Sheep Stations

Well an interesting contrast going from great race management and a no protest moth worlds, to a local yacht regatta where the owners believe they are racing for the deeds of sheep stations.

We didn't have the race to the Pulau Pisang to get bananas as the local immigration officers decided they didn't want to turn up and check all the boats and crew out. Some miscommunication beforehand, usual stuff, but reckon they weren't keen on the 5am start time to process everybody.

So some makeshift "passage races" were arranged instead. Again local authorities limited our sail area so we were only allowed to sail in a narrowish 2nm corrider, rather than an open area where a true windward/leeward course could be set. They were worried that would run into some of the hundreds of ships at anchor. Good thing they didn't see our second start where a Mumm30 tried to hold the fleet on starboard.

Anyway, usual crap start lines where you couldn't get off the line on starboard. Mumm 30 tried to hold the fleet on starboard by being most starboard, but when you are 10 ft shorter to the next boat, never going to work. So owners were called Arrogant Bastards ashore, protests filed, and they finally left the room at 1130 on a Sunday evening. Ridiculous stuff.

But onto moth-ish stuff. Boat is all back safe in Singapore. Having the sexy carbon/kevlar boxes (organised by Robbo) meant we didn't have the delays that some of the other guys had getting their boats back home. Now it is time to sort it all out. After seeing other moths and how they are prepped, doing the big program of making sure it is ready for Dubai and no alphabet scores!

So whilst that is going been taking the A-cat out for a spin. Hadn't sailed it since Feb so good idea to sweep the cobwebs out of it. Amazing the difference in feel on the water. The A-cat doesn't feel heavy and shouldn't at all up weight of 75kg, but can certainly feel it in the water. Also really noisy too. But otherwise went to normal flat water location off Pasir Ris Beach near Changi Sailing Club. Super flat water, though bit shifty at times, just plus have to watch out for all the Kampong fishermen (see pic for an example).

Beginnings

Well I have just completed my first Moth Worlds at The Gorge and it was certainly a heap of fun and a massive learning experience for me. Having never done a Moth race before at any level, having a boat for just a year, and with the number of times that I have sailed in winds above 15 knots on a moth being able to be counted on one hand, it was certainly an eye-opener.

The Gorge was a great venue, and the organisers did a great job with race management. Big creds to these guys. Certainly a high quality field with the depth quite high. Looking at the entrants and some of their achievements, really quite impressive.

As for my results, didn't complete all the races as I kept having breakdowns. With 3 races back-to-back and breaking down in the first race of the day does not do wonders for your performance. Really frustrating. But for the time I was on the race course, wasn't great but wasn't bad. Just too many tacks that ended with me being on the centerboard, or the famous AMAC tack. Except I don't have his fantastic boatspeed to make up for it.


So back to work for now and catching up on the world after tuning out from the world for 2 weeks to go sailing. 2000+ emails greeting me ensured that my holiday was surely over.

But no rest from sailing this weekend. The big local regatta for yachts is on in Singapore and is called the Western Circuit. Runs over 3 weekends and normally quite good fun. Missed the first weekend, but back for the second. Got to be at the club at 445am!!! for immigration checkout as we have a 60nm race to Pulau Pisang (Banana Island) in the Malacca Straits so in Malaysian waters. Racing on a TP52 so we should be back just after lunch for afternoon beers waiting for the rest and watching the Bledisloe Cup rugby.