CROC's Regatta 2011

Team CHEN for CROCS 2011

CROCS was a regatta showing us our potential , final position 5th but how different it could have been.
1st race, round Robben Island, slightly light on crew led 2/3rds of race, unknown we collect some kelp and dragged it to the finish allowing our nearest competition to pass us.... s..t happens!!!
Day 2, and a number of windward, leeward courses and our good performances continued, out sailing much competition except Farmed. 

The day finished with a visit to the v&A for a dragon boat race.




                                                                                                                                                 

While there we sent 




Tiaan up Chen's mast 


to take some photos 

of the raft-up , here's what it looked like....

Last Day , Sunday, light wind and the RO set a medium distance race for Div2. 1st beat was a challenge, some of us went to the shore, others went West which seemed to be very slightly better. But rounding the mark proved to be Chen's downfall, I miss-judged the current and  missed the mark had to gybe round with foredeck prepared for the spinnaker hoist.... shit happens !!! 
Once we recovered, it was a follow the leaders to the next mark which eventually became the finish thereby ending any chance of us recovering lost positions. We were then called for another race which didn't happen.

Except for the last race we did a good job and again Chen's potential showed itself.... see results below.

Back in home Port, RCYC

Twilight, pre-Christmas.
The fun of our home port in summer is wed twilight racing sailing. We're not as regular as should be but when we're there we have fun. Not as competitive as we wish but there are hints of potential, enough to keep us coming back and trying harder.
As the phrase goes, 'we'll be back' to winning ways .....

What HAPPENED ???

It's the end of the 2nd month of 2012 and CHEN has been busy on the water but not here ........

Looking back as we crossed the finish line in 1st place

Always a good view looking back.....

Spring Regatta, not our best, no steady crew and went from zero to hero and back to zero in 3 races.




Yes we were Hero's in a race, 1st, sadly not on score card because of the handicap of other Miuras'.


Chen returned home courteousy of Marius and his mate Mark, thanks guys.

Back home we joined the Twilight Series,

"Racing" the Double Cape 2011 - hmm delivery trip to FBYC

It was to have been a race, but this is Cape Town , no guarantee the weather will play ball !!!

After a delayed departure from our mooring, Chen headed out and motored to the start off Clifton. Arriving at the start as a gesture of , 'we'll try race'; we put up the main and the no1, engaged neutral and drifted very slowly over the line..... The bigger , lighter yachts headed out to sea looking for wind hoping for a bit of a westerly. We just drifted, when did we want to arrive in Simon's Town, definitely not on Sunday. So engage gear and motor/sail, an hour wasted but we feel we did give the race a chance.

Conditions at start of Double Cape Race , Puma started to motor as we motored up to them....

FarMed made their decision early and didn't attempt the race, wise move as it turned out giving them a late afternoon arrival at FBYC.
For us off Karbonkelberg we got decent wind from the South so we started sailing again and took a long tack out to sea. Best thing that could happen would be the wind moving to he West and we'd have a great fetch to the Point, again wishful thinking. We tacked and eventually off Scarborough we joined up with Paprika and Storm, staying in their company all the way to Simon's Town.
Rounding Cape Point at sunset was beautiful, there was nooo wind the sea was flat calm, thanks Craig for the photo of Chen.

Cape Point and CHEN

Even though it was a long day at sea it was not boring, we had a couple of encounters with Whales, may have been the same pod, they seemed to follow us up to the point.

Whale company

Dassen Island, video

took some video of sunrise and at anchor, not high class but view of the trip.

Sunrise

At anchor

Our sea harvest and

Sunset