Coffee Cruise
A great day with a record 10 boats a kayak or two, two rubber ducks and 19 participants. This has smashed the record of 12 people and 7 boats.
Great to see the Kahn, Rae, Lozell & Bargholz families involved. Along with Dave Moate, sabre group and Chris in the Mirror – Sorry if I have missed anyone, if so, a big thanks you for participating.
Racing
Both races were sailed in what everyone thought was 15-18 knots but with higher wind readings of only 15 knots, it appears that those that sailed were older than they thought. We were all very tired and sore by the time we hit the shore.
Two good starts by all saw Drew, Peter W. and Bruce sail around the Laser top mark in the first race (as a handicap element) which made it interesting as Rod rounded the bottom mark in the lead. The next to round were Peter W., John and Peter M., followed by Drew and Bruce close behind.
Race 2 was a tougher race as the wind increased but the competition was still tight with Bruce getting ever closer to the front position whilst was Drew being very competitive as usual. Rod again was very consistent and gaining ground on the leaders as compared to last year.
Not to mention Peter M. and John who completed both race and should be commended for their results – Great work guys.
Lessons Learnt
Being on the Start boat on Saturday I had a chance to look at how everyone rounded the bottom mark. I would have to say at least 95% of people across the whole MSC fleet could do with a lot more practice. All that hard earned ground made up on the reaches, lost in a matter of 15 seconds due to poor rounding. Some boats were very wide of the mark, others still had the main and or Jib half off and flapping. In some cases I estimated that people lost 3 boat lengths sliding sideways and another couple in speed. Bruce Drewett made a good rounding by going wide and tight when he had two other boats from other classes just in front of him and he gained at least one boat length to windward and more importantly clear air. This got me to think about how I round the marks, so I put the question in to the Google machine and found many hits, so I picked a couple out and included the links below.
A Better Way to round the Leeward Mark?
Andy Horton, who served as strategist/tactician for Luna Rossa in the 32nd America’s Cup, argues that “wide and tight” may not be so fast after all. “Technique” from our January 2008 issue
The classic leeward-mark rounding is to come in wide and round tight to the mark as you head upwind. It’s a technique endorsed by numerous experts and authoritative racing texts, but could there possibly be a better way? I recently posed the question to Andy Horton, who sailed with Luna Rossa in the 32nd America’s Cup in Valencia. As it turns out he’s been doing a lot of research on the topic and has come to some surprising conclusions. -Dave Powlison
Read the article on the link below.
http://www.sailingworld.com/how-to/better-way-to-round-leeward-mark
Laser Sailing Top Tips – Leeward mark rounding – Double Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcNqwfwmDGo
Events
This weekend will be the 50th running of the M.J. Petterson trophy, over the years there have been some very close finishes. Eg. Peter & Phil Johnson in the Rainbow pipping me in my Sabot on the line. And No Peter I still forgiven you.
A handicap race with a very ornate large trophy up for grabs that was donated by Merv Petterson for the 1966/67 season was first won by John Hargreaves in a Rainbow.
For the race, boats start at staggered times with the back markers trying to catch the leaders before the finish line.
Merv still lives in Mordialloc today but likes to keep to himself a bit. He was an amazing club member who held the Secretaries job with distinction for many years and although his interest did not really focus on sailing itself he was very supportive of the young adults coming through in the sport at MSC.
He was duly appointed a Life Member and is considered one of the great club members in our history.
The ‘M’ Trophy was donated by Garry & Louise Hosie in 2002 and first won by Glenn Scheen in a Flying 15.This trophy has enjoyed success as an event especially when coupled with the MJP. It is another handicap event but with a single start and sailing the ‘M’ course with the results calculated using handicaps back on shore..
NEXT COFFEE CRUISE IS 14th NOVEMBER – YOU WON’T BE SORRY.
Association News
Open and free coaching at Black Rock YC in preparation for the 2016/2017 Nationals
Following the Go for Gold coaching regatta on the 14th and 15th Nov will be held on the waters of Port Phillip in the
vicinity of Black Rock Yacht Club (Inc.) (BRYC).
Non BRYC members
Single-Handed entry $60.00
Double-Handed entry $70.00
Other Sailing News
Tom Slingsby and Nathan Outteridge – From the beginning- Part One
http://www.sail-world.com/Tom-Slingsby-and-Nathan-Outteridge—From-the-beginning–Part-One/139497
Forecast from BOM
Saturday 31 October
Winds
Variable about 10 knots becoming east to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots during the morning then tending north to northeasterly during the evening.
Seas
Below 1 metre.
Weather
Cloudy. 60% chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.
This Week’s Sailing Quote
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
– William Arthur Ward
Finally
Thanks to Peter for providing the write up of the day’s racing, background on the events and the coffee cruise.
Also couple of pictures from the day
Enjoy the sail
Colin White
0429 369 435
Yensid II
1903
Mordialloc Sailing Club