George Fish Memorial Tasmanian State Championship - Day 1 of 2

On leaving home this morning, I wondered if we would be sailing. Seemed close to 40 knots of wind up on Bournville Estate.

On arrival at the dam, it was lucky to be 10 knots on the watre, but that was probably the least wind we had all day.

Joint PRO's Ricky Price and Rod Marshall completed the day's briefing and got us under way on time. At that stage, we had around a 16 knot Nor Wester to contend with. Courses early were very good, allowing for multiple passing lanes and opportunity to progress through the fleet. That said, with five sailors on the weekend hoping to be at the pointy end of the DF95 National Championships next week, the quality in the field this weekend is really quite extraordinary.

We sailed four races (I think) in B rigs, before the call was made for C Rigs to be put on. Almost evertyone changed down rigs for the next few races, before the B's were called for again, and then C again a few after that. We closed out the 11 races today back on our B Rigs, but hopelessly over-powered at the end of the last race, with spray being lifted off the surface - gusts hitting around 40 knots, which made both upwind and downwind legs very diffucult.

Overall, the bahaviour amongst the fleet was very good. That said, we do need to remember that we do not need to be called to do a penalty turn, and the onus is on us to make sure we exonorate any contacts etc by completing our tack and jybe as soon as possible - without the need to be called.

After 11 races today, the top three positions seem to be developing - the order may be up for discussion tomorrow though. 

Lisa Blackwood it the overnight leader, sitting on 18 points.
Ray Joyce is in second place, 4 behind, on 22 points.
Stuart Dawes is in third, a further 5 behind, on 27 points.

Silver Fleet has Ian Hey in front overnight, on 50 points.
John Short is in second, 7 behind on 57.
Nick Connor is in third, a further 6 behind on 63 points.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Be prepared for more of the same tomorrow, with the wind at its height at around 1pm, so we may be in for some delays early pm with 40 knot gusts again predicted.

Kyle