The latest on the Nats
End of Regatta Report
The 67th VS 15’ Skiff Australian Championships have been run & won. And I realise it might sound familiar but it was another great national series.
Each year is different (which is good) as it gives us new experiences & challenges. However in the end we all seem to end up on presentation night
full of smiles, laughs & stories. I can’t think of a better way to spend a week. So if you missed out this year make plans NOW to get to Sunshine next
year. It is locked in so it is pointless to complain. But now about this regatta…
The hosts. Port Hunter 16’ Sailing Skiff Club were the perfect hosts. As I expressed to anyone that would listen, the culture of the club is an ideal fit for the VS class. From day one we were made to feel as if the club were ours. Grahame, Todd, Dean & the rest of the executive team bent over
backwards to make us feel welcome. Want something different for lunch? No problem. The next day it is on the menu. Camping? OK, have a key to
the club so you can use the facilities. Leaving your boats here? Sure, why don’t you keep your gear in the boat shed. Need more rum? Now you’re talking, that’s our speciality…
The on-water team from the club deserves similar praise. The VSs relied on the locals to help us navigate the nuances of harbour sailing& they did not let us down. Dave, Ned & co set great courses, kept us clear of the shipping lanes & started races at just the right times to ensure fair sailing.
I commend the club to any class looking for a location to have a regatta & genuinely invite any class officials to contact me for more comments if
required.
The sailing. Final day. I will not recount the results of the earlier heats of the regatta now (because I have already done that – better read the previous reports!!!) but going into the last day Ol’ Yella held a 1 point lead from SFC Computers & Stowe Australia. And Ol’Yella & SFC were starting heat 9 on the same handicap, both giving Stowe 2 minutes. The final day was a light to moderate NE’er so the racing was always going to e close. So close that just over 6 minutes separated the fleet. Upfront Firestorm, Range& PHW again started well & had their own battle up front. PHW hopped away while Range kept the pressure on Firestorm, the latter winning by only 40 seconds. Even though they finished in 11thon scratch the Gleeson boys on Wobbygong claimed the handicap victory, albeit by 7 seconds. Further back Ol’Yella beat SFC by 13 seconds & Stowe by 2 mins &
27 secs. Enough for Ol’Yella to open up their handicap lead. All down to the final heat…
With a steady breeze& everyone feeling confident, the final race saw probably the most competitive start. With all boats getting away well it was nip & tuck for the first lap. Up front PHW picked some good shifts and opened up a nice lead from Firestorm and Range. However the first run was the finish of Range when a large yacht (under motor) showed no respect, cut them off and ruined their race. (do rich yachties know what sailing is?). In the end Firestorm gnawed through to the lead up the last work & held on down the run to take victory from PHW & Range. Significantly SFC finished 4th on scratch, beating Ol’Yella by 8 seconds. Neither result was good enough for the handicap victory on the day. Rapid Fire took this after making a fine start & showing great pace, especially upwind. Well done to Meika & her crew of local sailors – a fine example of the spirit of VS sailing.
Overall results - All down to a matter of seconds… Certainly that was the case for the handicap championship. As noted above in the final heat SFC beat Ol’Yella by just 8 seconds, but on handicap SFC also beat PHW by 6 seconds. Significantly this placed Tim 2nd& Col 4th. Gordon was only another 4 seconds behind in 5th. Less than 10 seconds between places? Picked a bad shift or done a bad tack or gybe? You could blow away more than 10 seconds easily. The fleet is that close…
So on a count back Tim, Jason & Hugh on SFC Computers were worthy winners of the handicap championship. They sailed well with no worse than 5th on scratch. They were fast in both heavy & light conditions – worthy champions!! Col, Adam & Troy put up a good battle for 2nd but had an off day mid regatta that eventually cost them, but they re-tuned and are on track again. Look out for the rest of the season. 3rd on handicap Gordon, Simon& Ryan on Stowe Australia had a few breakages & birthdays to overcome but got faster later in the regatta.
On scratch Firestorm finished 1st with a near perfect score card of 9 wins & a second. Success was mainly due to them grinding to the lead then great tactical calls and flawless crew work from Dale & Lindsay to keep them there. But the victory was closer than the card reads with most races decided by seconds. In fact Firestorm won no race by more than 2 minutes& several by less than 30 seconds. The pressure was kept on mainly by Range, but unfortunately Steve, Mick& Mark suffered a few breakages that blunted their attack. Mick, Janine & Dev on PHW had great pace on certain days but suffered on others – probably due to having little time on the boat together this season. A good result anyway. Ol’Yella were a solid 4th whilst SFC finished 5th (what else with seven 5th placings?). See the results tab for all the results.
