16 June 2008 - Regatta

14 nautical miles

Today was the Regatta, with racing before lunch at McDonalds [one of the sponsors of the Larnaka Nautical Club].

Nickos did amazing job in getting it all together... since I think sorting us out was a little like herding cats [we have 3 cats, so we should know!]

Anyway... Blue and Galini got on the water as soon as possible waiting for the other boats. Neil and Paula were sailing Blue. My crew for the day was my colleague Peter and his son Sam.


Tim joined us on his trimaran. He started off with us towards Finicoudes, but then retired.

As you can see from the photo, the floats were lifting out the water in the wind and so he retired early not joining in the racing nor the trip to our sponsor McDonalds for lunch.


Christos sailed past on the way to the racing.

Later in the day they had to retire from the racing as they broke a stay and had to jury rig it with the trapeze wire to save breaking the mast.

On the way back they ripped the genoa. So it wasn't a good day for them.



James did amazingly well, not only sailing round from the club but racing and continuing on as a stalwart soldier when others were retiring.

He even managed to beat us back to the club. He reckons that running with the wind an Optimist is pretty fast as the flat bow helps plane on the waves.


Ooops... over went the French girls.

And...

...it was a horrendous job trying to get the 470 back up as they had forgotten to close the buoyancy tanks. Lucky it didn't totally fill up and sink.

But...

Nickos was on hand in the rescue boat and got it up...

nooo...

over it went again...

... OK it was up eventually and the girls carried on to race.

We were all invited back to the Larnaka Offshore Sailing Club at the marina in the evening for the award presentation. The two French girls won the 470 race, despite the capsize. James won the Optimist class... and surprise we won the 'General Class'.

It was great to sit and talk and show people the photos. It was helpful now as Christos is suggesting ways of pointing higher with the traveler.

Finally... here is the route I sailed for the day... the yellow is the morning outward trip and the return is the cyan. I'm particularly pleased on holding the training run and then turning into the goosewing run on the return trip so straight and direct. Its the tacking I have to work on. Last year it was the runs that I was not happy with. Still the rolling on a run concerns me slightly.