Today is our annual SS34 Association Commodores Race at Fremantle Sailing Club. This is where the owners of SS34's volunteer their boat, themselves and their crew to the Fremantle Sailing Club for Commodores of some (mainly metropolitan) yacht clubs to skipper in a friendly Jib & Main race. This year is the 28th running of this event.
Brett and I got down to the boat about 8am, as I need to give the bottom a clean before racing. The water was a little cold after the recent rains that we have had. We left RPYC at about 9am for the 1:45-2hr trip down to Fremantle. There was just myself, Brett and Simon for the day. We went through the bridges without any incident. However, after we got the mast back up and were packing things away before getting outside the Fremantle Harbour heads the backstay went slack very quickly. I called for Brett to bring back a halyard to provide extra protection, just in case the backstay failed completely. What had happened was either the thread, or the gearing in the mechanical backstay adjuster had slipped (due to age and wear), and all that saved us from the mast coming down was the pin at the bottom of the threaded rod in the adjuster (thats what its there for). Before getting outside the harbour we attempted to fix it, but we werent having any luck while the boat was moving, so we put another halyard on the stern for safety while we made the trip between the heads and FSC (about 10-15mins).
Once alongside at FSC, we pulled the adjuster off and tried the get the gearing the catch the thread rod, but obviously the wear & tear on it all was too much and it needs a full refurbishment.
By this time it was about 1130am, and we were expected up at the club for the drawing of Commodores and boats, with lunch followed at midday. Dad was coming down to watch the race from the VIP boat, and he reminded me that we have a couple of backup bits of equipment down below for just such an emergency. We put that on, and got every tensioned back up, and were able to make it up to the club for lunch just in time. The back up equipment doesnt allow the same adjustment as the original, but I set it up for what the winds were going to do today (light stuff).
Anyway, once at the luncheon we found out that we had Rick Rehgenzani from The Cruising Yacht Club of WA as our designated Commodore. Commodore Rick is a yachtie, although not too much sailing since taking on his current office, but he is experienced which is good. Obviously not all yacht club Commodores are yachties, some are power boaties, and dont have much idea or experience skippering yachts. We have been pretty lucky over the years in drawing mostly yachties.
Anyway, Rick brought his daughter Zoe along, who had just come back from delivering the new Marten 49 (Optimus Prime) from Sydney, New South Wales to Rockingham, Western Australia.
We had a delightful lunch provided by FSC while the crews and Commodores got to know each other.
We then headed down to the boats to head out to the start line, and for the Commodore skippers to get a feel for their chargers (and owners to start to worry with somebody else skippering their boat). For me I had full faith in Rick. Dad headed out on the Precision 50 VIP boat to follow the fleet around.
Our main rivals for the day would be Constellation (Mike Finn) with Commodore Mark Fitzhardinge from RPYC (yachtie), and Huckleberry.
We got out there with a bit of time, so Rick was able to get a good feel for the boat, and we headed for the start. We started out 10-15 seconds behind the start gun, but right on the boat end (good position). The winds were perfect for our old sails and the temporary rig settings we had. We powered away windward to all other boats, and started to pull out a bit of a lead, while Brett was topsides looking for the first mark. We made the first mark ahead of everybody with Arwen, Huckleberry & Constellation 45secs to 1min 30secs behind.
It was a tight reach across to the next mark and we maintained our lead. The next leg was a run downwind, and as we have banned spinnakers for these races to make it more competitive, the SS34 is pretty slow. But, again we maintained our lead at the 3rd mark, with Huckleberry and Constellation closing in on us. We headed to the 4th mark, which was a small beat to windward, and still maintained our lead, and to windward of our pursuers. Rick was doing a great job of skippering, and was getting a real feel for Swagman under our guidance. That was the 1st lap of the course, and there was supposed to be another the same, but time was getting on and the Race Committee decided to call a shortened course for the next mark after a traditional beat to windward.
We were able to maintain a lead over the faster Constellation all the way up, except for the last 10-15 boat lengths, where there superior performance & better sails beat us across the finish line by about 2 boat lengths and 4sec's.
But, we were extremely happy with our performance, and Rick was thrilled. It meant we were in line for a reasonable placing on handicap. We headed back to FSC for drinks and results.
FSC put on afternoon tea, and drinks, and results were announced. Because of the half seriousness/half fun type of race this is they award the 'Two Knot' Trophy to the last place getting Commodore. They then announce the remaining places upto 1st place. Each Commodore and owner receives a special bottle of FSC wine for competing. Anyway we were the last to be announced, which meant we won on handicap. We were absolutely thrilled, and Rick was ecstatic, considering our difficulties with the backstay adjuster and almost not being able to race. So we picked up the Perpetual Commodores Race Trophy that goes back to the winning Commodores yacht club, and the winning owner gets the boats name on the David & Kathleen Walters Memorial Trophy (introduced in the 25th year which we inaugurally won).
This is the 4th time (equal top with Delphis) Swagman was won the Commodores race (2 with Dad running the boat & 2 for me), and now the 2nd time we have won the Walter trophy.
We then had the normal celebrations, and a few more drinks before hopping back on the boat for the trip back up the river to RPYC. We go back just before 8pm, so its a long day, and then headed home.