2005 Parhelion Spring Series
The Parhelion spring series, run by the Portsmouth Sailing Club. This page contains the racing exploits on board our Elan 333 and our third race series.
Hot news
3rd place in the 2005 Parhelion Spring Series to One More Knot, Elan 333, GBR7563T.
One More Knot's series tally (from 9 races) includes:
- one race win
- four 2nd places
- four line honours
The Portsmouth Sailing Club series has concluded with One More Knot taking 3rd place, with 13 points. 2nd place, also on 13 points went to Just In Time by virtue of a greater number of race wins. But this series, the 1st place pot went to Rhapsody. After 3 races One More Knot held the series lead. Subsequently, Just In Time took up the top spot for a few races before Rhapsody moved in to claim the top spot until the end of the series.
Skipper Phil receiving the 3rd place trophy on behalf of the crew of One More Knot.
In this series, the GK24's didn't feature so highly, however Genghis Khan (GK24) did claim a race win,
as did Pluto (Quartet).
Let's not forget, in the 2004 Autumn series, it was Scallywag, a GK24 that won overall.
It just goes to show, the handicap gives all of the boats a chance.
The final standings, courtesy of the Portsmouth Sailing Club, are:
| Rank | Fleet | Boat Name | Class | Sail No | Helm | TCF | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Race 7 | Race 8 | Race 9 | Nett |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th March 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | 16th April 2005 | 16th April 2005 | 23rd April 2005 | 23rd April 2005 | ||||||||
| Club Fleet - Sailed:9 Discards:3 Ratings:TCF | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Club | Rhapsody | MG C27 | 3075T | Roy Pearce | 0.911 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 | |||
| 2 | Club | Just in Time | Omega 36 | 4230 | Tony Barnett | 0.960 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 13.0 | |||
| 3 | Club | One More Knot | Elan 333 | 7563T | Phil Duff | 0.970 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 13.0 | |||
| 4 | Club | Genghis Khan | GK 24 | 1152C | George Isted | 0.850 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 17.0 | |||
| 5 | Club | Scallywag | GK 24 | 215 | Andy Taylor | 0.850 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 25.0 | |||
| 6 | Club | Gulf Kilo | GK 24 | 7083 | Andy Blackburn | 0.850 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 29.0 | |||
| 7 | Club | Pluto | Quartet | 7251 | Richard Adams | 0.837 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 4.0 | 1.0 | 41.0 | |||
| 8 | Club | Graphik | GK 24 | 7261 | David Cunningham | 0.850 | 7.0 | 7.0 | DNF | DNS | DNC | DNC | 50.0 | |||
Results
| Race | Date | Class Pos | No in Class | Handicap | OTW Time | OTW gap to 1st | Corrected gap to 1st | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parhelion race 9 | 24/4/05 | 5 | 7 | 0.970 | 0:58:15 | -1:12 | +6:44 | Phil, Barry, Darrell, Phil B, Jules |
| Parhelion race 8 | 24/4/05 | 2 | 6 | 0.970 | 0:52:50 | -2:27 | +0:53 | Phil, Barry, Darrell, Phil B, Jules |
| Parhelion race 7 | 16/4/05 | 5 | 6 | 0.970 | 1:42:57 | -4:47 | +8:21 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Darrell, Phil B, Toby |
| Parhelion race 6 | 16/4/05 | 1 | 7 | 0.970 | 1:12:12 | +0:00 | +0:00 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Darrell, Phil B, Toby |
| Parhelion race 5 | 9/4/05 | 2 | 7 | 0.970 | 0:59:33 | +0:11 | +0:46 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Jules, Darrell, Phil B |
| Parhelion race 4 | 9/4/05 | 6 | 7 | 0.970 | 1:28:24 | +0:22 | +4:33 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Jules, Darrell, Phil B |
| Parhelion race 3 | 2/4/05 | 4 | 7 | 0.970 | 0:51:36 | +0:38 | +1:07 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Jules |
| Parhelion race 2 | 2/4/05 | 2 | 7 | 0.970 | 0:58:48 | -0:03 | +0:32 | Phil, Kev, Barry, Jules |
| Parhelion race 1 | 19/3/05 | 2 | 2 | 0.970 | 1:23:07 | +9:07 | +13:12 | Phil, Jules, Barry, Nigel, Rachel |
Race Reports
Saturday 19th March, Race 1
Crew : Phil, Barry, Jules, Rachel, Nigel
This season changes the spec of One More Knot, our Elan 333 which now includes a 2 blade folding prop (to replace the old 2 blade brake) and a nice new suit of sails (main & #2) from North. The no. 2 is a North SR spectra laminate (our largest headsail), while the main is constructed with Contender's Maxx Voyager laminate. Both sails are top spec. cruiser/racer sails, built with both performance and longevity in mind. I guess most of the excuses for consistently being at the back of the fleet have just disappeared .... so now it's down to the crew!
