Geraldton race

Well if you haven’t figured it out by now it’s been awfully quiet on the website.

Why , well its kind of a long story and yes it does have something to do with yachts. It all started with the Gero race. Lets see how we go:

Perth to Geralton Oct 17th

The race started in picturesque conditions in 10-15 knot breezes and well pretty much continued until we reached geraldton. Put the kite up at Rotto and 2 gibes later and we were in Gero. The weather was great with a following breeze. We arrived at 615pm Approx 240 miles and 29 hours from Freo to geraldton. Excellent sail and lots of fun was had. Lots and lots of whales everywhere on the trip no issues and very non eventful, just a good sail.
Unfortunately it was a wind right up our tail and this meant that it favoured the boats with symmetrical kites so we didn’t rate that highly in the results but never mind it was good experience and good fun .

Geraldton to Freo Oct 24th

Now this where it starts to get interesting.
We started on in the middle of a big NW change with 20 knots breezes on the nose as we sailed out of Gero harbor. However this was short lived and as soon as we were out of the harbor we headed south yippee. As the bigger yachts were reaching we decided that if we were to have any chance of rating we should hoist a kite and go for it. Which we did. Screaming along quite well until we blew out the kite. All that was left was the luff and leach tapes. Not that major and has since been repaired by our trusty sailmakers on board. It now has a sleek new white stripe.
The wind went west and so we continued to reach at speeds of around 10-15 knots side on to the waves pattern and the skipper had one hell of a grin on his face. At one time we look back and two dolphins were in our wake trying to keep up leaping up to 10 feet out of the water, when just then a whale leaps out from where we were 20 seconds before, in between the dolphins absolutely awesome. Ben ( a borrowed crewman) was on with us and we were sat on the side getting pounded when a wave picked him up threw him 6 feet only toland on the other side of the boat with a massive bang. One crewman down and out. Ben was sent below and not seen again.
Anyway screaming along and the wind starts to strengthen, by this stage our instruments died due to water getting in through the head(loo). Later other boats say it got as high as 50 knots , but anyway we couldn’t carry the main with a number 4 jib. It was about midnight about 20 miles west of jurien bay in deep water. Three guys up the front pulling down the main and I was at the back trying to stop it flogging to death when wham, we got hit by a wave and next thing I know is that I’m lying on the deck. I pick myself up only to find that one arm is not quite right. Its hanging about 6 inches lower than normal and well just didn’t work anymore. Damn. I realized right away that I had dislocated my shoulder. Bill was on the main so I wandered over and asked him if he would kindly pull if back into place, but no it wasn’t going to play. Naviguessers race was over and I went below to sulk.

12 hours later the guys decided to do the humain thing and withdraw from the race and pull into hillarys to get us to a hospital. We had a greeting party of the local sea rescue and a waiting ambulance and news crews. We made the 6 oclock news on 2 channels.
Ben had a dislocated hip and is pretty much okay.

Me well I can type again but it will still be some time. Fractured and dislocated my shoulder and tore some ligaments. Still waiting on the final wash out some 2 months later. The fracture has healed and the dislocation is better but lots of physio and still bloody sore.

Hence the website has suffered a bit but hopefully now back to normal.
Great race to gero nevertheless. 5 boats broke the race record o the return journey. Have never had 2 downwind trips to and from gero.