In Closing… It really was a good regatta. We had one day of strong breezes (up to 25 knots), one day of light breezes (down to 5 knots) & the rest in the middle (= 2 swinging but few capsizes). Because of this all but a few boats performed well ie won on handicap at some stage. The fleet was not as big as hoped but due to the work of Tim (& others) we had some great ‘guest’ appearances at the regatta. I hope the wonderful experience will be enough to entice them to return for another race or two. Finally as race secretary I want to acknowledge the assistance of many in making this a
great championship series. Apart from the Port Hunter crew the VS executive all combine to ensure the series runs smoothly. Thanks all but special
thanks to Steve, Adam, Mark & Tim. Also special thanks to our partners: Liz, Linda, Wendy and the rest who took the thousands of pictures, bought trophies, arranged presentation night, etc. I know I speak for all the sailors in the fleet when I say it is really much appreciated.
Overall results are on the spreadsheets elsewhere, but for the record…
Scratch
1st Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, L Auston) 8 pts;
2nd Range (S Sims, M Sims, M Nugent) 16pts;
3rd Purple Headed Warrior (M Turton, R Devon, J Turton) 21 pts;
4th Ol’ Yella (C Gillespie, A Kelly, T Botting) 31 pts;
5thSFC Computers (T Dodds, J Fokes, H Dodds) 37pts;
6th Stowe Australia (G Fokes, S Fokes, R Fokes) 54 pts.
Handicap
1st SFC Computers (T Dodds, J Fokes, H Dodds) 29pts;
2nd Ol’ Yella (C Gillespie, A Kelly, T Botting) 29 pts;
3rdStowe Australia (G Fokes, S Fokes, R Fokes) 33 pts;
4th Purple Headed Warrior (M Turton, R Devon, J Turton) 36 pts;
5th Range (S Sims, M Sims, M Nugent) 37pts;
6th Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, L Auston) 41 pts.
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR !!!!!!
The 67th VS 15’ Skiff Australian Championships have been run & won. And I realise it might sound familiar but it was another great national series.
Each year is different (which is good) as it gives us new experiences & challenges. However in the end we all seem to end up on presentation night
full of smiles, laughs & stories. I can’t think of a better way to spend a week. So if you missed out this year make plans NOW to get to Sunshine next
year. It is locked in so it is pointless to complain. But now about this regatta…
The hosts. Port Hunter 16’ Sailing Skiff Club were the perfect hosts. As I expressed to anyone that would listen, the culture of the club is an ideal fit for the VS class. From day one we were made to feel as if the club were ours. Grahame, Todd, Dean & the rest of the executive team bent over
backwards to make us feel welcome. Want something different for lunch? No problem. The next day it is on the menu. Camping? OK, have a key to
the club so you can use the facilities. Leaving your boats here? Sure, why don’t you keep your gear in the boat shed. Need more rum? Now you’re talking, that’s our speciality…
The on-water team from the club deserves similar praise. The VSs relied on the locals to help us navigate the nuances of harbour sailing& they did not let us down. Dave, Ned & co set great courses, kept us clear of the shipping lanes & started races at just the right times to ensure fair sailing.
I commend the club to any class looking for a location to have a regatta & genuinely invite any class officials to contact me for more comments if
required.
The sailing. Final day. I will not recount the results of the earlier heats of the regatta now (because I have already done that – better read the previous reports!!!) but going into the last day Ol’ Yella held a 1 point lead from SFC Computers & Stowe Australia. And Ol’Yella & SFC were starting heat 9 on the same handicap, both giving Stowe 2 minutes. The final day was a light to moderate NE’er so the racing was always going to e close. So close that just over 6 minutes separated the fleet. Upfront Firestorm, Range& PHW again started well & had their own battle up front. PHW hopped away while Range kept the pressure on Firestorm, the latter winning by only 40 seconds. Even though they finished in 11thon scratch the Gleeson boys on Wobbygong claimed the handicap victory, albeit by 7 seconds. Further back Ol’Yella beat SFC by 13 seconds & Stowe by 2 mins &
27 secs. Enough for Ol’Yella to open up their handicap lead. All down to the final heat…
With a steady breeze& everyone feeling confident, the final race saw probably the most competitive start. With all boats getting away well it was nip & tuck for the first lap. Up front PHW picked some good shifts and opened up a nice lead from Firestorm and Range. However the first run was the finish of Range when a large yacht (under motor) showed no respect, cut them off and ruined their race. (do rich yachties know what sailing is?). In the end Firestorm gnawed through to the lead up the last work & held on down the run to take victory from PHW & Range. Significantly SFC finished 4th on scratch, beating Ol’Yella by 8 seconds. Neither result was good enough for the handicap victory on the day. Rapid Fire took this after making a fine start & showing great pace, especially upwind. Well done to Meika & her crew of local sailors – a fine example of the spirit of VS sailing.
