About 10 mins after the finish, the wind did finally fill in from the left and strengthen a little more. It was a relief the change did not come during the racing as the conditions were light but fair and consistent for all.
As the fleet motored back to BBYC for the association meal and AGM and the chance to reflect on the days racing, It did not escape anyone that we had just had 4 brilliant races with close racing and the scoreboard showed 4 different winners. After a year of disruption in 2020 and no class championships, clearly the racing is as good as ever.
The low tide provided the final tactical decision of the day. Rainbow opted to shoot the gap and go into the Tamaki estuary via Musick point, the others followed with caution and when Rainbow pulled up quickly and stopped, stuck in the mud, the other boats changed their minds and headed out round Browns Island
Max showed patience in the situation and timed their run to perfection 20 mins later, once the tide had come in a little.
The evening saw the class dinner and AGM. With some new attendees – and some older ones – the class looks to be ready to re-establish itself.
Sunday dawned with the promise of more wind and 3 races tied into the BBYC winter series King of the Strait series. The 1020’s headed out earlier to get in a race before the clubs 2 race programme began.
In the first race of the day Rainbow had a great first beat and looked high and fast. They made it to the first mark in good shape along with Max and Hard Labour. However, they slightly underlaid and pinched for the mark, unable to tack due to the starboard boats coming in. They got in irons and stopped and the whole fleet sailed round them while they sat dead in the water. Starmaker, then Flashwave and Shortie went around the mark next with The V Team 6th.
The V Team gained downwind and got past Shortie and Flashwave, rounding the bottom mark just behind Starmaker.
Max led Hard Labour, but was to have their own drama at the first bottom mark. During the spinnaker drop the snapshackle failed at the head and the sail was released half way down and freefell to the deck. A strange situation which did not cost anything that run but did present a challenge on the next downwind. They used the second genoa halyard and ended up winning the race by 12 seconds from Hard Labour.
The V Team continued its comeback and eventually got past Starmaker on the last run to finish 3rd. Flashwave and Shortie were next and Rainbow never recovered from the issues at the first top mark.
Max spent the time between races with someone up the mast recovering the halyard.
In the second race of the day it was Hard Labour all the way finishing comfortably ahead of Max, who really only needed to finish one place behind for the last 2 races to take the regatta.
Rainbow recovered this race to finish 3rd after climbing back through the fleet. The V Team was 4th and Flashwave, Starmaker, Shortie and Penury completed the fleet With Starmaker just 4 seconds ahead of Shortie this was yet another difference of less than 5 seconds.
The wind had built to about 18 gusting 22 knots and the looming rain clouds were getting nearer on the horizon to the North. The sunscreen and t-shirts of yesterday were gone and there was definitely and winter chill and the prospect of getting wet.
It was The V Team’s turn for drama in the last race of the regatta. A few seconds before the start as everyone else’s genoa’s were being sheeted for full speed, theirs came crashing to the deck as the halyard snapshackle failed. The crew scrambled and used the second halyard to re-hoist the sail, but the fleet had gone by then and it was to be a catch up race for them.
Hard Labour got out in front and try as they might, they could not shake Max and force a boat between them, which is what they needed to win the regatta. Max held on for 2nd and took the series overall.
Shortie finished their regatta on a high with their best race of the weekend, sailing well and error free to finish 3rd, just 2 seconds ahead of The V Team who had done well to get back to 4th after the genoaless start.
Rainbow finished the regatta with a 5th to be 3rd overall and Flashwave edged Starmaker.
Shortie, Flashwave and Starmaker ended on the same points. Shortie got 5th on countback with their last race 3rd and Starmaker were 6th with a 4th. Flashwave and Penury filled the 7th and 8th positions respectively.
Accolades to the BBYC who ran a fantastic series and were great hosts on the Saturday night.
It was great to see a couple of boats stay at the club for the weekend – it made a whole social event out of the regatta too. Having Share Delight (Mike Lanigan) on the course on Sunday was great too. It was good to see interest in the racing from outside those competing.
See you all next year!
Results: