Kevin Blay氏が4月ポイントレースのレポートを書かれました

Gokasho bay Yacht Race:
April 2011
Kevin Blay

Five boats participated in the race this month. Lengths varied from 40 to 24 feet. Oasis an X40, Kasumi a J33, Azure a Deheler 32, Asama a Yamaha 28 and Venus a J24. The temperature was an unseasonably chilly ten degrees, with a gusty north-westerly blowing below a slate grey sky. This cold weather pattern originating from somewhere really cold, likely Siberia, set the race up for a weather mark a few hundred meters north of the start line.

Most of the boats were on the course an hour before the 10 am start. Venus was no different. We were short-crewed. Having only three members on this blustery day did not bode well. Our captain was Dr. Chiba, helmsman and main trimmer, myself, jib and spin trimmer and Mr. Honda, pit. We left port with the genoa rigged but changed it to a jib once out on the water. After changing foresails we still had plenty of time to run up the kite, which was fortuitous as it worked out most of the shorthanded hoisting and setting problems.

Our helmsman chose a starboard tack at the boat end of the line. We hit the line at the horn. Kasumi sailed over us so we quickly tacked to clear our sails. On the port tack we joined Azure and Asama on the lee side of the course. Our second tack was great as it put us just on the starboard lay line to the mark. We rounded the first mark third behind Kasumi and Azure. We hoisted the spin on a starboard tack and charged back to challenge Azure. Oasis also gave great chase but we were able to fight her off until the second mark. We jibed before the mark which set us up for an easier rounding. As we approached Chiba called for water giving us a temporary advantage to set the jib and settle in for the wind ward leg.

Heading to weather our smaller Jboat quickly lost the distance with the larger yachts that she had maintained in the downwind leg. And after the third marker we were well behind, but still in fourth place ahead of Asama. About ten minutes later the wind died.... and new hopes were born on the deck of Venus. We saw our prey dead in the water as our lighter boat slowly approached. We closed to within a few minutes of the leaders. But lady luck left us and we were caught in irons while rounding the fourth mark. Asama had closed from behind to within a few hundred meters of us. But that was as close as she would come, because the out going tide seemed to bring us around the mark. Light airs appeared out of the southwest and lifted us back into the race. We clawed ever so slowly back with rolling tacks. Then the wind strengthened further and continued to shift almost due south, a clear 180 degree shift from the beginning of the race. We would be flying a spin back to the start line. While we patiently waited for the wind to arrive, the bigger boats powered their way to the line with chutes boldly flexing their harnessed wind. We were racing against the clock now and quickly hoisted our emerald kite. For the last few minutes we held our breath as we fought for every second. We finished fourth on the water but our diligence paid off because we won the race on adjusted time.

Final standings
Kasumi was first home but finished second.
Azure was second home but finished third.
Oasis was third home but finished fifth.
Venus was fourth home but finished first.
Asama was fifth home but finished fourth.

Big thanks to the staff at VOC for putting on another great race. The after race buffet which featured a DELICIOUS boat of sashimi. Her hold was quickly emptied!!!

Thanks to all the participants. And I hope to see everyone back on the water next month. How about some KYC boats getting into the action, (Long Beach or Allons Y) after all they seem to be here every weekend. LOL