A very foggy day, with little wind led to the start being delayed until 12:35. The fog saw off the more intelligent part of the fleet, as they decided to remain in the safety of the harbour. The remaining boats in club class, OMK and Rhapsody (now with Roy back at the helm after his hip op) joined the fleet of IRC boats for the first race of the season.
The course was set was a basic upwind downwind + gate course, with 2 laps to be completed. A single start combined both IRC and club class fleet, 7 boats in total.
First race of the season saw the usual OMK confusion. Phil was still down below trying to plot the marks deep into the start sequence On popping up with about 2 minutes to go, OMK was already too far below the line to make a good start. We crossed the line about 1 min 45 after the gun!
One the first beat, OMK showed a respectable performance keeping up with the IRC boats. However, the spinnaker shenanigans undid OMK once again. A late hoist and plenty of string confusion lost some time. We were later (justifiably) criticised for using sheets and guys in such light conditions.
Keeping the boat moving and the kite flying on the downwind leg in only 4.5 to 5 knots of wind was tricky. Our kite is a 1.5oz heavyweight, so not ideal for the conditions (ah ha ... an excuse!). The leg included a slow gybe (more time lost) and a reasonable drop ... (we had talked through the drop the night before).
On the next beat, we received some sail trim advice (as allowed in this race) from Jamie Wilkinson, who pointed out that we should set the sails with more twist in the very light conditions. This meant moving the cars back about 3 inches. Jamie also pointed out that the main outhaul should be set tight in almost every beating scenario, so that was tightened too. The main sheet was also eased a couple of inches. The crew were booted out of the cockpit, mostly onto the leeward rail, some extra speed was gained. The crew on the leeward rail sat low to avoid blocking the air flow in the slot.
On rounding the final windward mark, the kite was once again hoisted and a course sailed to keep the kite flying. As we were already out of touch, we sailed deep so that we could drop the kite and the reach onto the mark under white sails, avoiding another spinnaker gybe (wimps!). The drop ran relatively smoothly, although it wasn't challenging in the wind department.
Round the leeward mark and up to the finish line ... last! Then it was back into the marina, to dump the boat, followed by the short rib trip to the club house, where Jamie debriefed us on what had happened on the water. It sounded as though some boats knew what they were doing .... and some didn't. I wonder which group we were in!
After 1 race, One More Knot, lies 2nd in the club class.
Saturday 2nd April, Races 2 and 3
Crew : Phil, Barry, Jules, Kev
A glorious sunny day, with a solid F4 blowing from the East. This time, no fog. We were a little short handed ... and Kevin was a bit late joining those who slept on board. The racing was conducted East of the submarine barrier.
After the race 1 coaching session, a fortnight ago, a few lessons were taken to heart. With Kevin on board the positions were changed around a bit, with Phil on the helm, Barry on Jib and muscle jobs, Jules on the Main and Kev on Bow (and everything else). After motoring out to the race area, we raised the new main and set about trimming it. This was the first time it had been out in a decent breeze. Next followed a discussion on whether to change the new super duper number 2 for the old number 3. Feet first, we decided to attempt the first race with the number 2 and full main.
Race 2 ... One More Knot takes line honours
Some sailing before the warning gun established how fast we were covering the ground. In the prestart melee, OMK was near the head of the fleet, crossing the line 3rd. Cranking the sheets in, with lots of concentration we were able to build the speed and point a bit higher than some of the competition. The new sails were paying off! OMK stayed near the middle of the track on the first leg. With about 22 knots over the deck we initially struggled, being slighty overpowered. We found that the new main needed the traveller set a little lower than our old main. Having sussed this, it was easier to stay in control.
