SONATA WORLD SERIES II – Race 6 21^st May Torbay

The three leading boats in this series gathered in bright Force 4 conditions for an evening race where they were determined to not only cut each other up, but also to do their utmost to defeat the current race officials views on revised handicaps by cutting up as many other boats as possible to maximise distortion of results in favour of proper small boats.

At the crowded start, A’Piano attempted to not only cut in front of everyone, but also to hide within the shadows of several larger boats and conceal his intentions of jumping the start from the eagle eyed race officers. Unfortunately this cutting led to ignominy as a large cruiser moved just sufficiently to give the high sighted Point team a clear view of such a cuthroat tactic, and provide cutting admonitions over the radio to report 2 boats over the line. SLS skilfully persuaded his crew to cut the cackle and return back over the line to restart a minute or so behind and well to leeward of the cutting edge of the main body of the fleet, led by TS and Co in Blues Breaker.

Meanwhile Simply Alto cut a slightly lonely figure hidden behind a huge 38 foot monster, but manfully cut away towards the mussle beds in search of clear air and supper, chasing the mighty Trichord to the first windward mark. The two Sonatas A’Piano and Simply Alto converged on mighty Trichord like terriers trying to cut out a reluctant cow from the herd, and passed one each side to the final windward mark.

A’Piano then sported the results of some fine sailmakers fashion cutting by setting her new piano key inspired black and white spinnaker. Simply Alto cut absolutely no corners whatsoever in setting her oh so passe last years fashion colours of pink and grey, taking half the run to use Sonata cutting edge technology to launch spinnakers from the cockpit.

Meanwhile Blues Breaker forged ahead by tactically cutting short helmsman’s stints with regular changes to ensure that the elderly and heaviest crew members were confined to the windward rail on the beats and only allowed to cutout the discomfort of rail sitting by being allowed to return the security of the cockpit seats on the downwind legs.

The final cutting edge spinnaker gybe all standing by Simply Alto, came to no avail as the skipper cut all course knowledge from his thoughts as the red mist of sheer boat speed descended on his rapid passage past the Point spectators. In full view of both race officials and the crew of the trailing mighty Trichord, Simply Alto cut inside the green mark to shorten the distance the start of the third lap, and thus cut all chances of points by disqualifing himself.

Despite all their combined efforts at cutting up the opposition, the three Sonatas failed to cut out the Corinthian opposition from the handicap results, mighty Trichord taking first place on corrected time, however this was purely incidental to the main event which saw Blues Breaker cut ahead to first place, A’Piano taking 2^nd due to cunning sailmakers cuts and Simply Alto cutting a dash eventually into 3^rd.