DF65 scratch results

Welcome to winter wonderland!  Austin Lake under drizzle but with a steady breeze from the north west turning north east as the afternoon progressed.  Very difficult to set a course that suited the conditions and we were sailing with the mighty mouse DF65.  Our first course was to stay down at the southern end and prepare for the usual 1.00pm change to a more westerly breeze (Sea Breeze) but that did not happen.  So at the stroke of 1.00pm we changed to using the most northwest permanent buoy as the top mark with two tiny boys on the southern beach as the bottom mark.  The course looked like an IOM normal long course so we all agreed "to give it a go." 

 

There were only 6 skippers that came all the way out to race and four of them had driven all the way from Perth to enjoy a challenge.  Thankfully the locals, Donks and Phil P were there to welcome them and to fly the flag.

I know they are all members and support ALRS but I was a little disappointed in the local effort. I thought we had more salty dogs in the club.

 

Unfortunately Phil struggled with the DF65 today and once the mist became rain, he elected to seek shelter near a fire watching the footy.  This left 5 skippers who are all capable of winning any race given a clear start and a few favourable wind shifts. In fact each of us did rise to the top for at least one individual race win. Nick had some issues with his bright red DF65, electrical rudder issues and missed three races while he did a quick change on the run.  After race 3 we changed to a more north easterly permanent buoy as the top mark and changed the gate at the bottom. This is the best racing course because the wind flow is hardly interrupted compared to other directions.

 

Well done to Nick for again showing the way and picking every shift so well, the rest of us tried different wind lanes but they often failed.