the Goodall’s on the Viper were really giving it to the top of the F18 fleet. On the A class, Steve Brewin was leading a healthy fleet of about 20 boats with some big names on board with 3 wins on Saturday.

In the end, I managed to experience the F16 in a range of conditions from 8 to 25 knots and really enjoyed it. The boat was fast, responsive, had very well laid out systems and was very manageable solo. I could very easily see myself on an F16 in the future and the search for my new boat will begin after I move down to Melbourne.

Stephen,

8 climbs back on board ! You are my hero !

Did you do some trapezing under spi as well (Not something I do regulary myself though)

Brilliant report, thanks

Best of luck and enjoyment,

Wouter

Is there any other way to sail them <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ha ha ha ! Good return !

I respect that !

Wouter

Hi all,

haven't you all been having fun while I have been driving and sailing (in almost equal quantities), all this stirring I have been missing out on, not fair. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Wouldn't want to go off topic, so I will post a brief report on the Wildcat thread I started before the event. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Mate, if you didn't do that, I would have to come back and kick your butt! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Glad you enjoyed the rides!!..