TonyH
01-05-2009, 06:02 PM
Hi Folks
Just back from a quick run in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Race. I hope you've all been good while I've been away?:rolleyes:
The boat I was crewing on was Byzance, a 1971 S&S designed Swan 40 that I've mentioned here a number of times - I've sailed on her for 18 years now and in 1993 skippered her on a six-month trip from Sydney to Singapore, meeting my wife alongthe way. So Byzance and I have history :).
The Coffs Harbour race runs each year starting at midday on January 2nd, just off Barrenjoey headland. It's 220 nautical miles, pretty much due north. Very much the soft option for ocean racers who don't want to endure the rigours of the the Sydney to Hobart race. I last sailed it in 1990, on Byzance. This year it attracted a field of 60 boats, mainly serious go-fast racers like Farr 40s, Sydney 38s etc. The fleet was divided into two handicap groups, and IRC group and a PHS group, we were in the latter. We were - by far - the oldest and slowest boat in the race, and got a very handy handicap (0.881) in return.
Despite the forecast for a southerly, which would have been a disaster for us, the wind was ENE for the whole race, 15 to 25 knots and gusty. This was backed up by a quite large and untidy sea state, with a large SE swell coming in over the stern quarter overlaid by an increasing NE wind swell coming in over the starboard bow. Combined with an overcast, showery sky and little moon, it made for a fairly tough race, but one that very much favoured our boat. We got in 35 hours later, about 11 hours behind the line honours, in second last place on elapsed time. However, on corrected time we got first in our Division (4) and second overall in the PHS handicap Division. Very satisfying!
Byzance is a good seaboat, with a (comparatively!) easy amd comfortable motion in these kinds of conditions. All of the flat-bottomed quicks would have been slamming from wave to wave and rounding up fiercely every minute or so, rattling their crews around like dice. We stayed on the same tack from start to finish, and only touched the sheets at the finish line to ease off as we entered the roadstead at Coffs tp cross the finish line. It was hard work on the helm (we had four experienced helmsmen and one aspirant) and each hour-long trick on the wheel was enough to leave the shoulders aching.
All in all, it was good to see my belief in the merits of a good, sea-kindly hull vindicated. And a very good way to start 2009!:)
Just back from a quick run in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Race. I hope you've all been good while I've been away?:rolleyes:
The boat I was crewing on was Byzance, a 1971 S&S designed Swan 40 that I've mentioned here a number of times - I've sailed on her for 18 years now and in 1993 skippered her on a six-month trip from Sydney to Singapore, meeting my wife alongthe way. So Byzance and I have history :).
The Coffs Harbour race runs each year starting at midday on January 2nd, just off Barrenjoey headland. It's 220 nautical miles, pretty much due north. Very much the soft option for ocean racers who don't want to endure the rigours of the the Sydney to Hobart race. I last sailed it in 1990, on Byzance. This year it attracted a field of 60 boats, mainly serious go-fast racers like Farr 40s, Sydney 38s etc. The fleet was divided into two handicap groups, and IRC group and a PHS group, we were in the latter. We were - by far - the oldest and slowest boat in the race, and got a very handy handicap (0.881) in return.
Despite the forecast for a southerly, which would have been a disaster for us, the wind was ENE for the whole race, 15 to 25 knots and gusty. This was backed up by a quite large and untidy sea state, with a large SE swell coming in over the stern quarter overlaid by an increasing NE wind swell coming in over the starboard bow. Combined with an overcast, showery sky and little moon, it made for a fairly tough race, but one that very much favoured our boat. We got in 35 hours later, about 11 hours behind the line honours, in second last place on elapsed time. However, on corrected time we got first in our Division (4) and second overall in the PHS handicap Division. Very satisfying!
Byzance is a good seaboat, with a (comparatively!) easy amd comfortable motion in these kinds of conditions. All of the flat-bottomed quicks would have been slamming from wave to wave and rounding up fiercely every minute or so, rattling their crews around like dice. We stayed on the same tack from start to finish, and only touched the sheets at the finish line to ease off as we entered the roadstead at Coffs tp cross the finish line. It was hard work on the helm (we had four experienced helmsmen and one aspirant) and each hour-long trick on the wheel was enough to leave the shoulders aching.
All in all, it was good to see my belief in the merits of a good, sea-kindly hull vindicated. And a very good way to start 2009!:)