Simrad 3 - just don't give up

Before the start.

The last race of the series is a 100nm race around the gulf leaving Gannet rock, Channel island and Little Barrier to port. Our course is shown in blue on the chart below.  The Metservice forecast was 30 gusting 40 in the outer gulf and rain… a bit ordinary.

None of that weather at the start though, we were pleasantly powered with our #2 headsail on a beat out of the harbour, then on the reach to Gannet rock with the wind getting into the low 20’s we got a pleasant little surprise, but first the background.. We had been keeping a secret something that had concerned me greatly since the start of the race around NZ.

 

Rob gets another great start... where are the others?



 

In January this year we built a new rudder and at the same time replaced the rudder bearings. When the rudder came under high loads ( such as the first time we experienced it at the start of the race around NZ) it would jam. It was so bad that I seriously considered our continued participation in the race, problem was that I wasn’t sure why, or whether it would get worse. At the stopover in Mangonui I spent time in the water sanding off a part of the rudder I suspected may be jamming, it didn’t make any difference but fortunately we hardly got any more of those conditions for the rest of the race.

 

Simrad race 2 reminded us, reaching in 25ish knots of wind became unpleasantly difficult on the helm, this problem became top of the fixit now list. I had been told by everyone I had spoke to that the vesconite bearing material we used did not need lubrication, but subsequent internet trawling indicated it would be acceptable.

 

Would it what !!!!! I used a light silicone grease on the top bearing (which is otherwise dry) and the difference is like putting power steering on an old truck! Very happy now , it would have taken twice that forecast to keep me at home that day…

 

As we beat out to Channel Island the forecast was pretty accurate, and predictably lumpy with the wind against the tide in the Colville channel encouraging most of our competitors to go home, they were obviously over the thrill of having their rudders working so well. It was a little miserable for a while as the rain reduced visibility to just meters and it did blow 40 kts for a while. Darkness fell on us as we beat our way towards Little Barrier, we had a very “ordinary” beat tactically but were very surprised to hear as we rounded little barrier that all but us and Notorious (in our division)had pulled out. Unfortunate for them, as the rest of the race was a pretty pleasant reach back into the harbour, the front having passed it stopped raining and the wind dying dramatically by our finish about 3am.

 

 If I am right I think we will be second in the 2012 Simrad series. Rob