Rhapsody was first to the windward mark. OMK was about 5 boat lengths back, but then fate played into OMK hands when Rhapsody spun out .... and needed to do a 360 to recover. Meantime OMK and Just In Time had rounded the first mark. OMK, short handed elected to play safe on the downwind leg, sailing under white sails, with the jib poled out with the human pole .. Kevin. Just In Time hoisted their spinnaker. We were surprised how little we lost out on a dead run, goosewing with a poled out Genoa vs a boat with a kite. OMK was first to the leeward mark, and remained in front for a further 2 laps.
On the final run to the finish, Just In Time was gaining on OMK. Kevin teased the opposition by getting the kite up onto the foredeck, but Phil overuled and the beast stayed in the bag. OMK squeezed Just In Time towards the mark, with the two boats running neck and neck to the finish line. In the end, One More Knot took line honours by 3 seconds from Just In Time.
Later, in the club house, we discovered that Rhapsody had the mother of spinnaker wraps and sailed half way to the Isle Of Wight before getting it sorted. Rhapsody did eventually complete the course, but in last place.
After the handicap was unwound, OMK was 2nd, 32 seconds behind Just In Time, but only 1 second in front of Genghis Khan, one of the popular GK24s.
The crew of OMK then discovered the delight of being first across the line .... a bit of time to grab a snack before the next race.
Being shorthanded, OMK played a low risk strategy and kept the spinnaker in the bag, avoiding our usual self made penalties. We also found that it left us in better shape for starting the subsequent beat, with no distractions from all of the strings and putting the spinnaker in the bag for the next leg. The low risk approach paid off this time.
Race 3
After the excitement of race 2, levels of expectation on board had been raised.
In the starting melee OMK positioned herself well. Rhapsody understood the risk of OMK pushing her the wrong side of the committee boat, and ducked under OMK transom. Just In Time pushed her luck (as usual) .... relying on the friendliness of the other skippers to give her room. Maybe Just In Time will learn the significance of "No water at the start" (RRS2005, rule 18.1a) soon! OMK, Just In Time and Rhapsody were all a little late to the line, with some of the GK24's getting a better start. However, on the first beat OMK and Just In Time drew ahead on the water. It was nip and tuck with OMK getting in front to start but after tacking onto port had to duck below Just In Time who was still on starboard. In the end, it was One More Knot that was first to the windward mark, but probably because Just In Timehad over stood the mark by a few boat lengths on one of the tacks.
One More Knot stayed in front down the windward leg, again with a poled out genoa, but not by much. On the following beat, it was once again nip and tuck. A spinnaker sheet that had been used when the genoa was poled escaped and was rapidly disappearing over the side when it was spotted. The recovery wasn't quite as straight forward as expected and created a few distractions. Additionally, we had managed to change something, and where we were previously making about 6.5 knots to windward, we know could only make 5.7. We couldn't quite figure it out. At the windward mark, the price was evident with Just In Timerounding first, with OMK about 4 boat lengths behind.
On the final run to the finish, OMK was trying to steal Just In Time's breeze, but could never quite get into the right position to make any real difference. We were just a couple of boat lengths too far behind. One More Knot finished 2nd on the water, only 38 seconds behind Just In Time who took line honours.
After the handicap was unwound, One More Knot was 4th, just one second behind Genghis Khan and 1 minute 7 seconds behind the winner, Just In Time. Interestingly, the first 5 boats were within 1 minute and 22 seconds.
In summary of the day, a great mood on board with some decent results, so back to the club house for a lemonade and the opportunity to revel in our changed fortunes, and no need to find the usual excuses. Best of all, the series results showed One More Knot leading the Club class series after 3 races ..... unbelievable!!!
Saturday 9th April, Races 4 and 5
Crew : Phil, Barry, Jules, Kev, Darrell, Phil B
The drive down to Gosport on Friday night was full of trepidation. As current series leaders, we had something to lose. With a drive through a blizzard and the walk along the marina in the bitterly cold breeze, we thought that it might turn out to be a tough day on the water. Doubting our own abilities to stay at the top on merit, maybe we could do it with tenacity if the conditions were so bad that the other crews stayed tucked up in bed.
However after a couple of Friday night beers (as you do), we awoke to a bright and sunny morning with "not a cloud in the sky". The sun gave some welcome warmth, and in the marina, the 5 to 8 knots didn't indicate much breeze or similarity to the forecast. However, out on the water for real, it was a bit different.
During the sailing it was typically blowing a good F4/6, with the occasional drop to about 10 knots. At the other end, our instruments indicated 27 knots.
Racing was conducted just outside the harbour, with the start at Glebes. The windward mark was Vail Williams, just off the Haslar wall. The leeward mark was ... err well ... somewhere down there! The racing was across the line of the ferries ... just the same as in the computer simulation "Virtual Skipper"!
Onto the racing ...
Race 4 ... who let the beast out?
After the usual pre race discussion about what sail configuration to start with, our #2 together with the 1st reef in the main was chosen. We knew we would be a bit over powered in the gusts, but we could have an advantage in the lulls over those with a #3.
Our start was respectable, but so were a lot of the others. The fleet was spread along the length of the line and was quite close to it when the horn sounded. In close proximity to a GK24 and the MGC27 Rhapsody nearby, One More Knot accelerated in the stiff breeze. The new sails allow us to point much higher than in the last series, but still not as high as Rhapsody. One More Knot was the first to the windward mark.
Our biggest worry was still trying to locate the leeward mark. A call on the radio didn't help much, but after a bit of chart searching we had an idea of where we thought we should be aiming.
1st around the windward mark, and 1st to raise the kite .... doing well so far. Just In Time was second around the mark, and elected to use OMK's tactics of last week, with a poled out jib. This allowed OMK to further stretch the lead. The kite was a bit wild on the way down to the still invisible leeward mark. Barry later suggested that the kite was possessed! Eventually, the mark was spotted. Phil called to get the kite down early, so that we could change course to broad reach into the mark. However, in our well practiced fashion, we managed to mess things up, with the kite wrapped around the forestay. It showed absolutely no willingness to come undone until we bore away onto a dead run towards Ryde Sand. With some frustration, we watched the leeward mark pass our transom as we battled the kite. We then had the joy of watching Just In Time and Rhapsody round the mark, leaving us to curse the kite and our ability to mess things up!
The next upwind leg was a game of chase for us. We managed stay in touch with Rhapsody, but Just In Time was too far ahead. Part way up the upwind leg, we had the impression that the wind had eased a bit, so we shook the reef out, to go to a full main. On the final downwind leg, the beast stayed firmly in the bag. The #2 was poled out.The leeward mark was changed for "Outer Spit", which was in a similar location to the layed mark. On rounding the leeward mark for the final time, OMK and Rhapsody were neck and neck. A close quarter tacking duel back to the line ensued. On our final tack, we were trying too hard in the strong gusty conditions and stalled the boat. It took a few seconds to get going again. Rhapsody won this short battle this time, with OMK crossing the line 3rd on the water, 22 seconds after Rhapsody, but 4 mins and 10 seconds behind Just In Time. By the time the handicap unwound, OMK lay 6th, behind 1st:Rhapsody (MG C27), 2nd:Just In Time (Omega 36), 3rd:Genghis Khan (GK24), 4th:Scallywag (GK24) and 5th:Gulf Kilo (GK24). The first 4 boats were all within 1min 31 seconds of each other on handicap, which demonstrates how tight the series is. One decent mistake puts you way down the results.
Race 5 ... ooops ... our first penalty turns
During the gap between races, the wind appear to fill in again, stronger than before. After a quick tidy up, and discussion about the kite, temptation was removed by taking the spinnaker sheets and guys off the rails and stowing them down below. We also put the 1st reef back in the main.
Unusually, our start didn't follow the IRC1 & 2 fleet start. The course was changed, with the leeward mark now being Marie Rose. If we were leading, there would be no other fleet to follow!
With the start sequence well under way, Kev was desperately trying to unknit the Jib furl which had been badly wound. We have taken to executing a lot of the pre-start sequence under just the main, as this allows us greater maneuverability and visibility. Also, we find the reduced boat speed gives us more time to think.
