Page 28 - CYAA Magazine Jan 2018 Issue 41

Classic Yacht Association of Australia

Sea Joy IV Winner 2018 John Cuneo Trophy for the best performing wooden dragon Photo Terry Grundy
Plans for a practice sail that day were quickly jamming when we tried to raise that sail. After
dismissed upon assessing the combination of 40° much frustration and crawling into the bowels of
and little breeze. But the next day, after the the dragon (Philip became quite an expert in
morning spent on registration, sail measuring Dragon bowels), the source of the jamming was
and setting up the boat (including installing a found (mainly an aged halyard) and the sail
mainsail Philip had purchased from last year’s hoisted. We made it to the start with ten minutes
winner), we were able to get out on the water for to spare.
initial familiarisation.
With three races scheduled for the day to decide
We soon learned that life on a Dragon is busy! the Ted Albert Memorial Cup, our objective was
There are more sheets and bits of cord than on a not to finish last in the first race. All courses were
boat twice the size but only half the number of windward/leeward with an extra mark after the
people to deal with them. We all had lots to learn! windward mark requiring a 100 metres reach. We
But we survived a few spinnaker hoists and got started tentatively, holding back from the fleet
back to port thinking this would work out OK and at the least populated end of the start line.
with a little more practice (we should have Our objective soon looked to be at risk. But as the
realised a lot more practice)! But we quickly race progressed and the fleet disappeared into
appreciated the clever spinnaker storage chute the distance, we ended up in a dual with Jennifer
built into the hull – no more folding spinnakers! for last place. Ultimately we came up trumps so
our first objective was achieved.
The first race on Monday was scheduled to start
at 1300, so with an hour of sailing to get to the The second race curiously had a start sequence
start, we planned a comfortable leaving time of that was misunderstood by many boats. But all
11.30. But we didn’t bank on the main halyard soon worked out we were actually racing. While

Gazelle’s cockpit. Photo David McKenzie Jennifer Photo Terry Grundy
Life in the CYAA fast lane
The aft lines of a traditional dragon
Page 28