Well, we’ve had better days. Today was a coastal race in very light air. The first attempt was a glamour for us. We started by the pin with decent pace while our closest competition, Ran, were over early. We controlled the fleet nicely and were pulling into a very nice lead. As we approached the rocks we were to round, the breeze died down to 2-3 knots and they abandoned the race.
The race committee waited for a while until the breeze built to a light 6-7 knots. We had a good start in the middle of the line, working our way to the weather mark. We rounded behind Ran, but just ahead of Stig. The next leg was a reach which started with the jib but quickly went to the code 0. The change went well and we were slowly closing on Ran. We got lifted as we neared the next mark and peeled to the A1. The change went smoothly and we quickly set up for the next leg which was a beat back to the pin end of the line. We lost quite a bit of distance on this part of the race. As we neared the mark, we again got lifted and went back to the code O. The next leg was a run with the A1 again so as we approached the mark, we set up and hoisted the kite at the mark. From there on, it didn’t go well for us. As we tried to furl the 0, the kite wrapped itself into the furl at the top causing the bottom unit to twist. I know this all seems like gibberish so let me clear it up a bit. It was a massive cluster !#%”. After trying several ways to untangle the mess, we were force to take both sails down and sort it out. Once we cleared the mess, we rehoisted the kite and kept sailing. Of course, by now, it was time to gybe and our gybe sheet was out of commission having been an ingredient in the cluster. So we quickly grabbed another sheet, connected it to the kite and gybe we did. This was a short run to the mark before a short reach to the finish.
It was really frustrating but in actual fact, the cluster did not cost us that much. We probably would still have finished 4th.
So now we are tied with Ran going into tomorrow. The forecast is again light air, so it will be a real fight.
Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship: Race day 3
Two more windward leeward races were sailed today in 11-16 knots. The first race was a midline start with us being spot on the line. We worked the left side of the course and rounded just ahead of the competition at the top mark. The run went well and we got ready for the leeward mark rounding. We gybed onto final approach with 1:30 to go to the mark. All was going well and we were ready for windward drop. Just as we started the drop, something went wrong with the string and the kite stopped coming into the boat. We ended up spearing the kite with our bowsprit and having kite cloth everywhere. We still rounded the mark and worked hard to get it all back on board. We worked hard and were able to retain the lead and still win the race.
Race 2. We started at the leeward end of the line and again worked the left side of the course. We rounded the top mark right on Ran’s stern. We had a good set and sailed a decent run but were not able to close enough distance on them. The leeward mark rounding this time went well with the kite coming nicely. The second beat again saw us on the left side of the course with Ran keeping their distance on us. We finished the race in second. So for us, this was another day. We felt like we sailed well and overcame our challenges.
Tomorrow should be a coastal race.
Doogie
Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship: Race Day 2
After yesterday’s abandonment of racing, we were all anxious to get out on the race course. The reach out to the start line was lumpy. Ran ended up breaking their boom on the reach but were able to get in and replace it in time for the start of the first race. It was a good effort on their part.
For the first race, we started to weather of most of the group and rounded the top mark in first. After the set, we quickly gybed, covering our competition. The run and leeward mark went well for us with some good boat handling and a good drop. We covered the others for the second beat, extended our lead and won the race.
On the second race, we started to leeward of the fleet, by the pin. In the last minutes, a left shift rolled through and we ended up being late to the line but all the other boats also got caught out and were more late than us. We were strong in the second half of the beat and again rounded in the lead. Stig hit the top mark right behind us, forcing them to spin a penalty turn. Our boat was going well and we held onto the lead for the rest of race.
Today was a good confidence booster for the team. There are still plenty of races to go in what will be certainly some challenging conditions. Tomorrow we will have 2 more windward leeward races.
Doogie
Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship: Race Day 1
We had a nice coastal race today in light to moderate conditions. We started in the middle of the line with a clear lane. However we missed a couple of puffs on the beat and rounded on Stig’s tail in 4th place. We bore away to a kite in 8-9 knots of breeze. It was a straight shot all the way to some rocks where we gybed and quickly went to the FRO. The change was smooth and controlled. We then reached to another mark with the FRO and jib on stand-by. About 3 minutes from the mark, the call came for a jib change. It was a bit rushed but we got it up in time. We furled, got the FRO down and settled in for a long upwind beat. The beat saw us get close to shore and too close for the Shockwave guys. They hit a rock at full speed upwind which resulted in the lifelines breaking and sending most of the crew in the water. All the crew members were ok, and after lots of work tonight, they expect to be racing tomorrow.
