Enjoy
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Thursday 29 August 2013
Pictures from the weekend
As promised here are some pictures from the weekend. Thanks must go out to Oliver Southgate who took the photo. It's not often you can get photo's and from someone who has a big SLR camera in wind with the sun out. Makes the Blackwater look positively wonderful!!!
Enjoy
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Enjoy
Tuesday 27 August 2013
Bank holiday fun
Well yet again the forecast was very accurate over the bank holiday weekend and as it was my first time out in over two weeks due to holidays, I was really looking forward to getting back in the action.
Sunday saw two races back to back from one of the clubs set courses. The wind was a bit shifty but was about a force 4 so just getting to where the Farr starts to perform well. A good start and first to the windward mark which I was happy with considering I have to free the boat off compared to other boats in the fleet such as the blaze and Lasers. For a small boat the Farr is great upwind when you can get out on the wire and get her flat.
Half way round the 1st race and I was sitting pretty just behind the 1st Blaze. This was a combination of good boat speed and using the tide as much as possible to aid boat speed. On the final leg the Blaze had just got away from me a bit (this was due to being a little lazy on the downwind leg and not really working the boat) so I ended up about 150m behind him.
Race 2 and I was getting tired and thinking about it, I think this was a combination of only eating breakfast and playing in the breeze in between racing! The wind seemed to have dropped off a bit and this meant putting in even more work to keep the boat going fast. So as you can imagine the mistakes started coming. I missed my footing during a tack and T bagged myself, rushed a tack which resulted in the slowest tack ever, so not my best racing performance!!!! At the half way point I sorted my life out and really worked hard (I must of as I got a sweat on!!) on the downwind leg using the slight swell to aid boat speed and body weight to stop the bow from digging in. Ended the race feeling happy about the second half but knowing my mistakes were going to be very evident in the results.
Results
Race 1: 1st
Race 2: 3rd
When I looked at the corrected time it was very close with the Blaze on 2208 and me on 2209. One point in it which meant the T bag cost me!!!!
Monday
Monday saw lighter breeze and it was a continual battle with the boat. It was those conditions in a trapeze boat you hate. Not really enough to get out on the wire and stay there so you end up going in and out and in and out and in and out and in and out and....... (you get the picture!). To round up the racing on Monday all I can say is bloody hard work!!!! In all fairness it was good to race in a variety of conditions so the handicap can become clearer. The issue with handicap racing is every boat has its day. For example on the Monday the snipe was always going to fair well. Light winds with a lightweight crew and a boat that is great in light breeze. When the breeze gets up the trapeze boats start to come through. Racing in light air in the Farr is still a challenge mentally. Keeping your cool when the rest of the fleet seem to be going faster and trying to think tactically still keeps you interested even when its not seat of your pants stuff!!!
Not sure of the results for the Monday as I had to get home for grub so I bailed before the results were released. I would think about 4th or 5th out of the fleet of about 9 boats.
One of the members was out taking pictures so I have asked him to send any of the Farr he took over so I can upload them which should be fairly soon.
Sunday saw two races back to back from one of the clubs set courses. The wind was a bit shifty but was about a force 4 so just getting to where the Farr starts to perform well. A good start and first to the windward mark which I was happy with considering I have to free the boat off compared to other boats in the fleet such as the blaze and Lasers. For a small boat the Farr is great upwind when you can get out on the wire and get her flat.
Half way round the 1st race and I was sitting pretty just behind the 1st Blaze. This was a combination of good boat speed and using the tide as much as possible to aid boat speed. On the final leg the Blaze had just got away from me a bit (this was due to being a little lazy on the downwind leg and not really working the boat) so I ended up about 150m behind him.
Race 2 and I was getting tired and thinking about it, I think this was a combination of only eating breakfast and playing in the breeze in between racing! The wind seemed to have dropped off a bit and this meant putting in even more work to keep the boat going fast. So as you can imagine the mistakes started coming. I missed my footing during a tack and T bagged myself, rushed a tack which resulted in the slowest tack ever, so not my best racing performance!!!! At the half way point I sorted my life out and really worked hard (I must of as I got a sweat on!!) on the downwind leg using the slight swell to aid boat speed and body weight to stop the bow from digging in. Ended the race feeling happy about the second half but knowing my mistakes were going to be very evident in the results.
