I have been chatting to the organisers of the event and it will be a big one, all the skiff classes will be represented and the idea is to have all starts on the one line, Perfect opportunity to show the skiffs what fast is!

the link to the details is here:

http://nsw.i14australia.org/sfs

Even though the NOR states that it is open to Mono's I have aggrement from the orgainsers that cats are more than welcome.

It would be great to have some F18's or other cats (f16 maybe?) turn up that aren't going to the nats in Airlie, It will be awesome publicity for the class and it gets cats in front of all the youngsters in the skiff scene.

Hi Macca,

It's in the diary, hope there is some wind though, have been on the harbour drifting around in August before (test sailing a 24' cat) after travelling from Vic.

How about you other New South Welshman, chance to have a go at Altered if you haven't already.

Like Macca said, love to show all those Skiffies what a F16 can do in 10 kts. the 14's and 29ers at Batemans bay where blown away.

Regards Gary.

just hope that the 18teens dont show..I suspect a good 18teen crew will show how quick they are.. Or that it is 5 knots and the 12s show. Watching two guys flogging sail and fully trapping in 5-8 knots is a scary thing to watch..

The 16 & 14 are roughtly equal.. and shouldnt give you any grief.
If we are equal to an A we should have a VYC handicap of roughly 72, the 18 has an old yardstick around 69 (but I think this is from the big boat days) the 14& 16 are somewhere around 84-86.. The 12 is 92ish? But dont quote me..
The dark horse will as I said be light winds and a 12 with big number 1 rig up..


good hunting
Stewart

Hi all,

Have emailed contacts, club is definetly happy with cats, wonders will never cease. Next they will let them in Sydney Hobart. Noooo way, I think I am dreaming.

Regards Gary.

We have given it much thought for the F14, but it is the "trip from hell" to drive up there and straight back for two days racing. It is still a possibility though - just- Then again if we knew that there was going to be a reasonable representation from other cats -well ?????

I know why your F14 is so fast.. The logo is the same as Tony Carrs old boats.. "Zero" His first few were WA state VJ champions and his last was the Au International 14 Champ.. And is I believe was for a time the Japanese I 14 champ boat..

Fast logo wins!!!!


Stewart

Hi all,

have recieved Email from regatta organisers, they are worried about space as skiffs rig on side taking up alot of room. As this regatta was origanaly set up for skiffs they will be given priority at club. Club will let us know week before how numbers look, if they run out of space cats may have to look at rigging up elsewhere. Apparently there are other locations close by, like Woolhara.

Thought their invite was to good to be true. Will wait and see what happens I guess.

Regards Gary.

I have heard from Michael Boyd (Commodore of Woollahra Sailing Club) that rigging at Woollahra has been given the ok. There should be a few of the skiffs (49ers , B14s and 29ers) rigging there as well.

All the event info is here.
There's no mention of cats - I guess their presence can just be a "pleasant" surprise for everyone on the day.

Hi all,

F16 Altered and at least one F16 Mossie will be there. Hope Sydney turns the weather on, how about you locals making a sacrafice, burning a boat or something.

Regards Gary.

Good luck. Do let us know how it goes. Hope someone can get some photos.

Mark.

Hi all,

have reply from entry back from club. All looks good OK to rig at club etc. They are even running spectator ferries, hope to get some good photo's, my son will be spectating with camera. 55+ entries so far not bad for off season regatta. Can't wait to get there.

Regards Gary.

Hi all,

been there, done that. It's all over F16 (Altered, Mosquito Cat rigged and Taipan Sloop rigged), F18, A class sailed against 18 foot Skiffs and 49er's, in green fleet fastest boats. Afraid A class cats where first and second 49er third. It was one of those events where the spinnaker made life more difficult. Full results at http://nsw.i14australia.org/sfs/

Saturday NW wind offshore with course close to north shore of harbour. Wind was very gusty forecast 15 to 20kts. mention was made after racing of 30kt. gusts. Biggest problem was shifts of up to 45 degrees with gusts. I think nearly everybody swam even those without spin. Saw some amazing spinnaker rides by skiffs in particular the 12 footers are incredible. Altered made a glamour start but it was short lived. Lead around first windward mark for the entire fleet, then proceeded to have trouble finding mid run gate and things just went downhill from there. Or should that be upside down. A number of capsizes later I fell into sail pulling boltrope out of mast and boat blew away from me requiring rescue, so I retired to fix ready for next race.

Doing OK second race despite capsizes fighting for second with A class until capsize on last run, I land in sail again tearing sail up luff, couldn't finish towed home.

Sunday morning busy fixing up stuff, Pete on Mossie pulls axle of trailer thats another story. While I try to put brand new Asby Blade main up my mast, thanks to generosity of Michael Boyd local who hasn't launched his Blade yet. But it just won't fit. Backup plan lots of sticky back on torn luff, this leaves me late for first start. Forecast 10 to 15kts. NW. seemed OK on shore but died to drifter with 90 degree shifts did gust to 15kts. for the odd 30 seconds or so.

Third race late as I said, caught up heaps passed lots of skiffs but no catching leaders Taipan F16 and A's did well. Fourth race wind died and shifted before start, pin end favoured just couldn't get there never made up the loss at the start but was my best finishing place. Had a good ride to finish in a nice gust, kite on hard, flat on trap leaving small rigged 18 foot skiff in my wake.

Overall sailing was crap, Rohan Veal on borrowed Foiler Moth went home in disgust without finishing a race I think. But for me it was a great weekend, great hospitality and just a mix of fleet that I have never been in before and great back drop Harbour Bridge, Opera House, Mansions etc. a real experience. Just wish I could have got sailing together, The sight of Taipan F16 fighting with no.1 rigged 18 foot skiff Panasonic for first place was something you just don't see every weekend.

Regards Gary.

Gary: http://www.careel.com/brassmonkey/13.jpg , looking sharp

Lots of other photos at http://www.careel.com/brassmonkey/

Hi Rolf,

thanks for supplying link to photo's hadn't caught up with that yet. I think photo was taken between races on sat. in a lull when I was trying to convince myself I could handle what were very trying conditions. Did spend a lot of time near 49ers when racing up and downwind. Managed to get half a leg ahead on one downwind against a mid fleet 49er, in one of my rare good runs over the weekend.

I think I had 6 capsizes on Sat. lost count exactly. But after you have seen photo's of Altered nosediving, I must tell you none where from nosedives. All where over sideways with kite up mainly out of gybes. Am keeping main on hard stops nosediving . But I now remember, tipping sideways out of gybes is what use to happen when I started sailing with kite.

So what do you guys do that pull main in hard with kite up when you gybe in 25kts.?

Regards Gary.

Now that's saying something.

Maybe this would be a good case for the main "doubler" that was discussed (with photos) recently. The dead end of the main sheet was led forward along the boom to a cascade through a pivoting exit block. Your typical 8:1 could be cranked down the last inch by this 16:1. It didn't seem practical when I originally saw it but this might be your cure.

Can anyone locate that photo and thread?

Gary,
From the little sailing I've managed over the past couple of seasons it seems the critical factor is the angle that you jibe through. I have found that if I jibe through too great an angle I go swimming.
If I go through a small angle just enough to make the main flip it stays stalled out and all is OK.
Once the kite starts to pull I can play the breese and steer to it. Just the way I see it. Damn shame I couldn't make it down to the Harbour to go swimming with you.
Hey- It's August- gustlerly westerlies is the norm for Ausgust.

Regards,
Phill

I just put gibe the boat just far enough to have the kite blow itself through and I only focus on pulling it over smoothly and quickly. It feels to me that as soon as the kite fills again you are out of danger. So that is what I do. keeping the kite tight, baring off, slow down the turn when straight downwind and let the boat round up slowly while pulling the kite tight as soon as it has blown itself past the forestay. When it has filled I need to steer up to completely the gibe.

Works well for me.

Wouter

I found it an exciting experience racing against the skiffs. Could help but think it would be excellent if someone could do a big PR job on a cats V skiff regatta, similar to the ford-holden thing in motorsport. All groups involved in sailing need to work together to promote the sport. Sailing is in a serious decline and something like this might get some much needed public interest in both classes.

Hi Paul,

agree entirely, it was fun to race Skiffs. Have done it twice now, but first time at Sauna Sail winds where light the whole time, cats still managed to get home first against 49ers in some races.

Hope to have similar regatta at Gippsland Lakes Y.C. next easter, promoted to all boats with assymetric spinnakers, including Trailables. This will of course rely on Skiffs coming to visit cats as we have no skiffs localy.

Regards Gary.