| CONTENTS | OCT 04 | |||||
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WOMBAFF TROPHY
It’s Wombaff time again, for any members who have not tried the Wombaff experience and for the experienced Wombaffer’s this year should be a cracker. The Wombaff is a premier inter fleet team racing event
This is the chance for the mono hull sailors to show the cat sailors how it should be done. Ian McLean Commodore DSC 12 Oct Sparkling and blowing. People climbing rock to get a better view. People lie on lilo's and rugs, First comes 'Killer White', Behind about 25 boats, Thanks to Aidan Mould for the evocative poem. Any more talented poets out there? Got a story to tell or pictures to show? Contact webeditor. There is already a trophy for the best cruise report submitted. There may well be a prize for the best story or poem. Get it in before the December prizegiving. 06 Oct Despite winds at the top end of a 4 and warnings of stronger winds on their way. Read 06 Oct EMail Sent: 29 September 2004 17:21 Hi Simon How did the weekend go at Northumberland? Rob -----Reply----- From: Simon S Despite winds at the top end of a 4 and warnings of stronger winds on their way from the South the OOD (me) and ARO Kate S took the decision to continue from the committee boat and started the races for the 10 boats and their brave crews only 10 minutes later than billed. 4 Dart 18's sliced through the murky chop. Alasdair D solo on an Inter 17 and Simon S on a Spitfire were flying at 'Full Chat' (that is mechanic speak for 'flat out', 'maximum power'... Oh... my... God!) Ali took line honours for the 3 Fast Cat races and maintained full control for at least 95% of the time. There was a brace of Dart 16's a laser and an Express 2 up. The LBSA crews have been rolled in leaves and tucked away in newspaper filled carboard boxes under the stairs like little hedgehogs in hibernation, waiting for the Winter to pass and the Spring to return, they may be seen in the club on odd occasions during warmer Winter days for a pint but only if the fire is lit, they can be identified by their sleepy countenance, slow movements and the presence of a leaf or two in their hair.
Race 1 produced a win for James D on the Darts with Peter S sporting slightly more ballast than in the Summer Season with the welcome return to the water of Mr Ian B, (new dad, apprentice husband and super crew.) The extra stability just failing to produce the form to beat James or our Commodore. Pete uncharacteristically secured 3rd. Fate took a hand and during the second race Ian Mc's mainsheet blocks burst asunder disintigrating under dynamic stress (forces of torsion, compression and tension exceeding the upper limits of molecular bonding) causing an early retirement. Simon M and Mike D found their sea legs and after a disappointing last place in the first romped home for 2nd in the next 2 races. Pete's tenacity prevailed and as the wind built he nailed the last race convincingly. Meanwhile the rescue crews attended the multiple capsizes by the laser and then some prolonged swimming by the Express crew. Richard S started his tour of duty for the day ably assisted by Steve P with a list of remedial repairs, the bilge pump rubber on the Ark was perished to destruction and the duck boards were floating. The stern mast had relaxed completely, lay across the starboard gunwale like a drunken tar. Two shrouds had come adrift, and Dawpool's tiller had to be repaired, these jobs were dispatch efficiently and the race officers breathed a sigh of relief as the level of the bilge water on the Ark receded. The rescue team constantly monitored the wind conditions with forays up the Estuary. Sincere thanks to Richard and his team for their help, support and advice during my brief OOD tenure. Well done to the juniors, however after winning the first race young Nick managed to turn a healthy lead into a DSQ by rounding the committee boat instead of the ODM in the second race, check the course card! Respect to Paul O and Jonathan H for excellent resilience and boat skill in the tough conditions. Only retiring in the last race as the wind built to a 5+. Notable achievements for the day were Simon S on White Tiger who managed to avoid pitch poling, capsizing or breaking anything, those cynics in the rescue fraternity who ran the book on the number of capsizes predicted lost their shirts as Simon kept the pointy thing skyward for the duration. There was a noticeable leap in Simons learning curve as he wrestled this new and highly powered Cat. Finally Kate S whose initial fears of turning green and hanging over the leeward gunwales in an unladylike bout of chundering during her ARO duty not only stayed well but devoured a healthy picnic lunch. 06 Oct EMail Sent: 29 September 2004 17:21 Hi Simon How did the weekend go at Northumberland? Rob
Ermmm, best not to ask. However, I do have a shiny new mast. As for the sailing, we took too long to rig up, so we missed the first race. We sailed downwind on the river into the harbour very happily, only to find a monster swell coming into the harbour entrance, rather oddly building as it came in. As soon as we passed the harbour wall we got sideswiped by a wall of wind and were flattened. We got up OK, to see large rollers coming in either side of the harbour that would have done credit to Hawaii. Great incentive to get the hell out of there! We sailed over to the race area to find everyone else heading back. The swell was on the large side (we could only see the top half of the boats nearby at times) and the wind somewhat strong. It turns out that this 'weather' passed through as we emerged from the harbour, explaining our sudden demise. Meantime the traveler wouldn't stay cleated, so we were well off calling it quits. The beat back into the harbour was interesting, given the need to gain high speed to achieve a tack, in something like a 50 metre gap between solid walls - oh, and an audience of fisherman (who were heard to greet us with northern charm and phrases such as 'Good afternoon gentlemen, don't mind us, please continue. NOT! Or were they trying to draw our attention to what sounded like 'Tankers!'' as we tacked amongst their tackle - limited space saw me smile back with a clear conscience), assorted locals, and multiple coastguard officers interested in these catamaran things, all hanging over the harbour wall to watch our progress. Then we trashed the mast. And some other stuff. Er, that's it. Insurance claim pending... We did get lots of tuning tips that are likely to see us getting more power and hopefully pointing ability too. See you soon Simon 04 Oct Why not give the washing up a miss on Sunday 10th October, come and have
a Please contact the Rear Comm. Social (Simon Wright) by 4th October to
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