Racing has started - Mojito takes the lead in the Sailing Club Spring Series

Full results here.

For many boats this weekend was too early to put to the water but for the boats recently launched this weekend was ideal to test the boat set up for the season ahead. And as the Mojito crew found out on Saturday, during a quick jaunt around the Tudwalls and back in 28kts and lively seas, it was also a wake-up call to those muscles, unused over the winter period!

Sunday and it was all agreed that an informal race would be held with the starting procedure conducted by our Commodore Stephen Tudor, sailing on Jackknife. The course was chosen from the 2014 PSC course card based on the North Westerly wind direction. Although the fleet had relatively flat conditions as a result of this wind direction, it was an interesting wind, gusting up to 29kts early in the day with big wind shifts around the bay and wind down to 10kts close in to Gimlet Rock later in the race.

J109 Mojito made an early approach to the line and consequently had to slow down to hold back from the line till the start. This gave Jackknife opportunity to build up good speed on approach to the line. The start was called and Mojito managed to hold the lead till just before the first mark, with J125 Jackknife storming through with impressive speeds in her first race.

On to the second mark and Predator Beneteau First 50 made a good advance but Mojito launched their spinnaker, managing to stay close to the bigger boats on the water, they rounded the second mark behind Predator but also had to give Jackknife room to round. Mojito rounded and managed to squeeze inside but the J125 was just too fast, gained speed and managed to squeeze up in front to take Mojito’s air. This forced Mojito to tack, while the other two boats headed in to shore. With shifting winds this tack actually helped Mojito stay up with the faster boats and they found that they were still within reach by the time they passed though the line on the first lap.

Round again, this time taking in mark 8 before bearing away to 5, Mojito at the back of the fleet thought that they could get there with spinnaker but with some big gusts and wind shifts they found that they just couldn’t stay up enough to reach the mark and were forced to revert to the jib but after rounding the mark they then found that they couldn’t rehoist without some significant bow work. Meanwhile Predator and Jackknife were putting distance between themselves and Mojito especially Jackknife flying their spinnaker too. Once Mojito finally got their spinnaker up, they again made good ground but it looked like their only chance was now on handicap ratings.

This time Jackknife tacked to stay offshore while Mojito and Predator headed in, before tacking to pass through the line. Predator took line honours followed closely by Jackknife and then Mojito. The results after handicaps were applied, were Mojito 1st, Predator 2nd and Jackknife 3rd.

A second race was discussed but comments regarding lemonade at a party along the beach the night before and it was generally agreed that everyone should head in for a late lunch.

The next racing weekend is scheduled in two weeks time for the 5th and 6th April.