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wetaz904
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Canberra Fleet Doubles
Ok, only to two and only for the weekend! Geoff’s #842 joined Leigh’s #904 on Lake Burley Griffen for the ACT Multihull Championship. A great opportunity to spread the Weta word to the ACT and the Multi-hull fleet generally. The two boats created a lot of interest and perhaps sow the seed for a purchase down the track.

The preceding week the wind had been strong with regular 20 plus knot 10 min averages with 40 knot gusts. However, Saturday saw a high pressure cell move over the region and it was back to light and shifty conditions on the lake. A multi-hull event in these conditions meant that many mark rounding were more like bumper car events. Catamarans certainly don’t like the like conditions, preferring medium wind where they can lift a hull and boogie. The Weta acquitted itself quite well in the conditions against the slower classes of catamaran.

Lake sailing in these conditions means that a lead is never guaranteed and the two boats enjoyed a friendly rivalry during the day.

Sunday brought improved, if still lightish wind, but with encouraging gusts and generally increasing pressure during the day. A memorable reach to the bottom mark had both boats side by side powering along under gennaker. #904, the inside boat, decided to furl early allowing #842 to break the overlap and lead to the mark. #904 was hot on the heels of #842’s tail so a clean furl in quick time was going to be a test. You always get a tangle at the point you need it least, and the untidy furl allowed #904 to sneak inside of #842 and lead out of the mark.

Two boats on the water is double the fun, so it was great to have Geoff come down for the regatta.