Presidents Cup Short Handed Series 2010

No pictures taken during the race but doesn't the duco look beautiful?? A bit of an 'All about me day'.

 

Berthing after the finish!

Waiting for the start

Harnessed!

Preparation before the start

Yesterday was the first of a three day series for short handed and solo sailors hosted on Moreton Bay by Wynnum Manly Yacht Club. Since last year's Presidents Cup I have felt a desire to try saling our boat alone just to prove to myself that I can do it. Also a valuable skill level for me to have should Martin ever go overboard and I have to take over. The forecast for yesterday was for 18 to 20 knots SSE so Lion Rampant was prudently set up with two reefs in the main (handkerchief size)! and the number three genoa. I kept out of the way of the big guns for the start and was soon near the back with my two reefs. They had to go! So I dropped one out and didn't notice that a knot had become jammed under a halyard on the front of the mast preventing me from hoisting the main further up. It looked bad with wrinkles so I decided I had nothing to lose by dropping out the second reef as it was only about 8 knots anyway and I felt it was unlikely to come in a whole lot stronger that afternoon. I dropped the second reef out and after a great deal of time trying to get the fat splodgy reefing lines to run by reaching out over the water to yank on them at the boom I had success. I discovered the trapped knot on the mast when I went forward to deal with the reef lines. With the main now all the way up speed was a little better but we were now so far behind that it was a miracle that we managed to catch and pass anybody. Second folly of the day was that I had elected to sail the series with 'no spinnaker'. I am hoping I can some how rectify this for the next race as I was the only boat with no spinnaker and it was frustrating. But I feel a great sense of achievement for having sailed the boat alone from Manly around Peel Island and back. It was a magnificent day. Can't wait for the next race! Martin sailed with Lindsay Granger in the short handed (maximin two people) on Lindsay's boat "Transition" a Young Galaxy 8.5 and they did very well finishing 2nd line honors!