Coastal Classic 2014 on Pulse. This year the slower boats went first, so there would be new challenges at the start of the race. As well as needing to lay Rangitoto light with an extra on in a fresh South Westerly, miss the large keelers, there would be smaller boats in the way. With my wonderful crew of Kushila and Tania we counted down the start. A good gust had us put a reef in just before the start, and we started conservatively set up, but ready for anything, with staysail and screacher unfurled. Pulse felt nicely powered up out of the harbour. The boats we could overtake always meant a decision; Go down and risk going slow and getting stuck in their foul air, or go high and risk them luffing, or rounding up out of control with too large a kite on. So we had some fast sailing to Tiri Channel (well fast for Pulse!). We were all working hard trimming or steering. Flat rock in 2 hours, with the wind building in the gusts. Averaging 12 knots. Faster and faster we went past Cape Rodney, where I eventually called getting the screacher (code 0) down. Another think about the forecast, which had evolved to a WSW, our best course seemed to be a 2 sail reach inside the Hen and Chicks. So we put full working sail up, and Pulse just felt like she was on rails as we reached towards Sail Rock. Sitting on 15 knots, while watching many of the big keel boats go out to sea with their big kites still on. By the Hen and Chicks we could see only one other boat, another catamaran. It seemed lonely considering 140 boats were out there! But we were less than 5 hours into the race. Changed down to the staysail as the wind built off Whangarei, Off Ngunguru Bay we hit peak speeds, 18.7 on the GPS, 23 on the log. (yes with Kushila on the helm as I have been reminded…) Good fun. The wind eased and backed on the way North, so the Screacher came back out. We watched Steinlager 2 climb out of the gloom from out to sea, but it was one of the few, the other 15 or so out there were now well behind us. Perhaps the last good squall of the day saw us furl in the screacher and two sail into the Brett. Piercy Island in daylight is always a good site, even if a Maxi is coming the other way after already finishing the race and on the way home (why not party?) We started the beat with the Staysail on, but the wind began to drop so back to the #1, and a nice lay through to Whale rock, as the sun went down. From there the usual beat in, trying to stay left, and in phase with the shifts. Often the big keel boats just cruise past us, but we only lost one this year. We crossed the line at 9.46, in 30th place. On the website they had the first 30 places, so we felt good about that! We all sailed well, and my lovely lady crew did wonderfully! I felt happy to have done so well in a boat that I designed and built, not just the boat, but mast and sails as well. A few rums afterwards to wind down. Saturday was spent with endless friends and visitors coming aboard. So much for that much needed nap. The prize giving and party was, as always, great. The band gets everyone up and dancing. We had two overseas guests aboard for the sail home, one had never been sailing before. Breakfast at Roberton Island, dolphins on the way through the Bay of Islands, then a lovely gennaker ride down the coast in 15 knots. Teaching a wiling student the intricacies of apparent wind in perfect conditions. Tutukaka for a great dinner. Monday was a building Westerly, so a reach. There is a Pulse tradition of listening to ‘War of the Worlds’ in Bream bay, loud, on the way South. Of Rodney we peaked at 19 knots on some fun surfing waves. It was a pretty special sail, and pure New Zealand experience. It was all going too well when we got a good 40 knots just off Rabbit Island, within site of home. 2 reefs and the staysail wasn’t small enough, but we made it back. A great weekend! For those of you who think about doing the race; just do it! It is a great challenge, wherever you come in the fleet. Roll on next year! Tim Clissold Pulse xtc
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:40:07 +0000
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