| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
 Posted - 21 April 2014 : 12:52:10 PM
|
Well the Amateurs yacht race to the Basin in Pittwater last Thursday was a good race. We were late to the start having to steam up to the start at the other end of the harbour and missing the start by almost ten minutes. It was a running start and we hoisted our number three kite for the running reach to South Head where we all had to pull it down and reach out around North Head in a 15 to 18 knot southerly. The wind got up to 20 knots at times but was not a problem. It was the sea state which was very rough with a big swell. As soon as we cleared North Head we hoisted the old number one kite and took off chasing the fleet. The fleet was a mixture of old and newer style yachts and while we were the smallest in the fleet we were not the slowest. Somewhere off Long reef we broke the kite kicker and we had to jury rig it for the duration of the long starboard kite reach. We caught a few boats as we jibed into entrance of Pittwater and polled out the number two jib for the final rub to Barenjoey head. While reaching with the kite we got up to 10.5 knots and in the dead run with the jib poled out we topped out at 10.2 knots. I'm of little doubt that it was faster because of efficiency to pole out the jib rather than the problems with the kite which saw us going up and away from the entrance to Pittwater as well as the number of small broaches which slowed the boat speed. During the run with the Jibe we passed a number of competitors, however we lost out to them in the approach to the finish line in the doldrums of the Basin, finishing around 4.00pm. We still do not know where we came on Handicap?
We sailed and motored home the following day and got in to North Harbour at around 3.00pm.
Chris |
 |
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2014 : 9:02:23 PM
|
We are now back into almost full summer racing mode aboard the Hagar. Tonight we sailed our first Manly YC Twilight-er with two new crew-members. Being Rods brother, John and old Russel from our Club.
We had four problems, firstly our new jib halliard was ruined on the weekend having had the outer cover ripped off by an old mast base block which failed and had been squashed. Still do not know what happened to it as it was mainly stainless. So we used the old spare halliard and it was slipping in the last of the old clutches. We had all sorts of luff slippage until Rod tied it off.
The second problem was that I steered and having not picked up a tiller in over a year I was a bit rusting in the twenty plus knots.
Thirdly the crew were also scratchy and did not know where everything was.
Fourthly Rod insisted on using a second jib for the downwind leg which was OK except in the raising and lowering where we lost a lot of ground.
Finally we did not know the new coarse and made two mistakes which alone could have cost us a win.
However it was a good result for a first race with the big fleet and we were in the top end of the fleet with the final results still pending.
Last Sunday was a hoot with us becalmed at the first rounding mark under North Head and we had to start the iron sail twice to avoid being washed onto the bricks there. As one of the yachts came over to see us and let us know they were retiring from the race I took advantage of the situation and leaped off the Hagar onto the stern of Russel's Space Saver and having abandoned the Hagar boys returned to the Club for early beers and a BBQ. Rodney was not amused with mutterings of mutinous behavior. But as I explained to Rodney, I do have this behavior in the genes with Great GGGG Grandfather Cleg having dived off his Whaler to swim ashore to go to the Californian gold rush and later being at the Eureka Stockade revolt in the Victorian gold rush.
Meanwhile the dastardly Club Bully, Darty managed to alone finish the race in very light conditions on Sunday last.
We managed a really good third place in the Royal Prince Edward Wednesday afternoon race. We were somehow beaten by Duende who had a third handicap win in a row. So much for the McGurkin handicap system.
Chris.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 10 November 2014 : 2:31:13 PM
|
The Friday evening twilighter race out of Manly YC turned into a crawling parade with the breeze slowing to just the odd puff and a lot of the fleet becalmed. Two thirds into the race we calculated that we could not finish so it was drop sails and turn on the iron sail. As we steamed into North Harbour we were passed by the Local Hero, a Sydney 36 which was going faster under sail sail as compared to our 10 HP diesel. He had sailed though the fleet and was finishing in fine style being one of the five eventual finishers. Unfortunately the Local Hero was blown out for breaking the start.
