OHOPE BEACH SAND SAILORS
Tuesday the 26th September 2006
September 25th, 2006 - day five
Evening session. A Good Wind blowing. Roughest course I have ever seen in my life. First mark15th, bottom mark 10th. Rounding mark over extreme moguls as the left wheel turned out 45degrees as a chassis bolt thread sheered. Limped yacht up to the top mark and got one lap for a result (26th out of 30) Four yachts failed to complete lap one to give you an idea on how yacht breaking this place is. I went back to camp and cleaned the yacht up. Race one over in less than 3minutes for me. A long way to come for 3minute racing, not a good start, but in am I a very good mood considering ! Dinner and bed, really tired. Sleep 8 hours straight.
September 26th, 2006 - day six
6am we all had breakfast together at the Hippotel and then headed down to the beach.
I meet up with Pierre the builder of the Class5 yacht I am sailing. We drilled out and tapped the broken tread and within minutes the yacht was Mobil again, Many thanks Pierre. (He had not slept all night. He totally rebuilt a frame is his workshop)
On the beach for an 8am start. The wind was Westerly, straight on shore. I was a the back of the grid but close to the windward side of the line. After a medium start I was off. I passed half the bunch on the water side and rounded the first mark around 10th. A reach back down the beach along the 4meter wide section that was hard. Half way down a bear away until a 1meter drop off, into a river 1meter deep and 4 meters wide. Instantly turning 120 degrees and trying to miss the holes to windward and get back to the 4meter wide hard section. A round a mark to the North and then back down this 4 meter wide section with the other yacht still coming down trying to use the same 4 meters. NO ROOM FOR ERROR! Follow this 4meter wide section around its curves, bends, hole and rivers back up to the top South Mark. A round the mark and stop dead in the 1 foot deep cut up soft sand. Push the yacht as hard as you can back to the 4meter wide section and complete this 6 minute lap again. I broke the hand steering on about the 2nd lap and had to reach forward and put my hand on the foot pedals to street as I pushed. Every time at the top mark I lost a place in this soft sand and difficult with the steering. I had ok speed but was having real trouble staying focused at the excusing race. So about 6 French people passed me during the race and got 16th which I was ok but I should have been further up the field.
The standarts started there race while I took the yacht back up to the camp, feed my self to try and recover and recharge my energy banks and then repaired the steering system Kiwi style, “Duck Tape”.
Back on the grid for start three of the series. The same course with the two marks moved away from the current cut up areas. An ok start again down the windward bank. On the first reach I made up 10 places and had speed to burn. This time knowing what to expect I was able to better focus and had better control and fewer mistakes. The racing was very tight and our position between the six yachts around me kept swapping from lap to lap. I was chasing the top English pilot, Mark around the course. After 35 minutes of thrills and spills I crossed the line in 10th place. I am extremely happy with this result and any placing in the top third over here is amazing. The 10 French pilots here had to go to eight events and only the top 10 get to race here as they have to qualify to represent their country in place that has 50 thousand people sailing land yachts.
In the afternoon we waited but the wind was very light so racing was canceled. The class 3’s had a fun race.
Last night we had the yacht clubs 50th birthday party and also a great way to celebrate my birthday. Even though technically my birthday was yesterday with time zones…
27th – 7am and running I am running late for breakfast.
I am loving sailing here with the very tight competition and I am making some really great friends. Everyone is so helpful and nice. The racing is hard and tight, but fair. Everyone here has the same passion for racing as me. I would love to stay here in France and race every weekend if this is what it is like all the time.
Depending on the way they lay the course today, and conditions will determine my placing in races to come. Speed racing and I will do well and should be able to get around 10th place. Technical racing should see me mid fleet 15th, and pushing or very light wind racing will see me in the back third of the fleet 20th.
Until tomorrow nz777 or f269 signing out from France
