BOATS IN THE BAY 2011
THE JUMBO
RACE
Having gone to such
lengths to arrange for a gun (a replica piece from the quarterdeck of a Nelson
era frigate, no less! and supplied by new members, Colin and Sally of the Star
Gun Company)) it was imperative to give racing a go.
With a steady
SSW F5 gusting F7 we thought it prudent to use our double mizzen rig (as yet
untried). This meant moving the mizzen to the foremast and bending on the leg
o' mutton jiggers I had made up over the winter. We had no idea whether the rig
would be effective on the wind and were divided as to which tack to set off on.
Starboard would take us through the moorings and some large visiting fishing
catamarans and the possibility of having to tack for Smeatons Pier whilst Port would take us into clearer
water but also into the lee of W.Pier.
We opted for starboard and I signaled to the gunner and waited...
A deep-throated
roar filled the air with smoke and seagulls and left one in no doubt
that something serious was going on! Warps cast aside, sheets in and we were
away, William Paynter
just leading. Ducking and diving through the moorings fending off steel
topsides, we just got
through unscathed whilst our mizzen boom danced along someone’s rail looking
for something to snag. Next the pier looms up and the jumbos pinch up. WP
seems to have a freeing wind and pulls ahead whilst Celeste limps along
and, thanks to the ebb tide, eventually clears the harbour and finds clean air.
We gradually clawed our way to weather of WP,
the double mizzen rig gratifyingly balanced, and beat toward the first mark.
From this direction the wind pours down the valleys and fans out as it hits the
water. Thus we tacked far too soon for the mark for, on port tack, for we were
headed almost back onto a reciprocal course!
We just made it
on the next tack and were the first to round the mark and ran off towards the
second. Bean was constantly playing the foresheet and Luke the mizzen. Colin
adjusting the tension of the halyard and I had the crew shifting weight from
side to side and fore and aft. We increased our lead. On rounding the third
mark with WP was still on our heels I gave the helm to Luke advising him
of all the mistakes I'd made first time round. Rapt concentration.
Just as we were
making the last mark WP radioed to say they had conceded and the race
was over! I was so hoping Luke would get
the gun that I'd arranged with Colin on W. Pier. As he had no phone or radio
there was no way of letting Colin know what was going on. Presently there was
another explosion for no apparent reason. Perhaps our gunner was getting bored.
Hanging on the the side of the lifeboat slip, we
compared notes and changed crews and mizzen sails taking 6 new members
out for their first sail including my cousins Toby and Christine. Christine's
father, Robin Nance, was a founder member of St.Ives Sailing Club. Martin Roach tells me that, at
their inaugural meeting, discussion turned to the type of beer for the
clubhouse. Robin apparently tried calling the meeting to order and thumping the
table cried "Boats in the Bay, Boats in the Bay!"
Which gave me
an idea......but that's another story!