One More Knot's start wasn't as good as the previous one, with the Jib being unfurled a bit late. This made pointing difficult until it was trimmed. We crossed the line near the pin end (Glebes) and were in Rhapsody's dirty air. Soon our bigger sails and boat speed started to show, sailing underneath Rhapsody and out into cleaner air. The beat became a bit tactical, with Rhapsody, Just In Time and OMK all vying for position. It was clear that OMK had more boat speed, but it seemed that the other skippers experience had the edge on us tactically.
The 3 boats approached the windward mark, neck and neck. Just In Time had managed to approach on Starboard. OMK and Rhapsody were on port and very tight on the mark. OMK called for water, which was duly given by Rhapsody. However, skipper Phil hadn't read the rule book properly, and thought that within 2 boat lengths and an overlap, that he had rights over Just In Time. Just In Time was forced to alter course to give way. OMK was 1st around the mark, closely followed by Just In Time and then Rhapsody. A short debate followed, between the skippers on the run. Just In Time protested OMK. Phil consulted the rule book to discover that he was in the wrong and hence accepted the penalty. That will be one rule we won't forget! OMK was quickly swung into the penalty turns, which in the F6 breeze didn't take long at all. OMK was now 5 boat lengths behind Just In Time and attempted to blanket her sails.
The chase continued around the next lap. On the beat the boats split looking for the best wind and tide. At the windward mark, Just In Time was still in front, but not by much. On the final run, both boats were under white sails only. Just In Time was goosewinged, but OMK decided to pole the jib out on the same side as the main, to take advantage of a wind shift. Just In Time's genoa didn't look to be working very well, and OMK closed the gap.
At the leeward mark, Just In Time rounded the mark first. But OMK's bow was only 3 feet behind. OMK was picking up dirty air, and sailing faster had to duck underneath Just In Time as she was pointing very high. The short beat back to the finish was 'competitive', with OMK trying to find some clear wind. On the final tack, OMK eased the sheets a little to aim a bit further down the line, but the damage had already been done, with One More Knot crossing the line just 11 seconds after Just In Time. We thought that wasn't bad, given our misdemeanor and resulting penalty turns.
On handicap, One More Knot was 2nd, 46 seconds behind Just In Time, followed by Rhapsody, Genghis Khan and Scallywag. Gulf Kilo and Graphic were DNF. All 5 finishers were within 3 minutes of each other on handicap, after an hour of racing.
The series standings is in the following table
| Rank | Fleet | Boat Name | Class | Sail No | Helm | TCF | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Nett |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th March 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | ||||||||
| Club Fleet - Sailed:5 Discards:1 Ratings:TCF | ||||||||||||
| 1 | Club | Just in Time | Omega 36 | 4230 | Tony Barnett | 0.960 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | |
| 2 | Club | Rhapsody | MG C27 | 3075T | Roy Pearce | 0.911 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | |
| 3 | Club | One More Knot | Elan 333 | 7563T | Phil Duff | 0.970 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 10.0 | |
| 4 | Club | Genghis Khan | GK 24 | 1152C | George Isted | 0.850 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 13.0 | |
| 5 | Club | Scallywag | GK 24 | 215 | Andy Taylor | 0.850 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 19.0 | |
| 6 | Club | Gulf Kilo | GK 24 | 7083 | Andy Blackburn | 0.850 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 5.0 | DNF | 23.0 | |
| 7 | Club | Graphik | GK 24 | 7261 | David Cunningham | 0.850 | DNC | 7.0 | 7.0 | DNF | 30.0 | |
Saturday 16th April, Races 6 and 7
Crew : Phil, Barry, Kev, Darrell, Phil B, Toby
With only two weekends remaining, thoughts are starting to move towards how the series will turn out. Last weeks efforts showed that OMK is now capable of finding good boat speed, although we still have to achieve it consistently. The team is starting to gel, but we still have to avoid our signature foul ups! With this in mind, we were delighted to be joined by OMK's secret weapon Toby Dale for this weekend, to assist with tactics and on board coaching for the team.
After an early morning postponement, racing started in light winds. Winds were fluky throughout the day, from F3 down to F0. We were left wondering if Toby brings the light airs .....
