John B
04-04-2004, 07:43 AM
Well I didn't get my sail on Ariki. An early morning phone call pulled the plug due to an accident in the skippers family.
So I rang John G and begged for a place on Iorangi. After a few threats I was invited.
Went like bird she did. showed the fleet the way right around 2/3 of the course. We had speed, we sailed reasonably well.. covered up one mistake and stayed in front right up to the point we stuck her on the putty.
Fortunately we did get the tack better than half done after we hit, so we were pointing the right way but no amount of oversheeting was enough to move her.
Enter John B, circus acrobat. Yes folks.that was me who somehow climbed upon the end of the boom , was gently eased out till somewhere near the briny and clung there astride the thing like a rodeo cowboy. It was fine until the boat started to move....... ( amazing what a bit of weight can do when leveraged). I didn't like the helmsmans " there's a wake coming" OR doing 5 or 6 knots with the sail flaking at my chops for that matter, so I uttered the immortal words.." GET ME IN THERE NEEEEOW" which all aboard found somewhat amusing. I dismounted on the tack, only hooking my heel in the reefing lines momentarily and I'm sure that had there been a panel of judges present , they would have all held up 9's at least.
So we were stuck there for somewhere between 7 and 9 minutes( It seemed a lot longer) but strangely enough, the two main competitors were still close enough to mean we had a yacht race on our hands. Apparently their tactics had all gone to hell because the 2 entire crews had been lying down with stomach cramps from laughing so much.
We soon crossed tacks ahead of Rawhiti but Waitangi was up to weather and ahead. We chucked some tacks at them but they crossed the line 28 secs ahead of us to get the gun.
What a shame. A lost race. We took a risk when we were in a position where we didn't have to take a risk. and the risk bit us.
Great sail though.
[ 04-04-2004, 09:12 PM: Message edited by: John B ]
So I rang John G and begged for a place on Iorangi. After a few threats I was invited.
Went like bird she did. showed the fleet the way right around 2/3 of the course. We had speed, we sailed reasonably well.. covered up one mistake and stayed in front right up to the point we stuck her on the putty.
Fortunately we did get the tack better than half done after we hit, so we were pointing the right way but no amount of oversheeting was enough to move her.
Enter John B, circus acrobat. Yes folks.that was me who somehow climbed upon the end of the boom , was gently eased out till somewhere near the briny and clung there astride the thing like a rodeo cowboy. It was fine until the boat started to move....... ( amazing what a bit of weight can do when leveraged). I didn't like the helmsmans " there's a wake coming" OR doing 5 or 6 knots with the sail flaking at my chops for that matter, so I uttered the immortal words.." GET ME IN THERE NEEEEOW" which all aboard found somewhat amusing. I dismounted on the tack, only hooking my heel in the reefing lines momentarily and I'm sure that had there been a panel of judges present , they would have all held up 9's at least.
So we were stuck there for somewhere between 7 and 9 minutes( It seemed a lot longer) but strangely enough, the two main competitors were still close enough to mean we had a yacht race on our hands. Apparently their tactics had all gone to hell because the 2 entire crews had been lying down with stomach cramps from laughing so much.
We soon crossed tacks ahead of Rawhiti but Waitangi was up to weather and ahead. We chucked some tacks at them but they crossed the line 28 secs ahead of us to get the gun.
What a shame. A lost race. We took a risk when we were in a position where we didn't have to take a risk. and the risk bit us.
Great sail though.
[ 04-04-2004, 09:12 PM: Message edited by: John B ]