Hi all,

Somers Y.C. is on Westernport Bay Victoria Australia. It offers challenging conditions, as it is open to ocean swells in some wind directions and very strong tides up to 6 knots.

I took the Formula Catamarans Australia Blade down to race against the local A's and Tornies and have a look at who had turned up early for the Asia Pacific Tornado Titles.

Many overseas teams where already out training the ones I saw where Danish, Greek and 2 Russians along with Bundy and Ashby but there where many more around.

Whilst the Tornado's where arriving the locals where having club racing. Saturday was planned for 2 races consisting of 4 windward leewards and 1 triangle, great F16 courses <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

First race started in a gusty North Westerly (offshore). The first beat A's and Tornies did what I expected in winds gusting to 20 kts. leaving me behind, but as I approached the windward mark the wind swung to the south, the start of the expected southerly change. The Tornies under spinnaker where caught below what was now a reach leg to the leeward mark allowing me to catch up and beat some to the mark. Around the mark for another reach and it was really starting to get wild, hanging in the back strap going flat out reaching in 25-30kt winds. The Tornies ahead where starting to slow up feathering into the gusts, but I was still going for it with one Tornie passing me below, with the crew hanging out the back in white faced Terror <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />. But of course it had to come to a end, the Tornie and I hit a stronger wind line 30kts plus? Capsizes followed, I remembered previous experience in these conditions and hung on to what I could the trap handle, as I dove to clear the main sail. No sooner had I hit the water than the Blade was on it's side dragging me along, the shockcord snapped of course and I was left hanging on to the trap some 8m. from the end of the mast. I was being dragged so fast that I couldn't hold the trap line at first, all I could do was hold the handle, after a while the wind dropped a little slowing things down enough that I could work my way hand over hand to the mast and then down the forestay, which slowed progress as my body weight dragged the bow into the wind. By the time I got the boat up I had travelled about 1km. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />
The race was abandoned shortly after, as many boats where capsized, giving me time to get to the beach and fix things back together for the second race.

Second race Sat. Eventualy started in about 10 kts. with small sloppy waves. Giving marginal trapping for the first beat, I found myself out pointing the A's and Tornies and with a couple of lucky shifts was second to a local Tornie (06' Nat champ)and ahead of the others including the Danish Olympic team who had decided to join in for some fun. But being a lake sailor I forgot the tide and hit the mark catching the line with my long <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> centreboards. By the time I had sorted myself out both As and local Tornies where past. But up with the kite and sitting in and running deep I passed all but the front local Tornie who was closely followe by the Danes. The order remained the same for the rest of the race with the wind dropping at times to around 5-8 kts. so mainly sitting on side upwind but still enough to fly a hull downwind. The Danes eventualy overhauled the local Tornie to take the lead but the two where so engrossed in the match race they missed the shorten course flag, allowing me to take line honours as they went off for another lap <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. I was very happy with the performance of the Formula Catamarans Australia Blade in these conditions, feeling after snagging the buoy I realy had not lost much on the front Tornies. Just to confirm my downwind speed I dropped in on the Danes on the way back to shore and was able to hold them downwind for a km. or so. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Third race Sunday, southerly 12kts. onshore, small chop and swell. Off the line trapezing, again out pointing Tornies about the same as A's. Going ok until I put in a tack and had local Tornie sail over the top, tacked away and got the beat all wrong, last around top mark, tangle made for a slow hoist, but sat on side and took off after A's, picked them up by bottom mark, but again a tangle in return chord found me with kite flogging below bottom mark <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />. Only one local Tornie close. Pulled my finger out and got things going properly. Made some good layline calls against the tide and gained some distance on last of local tornies, with Darwin Tornie well in the lead. Wind built just enough to trap downwind I felt, as it allowed me to catch and work the swell, held distance on local Tornies and pulled away on A's lap after lap, until the triangle to the finish with the last of the local Tornies rolling me as I dropped the spinnaker on the reach to the finish. A very enjoyable sail after the first lap, finishing with a good lead over the A's and within Yardstick distance of the local Tornies. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Suffice to say the locals and Internationals where very impressed with there first look at a Blade. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The big T.. T for terror <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Amazing story Gary, but I suspect that it is not all down to the speed and design of F-16s. The sailor on the F-16 is probably more important <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Great stories, both of them. Please give us more when you can. Especially looking forward to hearing how you do on the T and what you think about my former class.

Hi Rolf,

back from Tornie Asia Pacifics, had a great sail skippering "Hartatack" in the invitation race. Breeze around 12 kts. flat water very cruisy, making a very gentle introduction to Tornie skippering for me. Dave owner of boat crewing makes it very easy for skipper taking mainsheet upwind etc. Decided skippering Tornie is very cushy job after sailing one up F16 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Speed upwind and tension on 15 to 1 mainsheet was the eye opener, amazing how flat the mains get. We had a pretty good race although some time was lost with chute problems caused by brand new kite. But that is what invatation races are for <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />. Finished up around 14th I think, 2nd Aussies. Bundy and Ashby are sailing very fast, where out in lead all the and have won first 2 races.

Hope to sail one again one day. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Have attached some mood photo's. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bundy and Ashby trailer, boat, gear storage the lot, even shade for over worked sailors. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

What all the well heeled Tornie sailors are driving <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Rigging area.

On the Beach

Launch time.

Wouldn't you love to be sailing here. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Bundy and Ashby launching.

German team rolling in.

Who is going to be first to put one of these on their F16. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
I think I would use the money for to buy a second hand boat instead. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Looks like an awesome venue, thanks for the great images.

15:1 - holey moley. How much rope was there on the tramp!

Probably a cascade inside the boom: More power, less rope around.

Maybe so, but you still need to be able to let a fair bit out at times...

ROPE ON A BOAT! BLASPHEMY!!!!

Hi Scooby,

yes it was cascading. This left about same rope on tramp as my 8 to 1.

Cascading itself doesn't reduce the amount of line needed for the same amount of sheeting out. Only when you have a doubly sheet setup can you reduce the amount of line required.

Wouter

Yes Gary, isn't helming a Tornado a really good time. A crew to boss around and put all blame on when things dont go so well <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

1:15 do sound excessive. We had a 1:9, and that was OK. Kind of a nice workout on windy days. Using legs instead of the back/arms was the trick.

How was the boat compared to the F-16? Feel like saying something which might even end up on our website (make it neutral, so we dont p**s off the T sailors. They have enough gloom to work with these days)?