On board, Phil was on helm, Barry in the pit, Darrell on the mainsheet, Phil Bailey on the bow, leaving Kevin and Toby floating to covering the jib, tactics and coaching!
Race 6 One More Knot's first race win
The course was a single lap starting near Mary Rose, with a beat up to Prince Albert, just past Gilkicker point, then a run down to Outer Spit, followed by a short beat to the finish.
With a strong tide and light wind, OMK hovered well up tide and upwind of Condor, the committee boat prior to the start. With about 1:30 to go, OMK dived down to swoop around the stern of the committee boat and then pushed up to the line. Toby was calling for Phil to stay hard on the wind before the gun, but Phil's bottle went as he sailed down the line instead. None the less, OMK made a good start, together with Rhapsody and some of the GK's.
With most of the boats starting on starboard, they quickly tacked to port to take advantage of the slacker tide over the sandbank towards the Haslar wall. One More Knot, a bit out in front was trapped on starboard, and was the last to tack to port. However, clean air was guaranteed and boat speed was good and this week we found we could point higher than Rhapsody. Darrell was constantly tweaking the main, overseen by Toby.
Just In Time didn't seem to be quite in form this week, losing out a bit shortly after the start, but then tacked out to the left hand side. This left the crews of Rhapsody and OMK scratching their heads.
The fleet headed off towards the Haslar wall. OMK was pointing high. Rhapsody had good boat speed but wasn't able to point so high this week with a larger headsail ... hehe. The wind was variable, between about 4 and 9 knots. In the light winds, staying out of the tide was paramount. The leading boats were catching the tail end of the IRC fleet which had had a 10 minute headstart. Rhapsody made some gains by getting in really close to the wall. Even so, OMK had only 0.7m under the keel on rounding the headland. It was One More Knot that was first to round Prince Albert. The approach needed a good allowance for the strong adverse tide. On rounding the mark, OMK immediately gybed to stay in the deeper water and better tide.
After a talk through with Toby, the kite was hoisted without incident. Rhapsody rounded next, but on their hoist the spinnaker didn't want to inflate immediately. Surprisingly, Just In Time didn't seem too far behind when they rounded in 3rd. With the light winds, keeping the kite full and the boat moving was the priority. Toby provided plenty of advice. The variable conditions meant a lot of adjustment of the pole which kept Barry and Kevin busy.
With the strong tide in mind, the kite was dropped very early to avoid sailing past the mark and throwing away our lead. Once the kite was safely down below and the pole was dropped onto the deck, all that was needed was a short beat back to the line to take line honours. Later, the committee boat confirmed this as race honours, together with comments about rockstars and sandbagging!!! This was One More Knot's first race win.
One More Knot finished 7 minutes 36 seconds in front of Rhapsody, which translated to a 2 minute 40 second advantage after the handicap unwound.
With Toby on board, and a full crew complement, there were none of the usual OMK foul ups. Toby's calls on the start line gave us a much better start than usual (which have already been much improved from last season). Communication on board was better, with time taken to run through the more complicated transitions before they occurred. This was made easier by having more crew and the level of experience on board.
With a good margin over the other boats, OMK was able to take a few photos of the competitors as they completed the course.
Race 7 Robbed!
For the second race of the day, the course was changed following a wind shift. The windward mark was now North Sturbridge. This meant that the fleet would need to cross the main channel on both the upwind and downwind legs.
Under starters order for the second leg, OMK was once again hovering up tide and upwind of the committee boat a few minutes before the start. With 2 minutes 30 seconds to go, Toby called for a last minute change of plans. He had spotted a wind shift to the left. The bow was put down and One More Knot accelerated to the pin end of the line, to be joined by Rhapsody. With a quick gybe and a very controlled approach (called by Toby) OMK hit the line within 2 seconds of the gun. Roy on Rhapsody had been attempting to push OMK up and over. Toby's nerve held. Phil found it a bit stressful!
With both One More Knot and Rhapsody on port, eyes were very firmly on the fleet approaching from starboard. It was obvious that OMK had more room, being both in front and upwind of Rhapsody. However, both boats successfully sailed over the top of the fleet. Great call Toby! A real port tack flyer that paid off.
