Invitation time warp

The following oddly late email showed up in my inbox at 5am this morning. And by the way, if you missed it in the comments, Vita Brevis has a blog too: http://team-vita-brevis.blogspot.com/

By Craig Mann:

Rollo,

We have just completed two invitation races and consumed 100 beers while waiting for Alfa Romeo finish the Hobart.

Mal Higgins and Rick Buchanan look the likely pace setters this regatta.

Vita Brevis from Perth had an excellent 5th today in the second invite and looks the goods for a strong finish.

As usual the breeze is all over the shop and the water is a little colder than we are used to in Perth.

However the beer is cold and Taste of Tassie is is up and running.

Heat one tomorrow so off to the blanket show as mid night rolls around.

Craig Mann

Sharpie Nationals: Heat Two

By Craig Mann:

I can see the keys tonight so some change of making sense!!!!!!!!

Well the breeze looked promising this arvo,
15 ish knots from the east and the water was nice and flat and it looked like the breeze would build.
Most of the day was close to the 15 knots however it softened to 8 in patches with a big land effect
off the shore and for those brave enough the right also paid.

Dave Higgins was the star with Mal close in tow. Big effort from mal and the boys as they had several hours of
debrief at customs house last night. Chis lost his lunch on a couple of occassions.

1 All Scoobed out D Higgins
2 Blur M Higgins
3 Bread Run J Heritage
4 One Hump or Two Rick Buchanan
5 Dump Truck Nick Fleming

The WA boys had differing days with similar end results.
Vita was smashed at the start and went right Impact did a similar thing but bailed back
to the left and paid a big price to be next to last at the top mark. Vita was in third.
As the day wore on Vita slipped back and Impact clawed her way through the field finishing 8th and 9th respectively.
After 3 hours of racing only 20 seconds separates the two boat.

Until tomorrow
Craig Mann

Craig’s on the sauce

I have left this unedited to preserve its full integrity:

In true sharpie traditiond it is 1 am and we are blind.

Went drinking with brother Dave who was in YuuZoo in the Hobart.

Tom Johnson was there and a good night.

Left the Colonial at 12.30 ish with regatta favourites Mal Higgans and crew.

None of us could walk let a lone talk.

On again tomorrow all is fun.

Craig Mann

PS forgive me as I can barly se the keys let alone type.

Sharpie Nationals: Heat One

By Craig Mann:

Just a quick note from Tassie.

Today we had 15 to 20 knot S Eastern and the nastiest chop on a serious out-going tide.

Full results can be followed on the Sandy Bay Sailing Club Web Site.

This is a great spot to sail from and even better to drink ice cold beer.

Magic view of the Derwent and Hobart boats finishing.

1 Jess Andrew Wells QLD took out first, pipping the Camel on the line.

2 One Hump or Two Rick Buchanan Tas after leading all day

3 Get Smart Tim Muir Tas

4 Savage Mood Swings John Weigan SA

5 Blur Mal Higgins SA

11 Vita Brevis WA

12 Impact WA

Vita and Impact were not far behind the leaders and were in touch most of the day.

Impact got around with a brocken venturi so were happy not to sink and have a DNF.

Busy day tomorrow finding a new one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cheers

Craig

Back on course

Just in case anyone is wondering, it’s cold and snowing here in north Japan. And all the more lonely for the absence of sailing reports from Perth. Happily, this week I got an email from Craig Mann letting me know he’s managed to sail out of the turbulence and get some information back up. So, as ever, thanks very much, Craig.

By Craig Mann:

I have returned

After a few months of considerable change, including job, complete laptop computer failure and our forward hand popping a shoulder week two of the season I hopefully will have some more regular updates for you.

This season for the Sharpies has been one of retirements, boat sales, parties, bucks nights you name it for many of the regular boats to have an interrupted start to the summer of sailing.

A new line up on Vita Brevis have been the stand out so far this season after Ash Gay Boy went off to Europe chasing skirt and came back with two knees needing to be reconstructed and will miss a couple of years sailing. To date Vita Brevis has won 4 of the 6 association races so far this year with a broken boom costing the a 5th win. Vita Brevis is sporting a good lead in the States with 3 wins and a 4th. With 5 races still to come after Christmas the rest of the fleet has lots of ground to make up.

Impact has had a rabble rotating through the boat in order to stay on the water and her results look like Tiger’s marriage. Luckily I was able to grab Tassie lad Chris Plummer to jump in the bow for one weekend and after several hours of drinking at EFYC he signed on for the Hobart Nationals. Amazing how lot’s of piss clouds a normally intelligent blokes good judgment. So Vita Brevis, Impact along with Run to Paradise and 4 skates are packed in a container and half way to Tassie.

Until something else happens

And just in case anyone is interested in me, I’m keeping a blog of my adventures in Japan at blogorollo.wordpress.com. But I have to warn – there is a lot of cycling, some hearty drinking and absolutely no sailing at all. Cheers – Bryce.