The Simrad 50- Onboard Sweeney Todd
After a clean start, 11 of the 13 Young 88’s competing, sailed off towards the parking lot off North head while the other two (Young Radical & Danger zone) made a bee-line for Rangitoto Island. At North head we drifted around, enjoyed a couple of beers and had a chat with the boats next to us about the great hot air ballooning conditions.
Rounding Rangitoto light we thought we were 6th behind Sister Moonshine, Nijinsky, Sailor Moon, Flashback & Waka Huia, but close enough to stay in touch with the leaders.
An uneventful reach to Motutapu Island closed the fleet up. We hoisted the kite for the run down to Motuihe Green buoy and started our gibing duel with Sailor Moon & Flashback, trying to avoid the tide but stay in the wind lines, we lost.
Approaching Motuihe Green, we noticed in the distance the silhouette of a Young 88 flying a Cialis kite and sporting a rusty main sail. We later found out the Young Radical boys had picked the tricky path on the first leg perfectly and established a fantastic lead!
The leg to Passage rock was the tightest angle I have ever held a spinnaker without it collapsing! We managed to fight off the constant attacks to keep our air clean from bigger boats and sport boats with gennakers.
Approaching Passage rock, the wind was dropping and light fading. Slipstream 3 and Flash Gordon were hot on our heels as we rounded. We headed high towards Waiheke and into a breeze line close to land which we’d noticed on the way down, hugging the shoreline all the way to Browns Island.
The view ahead was lights reflecting off glassy water. We headed high again to slightly less glassy water and more incoming tide, hoping we weren’t going to overshoot Bean Rock and the finish line, as we would never be able to make it back against the tide. Our timing went well and managed to get the gun.
Well done Young Radical & Nijinsky, 1st and 3rd on Handicap; & Young Radical & Sailor Moon for being 2nd & 3rd on line.
Vaughn Clark