Results
Race 1: 1st
Race 2: 3rd
When I looked at the corrected time it was very close with the Blaze on 2208 and me on 2209. One point in it which meant the T bag cost me!!!!
Monday
Monday saw lighter breeze and it was a continual battle with the boat. It was those conditions in a trapeze boat you hate. Not really enough to get out on the wire and stay there so you end up going in and out and in and out and in and out and in and out and....... (you get the picture!). To round up the racing on Monday all I can say is bloody hard work!!!! In all fairness it was good to race in a variety of conditions so the handicap can become clearer. The issue with handicap racing is every boat has its day. For example on the Monday the snipe was always going to fair well. Light winds with a lightweight crew and a boat that is great in light breeze. When the breeze gets up the trapeze boats start to come through. Racing in light air in the Farr is still a challenge mentally. Keeping your cool when the rest of the fleet seem to be going faster and trying to think tactically still keeps you interested even when its not seat of your pants stuff!!!
Not sure of the results for the Monday as I had to get home for grub so I bailed before the results were released. I would think about 4th or 5th out of the fleet of about 9 boats.
One of the members was out taking pictures so I have asked him to send any of the Farr he took over so I can upload them which should be fairly soon.
Sunday 25 August 2013
Back from holiday
After a great break in Dartmouth I am in the mood for a bit of sailing action. There is a two day series at the club and with forecasted wind of 12 to 14 knots it is looking like a great opportunity to do some medium handicap racing and see where the Farr lies in a medium breeze. The club at the moment have decided to give me a handicap of 1040 which I think is roughly where it should be (for a fat overweight helm especially after a week away with his brother in law with unlimited red wine and beer packed in the van!!!).
I will update after today race but just to give you some idea of how beautiful Dartmouth is in the sun see below
Wind is still building so looking like it could be a good one. Amway as a famous actor once said "I'll be back!"
I will update after today race but just to give you some idea of how beautiful Dartmouth is in the sun see below
Wind is still building so looking like it could be a good one. Amway as a famous actor once said "I'll be back!"
Saturday 3 August 2013
1st bullet for the Farr!
What a morning! All I can say it was well worth not drinking last night so I could get up and sail with a clear head this morning. I made the decision last night to not drink after looking at the met office forecast and again it was bang on.
Start was at 9.30 so it was up and straight down to the club for 8.00 to get the boat out of its box and ready to race. SW again so a good wind direction wind sped at 8 was around 12 knots so getting near Farr weather. There was some cheeky little gusts coming through at about 18-20 knots so it was going to make for interesting sailing!
The course was full of up wind and dead down wind legs with only one reach right at the end and with wind over time up until HW planning was paramount to best use the tide and find relatively flat water.
The 1st race started well with a very average start but I made the decision to foot off and go for speed off the line and it paid off sailing under the Lasers, eps, phantom and Blaze. Tacking was ok up the beat and I managed to round the windward mark in 2nd. Not bad for my 1st race of the season. The bear away went well as I moved across the river to get out of the tide. Now time for the Gybe, not a great idea when hit by a sizeable gust and there was swim 1! It is a little disheartening when the rest of the fleet sail by waving but I managed to get the boat up right and then play catch up without loosing too much time.
The next upwind leg saw me munch some of the slower boat and find myself in a half decent position again. Swim 2 came as a bit of a surprize it was another down wind leg and after the Gybe. I think I slowed the boat down a little too much and then as the boat powered back up it seemed to trip over the bow and splash!!
A slight error of course reading meant I went for another downwind leg before realising that it was just foot off slightly back to the club and across the line. The end result was 5th not bad but I didn't feel I had done the boat justice.
Race 2 was better although a slight miscalculation on the start time = 10m from on the gun but second boat over the line. Same course so it gave me a chance to learn from my mistakes, or so you would think! Round the 1st windward make in pole position and looking good. Bear away not text book but passable. Gybe average until the boat rolled over on me to windward. Swimming is great fitness for sailing (that's my excuse anyway) . Again the fleet sailed past and again I was playing catch up. The Gods must have then decided to give me a break and once stable I managed to play a mega gust just right and found myself overtaking all but the phantom before the upwind leg. Upwind in a good 4 to 5 the Farr is quick for a 12 foot boat as long as you foot off and then drive the boat. With this in mind I managed to get him planning upwind and sail under the phantom before then pointing up again. Then it was a just a case of footing off in the lulls to keep the boat driving and the speed punched me through the oncoming waves.
