Fast ride for Kharma Police in Blakovic Cup

by Rob Shaw on 3 Mar 2012
Rob Shaw sailing the Nexus sponsored Khama Police reports of the recent Blakovic Cup:

It was actually a good race for us I think and very happy with where we came on the water. Less than an hour
behind Haslar's new RP 42 footer is a good result for a race that was effectively a 90 mile windward leeward.

Had a nice first leg to Cow and Calf which was vmg running in mostly 15-20 of breeze with the occasional
gust that was a bit fresher. We were planning to go down the outside of waiheke until we could see the 50's setting up to go inside so decided we should stick with them to make it a race.

Turns out I think the Equilibrium B&C55 went outside and made good gains in the process. Had a good tussle with the V5 down the Tamaki Strait and across the bottom end of Waiheke, where we led them into the passage.

Had our gps crash on us coming into the passage between the islands so had to get the old school paper chart
out and slow down a bit so we could follow v5 through the gap. once clear we were off again using a back up gps loaded with way points but no chart. We made the light on Cow island and made good time across the Firth of Thames.

Went around Cow island at about 930pm aprox 3 hours after the start about 5 mins behind Wired and 1 min behind V5.

Then the long first leg of the upwind to Flat Rock, Kawau, this took a few hours and the 50's and 42
footer behind us started to pull us in with the 55 catching us about 5 miles into the leg and the last 2 boats to pass us aprox 2/3 the way across to Flat Rock.

Breeze was pretty steady all the way across and quite a steep chop at times that didn't slow us down as much as make for a very wet ride with the occasional wave breaking across the boat, hitting the main and dropping into the cockpit.

All pretty normal stuff for us in these conditions and fortunately it was a very warm night. We didn't lay flat by about .5 mile and once clear of their cracked off for a bit heading towards tiri channel and the finish. Once at Tiri channel the breeze came forward again and built with a squall of aprox 30 to 35 for about 20 mins, the breeze didn't lift us again and we had to put a short tack in to clear rangi light and lay through to the finish.

For full results http://www.rayc.org.nz/sail-wave/GOLD-CUP/BALOKOVIC-CUP.htm!click_here