Start confusion

Andy Beadsworth reports from day five of the Bacardi Cup

It seemed to take forever to set a line today. The wind was shifting 10-15 degrees, which is quite a lot for a line so long. Less than other days though.

The first attempted start was postponed with 20 seconds to go. The fleet was well advanced and there were probably many already over in a left hand shift.

On the second start we opted for the pin end, the wind went left and we couldn't lay the pin boat, that had a very long anchor line on it. We gybed out with ten seconds to go and started on port.

Although we were late starting we were crossing quite a few boats on the left shift, eventually tacking under a group of boats from the middle of the line. There seemed to be some confusion with boats going back one minute after the start. Some of the front guys hiked up and seemed to stop. I looked back and there were many boats back at the start line. Eventually I saw an X (individual recall) flag on one of the committee boats. We raced on.

After about ten minutes we tacked back on to port, it looked good, the left was ahead and we were hanging onto the back of the top ten, even after a poor start. Then a race official boat came across the fleet signalling an abandonment. Confusion reigned.
Apparently the pin boat had flown a general recall rather than an individual so some boats stopped while others raced on.

On the restart we were a little more cautious starting in the middle of the line. The wind was further right too. We had a good start and good speed, just as well as it was a thin lane and we needed to live there. We did until the left hand shift came in and we tacked. The left were ahead, Bromby and Pickle showing the way. I would love to know how much (if at all) over the class weight limit these guys are (its not enforced at the Bacardi) they were very fast in these windy and choppy conditions.

We played the shifts out to the right and probably should have taken one more hitch left but it seemed high risk. We rounded the weather mark tenth. Two or three boats made gains on us in the final 200m into the mark by setting up to our left.

Again it was reaches today. We faired well but got caught up behind Kusznierewicz who was very slow on the first reach. We eventually sailed through to leeward. The reaches really spread the fleet out, which takes a bit of pressure off from the boats behind but makes it hard to catch those in front.

On the second beat we worked to the right of the fleet, not taking too much risk. The forecast was for the wind to slowly veer all day. John Dane went another couple of hundred metres and made a massive gain passing us and a few others. We took four places but lost Dane so ended up rounding the last windward in seventh.

The run to the finish should have been straight forward with the wind 15 degrees right, laying down to the finish in one. However, a group of four boats who carried on on Starboard got into more pressure and almost sailed round us. We were drawn into soaking down to get into the pressure. Two other boats Iain Murray and Karl Anderson, ignored them and eventually came good passing us. We also lost one of the boats Augie Diaz who sailed round us in more pressure. Again frustrating loosing three boats at the finish but still a good result, tenth. It could have been worse.

Overall we have slipped to 14th. Those around us having a good or better day than us today.

The top ten is still viable with eighth place only eight points ahead.

For the Official report and results click here .