The obvious tactics were to cheat the tide as much as possible, so the majority of the fleet headed into shallow water. The race at the front was between One More Knot and Rhapsody. This week One More Knot was able to point higher while sailing as fast as Rhapsody. It was a drag race to get over to the Haslar wall. Darrell was doing a great job on the main. Both boats got there at the same time, but One More Knot had a clear advantage by managing to point higher on the way. The current series leader, Just In Time, seemed to be having an "off day", unusually being unable to match the upwind speed of the leaders.
There was then some debate about the location of the windward mark. With numerous crew checking the chart, we confirmed the distant location of the North Sturbridge cardinal. Rhapsody had already tacked and looked to be making a break for it. OMK was further up tide. We were very conscious of the risk of progressing slowly across the tide in the failing wind, now down to 4 knots. It would be very difficult to make headway in the current if we were below the lay line and the mark. We held our nerve and continued to make progress upwind and tide in the shelter of Gilkicker point. North Sturbridge was well behind the transom when we elected to make the long tack out to the mark. The rest of the fleet were already well on the way, but we were sure they were below the lay line. OMK cracked the sheets a little to get across the tide faster. Carefully watching transit of the mark against the shore, we were able to ensure that we stayed high enough all the way across the deep water channel. It was now obvious that the rest of the fleet would still have a beat to get up to the mark against the tide.
OMK was first around the mark and able to set the kite without a glitch. A change of kite tactics put the guys onto the coach roof and the sheets onto the main winches. This seemed to make make the boat a bit more organised, particularly when it came to gybing. Phil took a photo of the other boats, but was rumbled when the steering wasn't so precise!
Initially on the downwind leg, we stayed in the tide to make progress in the failing wind. We put in an early gybe to make sure we didn't get swept past the mark. The gybe was slow and uneventful, helped once again by a good talk through beforehand. One More Knot found herself with the leaders of the IRC classes, that had started earlier but sailed a longer race. It was a very delicate balance of helm, pole and sheeting to keep the boat moving. Toby constantly reminding us to concentrate! We responded to every wind shift that we could in the variable and failing wind. We even made ground on the IRC fleet leader Grand Cru (First 40.7) by sailing deeper, despite using our only kite .... a 1.5 oz heavy weight.
Due to the failing wind, the course was shortened to a downwind finish at the leeward mark.
We had a great lead but then it all went horribly wrong .... it wasn't our fault and there was nothing we could have done. The wind died completely. We were just 500 yards from the line and a boat length from the IRC1 fleet leader, Grand Cru. We sat like dead ducks for 10 to 15 minutes. The tide had slackened off to nothing. At times we had 0.00 knots boat speed, 0.00 knots speed over ground and 0.00 knots wind speed! With the occasional zephyr, we managed to get the speed up to 0.5 knots, or maybe even 1 knot for a few seconds. It was taking an age. Phil took a few more pictures to fill the time. Spinnakers were hanging limply from the mastheads. For a while, it looked like the wind might fill from the finish end, so following the lead taken by a number of the IRC class boats, we changed back to our white headsail. At least we had more options.
Looking back up the race track, we could see the rest of our fleet closing, slowly but surely. The wind was filling, very gently from the windward mark. All the time the clock was running and our handicap was counting against us. Eventually, we could feel some movement in the air. By now, we were just 100 yards from the line. We turned to maximise any apparent breeze and aimed for the transom of the committee boat. With the boat moving again albeit slowly, we were very relieved to have crossed to take line honours again.
As we turned away, Phil took the opportunity to take some more photos. Ironically, within a few minutes of crossing the finish, the breeze filled in again. One More Knot was robbed!
In summary, One More Knot claimed her first ever race win. Thanks to all the crew. The points tally from the second race was slightly frustrating, but the way the race turned out was very enjoyable. It was a different perspective to spend 10 or 15 minutes waiting for something to happen.
