From the hithouse to the shithouse

English version by Google further down.

Silverrudder 2023, den korteste i min historie.

I modsætning til sidste år var både The Beast og jeg top forberedt.
Båden har sejlet mere end 1000 sømil uden tekniske problemer, vist stort potentiale især i let luft og med lidt slæk på. Netop de vindhold der var annonceret til årets Silverrudder.

Med en krydsstart ud af Svendborg Sund i 10 knobs tws var taktikken klar: En sikker start i fri vind lidt nede af linjen og i forreste række. Det lykkedes til fulde, så derfra var det bare at holde sig ude af problemer indtil Thurø Rev og trykke pedalen i bund. De mange dygtige konkurrenter Max Gurgel (Dehler 30 OD), Franz Schollmayer (Corsa 30), Patrik Heinrichs (Esse 8.50) få at nævne nogle få, skulle helt sikkert nok holde mig fokuseret det næste døgns tid.

Men, men, men sådan gik det ikke helt.
Efter knap 15 minutters sejlads gik jeg på grund i bagbord side af sundet ved Thurø’s sydspids. Ikke en hård grundstødning, men i den medgående strøm hjalp det ikke at krænge båden, den drev blot længere og længere op på grunden. Jeg prøvede at tvinge stævnen rundt med min teleskop spilerstage, men det var nytteløst, vi sad bare fast. Båden har ingen motor i racemode og jeg tog derfor imod et venligt tilbud fra Seascape-teamet om at blive trukket af grunden. Dygtige folk ombord som viste hvad de gjorde. Jeg skulle kun trækkes 20 meter ud for at komme fri. Når der er modtaget hjælp udefra, er der ikke andet at gøre end at sige tak for denne gang og sejle hjem igen, øv.

Hvorfor havnede jeg så der, halvvejs oppe på Thurø?
Da jeg gik på, lå jeg ifølge TracTrac som sekser i klassen med en håndfuld både foran. Jeg går på styrbord halse mod Thurø og ville gerne have et frit spor over mod Troense når jeg slog til bagbord. Jeg går derfor en længde længere ind end en Seascape 27 foran mig, for at sejle på kanten af det lave. Efter vendingen til bagbord, har jeg kun fokus på farten og er ikke opmærksom på at vinden er rummet en snøvs og jeg derved kommer for langt ind. Jeg har en 12” kortplotter i cockpittet, så det er ikke fordi jeg mangler muligheden for at se det, men opmærksomheden var på farten alene.

Jeg følte ikke jeg tog nogen chance, om end jeg viste jeg var tæt på det lave vand. Jeg var ikke presset og fejlen var min alene. Hele episoden underbygger min påstand om at sejladsen ikke kan vindes i Svendborg Sund, men den kan tabes.

Og når det nu endelig skal være, så er fint det sker så tæt på Svendborg at sejladsen hjem ikke bliver så lang.

Vi ses i 2024.

SilverRudder 2023

Unlike last year, both The Beast and I were well prepared.
The boat has sailed more than 1000 nautical miles without technical problems, showing great potential especially in light air and off wind. Exactly the wind conditions that were announced for this year’s Silverrudder.

With a upwind start out of Svendborg Sund in 10 knots tws, the tactics were clear: A safe start in free wind a little down the line and in the front row. It was completely successful, so from there it was just a matter of staying out of trouble until Thurø Rev and then pedal to the metal. The many talented competitors Max Gurgel (Dehler 30 OD), Franz Schollmayer (Corsa 30), Patrik Heinrichs (Esse 8.50) to name a few, should certainly keep me focused for the next 24 hours.

But, but, but it didn’t quite work out that way.
After barely 15 minutes of sailing, I ran aground on the port side of the strait at Thurø’s southern tip. Not a hard grounding, but in the following current it didn’t help to heel the boat, it just drifted further and further up the ground. I tried to force the bow around with my telescoping spinnaker poole, but it was no use, we were just stuck. The boat has no engine in race mode, and I therefore accepted a friendly offer from the Seascape team to be towed from the ground. Skilled people on board who showed what they did. I only had to be pulled 20 meters out to be free. When outside help has been received, there is nothing to do but say thank you for this time and sail back home.

Why did I end up there, halfway up Thurø?

When I hit the ground, according to TracTrac, I was sixth in the class with a handful of boats in front of me. I was on the starboard tack towards Thurø and would like to have a clear lane towards Troense when I tacked to port. I therefore sailed a length further in than a Seascape 27 in front of me, to sail on the edge of the shallows. After the tacking to port, I only had focus on the speed and am not aware that the wind had liftet a bit and I thereby got too far towards land. I have a 12” chart plotter in the cockpit, so it’s not that I lack the ability to see it, but the attention was on the speed alone.

I didn’t feel like I was taking any chances, even though I knew I was close to shallow water. I was not pushed by anyone and the fault was mine alone. The whole episode supports my claim that the race cannot be won in Svendborg Sound, but it surely can be lost.

And when it finally must happen, it’s great that it happens so close to Svendborg that the journey home won’t be long.

See you in 2024.