But wait there's more

What I skipped was the last race. Jenni had to leave us but we decided we were able to manage with 6 as the winds were forecast to be light. With Celine's knee rather bad after the near overboard moment we put her in Jenni's spot on main and strings and Dee went forward for the spinnaker hoists to help Karen. We started at the Eastern line again and had another excellent start. The course was very short, no Lindeman race for us this year because of the very light winds. We chose the right side of the course and headed south to the laid mark on the west side of Pentacost and were a bit dismayed to find our sister boat which had taken the left side of the course was right beside us again.  They beat us round the buoy in near windless conditions but got caught in a mess of other boats. We stayed out and got clear air, a perfect hoist and ran home passing several other boats on the way. As we prepared to gybe into Dent Passage Dee almost jinxed us saying "what can possibly go wrong". What went wrong was that Dee and Karen could not free the spinnaker pole from the mast.  We tried dipping (pole too long), Dee swung on it (still stuck), lowered it to the deck and raised it to vertical with no success and then Karen belted it with a winch handle and it came free. We then gybed and headed for the finish line. With boats ahead we could see dead spots to avoid and where the current was running favourably. We had a neck and neck race to the finish with a fellow, but larger, Sunsail boat which we lost by a whisker but we were elated by the fact that we beat a number of boats in our division that usually were ahead. An anxious wait then brought the results. We came third, yes a podium finish at last, and even better we were fourth overall for the regatta. A fantastic result, and even more so given it was only on count back that we lost to the third boat.

 Champagne on the Yacht Club deck

Podium finish

It was a fantastic week and we know we have raised some money for Pinnacle Foundation although not yet how much. In the next few days I will post more pictures as they come to hand and also what the fund raising effort was when the accounts are in.

And so goodnight...

This morning we stripped all the improvements off the boat, I had a sad moment pealing our pineapples off the bow, put the ton of second anchor back on board and packed our bags. Jenni left yesterday, Dee was first to go today. Then Celine and Karen, Anni and Julie with Laine staying one more night. Meanwhile some of the less beautiful people than us were on the island playing.
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/private-sydney-super-stars-billionaires-and-super-yachts-20130823-2shh5.html


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Dusk and Dawn

Gorgeous sunset last night and still morning for our last day of racing. Another day of light winds and big tides. We are all getting a little tired.





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Some pictures

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Awesome and Awful

Today we had an awesome sail, a great start, third across the line in clear air and then a great sail in light and shifty winds all the way south to the north of Lindeman. Then an excellent spinnaker hoist with our new longer pole and after a short unfortunate lull when our sister bost finally managed to pass us, we ran home under spinnaker. Then, you know when you see those photos where the spinnaker is flying off the head of the mast with nothing else holding it, that was us. And Celine was almost swept off the deck. Very quick thinking by Dee and Karen saw her back on board a bit bruised and battered. We got across the line, came 9th and are now 4th in the series. Not so bad.


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Another 4th

We had a very mixed day today with a great start, a nasty spinnaker wrap quickly unwrapped by Celine. Then some long tacks to Pentacost Island with good speed and then a big spinnaker run back.
And we came 4th which is very pleasing given the glitches. We have high hopes for tomorrow.


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Pinnacleadas reach the Pinnacle

This morning, still high on the tug of war victory, our boat people accompanied by Julie climbed the mountain on Hamilton Island. Then they came down and cooked us all a very fine brunch.


Celine and Karen


Julie


Dee


The view from the top.

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A disappointing day

Today we didn't do so well. With a strong current flowing across the start line we chose to be cautious which meant we started a bit late. And we never caught up. But our day was put into perspective when we saw another Sunsail yacht very high and dry on Plum Pudding Island. Our 13th didn't seem so bad. And when Team Pinnacle combined with three girls from Shazam won the ladies tug of war from the women from Guilty Pleasure we cheered up no end. Now we have a battle to convince Race Week and Henri Lloyd that if they want the entertainment of the girls they should give them a prize as well. And tonight is full moon. Life is not so bad.


The yacht aground


Moon over Hammo

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7th

We came 7th. We hope that will help our handicap as they seem to be changing quite dramatically.
And we caught up with Chantelle from Mabuzi who printed our fabulous tshirts to Dee Mason's very excellent design.

