WINGSSAIL

wingssail image-Judy Jensen

Takedown

We knew it was going to be a good day for sailing when the day dawned clear and breezy. Then it got better: the race committee gave us a long course to mark “21”, out by the big ship anchorage, no short legs on this day.

OK, I blew the start, over early again, that’s twice in a row for me, but we recognized it quickly and got back right away. From then the beat went perfectly. For once, for the first time for us in Singapore, we figured out how to sail south: play the beach on the left side, tacking in 12 feet of water, go around the reef at the green mark, and then head right back in, never mind the depth sounder, sail deep into the shore, and be sure to play the beach hard again at the power station.

So we were first to the top mark by a couple of minutes, had a nice set, and headed for home.

wingssail image-fredrick roswold

Great day on the water

Now all we had to do is sail as smart on the run as we did on the beat, only we didn’t. We did a jibe set and stayed out trying to catch the tide, which appeared to be flooding strongly at the top mark. Wrong again. “It was just a back eddy”, said Gorden later. He put his Shoon Fung Too in the right place: he bore away at the mark and sailed hard to the right. The path which worked so well coming out was also the choice going back. SF Too quickly passed us and held it all the way in to finish first. We corrected out 4th.

So that’s how it goes: Two mistakes and you finish well down.

But I’m not complaining. We had a great day of sailing and loved every minute of it. We’ll get this local area right one day and in the meantime, we’re having a lot of fun. It sure beats going to the office.

wingssail image-fredrick roswold