Overall results - All down to a matter of seconds… Certainly that was the case for the handicap championship. As noted above in the final heat SFC beat Ol’Yella by just 8 seconds, but on handicap SFC also beat PHW by 6 seconds. Significantly this placed Tim 2nd& Col 4th. Gordon was only another 4 seconds behind in 5th. Less than 10 seconds between places? Picked a bad shift or done a bad tack or gybe? You could blow away more than 10 seconds easily. The fleet is that close…
So on a count back Tim, Jason & Hugh on SFC Computers were worthy winners of the handicap championship. They sailed well with no worse than 5th on scratch. They were fast in both heavy & light conditions – worthy champions!! Col, Adam & Troy put up a good battle for 2nd but had an off day mid regatta that eventually cost them, but they re-tuned and are on track again. Look out for the rest of the season. 3rd on handicap Gordon, Simon& Ryan on Stowe Australia had a few breakages & birthdays to overcome but got faster later in the regatta.
On scratch Firestorm finished 1st with a near perfect score card of 9 wins & a second. Success was mainly due to them grinding to the lead then great tactical calls and flawless crew work from Dale & Lindsay to keep them there. But the victory was closer than the card reads with most races decided by seconds. In fact Firestorm won no race by more than 2 minutes& several by less than 30 seconds. The pressure was kept on mainly by Range, but unfortunately Steve, Mick& Mark suffered a few breakages that blunted their attack. Mick, Janine & Dev on PHW had great pace on certain days but suffered on others – probably due to having little time on the boat together this season. A good result anyway. Ol’Yella were a solid 4th whilst SFC finished 5th (what else with seven 5th placings?). See the results tab for all the results.
In Closing… It really was a good regatta. We had one day of strong breezes (up to 25 knots), one day of light breezes (down to 5 knots) & the rest in the middle (= 2 swinging but few capsizes). Because of this all but a few boats performed well ie won on handicap at some stage. The fleet was not as big as hoped but due to the work of Tim (& others) we had some great ‘guest’ appearances at the regatta. I hope the wonderful experience will be enough to entice them to return for another race or two. Finally as race secretary I want to acknowledge the assistance of many in making this a
great championship series. Apart from the Port Hunter crew the VS executive all combine to ensure the series runs smoothly. Thanks all but special
thanks to Steve, Adam, Mark & Tim. Also special thanks to our partners: Liz, Linda, Wendy and the rest who took the thousands of pictures, bought trophies, arranged presentation night, etc. I know I speak for all the sailors in the fleet when I say it is really much appreciated.
Overall results are on the spreadsheets elsewhere, but for the record…
Scratch
1st Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, L Auston) 8 pts;
2nd Range (S Sims, M Sims, M Nugent) 16pts;
3rd Purple Headed Warrior (M Turton, R Devon, J Turton) 21 pts;
4th Ol’ Yella (C Gillespie, A Kelly, T Botting) 31 pts;
5thSFC Computers (T Dodds, J Fokes, H Dodds) 37pts;
6th Stowe Australia (G Fokes, S Fokes, R Fokes) 54 pts.
Handicap
1st SFC Computers (T Dodds, J Fokes, H Dodds) 29pts;
2nd Ol’ Yella (C Gillespie, A Kelly, T Botting) 29 pts;
3rdStowe Australia (G Fokes, S Fokes, R Fokes) 33 pts;
4th Purple Headed Warrior (M Turton, R Devon, J Turton) 36 pts;
5th Range (S Sims, M Sims, M Nugent) 37pts;
6th Firestorm (J Hodda, D Jacobson, L Auston) 41 pts.
SEE YOU NEXT YEAR !!!!!!
