Page 30 - CYAA Magazine Jan 2018 Issue 41

Classic Yacht Association of Australia

Gazelle AUS 101 sailing downwind Photo Australian Imaging
Grundys Dragons, who was very pleased to be Race 4 had one more windward leg than race 3,
equal leader with Pennyfarthing at the end of day setting the fleet up for a tacking run back to
1. Metung. Gazelle managed another good start but
we were soon pushed up by Pennyfarthing.
Day 3 – Wednesday
Couldn’t point as well so ended up dead in the
We made it to the start on time today – after water. Tacked and got going again. Then all
losing three quarters of an hour trying to fix the seemed OK as we headed to the right side of the
furler (common problem?) with Philip again course while most others went left. Lo and

spending time in the bowels of the boat. behold, we were last at the first mark – the left
side of the course was the favoured side. Still
Nice winds today. Reasonably consistent 15–20 don’t know how they knew that keeping left was
knots from the south-east without too many better, even though the course boat reported that

waves – ideal conditions for Dragons. most boats going left had overlaid the mark. The
only saving grace was that the error on taking the
Race 3 was two windward and leeward legs. left side of the course compressed the field, so
Gazelle got a nice start, just behind Pennyfarthing, our margin to 1st looked OK.

and we thought we would tail one of the hotshots
to get an advantage. We tacked where they did Ultimately we dropped back from 20th to equal
and had five boats behind us at the first mark. 23rd with Terry Grundy, the owner of Gazelle.
But there was a large distance gap between us Have to do better tomorrow and get in front of
and Pennyfarthing. Setting up for a run back to him! At the leading end of the field, Whimsical,
the start area, the furler repeated its frustration Imagination and Riga placed in race 3 while it was
causing activities and ceased to work – so we did Pennyfarthing, Riga and Whimsical in race 4. At
the downwind leg with three sails hoisted. day’s end, Whimsical and Pennyfarthing were level
Another windward leg that seemed OK but we pegging.

were back to 4th last! Then Rob Trenberth from
Metung got us about 50m before the finish line Day 4 – Thursday

by gybing onto port and increasing his wind
angle while we remained dead square on The ever hopeful crew of Gazelle had an excellent

starboard. start in the first race then soon decided to tack,

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