I’ve been threatening to race ever since getting a boat four or so years ago. Never actually made it out, of course, but I happened to be trying a few engine modifications on Wednesday after school as owners and crews started to arrive all about. Having discovered with the help of Peg (the boat which parks next door to Peridot) that I had the correct radio channel (M2 is called P4 on my set…) I stowed the sail covers and headed for the sea.
As usual, click a photo for high resolution...
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Akori
and Grace. |
No
wind, but a bit of swell. |
The
top digits refer to speed through the water... |
Thanks (again) to my wonderful electric tiller pilot, I was able to stow fenders and sort out bits and pieces before hoisting the sails as we passed Hartlepool Lifeboat. A few hundred metres further on and cutting the engine suggested we should, perhaps, think of an alternative activity for the evening. Peridot is not fast upwind in light airs, and I barely had steerage way. Floated around near the start line for ten minutes (although I had no idea which way starting would happen, nor the course details), before committing myself to not racing. It was lovely to see all the other boats coming out and preparing themselves, though.
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Runaway
followed by Bathsheba |
Runaway |
Peg,
our closest neighbour |
The countdown seemed strange, with a six minute warning at nine minutes to seven, and another a minute later. At about seven various messages from the clubhouse (whose control tower overlooks the start line) informed boats they were already across the line (but by my timing the race should have started) although I never heard the actual start over the radio. Maybe I should have been watching for a light or flag instead. Gradually, though, the yachts set off on a reach to the first mark, half way between Longscar cardinal mark and the shore. Most of the fleet (of seven) used spinnakers on this leg, and the motley collection of boats slowly drifted down to the mark, led by “Bathsheba” with “Grace” far behind. “Far” is too strong a word, perhaps, as overall speeds were so slow that distances were short.
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Close
up of the start of a yacht race... |
...and
they're off, along the coast towards Seaton Carew. |
Not
much change some time later. |
At the mark, Bathsheba eased to windward and seemed to stop. Other (smaller) boats seemed to fare better, but progress was painful. I’d given up altogether, and was drifting more with the tide than sailing. I’d intended to take photos, but had foolishly positioned myself with the sun behind my subject. The few worthwhile are all here, and record the important fact that made sailing that night worthwhile – it was a beautiful evening with shared tribulations! One by one the yachts retired from the race early, and I would guess the race was eventually cancelled although I didn’t hear the call, being out of radio range behind the fish quay by the time most competitors were returning.
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Poor
Bathsheba, on the right with dark sails, seemed to have stopped. |
Runaway
before the race. Did well for photographs because they came closest
to me! |
Photographer
heads for home... |
Maybe, with a little more knowledge, I’ll give it a go next week…
Steve
Bunning, May 13th 2004