Sailing Japan X-99 Dreaming of Ocean Racer Pleomax

I can’t help it. Yesterday I was out sailing in Japan on our newly refurbished X-99 yacht. There is no doubt she is a lovely boat and we are going to have a lot of fun competing in her on the club scene here in Japan. We sailed quite a difficult wind yesterday which intermittently  dropping off to 5 knots true then jumped up to 20 knots true with the windex in a state of constant flux as it spun all the way round the clock a half dozen times. Still, all in all we had some great sailing for a couple of hours when she decided to blow steady 15 knots out of the south. Once it decided to blow we just headed off to Awajishima and beat upwind as fats as we could before turning her head around and popping the spinnaker all the way home.  Felt a bit like and Ocean racer for a few moments.

Next week, Sunday January 17th,  we will line up wit the rest of the Kansai Yacht Club Whitesail fleet for the first PHRF race of the year.  Our boat is ready and the crew practiced. Who knows if we get some wind we may see the speedo hit a regular 6.5 knots upwind and maybe an occasional 12 knots down the hill and don’t get me wrong this will excite me as it always does. However what would it feel like to be on Pleomax breaking the speed record for crossing the North Sea in a beaufort 8-8? Check out the videos. The first Video is a news-report and has some nice helicopter shots. But it’s the next Video that impresses me. The video is shot from a sailing boat running at about 8 knots. Pleomax goes past it as if it is parked.

1. Pleomax Sailing news report.     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eljLQr-WgY&feature=related

2. Pleomax leaves these gusy looking on in disbelief. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eljLQr-WgY

Sailing Japan with Kansai Yacht Club Sept. 2009 Cruising Yacht Race.

For those sailing in Japan and wanting to participate in a fun yacht race I am happy to inform of this September’s Kansai Yacht Club Cruising Race.  The race will be held over 2 days 5th and 6th of September 2009 with a sleep over on Awajishima (Awaji Island) along the way. IRC, ORC and WhiteSail (local club PHF) will all be represented and scored.  Hope to see you at the start line.

Race entries may be made with Kansai Yacht Club.  English may be an issue and if you need any help drop us a line here at Sails.co.jp via our contact page. Entries accepted up till August 31st.

Oh and by the way, the photo above is a “Dufour 41 Classic” Mark Smith will be skippering this boat and as at time of  writing can fit 3 more people on for the race.  If you have no experience it will be no problem for this race.  Hit the Contact Page and next thing you will be on the boat. No cost. The ride is free.

DAY ONE.  September 5th 2009

07:30 am. Race day begins with the Skippers Meeting

09:00 Race start.  34 .35.7N 135. 14.3W

12:00 Time limit to gate.  Boats have a 3 hour time limit to get passed one gate along their way to Suntopia Marina The gate will be at   34.35.7N 135.14.3W.

15:00  Time Limit to finish.  34. 24.0N 135.00W  I am pretty sure if we have any wind at all most crews will have their feet up well before this time limit expires.

17:30 Party begins.

In July we ran this same course however we did it as a night race starting at 7:00pm and ran non stop all the way home. This race will be a lot less demanding and should a be a load of fun at the party. Suntopia always make terrific hosts so please come on and join us in this years 2009 KYC cruising Yacht Race.

DAY TWO.  September 6th 2009.

09:00 race Start. 34. 24.00N 135. 00.0W

12:00 Time Limit.

17:00 Time Limit.

Entry Fees IRC.ORC club 6,000 yen. Whitesail Social Club 12,000 yen.

Plus 3,500 yen for each member on boat for party.

Parking over night at Suntopia Marina will cost 63 yen per foot of boat.

KYC 非常にタフなレースとして知られています

去る6月28日の日曜日は少し暑過ぎたものの、素晴らしいレース日和でした。

この日、IRCレース出艇予定の船舶が新西宮ヨットハーバーの関西ヨットクラブ（KYC）に集結しました。

この日私が参加した日本でのセーリングは、“IRCで1日3レース”という

非常にタフなレースとして知られています。

レースは終日行われるため、午前9：20にはスキッパー（船長）ミーティングが

始まり、その後我々は各自の船に戻りレース開始となりました。

レースは過酷で一寸を争う激しい競争となりました。

私はこの日、VITE 31 TSUBOIデザインのヨット、“ブラックパール”　艇のクルー

として招待頂く機会に恵まれました。

この艇とは別にJ24クラスに同船名の“ブラックパール”という姉妹艇もあります。

（先日私は乗船する機会がありました）

“ブラックパール”艇は、空高くそびえ立ち、トリマーにとってポジション確保や移動も

明確、ダウンウィンドでのテイクオフもとてもスムーズにこなせる全てにおいて美しく素晴らしいヨットです。

私は、思いがけずメインシートとしての役割を頂く事となったので船上で少し忙しく

動いておりまして実際のビデオ撮影映像が少なくなっておりますが出来る範囲で

編集してみました。

素晴らしい人たちと共に敵味方となりセーリングを楽しんだ素晴らしい日でありました。私は今後も時間の許す限り関西ヨットクラブのIRCの皆さんと共に洋上にいることでしょう。

Kansai Yacht Club White Sail August Point Race.

Just a brief note to let folk know that Kansai Yacht Club or KYC as she is affectionately known around these waters will be holding a Whitesail club point yacht race August 1st, 2009. Late entries are being accepted so if you want to join in the race give Kansai Yacht Club a call. The notice of race entries I received this morning showed some pretty stiff competition and as such I expect a marvellous race. The weather and wind do also seem to be on side which of course is always welcome. Kansai Yacht Club English speaking sailors are growing in numbers, and we would love to see more and more non Japanese sailors out there. Don’t get me wrong we love the Japanese sailors out there. After all, it is their water. However, we non Japanese are still heavily outnumbered. If you own a yacht then come on and join us. If you do not own a yacht yet would like to become a crew member then come and join us. If you nothing about sailing yet feel maybe you would like to take up the sport of Sailing Japan then come and join us. All the best and hope to see you on the water. I will be sailing on a Dufour 41 classic named “HORA”. Should you see us out there give a wave and yell out “HORA”

Kansai Yacht Club. Tel: 0798-26-0691  Fax: 0798-33-2768

Mark

« Previous Page — Next Page »