Matthias Ruttimann

Today’s crew: Mark Hernrie Matthias Kate Hall Helen Caine Richie We arrived at the club for 10:30 just before low water but as it was a neap tide the launch was still going from the groyne. All onboard and preparing to sail, we decided to stay on the mooring for 11:00 coffee break and discuss where we should sail and when we needed to be back. Agreement was reached for a sail to North Stack to review the situation and then sail back as appropriate. With consistent SW winds 14 - 21Kt we set off with 2 reefs in the main. There was no commercial traffic entering or departing the port. We gybed to turn to port to clear the end of the breakwater to head out to wind and head due West. Considering the strength of the wind the sea state was remarkably calm ven as we approached North Stack. Here with wind with tide there were a few choppy areas as we tacked to sail South to sail past South Stack, but the tide was forcing us back towards South Stack so we tacked again and sailed out further to get a better line to the south. It was clear that this was not going to work for us today and the decision was made to turn and go back to the mooring as the wind strength increased. As we sailed back to the end of the breakwater Port Control was busy with two ferries and the bunkering ship which was manoeuvring, with the assistance of the Pilot Vessel, to allow the incoming ferry to berth. This meant us keeping tight to the end of the breakwater and having to be very aware of the movements entering the New Harbour on our way to the mooring. Back on the mooring we had a late lunch before disembarking with Matt, Kate and myself going to the club for a beer.

Race night 5 yachts prepared for the race starting at 18:00, with the same course as last week: start, Clipera (s), Penrhos (p), Meath (p), Finish. Winds were SW 12kt gusting 19kt with some ferry movements and a small cruise liner on the Aluminium Jetty. FlairIV started to prepare the code 0 for the start but there was a twist in the halyard so it had to be dropped and reset, which made us 35 seconds late over the start line. However we soon overtook the 2 yachts in front of us and made for Clipera. With one tack on the unwind leg to Penrhos we made excellent speed and after rounding the mark made for Meath. By the time we rounded Meath the rest of the fleet were only just getting to Penrhos! one tack once we had rounded Meath to clear the breakwater and then one last tack by the end of the Aluminium Jetty to make it all the way to the finish. Results: YTC https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/98464

Light wsw breeze as we prepared the code 0 and made adjustments to the beefing line for racing. The start was delayed while the 2nd cruise ship, anchored in the New Harbour was cleared for departing. We circled around under the mainsail as we waited for the starting sequence and at the 1 minute signal deployed the code 0 getting FlairIV over the line in 1st place. With all the shipping movements and the light winds on our stern quarter it was challenging trying to keep the heads sail filled but we had a significant lead by the time we cleared Clipera to Starboard and headed upwind to Penrhos. Rounding to port we tacked and deployed the code 0 for the leg to Meath. This leg was very interesting as it was more or less a dead run but complicated by the traffic movements, with the bunkering ship, the pilot boat, the departing Irish ferry and the Stena ferry arriving. However with communications over Ch 14 all went well as we cleared Meath and sailed towards the stern of Stena Estrid then tacked to sail back into the New Harbour with 1 final tack close to the Viking Cruise ship birthed on the Aluminium Jetty. The wind freshened on our last leg to the finish close the the Breakwater end of the line.

Quite choppy overnight on the mooring with the NE wind but as I prepared the boat for the arrival of the crew the winds turned more NE and apart from the odd motor boat passing close to the mooring all went well but again it was too windy to drop the jib to do more to free off the roller furler. Once the crew had embarked we stowed gear away and prepared to sail off the mooring. We set the Code 0 and prepared the spinnaker as planned for the day’s weather. Unfortunately as 2 of the yachts had cancelled their entries the fleet was smaller than anticipated. Some of the yachts started a while before us as planned as start times and finish times were left to the crews to record. We set off across the start line at 11:40 in 12kt NNW wind making it quite tricky close to the breakwater. Once out of the new harbour we made rapid progress overtaking the other yachts by the time we passed West Mouse. This is the SailTies app screen showing the recorded wind speeds. Once round Carmel Head and heading towards Harry Furlong buoy we deployed the Code 0 and had a wonderful leg along to Point Lynas although past East Mouse the following swell increased and made helming quite difficult. We had then to sail someway past Lynas to avoid a commercial tanker, at anchor before we deployed the spinnaker to turn onto the course to Puffin Sound. With the spinnaker pulling nicely we enjoyed a lunch with Henrie’s very tasty Spinach Pie. The winds were nice and constant most of the way until we got near the Puffin Lighthouse when the winds, as expected, dropped a little but we turned onto a reach to sail SW along theStrait and maintained our speed until we passed Gallows Point when the winds coming over the woods on the shoreline became very fickle. Fortunately before the winds changed we sailed through the local Menai Strait boats in one of their races, we were very careful to sail to leeward of the racers and to give them clearance as the leading boats rounded the mark and sailed back towards Gallows Point. Once past the Gazelle Hotel the winds filled back in with a more constant direction and allowed us to maintain one final tack all the way to cross the finish line. FlairIV Finish Time 17:11 We rafted up alongside the Windfarm service vessel and waited for the other yachts to arrive, which didn’t happen for quite a long time. Once Panther had arrived we helped them get moored alongside us and arrange to meet them at the Indian Restaurant in Menai Bridge; however when we got there both Indian restaurants were full so we moved on to Hydeout, a BBQ cafe. Once back on board we enjoyed a whiskey tasting session thanks to Theresa before retiring to bed around midnight along with members of the other 3 yacht crews who had finally made it to St. George’s Pier.

Very light variable wind so no racing but we managed to sail out to Penrhos markto enjoy the eclipse. A fantastic evening

A windy forecast with strong gusts. Course 2 was selected. 2 reefs and a 2/3 jib.

Finally we had a Wednesday evening without too much wind but this evening’s race was technically very challenging as the winds died away and at times we relied entirely on the tide! The wind was light SW giving a downwind start. The yachts which started were, once again, Hellhound, Aquilibre and FlairIV. A short course of start to Clipera and back was decided as the winds were so lite and the sunset early. All 3 yachts got a good start and were at close quarters past the knuckle but then FlairIV sailing with her code 0 steered a little higher to wind to pick up the better wind away from the breakwater pulling out a fair distance by the time she sailed beyond the Aluminium Jetty. Rounding Clipera she was well ahead and as the wind died away she was able to pick up assistance from the flood tide as it ran round the end of the breakwater. By this point both other competing yachts had retired and were motoring back into the harbour. Hellhound caught up with us just as we approached the finish line.