What a day!

At 1.00pm it looked as though there would be no race. The junior classes that had left the beach were paddling out to the starting area. A slight wind line out to sea was enticing the paddlers towards it with a promise of something that might be sufficient to get a race in. Well the wind line filled in and then filed some more, them some more and just kept on coming until it gave us a really great ride.

It was a division start today with the 505's starting with F.D's, P.M.Canoes & Lightweight Sharpies. The course was loop, triangle, triangle, loop, finish. After one general recall the race was away in a moderate to fresh nor by nor-wester backing to the North. The fleet was pretty evenly divided between those that went to sea looking for the westerly shift, those that played the middle and those who headed for the shore to stay in flat water and hoping for the backing lift on starboard tack from the north. On the first beat the left paid with the guys that went to sea rounding first. (As we are only interseted in the 505's, that's the only class I'll report on.)

Colebatch / Pearson in Blue Slip 8499 went up the middle and were the first 505 around hotly persued by McGowan / Webb in WESS 8292 and Besell / Marsh in "Furballs..." 8711. It was "big spinnaker" day today so up went the "womper" and Dave & Pip were off down the run. They didn't tack downwind and play the shifts or sail high to optimise the boat speed with the bigger kite, so no real advanatge was demonstrated. The second beat didn't see any major changes and Blue Slip led again at the second windward mark with Furballs.. and WESS still right on their tails. The first reach on the second lap was pretty exciting with the breeze freshening, but positions didn't change with Blue Slip still in the lead at the qybe mark. By this time the wind had picked up to about 15 - 18knots.

The second reach was becoming a handfull and when Dave Colebatch leaned into the boat to pull on the side stays a loud bang sent Blue Slip ducking for cover as a saddle securing the shroud adjustment system pulled two pop rivets out of a aluminium tube at the stern end of the centre case. Initially it was decided to pull out and limp home but close inspection revealed it could be jury rigged with some rope. By the time this was done Blue Slip was last. WESS was by now in the lead with "Furballs.." making a great race of it. The second traingle saw Blue Slip get back into gear and start to gain ground again and coming up the 4th beat were well and truly back in the race.

By now the breeze had freshened to above 20 and it was getting to be great fun. "Furballs.." had captured the lead from WESS and Blue slip were in third. Furballs dragged a boom in the water just after the gybe and paid the penalty with a capsize which put WESS back in front. Blue Slip was getting exicted about the situation but "Furballs. were not in the drink for long and were off after WESS in a flash. The breeze had now increased to the "almost terrifying" stage when Furballs decide the only way it could regain the lead was to hoist a kite and "pysche out" WESS who had decided it was OK not to fly a kite. Alan Bessell with big Marshie on the wire powered down the waves to take the lead and win by a "bee's tit " from WESS. After rounding the weather mark for the last time, in third place, Blue Slip planned away madly two sailing it on full plane dead down wind but a bit of a lull saw Dave Colebatch order the crew (young Pip Pearson) to put up the "big womper" and no sooner had it set than in came the big gusts. (wouldn't you know it!!)

IN THIRTY NINE YEARS OF SAILING 505'S I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO FAST.
That's a big statement after all the years I've been sailing, but I kid you not, it was just unbelievable!

 In one gust we actually left the crest of a wave, became airborne and "flew" to the next wave. The power in this big spinnaker is incredible. But the remarkable thing is, it lifts the bow and actually makes the boat easier to steer in the big seas and big winds. What a ride!!! Anyway, we survived to tell the story. Well sailed Alan Bessel and "Marshie" for a well deserved win. Fortune favours the brave and "Big Al" was rewarded for putting up the kite on that last run.