10 December 2012
The opening day for Mandurah Offshore fishing and Sailing Club (MOFSC) was Sunday, 12th November. A hard core of "off the beach" sailors typically start at MOFSC almost irrespective of the conditions. On this day, Second Wind, White Shark ,Krakatoa , Galatca were contenders of the eleven strong Fireball fleet with Gataca (Lance Rock) on keelboat duties given the opening day was a Sunday this year. The breeze was a steady 15/18 knots gusting to 28 knots with a large SW swell and sea making for challenging racing.
The start saw Blind Date (Trevor Date who skippered Gataca in the 2012 worlds), a Sharpie, fire across the line first. Gordon Lucas and new crew Luke Abbott just in front of White Shark (Kevin and Peta Luff). Krakatoa (Roger Putman and crew) followed by Gataca (Hamish Putman) and Nick from Germany. Krakatoa was the first to crash. With an increasing wind, Rogers crew grew very tired and withdrew from the race. Hamish and Nick were dedicated to survival sailing and did not finish but made it through most of the course. At the windward mark, Date's Sharpie was 50 meters in front of Gordon Lucas followed by White Shark (The Luffs). Gataca on port surfed and planed to the wing mark and a tight gybe saw the boat fly past the mark and hoon off east like a sailboard. At the bottom mark Trevor, once a Sydney 18 footer skipper, was still in front in his Sharpie. Lucas hardened up 75 meters in front of The Luffs but the latter, with their superior boat speed caught them to within a boat length. The tacking duel was a planning session and Peta Luff later remarked how much fun it was. Lucas had a cover on White shark and despite them pointing higher, could not get an overlap on them. Lucas was picking the 20 degree shifts well which, if skippers were not on the top of their game, would put you 'in the drink' in a second. Top mark reached, Lucas set-gybed and tacked clear while The Luffs chose the rhumb line, surfing. Then that blurred 'what the..' and Kev and his Daughter were in the drink and after accounting for each other and with the plate slid back, saw Lucas 500 meters ahead by the time the boat was up. Lucas and his crew went on to a well-deserved win.
Later the perfunctory back slapping at the 'dry mark' later features the expected 'next time we'll get you' prognostications of course. The Luffs decided some more training is the way that will happen.
Direct ahead however, is Low Rider (Jon Emerson and Elise) and No Plan B (Bugsy Smith, who will be back in his boat after Christmas once he gets the current Moth foiler rush dealt with). Lance and Hamish will be back too. The Fireball Class in Western Australian is alive and well and dismissed some of the detractors who said the class was a flash in the pan for the Fireball Worlds.
They are an easy boat to sail but a challenging boat to sail well and offer give a curiously thrilling sensation of speed. We've eleven boats with four or so prospective owners. We are delighted that five boats that have crews of around 16 yrs of age.
It was great to have Ben Shulz and Robin Inns over from South Australia for two training weekends, with seven boats and crews benefitting a great deal from the hints on rigging setup, tuning and sailing flat. Thanks for Robin and Ben for their time on this weekends. I learned much and Peta and I are putting it all into practice where it counts - on the water.
We should have White Shark , Gataca , Low Rider and Second Wind going to Port Lincoln and we are looking forward to seeing our friends we were last with in January 2012 for the Worlds in Mandurah.
More updates will be coming shortly on the progress of the WA Fleet
Kevin Luff
Fair Winds and Calm Seas
