The Race is On
A couple of weeks ago, some of the Go Ape crew did battle in a Regatta of Sailing Races. And it was a battle – with each other and against the elements at times!
There were near gale force westerly winds further up Ullswater but the Glenridding bay was fairly sheltered with just the occasional confused gust coming through so an interesting show down to follow!
Four traditional gaff rigged sailing boats were race prepared and each one was to propel three Go Ape competitors along with one Racing Instructor. Skippers for the day were Roo, Jamie, Tim and Malc, Joe was Race Officer, Steve and Barry were on Rescue (and got some work…!) After cuppas and an initial briefing, the teams went out to practice for the first half of the session with their Skippers in patchy south westerly wind ranging from Force 1 to Force 4. This is usually the quiet part of the event where everyone gradually familiarises themselves with the boats and principles, gleaning as much as possible from the Racing Instructors leaving Race Officer and Rescue Crew free to set the Course Buoys. But this was not the case today as Team Jamie capsized their boat within the first few minutes when overpowered in a gust with the mainsheet in tight! All the crew had a nice little swim before being brought back to shore in the Rescue Boat to make any necessary tweaks to apparel before setting off again in a new boat (amidst protests from others that they’d had an upgrade – even in Boxing you’re not allowed to hit your opponent while they’re down…!)
When the practice session was up, the teams headed back to the jetty and clubhouse for more cuppas and a race briefing, while the Rescue Crew recovered Team Jamie’s original abandoned ship. Then it was out into battle around the Triangular Course with Start/Finish Line that had been set. Timings for the start were 2,1,GO using Horn and Flags. Here we go. Race 1…
The wind was in a lighter phase as the Hooter went and Team Roo nailed the start perfectly to speed off into the lead! They were closely followed, harried even, by Team Jamie and Team Tim (with Peter on the helm) who tacked off early to avoid their dirty turbulent wind. Team Malc started at the Port end of the Start Line and trailed initially but as has been said many a time in sail boat races – never give up, things can change! Halfway up the first Windward Leg of the Course a big heading windshift and lull engulfed the leaders, but not “go it alone” Team Malc who came steaming up to the Windward Mark and managed to round first! Close behind, Teams Tim and Roo arrived at the mark together with Team Tim just managing to squeeze ahead while Team Roo missed hitting the mark and incurring a penalty by the width of a cigarette paper. Team Jamie were in pursuit and all the Teams headed downwind to the Gybe Mark which they all turned around with no dramas. Then it was just the final run to the finish line with the gaps remaining unchanged as the hoots signalled the end of the Race! So it was Team Malc (who started last…), Team Tim, Team Roo then Team Jamie.
And on to Race 2.
Just as the start sequence was nearing the end, an almighty gust came through which had the potential to capsize all the boats! All the crews had to lean out as much as they could and ease all the sheets while they hooned around the start area at wild angles! The race had actually started by this point but everyone was (quite rightly) too busy trying to keep the masts pointing at the sky to worry about best racing tactics! Team Tim performed a very brave gybe in the strongest part of the gust and was heading straight for Team Malc’s boat which managed to somehow reverse out of the way. The gust lasted a minute or so and when all of our heart rates had returned to normal, the teams set off over the start line and around the course (some now with water scooped into the boat from leaning over at such extreme angles…!) Team Malc led away from Team Jamie, Team Tim then Team Roo. Some slick tacking saw Team Tim snatch 2nd place half way up the beat and as the teams rounded the windward mark some bigger gusts of force 4 came through again to make things interesting! Leaders Team Malc got hit by one of these gusts while they gybed around the Mark and surely they must have been schooled by Houdini himself to escape capsizing! The Boom went nearly vertical, then flew across, the boat leant right over, the Boom was in the water powering up the Mainsail and it looked for all the world like they were going submarine… But with great effort and skill they kept it the right way up and shot down towards the finish line! Team Tim were pretty close and seeing this drama in front of them sensibly decided that with a big gap now to 3rd it made sense to Tack rather than gybe. Team Jamie in 3rd came round and gybed making it look easy and gained some ground while Team Roo were not far behind too. At the finish it was Team Malc 1st (again), Team Tim 2nd (again), Team Jamie 3rd and Team Roo 4th. Race 3 – The Decider…
Crunch time and once again, the fast starting Team Roo nailed it with a perfect approach and shot across the start line at full speed as the hooter went! Series leaders Team Malc had a mare and had to gybe round at the last moment and start last… The pressure was now well and truly on them as if Team Tim were to finish 2 places ahead they would take the lead on points and win the Regatta… Team Tim were smelling victory and closed in on leaders Team Roo halfway up the beat and engaged them in a tacking duel in the shifting wind. This ended when Team Tim forced Team Roo a long way out while on right of way starboard preventing them from tacking and leaving them in a hole of little wind… Now in 1st Place, Team Tim approached the windward mark, but Teams Jamie and Malc had caught right up so all 3 were together! Team Tim rounded 1st but a little wide of the mark, Team Jamie gave them some room and went round behind while Team Malc showed no such mercy and dived into the very small gap between Team Tim and the Mark! Team Tim just managed to pull away from the Mark in the lead, while Team Malc’s fag paper thickness manoeuvring jumped them up to a very close 2nd with Team Jamie snapping at their heels too! So, deep breaths required no with just the two Offwind Legs to go, the wind picked up again, it could be anybody’s Race and indeed Regatta…! The 1st three boats arrived at the gybe mark nose to tail (or should that be bow to the stern) … and somehow all managed to get round holding it together. Just the last leg to go, Team Tim with a slender lead (and all standing up with arms out hoping their bodies will act as extra sail area!) but on this run Team Malc had their mainsail out further, as far as it would go, and were gaining hoping to force an inside overlap and right of way at the Leeward Mark. At the finish Team Tim crossed the line for race victory just ahead with Team Malc practically attached to them and Team Jamie right there too – it couldn’t have been closer! Team Roo crossed the line in 4th and we all started breathing again while heading back to the jetty.
At the Awards Ceremony it was Team Jamie getting the Bronze Medals, Team Tim the Silver Medals and by a mere 1 point it was congratulations to Team Malc who took home the Gold! Team Roo, just 1 point behind Team Jamie, received arguably the most useful Wooden prizes and as for the Sectors – the two Teams that made up Go Ape South came out on top by just 2 points! The talk then turned to re-hydration…
Congratulations to all the Teams for getting around the courses in very difficult conditions – the wind ranged from Force 1 to Force 6 with some savage gusts and shifts! There were some heavy downpours of rain too but the Teams all dug in admirably and carried on regardless.
