Mitchells race seriese 2013

The first race of the two race Mitchells seriese drew only 5 entrants for Thursday evening.  This might be because of the blustery conditions.  No one wants to loose a mast or blow out a sail.

The starting line was well laid. at right angles to the wind.  Glendun, somehow chose the pin end and approached on port.  The rest of the fleet at the other end, were all late and watching each other.  Result, Glendun calmly gets a perfectly timed start and heads off on port ahead of everyone and that was the last we saw of her.  Glenroan then proceeded to loose her main out haul and retired.  So the three, Glencoe, Glenmiller and Glenshane fought it out in an exciting three boat race, the prize being 2nd..  It went to Glenmiller following a dramatic tussle that saw the lead change several times.  The conditions were at about the limit Glens should race at.  There were several Chinese gybes and missed marks.  A lot of the other fleets retired and there was at least one dismasting - a Shipman.  The second day, next Thursday will see a winner of the Mitchell cup

, presumably from among these 4 boats.  If I was a bookie I would not take any odds on Glendun.

There do be a few artists on board Glenshane.  Not least myself I should say.  The cameras are clicking and whizzing as we sail along.  These are three examples. 'Reaching Glens' by Gerry Glynn.  'Helmsman' by Brien Vahey and 'Starting Vessel' by Pete Hogan.

Star Crew

This is clip of Joshua doing what he spends most of his time doing.  He sometime crews on the Glen.

This is a video Ki made of the Bloomsday regatta in 2011. Its a great piece of editing.

Race last night was held in ideal conditions.  On board two newcomers and Ciaran who is old hand.  I did the driving  for the start and the first all important upwind leg.  
Messed up the start by trying to be clever and try another Port approach.  G53 was up to it though and I was forced to dip her, passing very close and then getting going at the gun.  By this time the rest of the fleet were rumbling up on starboard, yelling their heads off and forcing us to tack back on to starboard.  This we did and got going proper about 3rd overall.  Not a bad and an exciting effort.
From there on it was all downhill.  We gradually lost ground to G53 and G10 and by the first windward mark were lying a bad 4th.  Ie there was a long distance between us and the next Glen, G10.  On the positive side we were welll ahead of the rest of the fleet, some 5 Glens.  I handed over to Ciaran and put the spinnaker up and we held our position on the long run.  On the next leg we lost a lot of ground and G107 slipped ahead.  We caught up a bit on the short downwind leg and for the short windward beat to the finish had an exciting tacking duel which we won.  4th overall.  But the three boats ahead

were a long way in front.  Have to do better on the upwind legs.

Very light wind today.  6 th June.  THursday.  That means that sailing might not happen tonight.
Here is a picture of the glens on their moorings ready to go.

There are 12 in all.  Only 9 in the picture.  Getting 9 out on a starting line would be a good fleet.

THis seems to be working better.  Ill try posting in a report of race from last week: