Heron State Titles Report from Georgia

Race Report from DeckHardware Ambassador Georgia.  The Heron States were held the week before her 13th Birthday!

My boat, my crew and I went up to Lake Macquarie Yacht Club for an interesting and exciting regatta over the 2011 October long weekend. The forecast; Wind, Rain, Wind, more Rain...

23 skippers participated in the regatta, including 4 juniors and 2 ladies. We need more ladies to sail!

First Race Day:

The wind was ranging from 8 knots to 15 knots and swung from the SSW to E.

To start a good series I got the best start possible. I knew where I wanted to go and I was going there except not everything went to plan, a tiny un-noticed shift lay at the bottom right hand of the course. Looking around I noticed that the right worked so I tacked over. The sailors who got buried at the start tacked away for clean air on the right side and then went left (which was the way that they originally wanted to do) which was the right thing to sail up the first work. I did the total opposite, Rounding the top mark at around 12^th. Then crossing the line at 10^th.

There were another 2 races this day, both races a good effort. Crossing the line in 9^th and 8^th.

After the first race day the results went up. With only 3 races having been completed so far we had no drops. Giving me a 5^th over all J. 5^th overall after the first day got me very excited!!...

There was meant to be 2 races today, but seeing the forecast we had sailed one yesterday and Day 2 got abandoned as it was raining constantly, changed from lots of wind to no wind and lightning strikes.

Race Day 2:

The wind today was ranging 15 knots to 20 knots coming from around the S.
Today my aim was just to keep the boat flat, under control, and to sail well.

The first race, I tried really hard with the conditions we had. I eventually crossed the line in 12^th.

The second race I was sitting just at the back of the first pack. On the second reach I had some fun planning up into the pack a little more, then dropping back when rounding the mark (since we were in a big clump). The Junior – “Little Red Rocket”, (Skipper Matt Doyle) had caught up to me a little and the rest of the race we were match racing around the course. Finishing just behind “Little Red Rocket” I crossed the line at 9^th.

In the end I placed 11^th over all, The first Junior and The first Lady.

Thank-you so much for helping me get to this stage, and giving those adults a hard time.
            Big thanks to Eleanor MacGregor for putting up with me for this regatta and sailing with me for all this time.
            Thanks, Dad (Rhys Llewellyn) For fixing my boat and and giving me all the equipment I need and for believing in me.
            Thanks, DeckHardware (Mel Yeomans, Robyn Yeomans, Phil Yeomans) for believing in me and supplying me with all me boat supplies and all the support.

Georgia Llewellyn
The Force
 9972