With the wind definitely in B rig range, the 16 hardy competitors set forth for 9 races in relatively warm conditions last Thursday. The results are below and I much give a shout out to Derek who amassed four straight wins in the 1st session. Superb consistent sailing with good controlling starts and stayed out of trouble. It was a pleasure to watch.
As for me it was another good day but still some annoying mistakes crept in. In one race I had a great start but was too far down the line to have any freedom to tack. When I did tack from the far bank, one boat just caught me on starboard and rather than bearing off behind, I tacked for the bank and my race was done. Wrong side of the course, heading in the wrong direction with 2 extra tacks. Oh and did I mention I had to do turns for avoidable collisions. I thought I had got that out of my system.
In the other race it was perhaps a bit of bad luck. We were running downwind, not far from the concrete bank when a squall took most of us out. After nosediving my boat headed toward the bank and I had to tack round in a squall. By the time I recovered everyone had gone.
So lessons learnt
My starts are improving with better boat control and I no longer jump the gun.
I am learning that it does not always pay to be at the port end of the line on a port bias line because unless you are really fast you will not be able to tack.
Stay out of trouble
The boat set up was good with a set of sails that came with the boat. There is one small issue which is worth mentioning. The winch when you throw the stick from full out to in or the other way round, hesitates at random mid throw and I took a video and sent it to the good Dr (Bill) Green of smart winch UK. Apparently it maybe a faulty potentiometer so the winch is going back for a test and full service and my new spare going in the boat.
The knock on effect of this was a nice surprise. When I last weighed the boat it was 4018. I found a small piece of lead under the winch which was 18gms. When I put the new winch in and added the new lighter weight 1000mAh battery, the weight was down to 3965. Two flat 22.5gms made of lead shot and epoxy will balance the boat weight out and I can position it by putting the boat in the gosport tank and checking how the bow sits fore and aft in the water.
So a good day with more racing on Tuesday and Thursday. I will break out the new sails at the end of March when the weather is nicer.
Everything is now in order on the boat for the season. Apart from the hull fin, rudder and switch, everything on the boat is replaced and the switch will be changed next week. To limit the formation of electric black wire and corrosion problems, after each set of races, the hatch cover will come off over the winch and servo, everything will be unplugged and connections regularly sprayed with Corrosion X.
The sheet holes on the booms are marked for the practice and racing A, B and C rigs and tubes will be rinsed after sailing on salt water. Tapes around the booms stop the sheet leads moving and cyanid glue hold the lead in pace so they remain central on the main booms and off centre on the jib booms. I also put a screw in the boom through the gooseneck insert to stop the boom rotating accidentally.
Subject to catastrophic failure, boat development is complete. How often have I said that before.
The Results
The curious winch behaviour video. I am throwing the stick from end to end. You can hear how it sticks mid throw. Time for a visit to the good winch doctor to get it repaired and serviced.
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