Byxelkroken 2015 med Joan

J/105:orna rosade resultatlistan i helgens Byxelkrok i fantastiskt höstväder även om ingen av oss lyckades knipa totalen. Dock etta och tvåa i startgrupp fem med 15 båtar och 3:a och 5:a i totalen av 70 startande. Bäst gick Jonas Claesson, SWE531, Enjoy som vann lördagsetappen i stor stil och därmed bärgade Royalkannan. Sydväst 8-10 m/s vridande mot SSV innebar en lång sträckbog på bidevind söderut och sedan halvvind med A3 halva sträckan över till Byxelkrok. I Joan startade vi lite risigt och valde genua på rullen och tappade en del på det. Enjoy körde fock. Dag två var det SWE451, Joan, som gick bäst i det lättare vädret bl a tack vare större nylon. Perfekt halvvind över havet tillbaka till fastlandet med A3 där vi körde ifatt de tidiga startgrupperna redan på väg in i skärgården. Successivt svagare vind och mycket skärande med A2:an hela vägen in i mål. Med ombord var hela familjen, Joakim, Annika, TIlda och Reid samt grannen RIkard. Fullständiga resultat på http://www.wss.nu/byxelkroken/resultat/

Seapilot2Star 2015 with Joan - third leg and finish

Leading the class after rounding Blå Jungfrun

The third leg offered some exceptional downwind sailing with Joan when almost every move we made was a sucess. We managed to climb to fourth place overall and second place in our class. We almost had the gun for the first boat back to Oxelösund but was passed by PacMan 0.5 Nm from the finish.

The wind started on SW 10 knots and turned to S during the first half of the day and then back to W and NV interrupted by some turbulent periods due to dissolving cumulus clouds in the evening drifting out over the sea. Wind speeds mostly in the range 10-17 knots.

Rikard at the helm towards Gustaf Dahlén

We started at 10 AM and made a good start and hoisted our A2 and left the rest of the class behind by 10 minutes on the first reach out to the island Blå Jungfrun. After this it was downwind with A2 on optimal angles most of the day. We stayed away from the shore to avoid interference from see breeze effects on the westerly wind. In the evening the dissolving clouds drifted out over the course and there was an hour with unstable winds before the forecasted W-NW set in. When the new wind came we were already among the first boats in the whole fleet and after som tacking with the genoa we hoisted the A3 and aimed for the lighthouse Gustaf Dahlén. In this process we managed to chake loose from the overall leader Silfverfågel. The A3 was the perfect sail in the NW and we managed to carry it all the way to the lighthouse. After this upwind with the genoa to finish, battling with PacMan that caught up one third from the finish.

Silfverfågel with dissolving cumulus in the background

After finish the traditional shower, sauna, egg, pyttipanna and a beer and then straigth to bed after more then 17 hours of sailing. A memorable edition of this now traditional shorthanded race in Sweden. We are very satisfied with our result although a top three in the total was within reach.

Seapilot2Star 2015 with Joan - Second leg finished

The other J/105 in our group trying their code in light conditions.

The second leg went west från Visby on Gotland to Oskarshamn on the swedish mainland, ca 65 Nm. We managed to climb a bit in the results to third place in our group. Winds were in the range from NW in the morning turning to S aftrer a long calm period and then back to W closer to the mainland. Wind speeds between 5 and 15 knots except for the calm period. Genoa most of the time and A3 for a couple of hours before and after the calm period. Mostly sunny and nice weather. A lot nicer than on the first leg but still chilly in the evening.Tomrrow we are expecting mostly downwind conditions in light winds for the last long leg back to Oxelösund.

Seapilot2Star 2015 with Joan - First leg finished

The first leg of ca 80 Nm offered upwind on SB tack all the way to ca 20 Nm from Visby in around 12-17 knots of wind from SW. Closer to Visby the wind turned more to S and SE and was stronger close to Gotland. It took a while for us to realize this and we lost 20 minutes on the leading boats in our group due to that, We sailed with genua all the way and this was probably a good decision although we had to take a reef for a few hours after two thirds of the distance. A bumby experience in typical Baltic choppy sea. Next leg seems to be more light wind and hopefully with some gennaker sailing.

Enjoying a moose sandwich and a light beer after finishing in Visby.

Seapilot2Star 2015 with Joan - preparing in Oxelösund

Rikard is checking the routing for the latest forecast.

The Sunday has been spent preparing Joan for the next couple of days of double handed offshore racing. We have checked the rig, the safety gear and bunkered with food water and fuel for the race. Joan had a new main halyard installed and a new tackline for the gennaker as well. Tonight there was a get together dinner at the OXSS clubhouse for all the sailors and organizers and after this the skippers meeting. Now we have just cheked the latest forecasts before going to bed. Our start will be at 10 am tomorrow. There are 97 entries in total competing in seven groups and we are starting in group four.