25-35kt Northerly, R class squadron to the rescue.

With a couple of regular crews unavailable and other boats still away we decided to postpone the Akaroa Sprints for a couple of weeks.

The breeze started out pretty easterly and moved Northerly and built. Sea state wasn't too bad, but the 25kt average with 35+kt gusts and 10kts lulls off the hills made for challenging sailing.

Bulley Hayes (Danny and Paul) launched first and demonstated that it wasn't too easy getting out of the marina. Subwoofer (Paul and ring in crew Doug) confirmed it, managing to go a whole 10m before getting flattened bearing off. Once out of the marina things were still pretty lively with no time for settling down. Bulley Hayes managed a spectacular kite run which ended with a mining much to the relief of the 2 Zephyrs chugging upwind in their path. Danny managed to puncture his shin on something (requiring a drive to hospital later for some stitches), they hoisted the kite again, but the outhaul eventually decided it had had enough and the sheath gave way putting an end to their afternoon. Sean and Dan had a decent time in Nuplex with trouble free sailing, and a good few swims. Meridian Energy (Dave and novice crew Linda) sailed courageously even though they were shadowed closely by keen rescue boats. Subwoofer enjoyed their kite run so much they foolishly sailed down by Quail Island and managed to get well hammered working their way back up to the club, as the conditions were much worse on the West of the Island than further up the harbour. All in all it was almost fun.

Once back on the hard de-rigging, the rescue coordinator asked for a volunteer to bring back a Zephyr, thanks to Paul MacGibbon who valiantly brought it back upwind from Quail Island. Once everyone was comfortably enjoying their post race drinks and telling lies, a couple of the late finishing trailer yachts provided some more entertainment, one having already lost its rig, and the other generously doing so right in front of the club in the middle of the reef. Broaching, swamping, turning turtle and loosing the rig. Rescue boats were duly dispatched and the hapless Sigrid towed home. The poor thing suffered further indignity being towed into some piles on the way in past the marina. Thanks to all the R  team for pitching in once it made it to shore, emptying out the cabin, making it safe and bailing the totally swamped boat out with buckets so it was light enough to be trailered with out further damage.

All in all an eventful day.