Regate des Pirates

The Regate des Pirates is the last race of the Petit Lac championship, which is a 10 regatta affair over the season including the Bol d’Or. In order to maintain YCC’s favourable ranking, I was instructed as skipper to “just make sure you just finish”. I completed this mission albeit in last place (plus 4 DNF behind). Crew were Helen M and Mattia C (and who take no responsibility for this finish!). Sailing on Lake Geneva (and in general) is a lesson in humility. What can I learn from this experience?

Anyone for sailing?
Source: smichels (Flickr)

The start

The race runs from Yvoire to Hermance – a 25 km round trip. It was a mixed of classes with 15 Surprises and another 20 or so bigger boats. The start involved just a four-minute gun with no start gun. No surprise then that there was a general recall. The SUs’ strategy for the start appeared to be let the big boats take the pin end, and either come in a second wave behind them, or take the middle of the line. The favoured end in terms of wind was also the pin end.

Lesson 1: Read the Instructions: When it only mentions a 4 minute gun, don’t assume there will be other guns and flags afterwards.

Lesson 2: Follow what the book says and seek clear wind at the start. This is probably more valuable than trying to get the pin end, especially when there are bigger boats around

The first leg

The first leg was upwind for 1 km and then round the buoy and head downwind for Yvoire. Starting half way down the line, we tacked early to port to head for the windier side of the course. We witnessed a clash of 2 boats - inexplicable as no traffic around them. At the mark we had starboard tack advantage and could cause a boat to steer out of the way. Round the mark we got the spi up in good time and headed for Yvoire. We had around 10 boats behind us.

At Yvoire it went horribly wrong. The wind turned 180 degrees and dropped - we spent 20 mins not moving. The boats behind us, passed us.

Lesson 3: As the wind drops avoid dirty wind of other slowing boats - keep momentum for as long as possible - don't move on the boat

The return leg

By the time we turned the mark, we were the two last boats. They headed for the middle of the lake. We tried the edge of the lake for thermal winds. The three of us finished 2 hours behind the rest of the fleet, despite having all been together at the mark. I can only assume that there was a sudden drop in wind that created this gap.

Lesson 4: Don’t make plans for the evening if you are sailing with me in a regatta.