Sunday was a different story with the North Harbour Sailing Club conducting the annual Islands Race which sees us sailing up to Drummoyne and passing most of the harbour islands. It was a strong southerly blowing and was up to 20 knots in the gusts at North Harbour. We got off to a good start with the correct sail selection and with the rest of the fleet missing the start we led around Shark Island and immediately changed over to the number two jib and dropping the number three. Dave Parsons in his 30 foot double ender tried to carry a kite between Clarke Isl and Pinch-gut but was knocked down and forced to drop his kite. This proved to be a huge loss from which he never recovered and we played cat and mouse with the 36 footer. We finished winning both line and handicap. This race is normally won by the second division yachts so we must have had most of the luck and sailed well with only the odd mistake.
We race of Friday night again with the MYC and with a week off racing.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 31 December 2014 : 02:29:29 AM
|
At the years end sailing for Hagar and the crew has been very quiet, the exception has been Andy Eaton who has been sailing in the South Atlantic Ocean aboard a large cruising yacht. We have been receiving the odd email from him of his adventures meeting many different penguins, Walrus etc. He should be back for the March National when we will be back to full racing strength.
This coming weekend we will sail the Hagar up to Pittwater to compete in a 30 footer regatta with mainly Clansmen yachts. While very heavy the Clansmen do go well in a breeze and the top yacht is difficult to beat on scratch. We have an even race result with them and are looking forward to the Sunday Race. Rod is on holiday and will return to Sydney on Monday the 5th of January.
No other news, so we wish you all a happy and safe new year and are looking forward to the 2015 Nationals.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 04 January 2015 : 5:35:48 PM
|
Well I've just got home from the Clansmen / 30 footer regatta at Pittwater sailed out of the Royal Price Alfred YC. I can report that the Hagar IV did the Endeavours proud in a good 15 to 20 knot North Easterly. We have generally done well in this regatta but today with Rod on the helm, Iggy and John Crawford off the Dumersq and myself on the bow we got a good start and clear-out up the only work. There was a Farr 30 in the fleet and we were told that it was a "hot" boat and crew! However they made us look good and could not point up-wind. They did chase us down on the shy run to the wing mark, but as they attempted to pass us outside the mark they obliged us by sailing straight into the doldrums under the eastern headland. They were about three boat lengths opposite us inshore and while we sailed out into the center of the Pittwater channel they stalled and were becalmed. The rest of the fleet who had been well back caught up to them. We by now had the bit in our teeth and we ran down wind to the next mark and jibed around it and reached across to the final rounding mark and then reached down to the RPAYC and the finishing mark. While this Farr 30 was quicker down wind we had a comfortable win and were packed up and enjoying our first beer as the Clansmen came into the dock.
Next year they are saying that they will open up the Regatta to other 30 foot classes.
The second interesting outcome to the weekend was in the delivery up to Pittwater in which Rod and myself were aboard. The conditions were very light and we motor sailed out to sea around noon for a couple of miles until we caught a light north easterly which slowly built to 10 and 11 knots. Now for some time Rod has been toying with developing an inside second jib so that in deliveries and long passage races we could increase the performance of the old "barge-ass" Hagar. Now Rod is one of those individuals who can only be described as a scrounger and he had procured a Holland 25 jib as well as a small trailer sailor jib. He has set up the inner jib with a roller system and amazingly the old Holland jib fitted. So as we were cruising along doing between 4.0 to 4.5 knots he hoisted the inner jib and set up the sheeting angles. It was not perfect but surprisingly worked. The state of the ocean was generally flat with not much more chop as that normally expected on Sydney Harbour. Anyway as I was steering the boat at about 35 degrees the boat increased speed by the log and the GPS to be from 4.5 to 5.5 knots. So to my surprise there was an increase of an average of a half a knot of boat speed. We dropped and re-hoisted the inner jib three times and found these results to be consistent. Unfortunately as we came around Barrenjoee the wind increased to about 20 knots and as we increased in boat speed to 7.5 knots and Rod attempted to tighten up the tension on the inner luff it's head ripped out. We cleaned up the jib and ran down to the RPAYC in the strongest wind if the day.