Once we got to the top of the course, we set to a kite at a very high angle. With a lee shore, we kept the jib up in case we couldn’t hold the kite. After that, we enjoyed a few minutes of VMG sailing before reaching again with the jib. Not to worry, the jib reaching didn’t last too long, we were soon back to the FRO. So up with the FRO and as soon as that was settled, we started setting up the next kite. After a few minutes, the kite went up, FRO furled and down and run into the finish.
The boat handling was relatively smooth with no major issues, a nice change from that horrendous race in Palma. On days like this, the guys working downstairs are working overtime. Mickey and Jesse kept getting sails thrown at them and we kept calling for more sails. As a bowman, it’s nice to have the next sail ready to go when you go for the set up. So nice work guys!
Tomorrow we are into windward leeward racing. The boat has been swapped into its inshore mode.
Stay tuned,
Doogie
Last day of practice
Today was our last day of practice. We headed out early in the morning in a very light breeze and were able to look at our Code 0 and do some work on it. We practiced a short beat and set to the Code 0 and then back to the jib. A few changes were made to the system after Palma and they seem to have helped. The sail is more under control and the furler is behaving.
After that, we went into some pre start and windward leeward practice. The breeze came in and out but never really went over 10 knots. The boat handling was smooth and the kites came down nicely. A good confidence builder going into tomorrow.
We start racing tomorrow.
Doogie
Windy
We had an early morning sail yesterday before the mistral fully kicked in. The goal was to look at a few jibs and rig in the breeze. We were off the dock a little after 8 am and were back about an hour and a half later as the breeze steadily built to over 30 knots.
Today’s forecast was for some wind early and dying as the day went on. We got off the dock around 11:30 and the mistral was still in effect. We hoisted the main and jib and had another look at a jib. After that, we hoisted the FRO and got it on the lock, which is always a struggle when all the rope is new, unfurled and off we went. After making sure everything was good and solid, we furled, took it down and started sailing back towards land with the main and jib. We were seeing puffs to 29 knots and it looked like the breeze was picking up instead of backing off. We called it, went in, and got some work done on the sails and other items needing attention before the regatta starts on Monday. One more day of practice.
Doogie
Windward leeward practice
Windward leeward work was the motto for today. We did a few practice starts and some laps on our own before being joined by the Stig and the old Alegre. The starts allowed us to work on our weaknesses and sort out some approaches to the line. We followed that up with some racing for a 1 lap course but rounding the bottom mark. The good news is that our string line system (spinnaker retrieval system) seems to be functioning again. This was something we really struggled with in Palma. The team has put in a good effort to try and understand what was wrong and what needed to be remedied. We are still working on it and improving but we now feel we have control of the system.
After sailing, the boat got stripped down and the boys are now in the process of getting it weighed, a mini maxi class requirement. Tomorrow there is a mistral forecast so we will get an early start in the hope of getting a few hours of sailing in before the breeze picks up too much.
Doogie
Light air practice
Today was another day of light air practice. We again worked on light air speed and technique. Little by little, we seem to be figuring out some better ways to sail the boat in the light. Tomorrow, the breeze will play ball a bit more and should allow us to do some practice races against other boats.
On another note, part of this job means that we all have to travel on planes. Some people can travel in planes easier than others. On our boat, we have several grinders that don’t always fit in plane seats very easily. Take a look at this photo of the tight squeeze Newbrook had on the last flight into Sardinia.
Practice Begins
The Bella Mente team arrived in Sardinia a couple of days ago. The first 2 days were spent working on the boat and getting it ready for this event. Yesterday was our first day on the water and that was spent looking at most of our sails and a few small changes. Today we worked more on our light air boat speed and spent a couple of hours straight line sailing against Stig. It was another light air day with the breeze not getting about 9 knots.
Little by little, the rest of the boats are coming in and the crews are arriving. Racing doesn’t start for quite a while so we have some time to work on many aspects of the program. We will again work on windward leeward sailing tomorrow and continue to work on our light air performance. The list is long for things to do. We still have all our furling sails and coastal set up to look at and work on. The boat also has to get weighed which is usually a bit of a fiasco.
We have quite a bit more practice to get through before the regatta comes about but it will do us some good.
Doogie
Regata Copa del Rey Audi-Mapfre: Palma Done and Dusted
Well, the Copa del Rey is over and done with. We did not get the result we were looking for. We felt that, across the board, we could have sailed better. We struggled in many areas during the regatta and now it is time to sit down and get the issues sorted. We have 1 month before we all reconvene in Sardinia for the Maxi Worlds.
The list is long. We have boat handling to work on, speed in certain conditions to sort out, string system to improve, sails to build…
Pirate and the boys have lots of work to get the boat ready for the next event. They are still in Palma and will be there for a while longer to start hammering out the list.
The team is looking forward to getting to Sardinia to redeem ourselves and sail stronger.
Doogie
Bella Mente Racing
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