Apr 2013 Issue - the Aberdeen Boat Club

Race ReportsWaglan 2013Races 8 and 9Words and photos by Philippe de MannyThe start to Waglan 8On Sunday, 24 February, theClub ran the last two geometricraces of the season under verypromising weather conditions.The wind direction at 9:30 amwhen the committee boat left the mainClubhouse indicated 60 degrees, whilethe anemometer gave a reading of 12knots average, gusting up to 18 knots.The tide prediction was not an issue.However the two-metre swells fromthe east, every seven metres, becamea real issue for the Race Officer whowent from golden-hued to green aroundthe gills as soon as the committee boatwas anchored.“Contemptuous wordshung in the air.”It must have been obvious to thesailors passing by the committee boat.Contemptuous words such as “You looklike you are tossing your cookies,” “Timeto hug the porcelain, mate,” and “OUAH!Philippe, did you call for Ralph?,” all hungin the air.At any rate, the two races took placeas usual at the south of Lamma Island.They lasted about 90 minutes each,including small breaks in between transitto and from the racing area. The fleetreturned to Middle Island around 3:30 pmfor the prize-giving.The timing element of this raceseemed to go well. In fact, it could havebeen totally the opposite. On the way outto the racing area, the committee boatset course 190˚ towards the expecteddrop zone, as close as possible to theSAR boundary, leaving a safe sailing areafor our fleet to round that windward mark.While dropping the windwardmark, bigger waves than expected– uncontrollable for seconds – hitthe mark-setting boat. At the sametime, the buoy rope got caught in thepropeller, creating a situation thatdemanded swift action. As pulling therope and using reverse power to untiethe boat both proved unsuccessful,the last remaining solution was to cutthe rope as close to the propeller aspossible in the hope that it would freeboth anchor and boat. Luckily this wasmanaged but we were left with littletime to set the course.At the end, everything was undercontrol, the RO’s breakfast went outfaster than in, the windward, leeward,gibe marks and start line got set, the fleetwas on the starting block and the firsttriangular race began.Actually, both Waglan races 8 and9 were sailed using the same triangularcourse, and as the wind remained stablethe whole day, no changes in the buoypositions were necessary.Two boats did not start on the firstrace. Red Kite had a spinnaker problemon reaching the start line and Javelincame late, taking on the wrong sideof the committee boat, confusing theleeward mark with the start line.Elektra as usual was the fastest boaton water for both races but found itsmatch in HKPN with The Farr Side forWaglan 8 and Blackjack for Waglan 9.Elektra still was unbeatable under the IRCrating, though having a very close finishwith Blackjack in Waglan 9.P.14