Sorry for the lack of activity on this blog recently. In January I started a Facebook Group page for Australian Contender Sailors and that is where all my Contender updates have been posted, its just far quicker and easier to post their, plus others are active in the group – its really turning out to be a great little community.

So come on and join us!

I was fortunate to finish 2nd place in the 2011 Australian International Contender Class National Championships. My first Contender Nationals, its great to be back involved in sailing again after a 12 yr hiatus, I really enjoyed the event and the people involved in the class.

Well done to all involved, especially Geoff Fisher on winning his second title in a row.

Here are the official results.

7 races over the weekend.

Lots of tight racing and some great stories were the end result.

A few things worth mentioning…

1. Casso – where is Casso?
2. 25kts on the first day provided for some great rides and a number of capsizes.
3. Generally a heavy wind regatta – the lightest completed race was probably 15kts.
4. Greg did his back in after going to all the trouble of borrowing a few items off dormant boats just to get out on the water.
5. In 2-3 knots of wind the Race Committee decided to set our longest course for the entire regatta, with no shortened course in site we were unable to complete it in the allotted time of 1 hour. I crossed the finish line just 10 mins after the time limit to see all of the finishing boat crew standing with their backs to me…”Excuse me, but I am finishing here.”, “oh, uh, you didn’t make the time”, “well a shortened course could have helped!”.
6. Ross and my “pit-stop” ashore nearly proved fatal. Since the race committee were dragging everyone from one side of the bay to the other in a drifting breeze, Ross and I were expecting no further races for the session and decided that they would decide to send us all in for lunch. We took the initiative and headed into shore – I had an awesome Jelly Cup and Toasted sandwich, then we headed up to the hill to have a chuckle at all the silly folk who stayed out. What we saw sent us running back to our boats, the wind was setting in and the course was laid! Surely that couldn’t be a Contender flag??!!! Rather than start our fleet last like every previous start the race committee decided to have us go first. Ross and I were still sailing downwind to the line when our gun went, so we had to dip the start approx 2-3 mins after the gun. Thanks to a few sweet windshifts, a very well placed top mark, plus Richard hitting me and having to do circles (his 10th infringment for the regatta?) I managed to catch the fleet and win the race, Ross was lucky to finish 4th after Simon made us all sail an extra lap (Ross was 6th at the time), it seems “Mr Rules” can’t count.
7. 80ft power boats had their fun racing through our course area and launching us in the air then dropping us into their wake. Simon swam twice in 1 race thanks to the power boats.
8. Moths provided entertainment before our start. Nowhere to be seen before the start they would magically appear 1 min after their gun had sounded, and a couple were still flying them swimming somewhere near but still under the start line come our start gun.
9. Moths again – 2 tried their best to kill me in the second last race of the regatta. In 18kts of breeze they were out of control on their reach whilst i was heading upwind fully trapezing. The first missed my head be just 1cm with his carbon fiber wing and 5 seconds later his buddy did a catapult 1m before he would have t-boned me at an unbelievable speed.
10. Richard and I did a beautiful synchronized capsize at the top mark to let Ross sail by for an easy win.
11. Richard in the 3rd last race rounded the bottom mark unnecessarily to hand me a win.
12. In the 2nd last race with the fleet covered I rushed through a tack and launched myself out onto the wire only to clip my cleated mainsheet with my foot – ended in a swim and gifted another race to “Steven” – I mean Ross.
13. You can always rely on Chris to sail the wrong course and he executed perfectly whilst in the lead in the light race which was eventually cancelled. he stuck to his guns and ran down to the bottom mark all by himself.
14. Adam was looking sharp in many races and is primed to receive his new fiber glass Bonezzi.
15. Richard loved my new yellow lens glasses and kept referring to me as Bono

Steven Bradbury (oh – I mean Ross Brennan) won on a count back

1. Ross (Steven Bradbury): 10 = 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4 (drop)
2. Clay (Bono): 10 = 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, DNF (drop)
3. Richard
4. Adam?
5. Simon (Mr Rules)? [won Handicap]
6. Chris?
7. Michael?
8. Greg?

I will link to the official results once they are posted

We had the Ronstan Indian Ocian Classic (IOC) last weekend at Fremantle Sailing Club.

1. The Contenders had a good turn out of 7 boats including myself (Clay), Simon, Ross, Richard, Greg Barrington, Adam Brett, and Michael.
2. We completed 8 races over two days for approx 12 hours on the water. My body has just recovered.
3. The wind ranged from 2-15 knots, changing regularly through each race.
4. The was a lot of slop and waves which proved quite difficult, especially in light stuff.
5. We started with other classes including 505, Musto Skiff, 470′s, and Fireballs – this helped build competition on the start line but proved quite difficult once everyone took off at different speeds and height.
6. I was fortunate to finish with 6 wins from 8 starts, carrying a 3rd, and dropped a 5th.
1. The racing was actually a lot closer than those results indicate with Ross only finishing the first 5 races (2 wins, 2 seconds, and a fifth).
2. Simon sailed very well for someone new to the class and officially finished second overall.
3. According to Richard, he decided to reverse his natural style and was going fast downwind but unfortunately a little slower upwind.
4. Greg could have easily nabbed a couple wins, and showed exceptional skills on the dead downwind legs. We should all be practicing his crouching in the middle of the boat, keeping it dead flat and sailing to the leeward as much as possible.
5. Adam was creating a few nervous moments for a number of the fleet, but ultimately was still tuning his new mast and getting used to the lower boom due to excessive rake (a few swims ensued).
6. Michael was giving the new short leech sail a work out.

[Updated 26th Oct] This post is a work in progress.

Here is the current list of WA Contenders attending or at least considering attending McCrae in Dec for the National Titles.

Attending…

1. Clay = 100%
2. Greg = 100%
3. Ross = 90%
4. Richard = 90%

1. Casso = 25%
2. Gene = ?

1. Norman = 0%
2. Adam Brett = 0%
3. Simon = 0%
4. Michael = 0%

Casual Atire
AUS 2530

A future Contender Sailor?

Note: Looks like I have too much outhaul on here.

Bigger image here.