Rod is sailing home tomorrow solo.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 11 January 2015 : 5:25:07 PM
|
Well this weekend saw a continuing purple patch for the Hagar with a fast finishing second in Friday nights' twilight race at Manly YC. We were never overtaken in the handicap start race and spent the evening passing yachts. We got caught behind a big slow yacht which possibly cost us the race. But a pleasing result and we used the original old number one genoa which worked and looked good.
On Sunday at North Harbour we raced in a depleted fleet with the rain and light conditions scaring off most of the sailors. We started last with the Dumeresq in very light conditions from the south east and with plenty of rain to dampen out spirits. However to our surprise we sailed away from our rivals and watched slip behind and then loose height and drift further to leeward as we slowly crept up the harbour and across the sound to Middle Head. While we cleared the headland the Dumeresq was obliged to tack and we left in the doldrums of the sound as we picked up a shaft of southerly breeze and make the top mark easily. It was the same story the whole afternoon as we simply sailed further away and win by a big margin.
We are still pondering why? we are going quickly or are the other yachts slower? We have spent a lot of time working on the Hagar since last season but have made no major rig changes with a new SS rig to go in her at the end of this season. The sails are unchanged with the only possible thing being the boats weight distribution. We have sailed with full fuel and water tanks which we do not usually do.
We would like to know so that we don't change it.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 02 February 2015 : 01:31:35 AM
|
The weekend past saw the Hagar boys out on the water yet again. The results were mixed with the Manly YC Friday night twilighter seeing us being heavily penalized because we allegedly broke the start, by two seconds? There is no warning by sound or flag signals and they do not even radio you. But hay that's Manly YC.
Yesterday at North Harbour SC we came third beating off the Dumeresq who sailed into a hole under Killbourne Towers in Manly. We generally get fastest time as it is a handicap event. We are currently playing with big head-sails having altered the big number one. We are finding that the old original number one is still very competitive in a range of conditions. Yesterday also saw us with a full crew of five as Andy is back from his adventures in the South Atlantic having sailed from Falklands to South Georgia. Old Pete was also back aboard having recovered from an open would from an operation to his back.
Next weekend is an off-racing day at North Harbour followed by a race up to the Drummoyne Islands and home to Manly.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Barubi
Main Sheet Hand
92 Posts |
Posted - 03 February 2015 : 3:07:33 PM
|
Is it this Sunday 8 Feb you're venturing to the brown water at Drummoyne?
I sometimes see the mighty Hagar venturing into the Parramatta River when I'm Laser sailing from Greenwich. This Sunday we're planning our annual cruise to the Watsons Bay pub for lunch. If you see a bunch of 10 Lasers staggering under the Harbour Bridge, please give us some room because we'll either be trying to drive through the chop from the Quay (which Lasers don't like at all) or be very "relaxed" returning from the pub. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 04 February 2015 : 07:21:24 AM
|
Hi there Barburi,
No it is the following week of Sunday the 15th of February when we sail up the "creek" and around the islands of Drummoyne. It is the Ladies Day tour race. We are looking for a "light" lady. All of mine are going to the Maldives this Saturday to visit daughter number 2 who lives and works there with her husband. She calls it Prison Paradise and they work on the resort Island of the Conrad Hilton Hotel and would prefer to live back on the Hong Kong Island, their last posting.
I prefer to stay at home with my dogs and go sailing on the weekends.
We have a race at Manly on Friday and I'm on the Marloo racing with the RPEYC today.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 14 September 2015 : 7:21:11 PM
|
Yesterday, Sunday the 13th saw the opening race for the 2015-2016 racing season at North Harbour Sailing Club. We had seven starters and the Hagar was fourth on handicap and was second fastest time around the buoys behind Dumeresq, with four of us starting last with the two bigger boats.
We were unlucky not to have won as we were forced off our course twice, firstly by another fleet at the Sour and Pigs and then by a Manly Ferry who Rod chickened-out with.
The Hagar went well and we still have some adjustments to make to the rig tensions and will be taking out the rigger, Weasel in the coming weeks. The new Baby stay set-up also needs some refinements and we were tacking much quicker when the cockpit man remembered to release the clutch holding it in tension forward. Other wise Hagar seemed to be quicker upwind and especially through the tacks.