With only one more sailing day to go, the top of the table is now:
| Rank | Boat Name | Class | Sail No | Helm | TCF | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Race 7 | Nett |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th March 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 2nd April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | 9th April 2005 | 16th April 2005 | 16th April 2005 | |||||||
| Club Fleet - Sailed:7 Discards:2 Ratings:TCF | |||||||||||||
| 1 | Rhapsody | MG C27 | 3075T | Roy Pearce | 0.911 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 | ||
| 2 | Just in Time | Omega 36 | 4230 | Tony Barnett | 0.960 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 10.0 | ||
| 3 | One More Knot | Elan 333 | 7563T | Phil Duff | 0.970 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 11.0 | ||
| 4 | Genghis Khan | GK 24 | 1152C | George Isted | 0.850 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 14.0 | ||
Saturday 23rd April, Races 8 and 9
Crew : Phil, Barry, Darrell, Phil B, Jules
One More Knot currently lies in 3rd position, with the results getting better week on week. The top of the table is very tight with only 3 points separating the top 3 boats, with 4th place only 3 points further back. Mathematically, if 2 more races are run, any of the top 4 boats could win the series, so the pressure is still on all of the crews.
This was the last day of racing in the series. There was everything to go for. If we messed up twice and Genkis Khan sailed a blinder we could be out of the top 3. If we won both races, there was a good chance we could win the series. We expected something in between.
We got to bed early, and were out on the water half an hour earlier. After establishing that the racing was to be off Southsea, we made our way to the race area. It was blowing an easterly F5, more than we expected, but forecast to drop. We had a practice beat and then a long fast reach down to the committee boat.
Race 8 Line honours
In our usual #2 plus full main configuration we made a decent start. Beating was against wind and tide, so we made our way inshore. Visibility wasn't the best so it was a while before we could spot the windward mark on this straight upwind / downwind 2 lapper.
We soon pulled ahead of Rhapsody and Just In Time on the water. We were first to round the windward mark. The kite hoist was a bit late, but everything remained in control ...... except skipper and helm Phil didn't have a clue where the leeward mark was .... so we barreled off downwind, being pushed by both wind and tide. Kite discussions on board were a bit distracting, so the leeward mark was spotted a bit late. However, with some sneaky helming, sailing by the lee at time .. and even an accidental gybe, we managed to get inside the mark before dropping the kite. Really, we should have gybed the kite, but with only 5 on board we declined the opportunity as things were still a little confused on deck.
Having rescued the situation, we managed to harden up and get the main in, although getting the pole onto the deck delayed us in deploying the genoa, giving Rhapsody a chance to catch up. The second lap was the same story, with a decent beat, again pulling ahead of Rhapsody. The downwind leg was, unfortunately, just the same as on the first lap. However this time there was a twist in the tail .... or should that be sail! Again spotting the finishing mark late, we were forced to react swiftly and gybe the main. However, we played a stormer as we unconventionally furled the spinnaker ..... around the forestay! This caused significant confusion in the crew and Phil called for the spinnaker to be ignored and the main to be sheeted a bit as we broad reached the final 200 yard to the finish line. After taking line honours again, the focus could return to untangling the mess before we sank ourselves on the submarine barrier.
Our efforts earned a 2nd place which at least secured a 'podium' place in the series.
Race 9 All classes start together
The organisers we keen to both get in a second race and get back into the club house in good time for the presentation. All three classes started together. Our start not so good, holding back behind the IRC boats, and then discovering the true horror of dirty air, against both wind and tide. Our next move of tactical genius was to tack out of the bad air, straight into the even worse tide.
As we approached the windward mark, we were racing with Just In Time. Quite close at times, maybe less than a yard! We were also just behind Pluto, a Quartet, the which was supposed to be the slowest (on handicap) boat in the fleet. However, Pluto was sailing a blinder.
On the downwind leg, the larger boats pulled out an "on the water" lead over Pluto, but Pluto had already done enough to win. We didn't really see Rhapsody , as she was ahead of us on the water. On the second lap we lost touch with Just In Time, when we significantly overstood the windward mark. However, we did enjoy finishing with the kite up more conventionally.
With a 5th place recorded, this was to be a discard. There was a nice sail back to Portsmouth, which allowed us to practice a few spinnaker gybes before it was sails down, fenders out and then hop in the RIB to the clubhouse for a lemonade or 3 to celebrate completing the series with the other crews.
Links to other sailing stuff
One More Knots Portsmouth and South coast instant tide and weather page
Phil and Lynn's Albums, including some sailing pictures
GK24 Owners Association .... GK24's seem to be both popular and pretty fast in this series!