Tuesday, 3 July 2007
'Puma' needs surgery after IRC Nationals!!
The wind and luck gods were not looking kindly down on Team Logic last weekend... in fact things just kept going wrong. We began well in the first race on Friday morning- in breeze gusting to 30 knots every manoeuvre must be executed well, and indeed in this much wind we were taking the safe option each time. Unfortunately, due to the illness of a crew member on board we had to retire from this race, whilst in second place. Safety and wellbeing of crew is always of paramount importance and so we headed into Cowes to drop him off.
A quick turnaround and then back to the start area for the second race; Over the radio many boats could be heard retiring from racing in the building wind, and once again we started well and were racing hard and safely when we had to retire for a second time due to sail damage (ripping our no.3!) and gear failure (broken main sheet jammer!) Very bad luck, as we were leading at the time!!
The third race of the day was postponed until Saturday morning and competitors headed out of Cowes, once again raring to go. The breeze had eased a little and we were out early for some much needed practise... finishing the third race of the series mid fleet.
On the forth race disaster struck once again when we rounded the second leeward mark and a boat just ahead of came up and tacked right in front of us. With a mark just beside us on our port side, we couldn't tack out of the way and unable to bear away enough we collided with the other yacht's transom. Unfortunately, 'Puma' came off worse with a chunk out of the bow, and there was no choice in the matter other than to once again retire; With damage to the boat, that was to be the end of our IRC Nationals weekend!! After a lengthy protest hearing that evening the international race jury disqualified the other yacht.
Back in Shamrock, work has begun, to get 'Puma' back in shape for the weekend, our next Fastnet training weekend.
The wind and luck gods were not looking kindly down on Team Logic last weekend... in fact things just kept going wrong. We began well in the first race on Friday morning- in breeze gusting to 30 knots every manoeuvre must be executed well, and indeed in this much wind we were taking the safe option each time. Unfortunately, due to the illness of a crew member on board we had to retire from this race, whilst in second place. Safety and wellbeing of crew is always of paramount importance and so we headed into Cowes to drop him off.
A quick turnaround and then back to the start area for the second race; Over the radio many boats could be heard retiring from racing in the building wind, and once again we started well and were racing hard and safely when we had to retire for a second time due to sail damage (ripping our no.3!) and gear failure (broken main sheet jammer!) Very bad luck, as we were leading at the time!!
The third race of the day was postponed until Saturday morning and competitors headed out of Cowes, once again raring to go. The breeze had eased a little and we were out early for some much needed practise... finishing the third race of the series mid fleet.
On the forth race disaster struck once again when we rounded the second leeward mark and a boat just ahead of came up and tacked right in front of us. With a mark just beside us on our port side, we couldn't tack out of the way and unable to bear away enough we collided with the other yacht's transom. Unfortunately, 'Puma' came off worse with a chunk out of the bow, and there was no choice in the matter other than to once again retire; With damage to the boat, that was to be the end of our IRC Nationals weekend!! After a lengthy protest hearing that evening the international race jury disqualified the other yacht.
Back in Shamrock, work has begun, to get 'Puma' back in shape for the weekend, our next Fastnet training weekend.
posted by Sailing Logic at 9:22 AM