Heats 5 & 6 Summary
It might sound familiar but it was a great day of VS sailing today. If you weren’t here, you should have been. A 12-18 knots southerly with flat water and no shipping = good rides up and downwind, close racing, plenty of smiles and a bit of fun. So rather than me dribbling on with the usual summary I’ll have a boat by boat attempt (don’t forget these are my interpretations). Starting from the top…
2226 Rapid Fire –Meika needed to have a day off today so local crew Peter rested his bruises & became the finisher for the day. Thanks Pete.
2228 SFC Computers –Broke their run of 5th places with a couple of fine 4ths . Nearly claimed 3rd in the first race when attacking an ailing Range, but missed out by seconds. This result was good enough for 1ston handicap to keep them well in the race for the overall title. Also managed to find Hughey’s boot before the 2nd race after a radical gybe by Tim ripped it off his foot. Lucky for you Tim…
2231 Measurement Solutions – A better day for Peter, Dennis & Peter. No swims, no breakages, no black eyes!! (see Dennis). The boys had a good day & picked up 4th & 1st on handicap in today’s races. Making a late run at the handicap title?
2232 Add 123 –With Michael Northam on board, how can Jason & Chris not have a good time? Last seen gybing way too low for the bottom mark yet making it, the lads are starting to get it together. A minor collision with the start boat was considered to be Tim’s fault???
2235 Purple Headed Warrior – Very racey today Mick, Dev & Janine were battling for the lead in both races. Picked a couple of good lines downwind in the first race to just be beaten 16 secs for 2nd. Scored 3rdin the second race after a fired up Range chased them down.
2236 Ol’Yella -Not the best of days for Col, Adam & Troy. Picked up the monkey of 5th place in both races after re-tuning the boat. Maybe too much thought? Still looked fast so not all is lost. Or maybe it was the crash into the start boat that threw them off today?
2237 Stowe Australia –Not the best of days for one of the handicap favourites. Perhaps too many birthday brews yesterday?
Actually breakages cost the Fokes boat. A mainsail headboard ripped clear then a broken stay but the boys still managed to finish the 2ndrace (&
not hit the start boat)
2238 Wobbygong –First & best at hitting the start boat. Managed to catch the centreboard then slide up the anchor line of the starters boat until the Wobbygong landed on the starters. Also seen ‘tea-bagging’ the crew at regular intervals. To finish the Gleeson boys staged a great video of Brian back-flipping into the harbour. Check the media tab now!!
2239 Range – Frustrating for Steve, Mick & Mark, the boys are slowly rebuilding the boat throughout the series by replacing broken bits.
Today it was the jib clew board that tore off in the first heat They managed to finish 3rd, get ashore & change the jib, then get out & attack for the lead in the second race before finishing 2nd.
2241 Wildtrack –The boat was here but where was Lindsay, Alex & Tom? Hopefully we’ll see the boys back on the water tomorrow.
2242 Firestorm – Managed not to hit the start boat & won both races. Had a pretty good day…
It might sound familiar but it was a great day of VS sailing today. If you weren’t here, you should have been. A 12-18 knots southerly with flat water and no shipping = good rides up and downwind, close racing, plenty of smiles and a bit of fun. So rather than me dribbling on with the usual summary I’ll have a boat by boat attempt (don’t forget these are my interpretations). Starting from the top…
2226 Rapid Fire –Meika needed to have a day off today so local crew Peter rested his bruises & became the finisher for the day. Thanks Pete.
2228 SFC Computers –Broke their run of 5th places with a couple of fine 4ths . Nearly claimed 3rd in the first race when attacking an ailing Range, but missed out by seconds. This result was good enough for 1ston handicap to keep them well in the race for the overall title. Also managed to find Hughey’s boot before the 2nd race after a radical gybe by Tim ripped it off his foot. Lucky for you Tim…
2231 Measurement Solutions – A better day for Peter, Dennis & Peter. No swims, no breakages, no black eyes!! (see Dennis). The boys had a good day & picked up 4th & 1st on handicap in today’s races. Making a late run at the handicap title?
2232 Add 123 –With Michael Northam on board, how can Jason & Chris not have a good time? Last seen gybing way too low for the bottom mark yet making it, the lads are starting to get it together. A minor collision with the start boat was considered to be Tim’s fault???
