On the foredeck of the J24  Blue Star with the wind blowing  20 knots and gusting up to 30. I could do without the rain. Full foul-weather gear makes the job harder.

Six foot swells rolling through the normally placid Long Island Sound. The skipper has decided that it is time to take down the Genoa and put up the storm jib.

15 minutes to the starting gun.

The Genoa is attached to the forestay with spring-loaded clips called hanks that must be removed individually. The halyard must be unclipped and the sheets removed - those will be needed for the jib.

The bow of a J24 moves a lot in these conditions. Not gentle easy movements but rapid and violent. The deck is wet.

The rule is one hand for you one hand for the boat. But this job requires both hands for the boat.

The Genoa is stuffed down the forward hatch.

Eleven minutes to the start.

 A hard tack to maintain our position against the other boats and the start line.

The jib is clipped to the forestay one hank at a time.

Tack and bear away to avoid an oncoming boat.

Attach the halyard and tie on the sheets.

Seven minutes.

The sheets are fed through the blocks and back to the cockpit.

At the mast jumping the halyard.

Forward to the bow pulpit to get a sight on the line and the other boats.

Tack and make a timed reach down the line from the committee boat to the pin.

Bang.

The five minute gun.

All six boats head for the line fighting for position.

Four minutes.

Tack away to avoid a collision. Force another boat off the line.

Three minutes.

In the pulpit and the boat turns and lurches sharply. Signaling to the cockpit the number of boat lengths between us and the line.

Two minutes.

At the pin reaching down the line on port dodging the oncoming boats with the right of way.

One minute.

Clear the pack of boats and tack onto starboard reaching back toward the favored pin end of the line.

Thirty seconds.

One boat length off the line. Boat at full speed. Head up to the line too soon and you're over early and have to restart.

Twenty seconds.

The bow slams into a wave and for a brief moment the boat stops. Water waist high crashes over you.

Fall off to rebuild speed.

Fifteen seconds.

Two fingers in the air tell the skipper you're two boat lengths from the line.

The boat is turned up hard on the wind. The sails trimmed.

Ten seconds.

The boat is close hauled for the line with a clear lane. The start now depends on the accuracy of your line site.

Out of the pulpit now. Sitting on the rail amidships. You're racing.

Three.

Two.

One.

Gun.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 05:07 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment