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Romy off the wind

Over the last year, I would like to acknowledge the overall improvement in the running of Couta Boat events, due to the positive contribution of many people. Last season's sailing club forum no doubt has been a key influencer by listening to what the sailors and volunteers want out of sailing Couta Boats at Sorrento. Anyway since then the year has been smooth sailing with a good mix of events. This leads me offer a perspective on the final big CBA event for the year – The Investec CBA State Titles was again a big success with close to 40 Couta Boats enjoying a mixed format of passage and round the sticks races. 

Day one was reserved for the long passage race. Div 1 went down to Rosebud via the South Channel Pile, with a shorter course for the Div 2's to Rye Pier and return. Those of you who sailed know all this, so I should now comment on the light breeze and ebbing tide which presented quite a challenge to the sailors. The course for the first section of the race went from the start off Sorrento, into a laid mark in near the sisters (in the area of the green cone) and then on down to Number 10 pile off Blairgowrie shops. The trick here was to understand the environment. I'm not talkin' tree hugging, Karma or turning your TV off at the power point, but the real environment – the wind and water – the air temperature and the water texture – the feel of the boat – the trim and gentle coaxing the boat needs to perform to the prevailing conditions. (Perhaps, Boat Karma).

Our first priority is simply to look for wind on water. Boats don't go without wind and when racing adjacent the shore line the breeze can be blanketed in some spots. Second; respect the tide flow. From the first mark, the fleet was sailing in the Sorrento channel down to Number 10, which is similar to sailing upstream in a river. As naturally competitive types we lee-bowed a couple of boats onto port and pushed them off towards the middle of the channel and into the deeper faster flowing water. What bastards... they say (Negative Karma) – but the end result is really quite pleasing to see 'your competitor' sailing away to certain defeat (Positive Karma). The point is; a key factor at the start of this race, was working with the 'environment' being the ebb tide water flow in the channel was a dominant consideration vs. the light wind conditions.

Once past number 10, the waters out to the South Channel Pile and down on to Rosebud, some 9 miles or more away, are of a similar consistency making tide a lesser factor. As the fleet neared Rosebud the wind became more and more affected by Arthur's Seat. This became very interesting...  as the boats became influenced by softer winds nearer Rosebud the trailing boats began catching. In sailing, it's never over till the finish line, and often boats a long way ahead can fall foul in becalmed waters (Bad Karma) providing the opportunity for trailing boats to sail around such holes and pass them (Positive Karma). For us, we were pleased to round the Rosebud mark and travel away form the soft winds back towards a building sea breeze that was beginning to establish on the tip of the peninsula (Erection!). These long races don't have the boat handling and short tactical excitement but the overall concentration challenge and keeping the crew on the job whilst they gaze at the picturesque view adds up to a fun day on a Couta.