2235 Purple Headed Warrior – Very racey today Mick, Dev & Janine were battling for the lead in both races. Picked a couple of good lines downwind in the first race to just be beaten 16 secs for 2nd. Scored 3rdin the second race after a fired up Range chased them down.
2236 Ol’Yella -Not the best of days for Col, Adam & Troy. Picked up the monkey of 5th place in both races after re-tuning the boat. Maybe too much thought? Still looked fast so not all is lost. Or maybe it was the crash into the start boat that threw them off today?
2237 Stowe Australia –Not the best of days for one of the handicap favourites. Perhaps too many birthday brews yesterday?
Actually breakages cost the Fokes boat. A mainsail headboard ripped clear then a broken stay but the boys still managed to finish the 2ndrace (&
not hit the start boat)
2238 Wobbygong –First & best at hitting the start boat. Managed to catch the centreboard then slide up the anchor line of the starters boat until the Wobbygong landed on the starters. Also seen ‘tea-bagging’ the crew at regular intervals. To finish the Gleeson boys staged a great video of Brian back-flipping into the harbour. Check the media tab now!!
2239 Range – Frustrating for Steve, Mick & Mark, the boys are slowly rebuilding the boat throughout the series by replacing broken bits.
Today it was the jib clew board that tore off in the first heat They managed to finish 3rd, get ashore & change the jib, then get out & attack for the lead in the second race before finishing 2nd.
2241 Wildtrack –The boat was here but where was Lindsay, Alex & Tom? Hopefully we’ll see the boys back on the water tomorrow.
2242 Firestorm – Managed not to hit the start boat & won both races. Had a pretty good day…
The story so far……………….
Monday 2nd - Invitation Sprint Series – Confusion
reigns!!
Rigging on a hot sunny day with a good NE breeze building. Just what every sailor wishes for?
With the clean water of Newcastle harbour at our feet & no shipping movements programmed, the fleet was eager to race. Little had we remembered what a fresh NE’er is like…...
Ten boats rigged for the series. Alas we were missing Purple Headed Warrior, Raptor and Marengo/Alex Stewart. Lining
up for the start the concept was simple. Once around the windward mark then finish through the start finish line. All boats to start the first & second
races then knock out from there to culminate in a final of 3 boats. Then it became a little confused. Before the start of the first race Wobbygong was gone with a broken backstay. The breeze freshened to 20 knot and afew skiffs hit the tide. Meika was finding out the hard way that Rapid Fire (ex Longwall Advantage) is possibly the fastest boat but also the most difficult to steer. A big swim near the rocks & and early end to the day. The Fokes boys on Stowe Australia (ex Dynamic Route) also tasted the tide and decided to save their ammunition for the series proper.
So we were now down to 7 boats with the last 2 to be excluded. The breeze freshened more as the 2nd race started. The big boys – Firestorm, Range (ex Runaway) & Ol’ Yella stomped away again, closely followed by Tim on SFC Computers (ex Add 123) and Michael Northam on Add
123 (ex Hot Tuna). Confused yet? Wait there’s more…....
In the 2ndrace Measurement Solutions decided to save their breakages for another day and decided headed to shore. Wildtrack broke a tiller extension & did similar. Unfortunately the starters did not realise this so 4th & 5th placed SFC Computers & Add 123 were sent to the shore. The starters tried to recall Tim & Mick but it was too late – they were out of range. So 3 boats lined up for the 3rd race. Firestorm & Range enjoyed
mainsail-flagging conditions whilst Ol’Yella wished for another 40kgs of crew weight. Another close race, with Firestorm finishing just ahead of Range & Ol’Yella. On the flood tide (ie flat water) Col reported a top speed of over 20 knots downwind. So there were some smiles but more confusion. Was there to be another 2 races to finish the series? Who should be still there? Was the last race of 3 the final? In the end everyone decided we’d seen the course & tested the conditions, and our boats and bodies. Still wishing for those black nor’easters?
Tuesday 3rd - Heats 1 & 2.
With the forecast of a stronger NE’er the rigging area was a little more subdued. Many crews were either repairing boats or looking for
older sails. At the start the breeze blew as predicted. Three laps with a downwind finish was considered by the committee to be enough.