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Day 2

Another gorgeous day at Hamilton Island. There was a brief delay to the start and then we were away with a good start. A little overreaching saw us get a bit close to the bottom near Plum Pudding Island. After recovering we got on a great tack (we go faster on starboard and it was a starboard tack ) we rounded White Rock then Denman Island and up went our lovely spinnaker and we headed for home overtaking a few other boats in our category. The crew again were awesome and another day ended with smiles on our faces. Results yet to come.

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Good result on day one

In very light breeze the scheduled start of 10.30 wasn't looking too promising. The race committee kept us ashore until 11.30 and then sent us all around the island to Cats Eye Beach for a scrunched up start. We eventually got away in a light wind and headed for a distant buoy then a big rock, a little island called Ann. On the way we held off some much bigger boats, specially on starboard tack. Then with an excellent spinnaker hoist and set we set course for Pine Island only to be told the race had been shortened to a few hundred meters ahead. We kept sailing anyway and found we went very well and passed several more boats on the run home. Our faithful support boat Mathilde followed us round the course except when they stopped for lunch. It was a happy crew that arrived back at the marina for gin and tonic. And then we found we had come 4th. A great result for day one. Not too hard on the handicap but still up there. And we beat all the other charter boat in our division which might stop some of the slightly patronizing "you're all girls," comments.

Practice Day

After decorating the boat and sorting some of the logistics yesterday today was a full on practice day. We headed out from Hamilton in very light wind and set the sails. After finding some breeze we did several spinnaker hoists and gybes and worked out how to drop it into the anchor well. That was a suggestion from out Sunsail briefing guy and has turned out to be a good idea. We found a number of things that needed fixing and they have all been sorted since we got back.

Tomorrow is the first race and it is the Molle Island race. A big circuit from Hamilton around all the islands and back to Hammo.









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Happy team of pineapples

All dressed up and ready to rumble.


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Our barman

Laine whipping up Pinnacleadas at Jenni's birthday drinks at Peter and Michael's place.



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Pineapple rules!

The bow of the good ship Pinnacle.



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TLC for ground support

Dee gives Helen a morning massage.


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Final Practice

Sunday, our last practice, minus Laine and Dee, was a beautiful sunny windless day. We mooched around for an hour before the breeze picked up enough for the start. It was not quite a spinnaker start but almost. And then, with the foredeck team jumping to, we had the lovely great big blue and orange monster up and flying. Shortly after that the connecting hook on the pole broke. Rather than drop the kite John Harris, standing in for Dee as boat mistress, lept forward with some VB cord and lashed it on. Nice work. The race had been shortened to two legs so we didn't have to worry what to do with it next time. The tack back to the finish went well and we were well ahead or arch rival Hoodare who was until then on equal points. But were we far enough ahead? We had to repair to the very pleasant Drummoyne Sailing Club and consume beer and sausage sandwiches while waiting to find out. We did beat Hoodare and came 5th on the day and 5th over all for the combined series. So now we are pumped for Hamilton Island.

Sunday Race

The Pinnacleadas will be racing in Balmain on Sunday, a last practice in Sydney before we all head north to Hamilton Island. Cheshire Cat will stand in for the good ship Pinnacle.

The good ship Pinnacle

We have renamed our charter boat Pinnacle for Race Week.
And the t-shirt order is in. We now wait patiently for delivery. Dee did an amazing job responding to everyone's ideas and preferences.
And Chantelle at Mabuzi was incredibly patient with us with changes and last minute additions after we sent the order in.
Here's a taste of what is to come.

Training Sail

At the end of May Dee came up from Melbourne and after a get-to-gether dinner we all took Cheshire Cat out for a practice run. Not to
o many sore heads. With a spinnaker to play with we had a few test hoists and then started the race. Two spinnaker runs between tacking legs and a gybe or two proved the team was going to work well together and make some waves on the Hamilton Island race course.

Our well set spinnaker

Our fabulous new logo

Hamilton Island - here we come.

And we're racing!

In August the PINNACLEADAS will be competing in the 30^th Anniversary Hamilton Island Yacht Race – the largest bluewater racing event in Australia. We are going to make our mark in this gruelling series of yacht races, and not just because of our gorgeous outfits.  We will be sailing under the big pineapple on behalf of The Pinnacle Foundation and we want to raise money to support their work, not just from those well-heeled yachties but from you as well.

Pinnacle is a national organisation that provides scholarships and mentoring to gay and lesbian youth from 16-24 years old. Its driving principle is that personal and financial help will allow these young to achieve their educational or career goals and realise their full potential.