As I rounded the last windward mark for the bear away back towards the club the phantom must of been a good 100m ahead. The tide had turned and I decided to keep the boat a little higher and use the island as cover from the tide. It was worth getting out of bed just for that leg. The phantom seemed to be punching the tide and not really cooking where as I was fully powered up and flying. 100 m was cut down to 5m as we rounded the mark. In fairness if the leg had been a little longer I would of had time to pass him but that was not the case. It was going to come down to the last beat and I decided to head in to the moorings and out of the tide. Knowing the boat is better when you foot off I carried into the moorings a little longer than usual. The phantom tacked early and as I tacked it was looking like he was going to make it to the line 1st but it was going to be close. Fully sheeted in flat wiring and powered up to the max the Farr did what it does best and thumped through the short chop and over the line about 10m ahead. Happy days.
When the results were published I had nicked it on corrected time from a laser 4.7. so all in all a great day out. Looking at the recorded wind speeds we has nothing less than 12 knots and the gusts hit just under 25 knots. The Farr is defiantly a great ride in these winds and it keeps you on your toes. Looking back and trying to find out the reason for all the swims and I think I might have found the answer. Dead down wind you have to get weight aft to stop the bow from digging in and you find your self behind the tiller. Now to Gybe you have to get in front of the tiller. This shift in weight results in the bow digging in somewhat and this instability cost me. I think the best way forward is a gantry and as the rules allow it if or when I was to build another I would defiantly put one on. Will I to this one? No I don't think I will, this boat is a bit of an iconic boat. It is the 1st NZ in the UK and my feeling is why touch it (at the moment).
I feel it only fair to end with a little prayer to the wind god:
Cheers for the sail today Eric and please may this wind continue until September!!!
Start was at 9.30 so it was up and straight down to the club for 8.00 to get the boat out of its box and ready to race. SW again so a good wind direction wind sped at 8 was around 12 knots so getting near Farr weather. There was some cheeky little gusts coming through at about 18-20 knots so it was going to make for interesting sailing!
The course was full of up wind and dead down wind legs with only one reach right at the end and with wind over time up until HW planning was paramount to best use the tide and find relatively flat water.
The 1st race started well with a very average start but I made the decision to foot off and go for speed off the line and it paid off sailing under the Lasers, eps, phantom and Blaze. Tacking was ok up the beat and I managed to round the windward mark in 2nd. Not bad for my 1st race of the season. The bear away went well as I moved across the river to get out of the tide. Now time for the Gybe, not a great idea when hit by a sizeable gust and there was swim 1! It is a little disheartening when the rest of the fleet sail by waving but I managed to get the boat up right and then play catch up without loosing too much time.
The next upwind leg saw me munch some of the slower boat and find myself in a half decent position again. Swim 2 came as a bit of a surprize it was another down wind leg and after the Gybe. I think I slowed the boat down a little too much and then as the boat powered back up it seemed to trip over the bow and splash!!
A slight error of course reading meant I went for another downwind leg before realising that it was just foot off slightly back to the club and across the line. The end result was 5th not bad but I didn't feel I had done the boat justice.
Race 2 was better although a slight miscalculation on the start time = 10m from on the gun but second boat over the line. Same course so it gave me a chance to learn from my mistakes, or so you would think! Round the 1st windward make in pole position and looking good. Bear away not text book but passable. Gybe average until the boat rolled over on me to windward. Swimming is great fitness for sailing (that's my excuse anyway) . Again the fleet sailed past and again I was playing catch up. The Gods must have then decided to give me a break and once stable I managed to play a mega gust just right and found myself overtaking all but the phantom before the upwind leg. Upwind in a good 4 to 5 the Farr is quick for a 12 foot boat as long as you foot off and then drive the boat. With this in mind I managed to get him planning upwind and sail under the phantom before then pointing up again. Then it was a just a case of footing off in the lulls to keep the boat driving and the speed punched me through the oncoming waves.