Add a few shipping movements and by the end of the two heats I’m sure everyone agreed. Heat 1 saw Range jump away to a handy lead, followed by Firestorm & Ol’Yella. A little further back the attrition began. Rapid Fire, having lead off the start, had a big swim on the first run & ended up with a
DNF. Stowe also had a big swim, when the rudder broke at full pace while under spinnaker, throwing the crew through the mainsail. End of the heat. Measurement Solutions also DNF’ed, when their rudder box collapsed. Add123 also suffered a breakage, a boom vang, but battled on the finish 7th. Wobbygong was seen swimming once or twice but carried on well to get 6th. Tim, Jason & Hugh just keep getting better on SFC Computers and, whilst not in their favoured wind range, sailed well for 5th. Purple Headed Warrrior, having their first run in the VS for the season, found their old form to get a good 4th from a sometimes swimming Ol’Yella in 3rd. Swimming seemed to be the order of the day as an off-form Firestorm had a dip after finally hitting the lead, leaving Range to take an easy victory. They were in superb form all day & thus easily took out the handicap victory from Wobbygong & Firestorm. Whilst the shipping in heat 1 inconvenienced only a few, the shipping in heat 2 was a little different. The breeze backed off to only 20 knots as most of the entries lined up again for the starter. Firestorm, Range & Ol’Yella again made their way to the front of the fleet, again joined by Purple Headed Warrior and SFC Computers. The rest of the fleet battled around with the occasional swim, leading to a few retirements. Range also suffered a D1 breakage, not only knocking their speed around but also knocking a few holes in the deck. Firestorm avoided the shipping to get the win from Range. The rest of the fleet had to contend with a fleet of tugs down the last run which PHW negotiated the best to get a close 3rd from Ol’Yella whilst SFC got trapped on the Stockton bank and had to flag a kite & wait until finishing 5th. Meika, introducing another local crew to the class, continued to get to grips with Rapid Fire to finish 6th whilst Stowe showed good spirit, throwing a replacement main & rudder on the boat to start & finish 7th. On handicap the old adage “good things come to those that wait” rang true, with SFC getting the gong.
Wednesday 4th - Heats 3 & 4.
With boat repairs again filling the morning & predicted sea breezes of up to 30 knots the crews were starting to sweat this morning. But it was more likely due to the light westerly & burning sun than fear in this fleet!! (What black nor’easter?) Fortunately a light NE’er kicked just as the course was being laid. All eleven boats lined up for heat 3, with close racing the order of the day. After many tacks & gybes to avoid not only the other VS’s but also the dredge, barge, tugs & coal ships all eleven boats finished, with less than 9 minutes separating the fleet. Firestorm, Range & PHW had a great battle all day, each having a fair share of the lead until finally Firestorm got the gun from Range & PHW. Ol’Yella & SFC were within striking
distance but could do no better than 4th & 5th respectively. The Fokes boys had a good race in Stowe to get 6th on scratch, which also got them the handicap victory from SFC & Ol’Yella. With the same 5-8 knot breeze blowing heat 4 also had a full compliment of starters. Once again a close start and race ensued, with the occasional tug & big ship trying to help mix the places up. Range suffered a broken vang early on to put them back in the fleet a little, allowing Firestorm & PHW to get a little lead that they would battle over for the rest of the race. A big ship threatened to spoil their party but they quickly scampered away from it leaving the rest of the fleet to deal with the 228m long roadblock. Firestorm eventually got a break to get the victory from PHW with range recovering for 3rd. Ol’Yella again claimed 4th but at this stage the consistency award must go to SFC Computers, who again finished 5th(they have finished nowhere else!). The gap up front allowed Mick, Dev & Janine to get the handicap victory for PHW from Stowe and Rapid Fire.
Monday 2nd - Invitation Sprint Series – Confusion
reigns!!
Rigging on a hot sunny day with a good NE breeze building. Just what every sailor wishes for?
With the clean water of Newcastle harbour at our feet & no shipping movements programmed, the fleet was eager to race. Little had we remembered what a fresh NE’er is like…...
Ten boats rigged for the series. Alas we were missing Purple Headed Warrior, Raptor and Marengo/Alex Stewart. Lining
up for the start the concept was simple. Once around the windward mark then finish through the start finish line. All boats to start the first & second
races then knock out from there to culminate in a final of 3 boats. Then it became a little confused. Before the start of the first race Wobbygong was gone with a broken backstay. The breeze freshened to 20 knot and afew skiffs hit the tide. Meika was finding out the hard way that Rapid Fire (ex Longwall Advantage) is possibly the fastest boat but also the most difficult to steer. A big swim near the rocks & and early end to the day. The Fokes boys on Stowe Australia (ex Dynamic Route) also tasted the tide and decided to save their ammunition for the series proper.
