October was a funny month - anyway finished with an ocean race to Tasmania . Stanley to be exact. Stanley sits on the north shore of Tazzie and is 155 nautical miles almost due south from Queenscliff which was where the race started from. As normal we left St Kilda just after lunch on the Friday and I start on my latest sickness combatting attempt (Sturgeon) Thanks to Stella (sister) for smuggling bringing some over from the mother land. The plan is always to be to Queenscliff around 6ish coz Tony (the boat owner does not like to pay the mooring fees ). Anyway, this time the crew boss (Ian Ockhie Lindsey) put his foot down with a strong hand and we birthed amongst the fee paying (normal ) yachties . We dive off to the local pub for a hearty meal and a few (Light) beers them returning to get some shuteye before the planned 4AM race start - Yes 4 AM!! (it's normally 1AM). We're up at 2am because the skipper get over excited and everyone needs to be up and r
eady in plenty of time, only to be informed that the race has been delayed until 5AM.
The watch system kicks in and I get some shuteye. When I return on deck there are only a couple of boats to be seen and there far enough away that I can't make out who they
are. Some boats had made the choice to go east on the plumb line thinking that when the weather changes they'll be able to turn for Stanley on a reach and other went for the directly opposite tact. With the two main weather forecasting sites conflicting each other we went for staying roughly on the plumb line (albeit slightly east of it) and see how we fare being hopefully
that the change will not be too detrimental to us when it comes.
The change was predicated to come in around midnight and it was going to be gusting 40/45 knots. Anyway in hit us around 12:30am. We had our number 1 headsail and full main up at the time and what is so great about Kiss Goodbye to MS (BO) is that she is so well balanced that she just healed more but didn't round up or give us a hellish time trying to control her. Other boats however were not so lucky - one we later saw in Stanley, rounded up so sharply that it was difficult to ease the main sheet and the boat ended up spinning and crash gybing and the boom snapped on half!! We however, got all hands on deck, changed the headsail to No. 4 and reefed the main without really loosing to much speed or time.
Finally, we approached the Stanley breakwater crossing the line to a big cheer just after 6am on the Sunday (some 25hours after the start back in Queenscliff). Rounding the harbour entrance we notice that there are not many yachts there. Thinking that most of the big once typically turn straight round and head for home without stopping.
It's still windy, but not too bad and we pull up beside a great big converted fishing trawler where we are greeted by the official photographer. "it's nice of you to come and take our picture we shout across at the man." he replies with " well to are third across the line". Well, the feeling was totally overwhelming, I was so emotional (Claire knows what I'm like) Whooping and air punching by everyone. What had happened - did everyone turn back due to the wind or were we just great? Well in all honesty, it was a bit of both. There were a few boats in front of us that arrived outside the bay and decided that the bay was too dangerous to venture into and some who turned back when the strong weather came in. but, we finished and they didn't.
So when presentation time came around the crew were sitting there waiting to see how we fared in the handicap races. We had had a few tines by them so we were not shy and were barracking everything and everyone who spoke or moved prior to the announcements. It turned out that we not only got 3rd over the line but 3rd in the International Rule Club (IRC) category and first in both the Performance Measurement System (PMS) and Australian Measurement System (AMS) categories..
What a race.. We were over joyed. In fact I would go as far to say that Jono was beside himself with happiness it was just a shame that he had to take the ferry back to Melbourne to catch his flight back to Perth to be able to make work the next day..
Watch out for the next instalment when I introduce the crew on Kiss Goodbye to MS…...
eady in plenty of time, only to be informed that the race has been delayed until 5AM.
Anyway, 36 boats have entered this mainstay event which is seem by many as the lead up race to the Sydney to Hobart race. We're geared up, alert and ready for the start. A few practice tasks and we're on the start line with the big boys and due to some nifty manoeuvring and good team work we have a great start. Is this going to be the good performance we've been working towards all year?
We seem to be going well with the only boats in front of us being the bigger ones. The wind is good and strong and most importantly it's not on the nose all the way. We're only making between 7 to 9 knots but we're looking good.
We seem to be going well with the only boats in front of us being the bigger ones. The wind is good and strong and most importantly it's not on the nose all the way. We're only making between 7 to 9 knots but we're looking good.
The watch system kicks in and I get some shuteye. When I return on deck there are only a couple of boats to be seen and there far enough away that I can't make out who they
are. Some boats had made the choice to go east on the plumb line thinking that when the weather changes they'll be able to turn for Stanley on a reach and other went for the directly opposite tact. With the two main weather forecasting sites conflicting each other we went for staying roughly on the plumb line (albeit slightly east of it) and see how we fare being hopefully
that the change will not be too detrimental to us when it comes.
The change was predicated to come in around midnight and it was going to be gusting 40/45 knots. Anyway in hit us around 12:30am. We had our number 1 headsail and full main up at the time and what is so great about Kiss Goodbye to MS (BO) is that she is so well balanced that she just healed more but didn't round up or give us a hellish time trying to control her. Other boats however were not so lucky - one we later saw in Stanley, rounded up so sharply that it was difficult to ease the main sheet and the boat ended up spinning and crash gybing and the boom snapped on half!! We however, got all hands on deck, changed the headsail to No. 4 and reefed the main without really loosing to much speed or time.
Finally, we approached the Stanley breakwater crossing the line to a big cheer just after 6am on the Sunday (some 25hours after the start back in Queenscliff). Rounding the harbour entrance we notice that there are not many yachts there. Thinking that most of the big once typically turn straight round and head for home without stopping.It's still windy, but not too bad and we pull up beside a great big converted fishing trawler where we are greeted by the official photographer. "it's nice of you to come and take our picture we shout across at the man." he replies with " well to are third across the line". Well, the feeling was totally overwhelming, I was so emotional (Claire knows what I'm like) Whooping and air punching by everyone. What had happened - did everyone turn back due to the wind or were we just great? Well in all honesty, it was a bit of both. There were a few boats in front of us that arrived outside the bay and decided that the bay was too dangerous to venture into and some who turned back when the strong weather came in. but, we finished and they didn't.
So when presentation time came around the crew were sitting there waiting to see how we fared in the handicap races. We had had a few tines by them so we were not shy and were barracking everything and everyone who spoke or moved prior to the announcements. It turned out that we not only got 3rd over the line but 3rd in the International Rule Club (IRC) category and first in both the Performance Measurement System (PMS) and Australian Measurement System (AMS) categories..
What a race.. We were over joyed. In fact I would go as far to say that Jono was beside himself with happiness it was just a shame that he had to take the ferry back to Melbourne to catch his flight back to Perth to be able to make work the next day..
Watch out for the next instalment when I introduce the crew on Kiss Goodbye to MS…...
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