Simrad in more detail...

Our electronic engineer, my partner Neil struggles with the electronics on Coppelia

All week Rob and I had it our heads that it was going to be a windy race. We hassled the sail maker into finishing our  #3 jib, so when it blew over 25 knots we actually had a sail to use. Rob put the patches on the main to protect it from the spreaders if we had to reef. We packed the boat on Friday in the pouring rain,and very fresh winds. Neil tried in vain to restore our Ocean Pilot (Navico '90's electronic self steering) so we could both pull the kite down, in these forecasted gale force winds.

We left Gulf Harbour late at 6:30 am, happy the tide was coming in and the wind also was pushing us towards the start. The wind was dieing from the moment we got the boat, and as we snacked on breakfast and downloaded the latest weather data, the air was still, with ongoing cold rain.

At 9am, the first start got away, but as we got ready for our start, racing was postponed, as just like in the last race, the wind disappeared. So we waited, boiled the kettle and had cups of coffee. When we finally started the wind was already quiet far to the right. The biggest challenge in the leg to Navy Buoy was steering through the mine fields of sea weed. Rob steered the boat and I directed from the bow to try and keep our rudder weed free. Others were not so lucky, with a couple of boats stopping and having to sail back wards to removed  weed from their keels. Just after Rangitoto Lighthouse, the wind died all together, by this time we were the most easterly of all the boats, and I was concerned that the weather was ahead of the forecast and the next shift would be from the west. We were lucky however and when the wind did come back it was of a similar direction as to before.

Rob marks the main sail for the spreader patches for the second reef.

 As we rounded Navy Buoy the wind increased to 12 knots and for a short while we considered a change to a smaller jib. Witchy Women, a Young 11, from the same pier as Coppelia at Gulf Harbour rounded second. They then started to work to the northern side of course. Rob was keen to go out side the Noisey's having been becalmed  to the south of them previously, I was keen to stay to the left of course (north) because of the weather forecast, and we were both keen to make sure that we stayed between Witchy Women, the only boat in out division we could see and the mark.

 The wind shifted right, to the south, (not so good) so we did the best we could and headed both by sailing and tidal current to Gannet Rock. We rounded after dark, and were happy to hear the voice of Stuart from Flyer on the mystery boat that had caught us up since it got dark. From Gannet it was a game of boat speed vs. tide. We placed ourselves close to the Waiheke shore as high tide was at 10:49pm. We were aware of the strong tide near the north western point of Waiheke, but we decided it was better to sail through this, rather than push a lower current for a much greater time offshore.

EXPEDITION provided us with some great incite for the next section of the race. We crossed the Motuhine Channel and worked up the Motutapu shore. Using the track of our speed and course over the ground and our boat speed and heading, we were able to establish how far away from the shore we could sail before being affected by the tide. Using the GPS location, GPS error and the depth sensor we were able to work out how close we could go to the shore. Rob really is outstanding in these situations, keen to tack as many times as needed! Once we passed Emu Rock, we followed the Rangi shore, sailing just outside of Illiomana, until we got to Rangi Wharf, then crossed to the tidal relief at Bastion Reef, rounded Bean Rock. And finished 3:30 am, first on line and PHRF.

We were both pretty shattered, I was cold, which was a little upsetting as I had been on a "campaign" to keep warm.