We will be sailing every second week and have at least one and possibly more yachts starting. We will also be conducting a short summer twilighter series from November through to January, most likely on Monday nights.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 26 October 2015 : 7:35:55 PM
|
Having injured my back/hip I've been out of sailing for over a month and this Sunday was my return which thankfully was OK coming through a strong sailing workout in a 10 to 20 knot North Easterly. We have been short on crews and yesterday was no exception with both Andy & Ian missing and with Old Pete and Rod's brother John & myself making up the four man crew of old crocks.
It was the annual Islands Race down the harbour to Drummoyne and return leaving all the islands to starboard. We had a close three way tussle with the Dumeresq and the old Cavalier. We changed places with Dumeresq on several occasions as well as twice with the Cavalier. We only managed to reel in the Dumeresq on the final beat and two tacks going across the sound and into North Harbour pipping the Dumeresq by 50 seconds. Stew-pot did not come back to the Club and so we owe him some ribbing next race.
The handicap honors went to one of our second division boats and we were third behind old Davids Cavalier.
Rod will be away for two races as his misses is taking him on a sea cruise to China and other Asian ports.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 21 December 2015 : 5:34:10 PM
|
The past month of sailing has seen some interesting results but my own racing has been chopped with the mighty Marloo loosing her top half of the mast over the side in a big 30 plus knot gust off Bradley's Head in one of the Wednesday afternoon races. She will most likely not be back in action until the new year, we hope. They could well right her off as she is old and the mast is finished.
The Hagar is getting better and we have been trailing bloopers (sails that is) in our new Thursday night twi-lighters. The old blooper which we have been trailing does add about half a knot of boat speed, but makes the boat very stable. One of the other boats has been copying us and both boats recorded wins when using the blooper.
I have missed racing this week past because of work and will be away over-seas in the Maldive for twelve days visiting my daughter who works there on a resort. It is great, we only have to pay for the air fares. Three flights to get there with a sea plane flight from the capital to the island resort. Will be back for the Nationals with a new generation of crew-members.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 10 January 2016 : 6:18:57 PM
|
Another Endeavour Nationals Regatta has been done and dusted and the Drummoyne YC done us well. While it was looking to be a fizz-er in the winds department it turned out to be quite good series of races as the winds came in at the start and steadily increased both days.
Congratulations go to Grunter who again took out the E26 series in style.
We had a great series with the Rhumline and it was a pity that none of the other big-boats could make it to this series. There were three big boats as well as one E24 which we can do without. The Class seems to be finished and he just got in the way.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 28 January 2016 : 11:03:09 AM
|
Last Sundays' race at North Harbour saw an enthralling race in light conditions which was mainly in the south-east to east and with mainly around 5-knots of wind-speed. The morning had seen a very high tide and with a strong run-out it was always going to be interesting working up the harbour into the wind and strong current.
We were given a five minutes start from the Drumeresque which was the scratch boat in our small fleet of six yachts. We passed all of the yachts by the second beat up the harbour and the Drumeresque was on our tail going around middle head into the Oblique. At this stage we had to make a decision. It looked as though the Dumeresque was going a bit faster than us and we had lost out badly going across the main channel so we decided to stay out of the current and rock-hop along the western shore. The Dumeresque followed us. As we tacked out to round a headland and found ourselves caught in an eddy which lifted us around the headland and away from our opponent. At this stage big Stewart tacked away to cross the current to the eastern side of the harbour. We last saw him heading into a fleet of Farr 40's near the Sow & Pigs. We persisted on up to Bradley's Head and crossed the harbour and tacked up and around Shark Island with Stewart having lost out big-time. We finished about nine minutes in front to win the daily double. We seem to win when Old Pete is onboard? Dont-ya-know?
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 04 March 2016 : 5:16:03 PM
|
The last few months we have started and been racing in our clubs' twilighter races on Thursday nights. For some reason known only to the weather patterns Thursday evenings have seen some really good and strong winds. While there have been some lighter winds. The past two Thursdays' have been good North Easterlies which we have not seen in our normal Sunday races.
