Further details and announcements to follow...
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It's on!
Better get involved because this is going to be an awesome experience !
Keep checking this post for the details !
Perpetual trophy nearly ready
Make sure to get your name on it first ! (top 3 in each category)
Is there a category for 40 something, recreational sailer, a little out of shape, eclectic quiver of sails?
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said...
Is there a category for 40 something, recreational sailer, a little out of shape, eclectic quiver of sails?
Yep! The green point sprint! 10k downwind from Green Point to St Kilda.
Select to expand quotePortPhillipDW said..Sputnik11 said...
Is there a category for 40 something, recreational sailer, a little out of shape, eclectic quiver of sails?
Yep! The green point sprint! 10k downwind from Green Point to St Kilda.
I should be offended by that, but I did lead with my chin.
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..
Is there a category for 40 something, recreational sailer, a little out of shape, eclectic quiver of sails?
yes, Kurt has earmarked it
Is there a category for sailing upwind - I'm better upwind than downwind 
Or maybe I could borrow "Slacky's" Gorrilla suit and get it wet then it would work as a weight jacket ... or maybe Reef could sit on the back of the board ... I'll make sure he wears a PFD
Registrations are NOW OPEN!
Registrations must be made online or @ the Zu in St. Kilda, by no later than Midnight 20th February!
Make sure you read the sailing rules! (media.wix.com/ugd/c8dd5b_49bb4052a8b940638161a7c78a8b7a22.pdf)
REGISTER ONLINE @
jerzyfilatow.wixsite.com/home
OR
www.wv.org.au/index.php/downwinder-2014
So how many are keen to do the race/marathon??
Not to many of my sailing mates showing much interest at the moment.
Im still undecided and will wait to see a bit of a forecast later in the week before I sign up and worry about getting a PFD and the app thing.
Will it be still run if the wind is Easterly? Offshore.
I would be very interested in the marathon if the wind conditions were Easterly 15-20 knots. Even in 10-15 knots I would go on a large board. The water state should be much flatter on an Easterly and the forecasts for the next two weekends look like that is likely at the moment. A SW to Westerly look quite unlikely.
Sailing Rules have been updated and the restriction on 100L boards removed. However the sailor must be able to uphaul on the board he uses in the race.
jerzyfilatow.wixsite.com/home
Select to expand quotesailquik said..
Will it be still run if the wind is Easterly? Offshore.
I would be very interested in the marathon if the wind conditions were Easterly 15-20 knots. Even in 10-15 knots I would go on a large board. The water state should be much flatter on an Easterly and the forecasts for the next two weekends look like that is likely at the moment. A SW to Westerly look quite unlikely.
except of course that in an easterly, you pretty much would be completely wind-shadowed by the local headland, so there is no way you would make through the gates.
If the gates are 200 meters out then an easterly will work, needs to be a pretty strong one though, 20 knots plus
Ok, Spotty and Martin have done a test run from Ricketts Point. Great time of about 40 min but it was interesting to see the big guy breathing hard when he came in. The south south-east angle certainly didn't help and according to both sailors it was hard work. I recall martin initially mentioning he wouldn't enter the race from Bonbeach in these conditions (5 min after he came in). I'm sure he's changed his mind after a bit of rest. Full respect guys !
So this highlights again that the Bonbeach start will be for very experienced sailors only, I'm sure Spotty and Martin will jump on here to give some more detailed feedback. The green Point start will still be a great challenge but would probably mean for most sailors you will actually get to St Kilda.
Only one week to go and there are lot's off people joining including some interstate sailors. So far we estimate we will have about 15-20 starting at Bonbeach and 30-40 at Green Point.
Spotty out of breath after getting to ST Kilda (he even refused a beer)
Good setup for the conditions
First sailors to make the trip
Come and get it Guys!
Great effort guys!
You could of let me know though 
So what was the reason that the race what not on this weekend again??
We had a couple of aborted starts as I was on the wrong gear and the wind was fading. I could see Spotti was getting impatient so did a mad rush rig of the 7.1 and went. Not a good move as the sail was rigged like crap and the harness lines were all wrong. Should have come back for the third time and fixed it but we just went.
