Dave_Snelson
Active member
Saturday saw the "Squirrel Trophy" race hosted by MYC at this time of year. This year it was a long race and I was crewing on a Moody 333 - "La Balleine".
I helmed her from Porthmadog to Mochras Lagoon which was the race start. The course was to be from Mochras along Sarn Badrig (St Patrick's causeway) to St Tudwals West Island, round the Island to Pwllheli Fairway and finish at Porthmadog Fairway - about 40nm. I was crewing with the owner, Mike Bostock and two others. Mike is an excellent and experienced skipper and very competitive, so we were in for a good day.
We got off to a good start, right on the line within one second of the gun. The usual suspects - with bigger yachts - pulled away from us after half an hour. Equally, we pulled away from the rest of the fleet (27 boats started) and left them far behind - and thats how it stayed. We had good winds from the west and north at about 9-12 kts. We sailed a close reach all the way to St Tuds and then tacked...but couldn't achieve just the one tack to get through the sound, unfortunately we did it in two - but so did everyone else!
The haul into Pwllheli on a reach seemed to take forever but rounding the Fairway, we hoisted the spinnaker and headed for home. We came a physical 4th and an adjusted 4th after handicaps were taken into account. Not bad for my first race!! (with maybe just a little help from Mr Bostock!)
So, did I like it? Am I about to sell CI and turn raggie? Well not quite yet.
Yes I did like it and in fact enjoyed it so much, I will be going again, and for as many as I can find spare time for. My other observations are that the Moody - a lovely yacht - is blimmin uncomfortable over long periods. The old joke about yachting being like sitting on a broken park bench is no joke at all.
Another positive, is that great enjoyment can be had from all the bits and pieces that need doing, like trimming the sails to make them behave like an aircraft wing (I never knew that!) and working the winches to execute a perfect gybe. There is a lot more to sailing than I had previously understood - and I am a better motor boat skipper for having learned that.
The day cost me nothing at all though (CI would have gone through about 20 gallons of LPG) and was completed in good company and of course it was enjoyable being at sea.
There were times where I found the speed (or lack of) to be maddeningly frustrating. The approach to Gimlet Rock from St Tudwals was.....arrrgh! hurry up will you - go faster!!! I could do that stretch in less than 10 mins and it took over an hour. It isn't that I want to go whamming along at full speed everywhere, because I don't. 20-25kts in fine weather is fine.
A couple of other observations though were that I found myself saying things like "look out for that speed boat" as it disappeared behind the Genoa! And the fact that motor boat wakes really aren't as bad as they are made out to be?? We crossed quite a few and with no big deal.
The real problem with yachting though, is when the race ends. You are forced to go into the yacht club and drink alcoholic beverages and listen to live bands playing great music....err, wait a minute....isn't that the same as motor boating??
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I helmed her from Porthmadog to Mochras Lagoon which was the race start. The course was to be from Mochras along Sarn Badrig (St Patrick's causeway) to St Tudwals West Island, round the Island to Pwllheli Fairway and finish at Porthmadog Fairway - about 40nm. I was crewing with the owner, Mike Bostock and two others. Mike is an excellent and experienced skipper and very competitive, so we were in for a good day.
We got off to a good start, right on the line within one second of the gun. The usual suspects - with bigger yachts - pulled away from us after half an hour. Equally, we pulled away from the rest of the fleet (27 boats started) and left them far behind - and thats how it stayed. We had good winds from the west and north at about 9-12 kts. We sailed a close reach all the way to St Tuds and then tacked...but couldn't achieve just the one tack to get through the sound, unfortunately we did it in two - but so did everyone else!
The haul into Pwllheli on a reach seemed to take forever but rounding the Fairway, we hoisted the spinnaker and headed for home. We came a physical 4th and an adjusted 4th after handicaps were taken into account. Not bad for my first race!! (with maybe just a little help from Mr Bostock!)
So, did I like it? Am I about to sell CI and turn raggie? Well not quite yet.
Yes I did like it and in fact enjoyed it so much, I will be going again, and for as many as I can find spare time for. My other observations are that the Moody - a lovely yacht - is blimmin uncomfortable over long periods. The old joke about yachting being like sitting on a broken park bench is no joke at all.
Another positive, is that great enjoyment can be had from all the bits and pieces that need doing, like trimming the sails to make them behave like an aircraft wing (I never knew that!) and working the winches to execute a perfect gybe. There is a lot more to sailing than I had previously understood - and I am a better motor boat skipper for having learned that.
The day cost me nothing at all though (CI would have gone through about 20 gallons of LPG) and was completed in good company and of course it was enjoyable being at sea.
There were times where I found the speed (or lack of) to be maddeningly frustrating. The approach to Gimlet Rock from St Tudwals was.....arrrgh! hurry up will you - go faster!!! I could do that stretch in less than 10 mins and it took over an hour. It isn't that I want to go whamming along at full speed everywhere, because I don't. 20-25kts in fine weather is fine.
A couple of other observations though were that I found myself saying things like "look out for that speed boat" as it disappeared behind the Genoa! And the fact that motor boat wakes really aren't as bad as they are made out to be?? We crossed quite a few and with no big deal.
The real problem with yachting though, is when the race ends. You are forced to go into the yacht club and drink alcoholic beverages and listen to live bands playing great music....err, wait a minute....isn't that the same as motor boating??
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