Last week we were in a number two jib and had a crew of four. We were second over the line and would have had the fastest time.
Last night it looked like it was going to be an even stronger breeze and we sailed with our old number three jib and with a crew of five. It was difficult to judge but the wind looked lighter than the previous week and we were comfortable and while we won the race we think that we were under powered at times. It was between 15 to 20 knots and our 37 foot faster competitor gifted us the race by tacking a couple of times involuntarily when in the lead. We just outlasted him over the finish line.
We started the series with four yachts and there is a lot of interest for next season. The 37 footer won the series but we had some very close racing.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 21 March 2016 : 09:12:24 AM
|
Yesterday's Sunday race at North Harbour was a trial with heavy winds and seas as well as sharp heavy rain squalls. It was the second last race of the season and we were one point behind the Dumeresq for the Club Championship. Stewart had said last week that he could not sail this heat because of commitments with his daughter. However he turned up late and started close behind us. The first work and run saw all the thrills with a big mixed rough sea in the sound and we played cat and mouse with each other throughout the race. At one stage the Dumeresq looked to have blown out the head of their big kite and we held out small kite achieving speeds over nine knots surfing waves between the heads. Dumeresq got through us on the work approaching Shark Island because our skipper will not cover. But on rounding the island we got though them and lead across the sound in a fading southerly managing to just pipped them over the line in Manly by a couple of boat lengths.
We are now even on points going into the final race after Easter.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 14 October 2016 : 11:24:18 AM
|
Last Sunday the 9th of October 2016 saw the second race of the North Harbour SC season. We had good number of starters with a total of 9 starting and finishing. There were three non-starters, two of which were starters in the last race.
Unfortunately for the Hagar there was only Rod & myself aboard with all of our normal crew non-starters. And so we decided to go the conservative way with the old original number 3 jib. But we also ran two kites using the big single luff kite on the first two downwind legs and then used the old number one double luff kite for the run from Manly to the Eastern YA mark. With the breezing increasing the choice of the number 3 proved to be a good one making it easier to tack the jib. The plus side was that I did not to have to pack kites during the race. We went remarkably well finishing 5th on Handicap and was second fastest. There was one stuff-up when we jibed at the Eastern Channel mark and dropped the kite which was badly torn before I wrestled it inboard. The breeze got up to about 20 knots in the gusts and we had a very busy afternoon. I was totally stuffed when we got ashore. The after race BBQ was very good with one yacht finishing over two hours behind the second last finisher.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 23 January 2017 : 01:17:36 AM
|
Well another Endeavor Nationals are done & dusted with no changes to speak about in the E26's seeing Kokomo cleaning up the fleet with not much in the way of competition. Well done Grunta and his team.
Our Class, the E27+ yachts saw only three competitors and with the old adversaries of the Rhumline & Hagar fighting it out & with Hagar finishing the stronger to walk away with the trophy.
In the E24's however Chris Bowling made a comeback to take a convincing series win from a depleted Dumeresq who could only manage one heat win. Both are looking to a rematch next year.
Chris.
|
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 02 March 2017 : 10:31:23 AM
|
Since the Drummoyne Nationals the Hagar has been racing hard at North Harbour with the Thursday night twilighters as well as the normal Sunday NHSC series. We have not been having it all our own way this season with the new yachts keeping us honest. There are now mostly 10 yachts racing and sometimes more with a base fleet of eight who always "turn-up" to race. Six of these craft are longer and have much-longer water line lengths than the Hagar. One new-comer is a Hudson 32 and is a light-weight flyer and keeps improving and winning despite there crew!
 .
Chris. |
|
|
|
Chris Cope
Skipper
Australia
2350 Posts |
Posted - 06 March 2017 : 01:29:37 AM
|
While there were no raced this weekend past Rod is now planing to participate in regatta at or to Port Stevens in April. Does anyone know anything about this event? With Rod, Andy and as of next week, Ian all being retired, they have more time to play boats. Unfortunately I cannot afford to retire in the foreseeable future.
Chris. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
SAILING REPORTS ON '30's