Spotti took of at 30 knots and I went stuff it, I am just cruising so made no attempt to keep up with him. Even from Ricketts it is a long way, further than you think and dead downwind. By Black Rock Yacht club my back leg was screaming, the outboard strap position on a slalom board makes it tough to go that deep. By half way I was taking breaks of popping my leg in the opposite strap, it is slow but was a much needed relief. Had to jump in the water at Hampton to adjust the harness lines, you need them further forward for deep downwind.
By the time I got to Point Ormond I thought I was home and hosed but it is still way past there. You need to go along way across to clear the breakwater at Royal Melbourne YC to get into the ZU. I gybed too early and wasn't going to clear it and had to gybe back toward Port Melb, when you get over there the water is shallow and man the waves stand up.
Overall I found it quite tough and I got fatigued. I am 55 and unfit but I would say to anyone who is contemplating it, it's a long way, the water is rough and it is hard work going deep downwind. I am going to have a serious think about it as the extra 8 km,s from Bonbeach will make it that much harder again.
Did you or Spotty have your GPS on? Curious to see the tracks & how far you sailed/how deep. What was the wind direction & strength?
Regarding the rules, what does this mean: "The gate will remain open for approximately 20 minutes after the leading competitor crosses the gate. This gate is approximated to be open between 30-40 minutes." ?
Can we get a photo of the phone-case? ie: who is going to stick a $1000 (say Samsung S3) phone in a plastic pack, to hope that it stays sealed.
This is why we use a $200 GPS that is already water-resistant... then we put that inside a case.
Spotti had a GPS, haven't seen the data yet apart from him having a peak of over 30 knots. He's a machine.
Re the gate opening time. Spotti was going a lot faster than me, I think you will have 2 or 3 guy's that are very fast but you will have a bunch of guy's like me that are capable of doing the distance yet will be in cruise mode so they actually get there. The 20 minutes opening time for the first gate at Ricketts is ample but I think you need a minimum of 30 minutes opening for the Green Point gate.
Select to expand quotemathew said..
Regarding the rules, what does this mean: "The gate will remain open for approximately 20 minutes after the leading competitor crosses the gate. This gate is approximated to be open between 30-40 minutes." ?
Without making it sound over complicated, what this means is that once the race leader goes through the gate we will start the stop watch and then close the gate after 20 minutes have passed.
If the race leader takes 20 minutes to get to the gate, then the gate will remain open for a further 20 minutes (total of 40 minutes).
We are approximating that a fast sailor will make the course in 60 minutes, and get to Green Point in around 40 minutes.
The slowest sailor from Bonbeach should aim to take no longer than 60 minutes to reach Green Point.
Needless to say, that this is only a time guide, and that on the day the decision to extend the duration the gate is open by the officials at the gate.
Select to expand quotemr love said..
Spotti had a GPS, haven't seen the data yet apart from him having a peak of over 30 knots. He's a machine.
Re the gate opening time. Spotti was going a lot faster than me, I think you will have 2 or 3 guy's that are very fast but you will have a bunch of guy's like me that are capable of doing the distance yet will be in cruise mode so they actually get there. The 20 minutes opening time for the first gate at Ricketts is ample but I think you need a minimum of 30 minutes opening for the Green Point gate.
Hi Martin, Great effort BTW.
The time the gate will be open is leading rider +20m so if it took Spotty 20 minutes to get to Green point from Rickets, then you would have around 40.
Are you suggesting it should be leading rider + another 30 minutes?
Ah ha, Ok that is fine. I was suggesting 30 minutes was required from first rider through at Green point to closure but if it already 40 minutes then it will be sweet.
Thanks
Just a quick update on the resources we will use on the day. As discussed earlier this is quite a difficult event to organise (2 years in the making) and we hope most melbourne sailors will get involved so we can run it again next year.
In total we will have 24 people involved in the organisation:
On Water:
3 x Life Saving Vic Zodiacs with 2 crew each
1 x Jetski
1 x 36ft Riviera Cruiser media boat
1 x Life saving support from Beaumaris LSC including additional Club Dinghy
Other People:
5 x WV Volunteers
4 x The Zu Boardsports staff
2x The ZU Boardsports staff for BBQ and presentations
8 x Life Savers
2 x Volunteers
1 x (2) Photographer
Race Control Centre at The Zu
The would also not be possible without the support of Severne, Starboard, Antler and Windsurfing Victoria.
So please get involved and make sure this is not going to be a one off !
