
Second training and regatta for
NASA Racing Team in this season (
history). Different crew members and roles and first time ever in regatta courses @
North Adriatic Sailing Academy – night regatta
24.Regatta Notturna organized by yacht club
Yc Čupa.
Sailing course was
Sistiana – Piran – Sistiana with start at
9 PM.
On Friday we conducted high quality training under the guidance of Slovenian sailing legend
Dušan Puh. A big thanks to
Dušan for remarkable sailing day.

Saturday after the storm, around 3 PM, we head towards the Sistiana. It was nice breeze around 15 knots with some gusts to 20 knots and waves heights between a half and one meter. As we approached cost of Italy and Sistiana wind slowed down and waves disappear. This sailing was very welcome because we have possibility to see, feel and check the situation across race course especially turning wind direction.
A quick coffee and less then hour to start…
Start was at 9 PM with 19 sailboats and great panorama.

We have started relatively fine and we were in the middle of the complete fleet but on the downwind side. Later it became clear that it would be better to be closer to the wind, but the race is still long… When the night falls on the Gulf of Trieste and the opponents was no longer clearly visible it become a bit easier and we put focus only on sailing and looking for turning buoy and of course other floating objects 🙂
Close to the turning buoy in front of Piran become interesting. Dark, wind between 15 and 20 knots, some waves, and several opponents around us and buoy. Through this first part we observe that wind change more to east, north east side as we approach Piran so after the turn we stay on right side.

We sail relatively fast approximately 7 knots constantly all the time. Near the finish line (2-3 miles) wind become very pulsating. Several completely windless period (boat speed 1 – 2 knots) with short living relatively good wind (boat speed 5 – 6 knots) between two periods. It looks like we would need two hours to the finish line. Suddenly opponents come back from the dark 🙂 Behind us, in front of us, parallel to us and what was strange to some of us is that it was looking that they are super-fast in regards to us. To be even more complicated the finish buoy or line was not lighted. Haha maybe the judges fell asleep – joke.
Suddenly bow man sees buoy on the left in front of us and others sees committee boat on the right so this must be a finish line. And it was at 2:10 AM.
After the lending we went to the club, where we debating with other crew and after less than hour fell asleep.
Morning do not bring only great Italian cappuccino but also a results. We have finished on
7th places overall and
2nd in our class. Once again one place behind the
Daphne team.
Congratulations for a good race Daphne…

One interesting things is that we sail without instruments for wind data! Only info that we have was boat speed.
But as Dušan once said sailing fast is key and most important factor.
In Sunday noon we left the Sistiana and sail toward the
Marina Portotoz in a somewhat relaxed atmosphere...
Great race and experience. Thank you all…
More picture are available on
Nasa fb
Well winds!