Sydney Flying Squadron, Season 2017-18 12.11.17

Easterly at the squadron – unusual as feels like 2nd sail, and no such thing as 2nd-sail easterly. 1 race scheduled, whole fleet other than Citadel 2nd sail, run-in tide.

Race start, Geothermal, JRW and LCC Asia Pacific all on the line, gun late, allows Sydney Sailmakers to roll over with speed, LCC gassed at boat-end. All tacked into Cremorne looking for pressure and to try and dodge the run-in tide before aiming for Bradleys Head.

18 footer start ahead of the 12s causes the fleet to tack north to avoid the line of the dirty wind. LCC heads into and through the 18s start-line, as the quickest way to avoid them. After 2 clearing tacks this gives LCC a 50m lead on all the others, who went south east into the fairway. Breeze back out of Bradleys head was light and consistently heading, dropping LCC out of the front into 4th by Point Piper.

Shark Island rounding mark saw Geotherm well clear, ahead of Sydney sailmakers, Citadel and LCC.

Run down to Garden Island, looking for pressure, the breeze not really as second-rig as we had all hoped. Geotherm tacked north out of the bottom mark, Sydney Sailmakers takes short inside, and Geotherm lost their daylight lead in 1 tack. These 2 away, Citadel and LCC together, Citadel capsized, leaving LCC 3rd and JRW well back. 2nd work saw this hold, and same down the run.. Back to Shark Island top mark for the last time, for the run to the finish, Geotherm trailing Sydney Sailmakers, LCC lost out to JRW off Point Piper now neck and neck for 3rd, with JRW picking a shift and getting 50m ahead at the last rounding.

Long run to Kurraba Point finish, LCC looking to hold depth, JRW sucked high and capsized in back-eddy, LCC towed away from the finish by a gust, had to drop the spinnaker to reach into the finish, JRW coming back with the spinnaker, to just miss on 3rd on the line: Sydney Sailmakers 1st, Geothermal 2nd, LCC AsiaPacific 3rd, JRW 4th