how was the regatta down south?
Awsome mate, Quite large mix fleet.
Inshore short course Small monos - Flying Ants, Flying 11s,
Div 1 Dinghies - Lasers, Fins, Light Weight Sharpies, 29ers
Div 2 Yachts - Tailer Sailors
Div 3 Small cats - Maricats, Windrush, Narcra 14 sq, Hobie 16 spinnaker
Div 4 Large cats - Taipan 5.7 spinnakers, F18s.
Div 5 Taipans - Cat and sloop rigged
The Large cat class was made up off the following
2 x Taipan 5.7 Sinnaker - Both from Port Kembla
7 x F18s - 6 from Kurnell and 1 from Pittwater
Wind on Saturday pumped at 20 knots form the NE reaching 25 in one race. Sunday was a lot lighter at 15 knots from the south, dropping to about 12 at the end.
Plenty of carnage and very close racing. We broke our starboard dagger board on the first lap of the regatta and was forced to race the series with only one board. When the board went, it felt like we ripped on the handbreak, going from a full noise downwind to a complete stop in about 2 boat lenghts and nearly cartwheeling. A 5.7 was right on our transome and had to crash gybe to avoid mounting our cat, dunking his crew on trap.
Suffered a lot upwind, more so on port tack where we just slid sideways. Still managed to stay in the top half of the fleet for most of the regatta and in one race was leading the fleet part the way. Some were thinking about tossing one of their centerboards <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
On Saturday race 2 when the wind kicked more than half the fleet swam and / or retired. 1 Capricorn broke 3 battens on a capsize whilst another Cap broke a spreader arm after its skipper was thrown into spreaders <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> after putting it in at the top mark. We also carwheeled and 2 tigers also went swimming.
On Sunday, Mark Laruffa had an altercation with a Maricat after it failed to give him bouy room. Mark T boned the Mari, capsizing on it and ripping his main as it came crashing down on the Maricats mast.
Very close series which saw 3 boat including us, tied for 2nd going into Sunday arvo's final races. After the next 2 races
1st Stevie Brewin (Kurnell Capricorn) came from 5th to win
2nd Laruffa (Kurnell Tiger) from 6th
3rd David Hart (Kurnell Capricorn) from 2nd
4th Greg Wyers (Kurnell Capricorn) from 1st
5th?? Porter (Port Kembla Taipan 5.7) form 2nd
6th Myself (Kurnell Capricorn) from 2nd
7th Bill Sykes (Pittwater Tiger)
8th ?? Porter (Port Kembla Taipan 5.7)
9th Dylan Drummon (Kurnell Tiger)