As I rounded the last windward mark for the bear away back towards the club the phantom must of been a good 100m ahead. The tide had turned and I decided to keep the boat a little higher and use the island as cover from the tide. It was worth getting out of bed just for that leg. The phantom seemed to be punching the tide and not really cooking where as I was fully powered up and flying. 100 m was cut down to 5m as we rounded the mark. In fairness if the leg had been a little longer I would of had time to pass him but that was not the case. It was going to come down to the last beat and I decided to head in to the moorings and out of the tide. Knowing the boat is better when you foot off I carried into the moorings a little longer than usual. The phantom tacked early and as I tacked it was looking like he was going to make it to the line 1st but it was going to be close. Fully sheeted in flat wiring and powered up to the max the Farr did what it does best and thumped through the short chop and over the line about 10m ahead. Happy days.
When the results were published I had nicked it on corrected time from a laser 4.7. so all in all a great day out. Looking at the recorded wind speeds we has nothing less than 12 knots and the gusts hit just under 25 knots. The Farr is defiantly a great ride in these winds and it keeps you on your toes. Looking back and trying to find out the reason for all the swims and I think I might have found the answer. Dead down wind you have to get weight aft to stop the bow from digging in and you find your self behind the tiller. Now to Gybe you have to get in front of the tiller. This shift in weight results in the bow digging in somewhat and this instability cost me. I think the best way forward is a gantry and as the rules allow it if or when I was to build another I would defiantly put one on. Will I to this one? No I don't think I will, this boat is a bit of an iconic boat. It is the 1st NZ in the UK and my feeling is why touch it (at the moment).
I feel it only fair to end with a little prayer to the wind god:
Cheers for the sail today Eric and please may this wind continue until September!!!
Thursday 1 August 2013
Wind of the gods!!
Well it seemed all my grumbles did not go unnoticed. The forecast was 10knts and it delivered that and more! What a great sail. I started to feel the breeze increase just after leaving shore and it just built and built. At about 12 knots the boat felt great well balanced and with the weight in the right place the bow lifted and it took off! Although the boat is not as quick as the 700 the feeling is so much better. Movement of weight and lowering the trap lines makes masses of difference and the upwind speed and feel was lovely as I could use the full power of the rig to get the boat really moving.
It was now time for the downwind sections to ensure that when I finally get a chance to race at the club I can keep him (yes its a him, apparently all NZ boats are) upright. Gybe 1 not bad still upright, Gybe 2 better, Gybe 4 nailed it!!
Now I wouldn't say I am the best sailor by any standards but when all the other boats out (lasers) are going over and you are just powered up and flying you have got to hand it to Farr to produce a great fun boat that you can sail in a decent wind even if the boat is old in design and looks compared to other more popular skiffs. It does still have that Cherub feel and if you get it wrong it can bite back but the more I sail him the more you get in tune with what might happen.
All in all a fantastic sail in wind averaging 12 knots but with consistent prolonged gusts of about 20 knots. Top gust recorded from the club ( which is sheltered from where I was sailing) said 22.6 knots (26mph).
Hopefully the forecast is right for today which says 17mph and my lovely wife has said that she will eat alone again so I can go out and play. I have however taken the role of cleaner monkey today and after spending all morning upstairs I only have the upstairs bathroom to do. Then its off to the club to wait for the tide to come in!!!
God I love the summer we are having!!!
It was now time for the downwind sections to ensure that when I finally get a chance to race at the club I can keep him (yes its a him, apparently all NZ boats are) upright. Gybe 1 not bad still upright, Gybe 2 better, Gybe 4 nailed it!!
Now I wouldn't say I am the best sailor by any standards but when all the other boats out (lasers) are going over and you are just powered up and flying you have got to hand it to Farr to produce a great fun boat that you can sail in a decent wind even if the boat is old in design and looks compared to other more popular skiffs. It does still have that Cherub feel and if you get it wrong it can bite back but the more I sail him the more you get in tune with what might happen.
All in all a fantastic sail in wind averaging 12 knots but with consistent prolonged gusts of about 20 knots. Top gust recorded from the club ( which is sheltered from where I was sailing) said 22.6 knots (26mph).
Hopefully the forecast is right for today which says 17mph and my lovely wife has said that she will eat alone again so I can go out and play. I have however taken the role of cleaner monkey today and after spending all morning upstairs I only have the upstairs bathroom to do. Then its off to the club to wait for the tide to come in!!!
God I love the summer we are having!!!
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