SEARCHING FOR KIWI WIND
Try as they might, Emirates Team New Zealand ultimately had a frustrating session on Thursday with the wind anemometer struggling to register anything above 5 knots on a fairly glassed-out Hauraki Gulf.
Initial flight looked promising in a straight line with the Kiwis holding nice windward heel and fully sheeted on and powered-up under the M2 mainsail and the big J1 jib but manoeuvres were tough and splashdowns were inevitable. Sail trim in the very light was being monitored by a drone overhead with the main sheeted to the centreline and above and small fans being used to try and keep in flight. The jib was sheeted almost on the centreline too and both sails saw huge camber being dropped in. Post tack, the flight controllers, Blair Tuke and Andy Maloney, were fighting to keep the bow up and pressure on the foils but it was a thankless task and Ray Davies brought the Chase Boat in and affixed a tow-line.
A long tow then ensued in search of wind north along the beautiful East Coast Bays where more attempts at foiling were conducted and despite brief flight being attained, the fall to displacement was rapid and the sense that this was not going to be a valuable day descended.
By mid-afternoon the writing was on the wall and the team called a halt to the day, towing back to dock to be alongside at 4.20pm. All eyes on a better forecast for Friday and as Cam Webster, part of the Power Group for Emirates Team New Zealand commented: “Pretty uneventful day…we’ll be right into it tomorrow.”
Recon Unit On-Water Notes: Te Rehutai was out of the shed just before 10.30am and on the dock’s edge ready for launch by 11am Due to lack of breeze a delay was called making dock out just after 1pm.
She left the dock with headboards loaded and was hoisting sails as she left the Viaduct Basin. The M1 was on the lock by 1310 followed shortly by the J1. After several attempts at getting on the foils she was towed down the harbour and headed north along the East Coast Bays. Here she tried sailing several times but each time she fell off her foils and was taken in tow again for another attempt.
On the seventh tow up she was taken well North East past Shearer Rock looking for breeze but none was found and she was towed back towards the inner harbour. Here she had a few more attempts at sailing off the breakwater at Ōrākei none were successful, and she was towed home reaching the base at 1620.
Onboard today:
Helms: Nathan Outteridge / Pete Burling
Trimmers: Andy Maloney / Blair Tuke / Josh Junior
Power Group: Simon van Velthooven / Marius van der Pol / Louis Sinclair / Louis Crosby / Hamish Bond / Marcus Hansen / Sam Meech
Sails Used:
Mainsail M2: 2 hours 56 minutes
J1: 2 hours 56 minutes
Manoeuvres:
Total Tacks: 5 – 1 touch & go, 4 touchdowns.
Total Gybes: 0
Conditions:
Weather AM: Southerly 3-6 knots Fine.
Sea-state: Flat water/ Moderate
Dock Out: 1300 Dock In: 1620