I am new to the class but have sailed in various other class's. Wanted a boat that was exciting but controlable at the same time.Bought a second hand ply boat to try out the class, and as with all wooden boats have spent time and money after every sail, repairing,adjusting to suit my style of sailing and am getting comfortable with the boat . I have missed alot of sailing opportunities due to work commitments so I was very excited to be on the water with MK 1 rigged, 10 Knots and a possable 12-15 arriving ( heaven on a Mozzie ). OK launching off the beach hit a breaker lifting the bow and shunting the tiller into the seabed , hope no-one saw that, pulled the tiller up and you guessed it snapped the tiller in in half. THIS WILL NOT STOP ME .Arrived at the start and settled into a position amongst the other cat's. a metre + swell gently rocked the boat and I heard a CLINK, THUD, not real loud, but enough to notice , looked on the tramp and saw a schackle pin sitting there. OMG the rigging is going to fall any minute, a wild glance around the rigging and could not see any issues.
5 minute to race start, good wont be long now, but where the hell did that pin come from, CLUNK, THUD, what the hell!! a shackle with no pin lands on the tramp . Seriously looking to the heavens to see when the rigging is going to let go. Quick glance to see how far the beach is, what to do if mast falls, which side of the boat do I abandon on, what's the protocol for mast falling amongst boats on start line, do I yell timber to other boats. All this going through my tiny mind when I spotted my mate laughing his head off as he threw another schackle onto the tramp.
Yep he bought the beers

All that fun, AND free beers.... sounds like an afternoon well spent

Awesome.......going to try that on Luke sometime with the new boat....he will c%$# himself.

Love it !!!!

Good one Tony! This reminds me of a similar experience I had recently. I also have an older ply Mossie (Hagar 1714) and I am new to the class. A couple if weekends ago I went for a Sunday sail at Adelaide SC. Actually, I was taking out a young lady, who...well, ok yes.... I was trying to make an impression on..... The weather wasn't ideal for such a thing - it was overcast, 10-15 knots and increasing. But it was today or never (well much later anyway, due to work, etc). She had no sailing experience - that's right ZERO, never been on a boat in her life. Ok, so we head out and all is well. Moving along very nicely indeed, plenty of breeze... she's suitably impressed! Mmmmm...wind is really strating to get up now... Part of the reason for being at Adelaide SC that day was because the International 14 (skiff) state heats were on (which I would normally be sailing in), so it was a chance to see how some mates were doing. We stay out of the way and are out to sea well past the weather mark, when I hear an almighty CRACK and the whole rig lands in the water. $%#@&%... Blew the shroud clean in half midway up. Eventually I get the rig back on board and survey the situation. Not good: well outside the course area, wind up to about 20 knots now and running more or less parralel to shore (S but forecast to shift SE, ie offshore!!!!). By now we had a nasty sea - we were rolling around and running with it. So yep....to make matters worse, she then gets sea sick. &%$#@ - welcome to sailing! Given the solid breeze, I eventually set up a jerry rig of sorts with the jib and run deep back towards the course. Eventually we are spotted and get a tow back to the club, much to the amusement of all the 14 footer fellas by now drinking beers on the balcony....

PS - yes, she is still talking to me and even still wants to go out again. What a sport!

Rob
Hagar 1714

Tony, are you sailing at Milang for the traveller series this Sunday?

Rob

Yes Rob, hope to go 2up!!!!

Gotta love wooden boats,I like the way you impress the girls.

Traveller series is Earthmovers distance race at Kingston SE this Sunday. Milang has normal club racing this Sunday and next weekend has their Easter Regatta

Great Tony - see you there!

Jeff, I think this Sunday at Milang has been a late addition to the traveller series - see MCASA web-site. 11am start - 2 races, then 2 club races in the afternoon. Is that right, anyone?

Rob
Hagar 1714

Sorry I thought you were referring to the traveller series for all catamarans but now I see its the Mozzy traveller series so that makes more sense to me now. Enjoy your weekend at Milang we have about 20 other cats coming here for our Earthmovers distance race

Thirteen Mosquito's contested the Traveller Series at Milang Yesterday. The lake is full, the sun was shining, 25c and we had a light morning race followed by two afternoon races in a building breeze. Combined starts for mk1s & mk2s saw a busy startline with Ben Clark winning 2 races while Peter Hallsworth won the final,
Cheers,
Roy

Hey fantastic to hear so many boats at one regatta in S.A.

Rivals Mossie numbers at Vic regattas, great to see, looks good for the future.

Great Pic's Roy. But I can't see the black boat with 2 bags of cement on the side

Loved those pics Roy. Congratulations for winning the contest..