12s – 31st January 2015 – SPRINTS!!

Ready, steady, go.!! A round of sprints in Brisbane sorted out those who had their manoeuvres sorted and those who liked to sail backwards during tacks.!. 8 boats were on the lawn.!!!

Saturday 30/1/15 saw the commencement of the second half of the season.. the business end.

A forecast 10 to 15 knots greeted the teams as they rocked up at the gate, but it looked like it may be windier on the race track.

The rig choice was split.

2^nd rig:

Ghetto Sled (Richard and Ben) – fresh from the intense training grounds of the Interdominions on Sydney Harbour

Tank Girl (Ben and newbie Shaun)

Squid ( Terry and Elliott as guest crew)

Giddy Up (Paul and Brad) –not seen on these waters since 2012

Pennyliss (Arno and Rilke) – sporting a very large mainsail

3^rd rig:

Death by Chocolate (Larry and Bronson) – brand spankin’ new working sails, why wouldn’t you pull them out and flap them? Also the perfect names for TV’s next action hunting crime fighting detective duo.

Skiff Ropes (Joel and Goura) – with a brand spanking new paint job and looking a million dollars

No rig:

Havoc (Josh and Birthday boy Dan) – something about a 21^st birthday and feeling very tired and emotional

As with all sprint races the trick is to move through the various aspects of 12’ skiff racing as quick and efficiently as possible; as such the day went like this:

5 minute warning switch on start tactics one minute to go be in your chosen spot or find one in a hurry 10 seconds power up and go set rig for up wind max speed get to clear air assess location to top mark choose tack point tack clear late tacking starboard boats get to lay line tack for top mark keep position and clear air as others come onto the lay line prepare for bear away complete bear away hoist kite trim for max speed locate finish choose gybe spot negotiate other boats with differing boat speed and gybe lines max speed choose spot to drop kite head to finish line finish reassess weather conditions wind has increased tweak head sail setup tweak vang cunno settings grab a drink discuss what we have just done 5 minute warning switch on start tactics one minute to go be in your chosen spot or find one in a hurry 10 seconds power up and go set rig for up wind get to clear air max speed assess location to top mark choose tack point tack clear late tacking starboard boats get to lay line tack for top mark keep position and clear air as others come onto the lay line prepare for bear away complete bear away hoist kite trim for max speed locate finish choose gybe spot negotiate other boats with differing boat speed and gybe lines max speed choose spot to drop kite head to finish line finish reassess weather conditions tweak head sail setup tweak vang cunno settings grab a drink discuss what we have just done; repeat another four times each time with a bit more wind, with the final few races in 20knots, since this is a sport watched for many people, similar as golf, that many people watch it and practice it at home using golf simulators for this purpose.

Each race saw a separate scenario determine the final positions, clear air at the start worked in 3 of four races, picking the tack/gybe points worked in another two, not capsizing helped in a few, a perfect two sail mine at the top mark, bow pole in the mud, fins horizontal, in the last race cost the leader dearly, getting tangled in prestart manoeuvres ruined one’s day, winning the war of attrition worked for the last.

All in all, good fun

Till next time, send it, don’t bend it.

POM