So we were now down to 7 boats with the last 2 to be excluded. The breeze freshened more as the 2nd race started. The big boys – Firestorm, Range (ex Runaway) & Ol’ Yella stomped away again, closely followed by Tim on SFC Computers (ex Add 123) and Michael Northam on Add
123 (ex Hot Tuna). Confused yet? Wait there’s more…....
In the 2ndrace Measurement Solutions decided to save their breakages for another day and decided headed to shore. Wildtrack broke a tiller extension & did similar. Unfortunately the starters did not realise this so 4th & 5th placed SFC Computers & Add 123 were sent to the shore. The starters tried to recall Tim & Mick but it was too late – they were out of range. So 3 boats lined up for the 3rd race. Firestorm & Range enjoyed
mainsail-flagging conditions whilst Ol’Yella wished for another 40kgs of crew weight. Another close race, with Firestorm finishing just ahead of Range & Ol’Yella. On the flood tide (ie flat water) Col reported a top speed of over 20 knots downwind. So there were some smiles but more confusion. Was there to be another 2 races to finish the series? Who should be still there? Was the last race of 3 the final? In the end everyone decided we’d seen the course & tested the conditions, and our boats and bodies. Still wishing for those black nor’easters?
Tuesday 3rd - Heats 1 & 2.
With the forecast of a stronger NE’er the rigging area was a little more subdued. Many crews were either repairing boats or looking for
older sails. At the start the breeze blew as predicted. Three laps with a downwind finish was considered by the committee to be enough.
Add a few shipping movements and by the end of the two heats I’m sure everyone agreed. Heat 1 saw Range jump away to a handy lead, followed by Firestorm & Ol’Yella. A little further back the attrition began. Rapid Fire, having lead off the start, had a big swim on the first run & ended up with a
DNF. Stowe also had a big swim, when the rudder broke at full pace while under spinnaker, throwing the crew through the mainsail. End of the heat. Measurement Solutions also DNF’ed, when their rudder box collapsed. Add123 also suffered a breakage, a boom vang, but battled on the finish 7th. Wobbygong was seen swimming once or twice but carried on well to get 6th. Tim, Jason & Hugh just keep getting better on SFC Computers and, whilst not in their favoured wind range, sailed well for 5th. Purple Headed Warrrior, having their first run in the VS for the season, found their old form to get a good 4th from a sometimes swimming Ol’Yella in 3rd. Swimming seemed to be the order of the day as an off-form Firestorm had a dip after finally hitting the lead, leaving Range to take an easy victory. They were in superb form all day & thus easily took out the handicap victory from Wobbygong & Firestorm. Whilst the shipping in heat 1 inconvenienced only a few, the shipping in heat 2 was a little different. The breeze backed off to only 20 knots as most of the entries lined up again for the starter. Firestorm, Range & Ol’Yella again made their way to the front of the fleet, again joined by Purple Headed Warrior and SFC Computers. The rest of the fleet battled around with the occasional swim, leading to a few retirements. Range also suffered a D1 breakage, not only knocking their speed around but also knocking a few holes in the deck. Firestorm avoided the shipping to get the win from Range. The rest of the fleet had to contend with a fleet of tugs down the last run which PHW negotiated the best to get a close 3rd from Ol’Yella whilst SFC got trapped on the Stockton bank and had to flag a kite & wait until finishing 5th. Meika, introducing another local crew to the class, continued to get to grips with Rapid Fire to finish 6th whilst Stowe showed good spirit, throwing a replacement main & rudder on the boat to start & finish 7th. On handicap the old adage “good things come to those that wait” rang true, with SFC getting the gong.
Wednesday 4th - Heats 3 & 4.
With boat repairs again filling the morning & predicted sea breezes of up to 30 knots the crews were starting to sweat this morning. But it was more likely due to the light westerly & burning sun than fear in this fleet!! (What black nor’easter?) Fortunately a light NE’er kicked just as the course was being laid. All eleven boats lined up for heat 3, with close racing the order of the day. After many tacks & gybes to avoid not only the other VS’s but also the dredge, barge, tugs & coal ships all eleven boats finished, with less than 9 minutes separating the fleet. Firestorm, Range & PHW had a great battle all day, each having a fair share of the lead until finally Firestorm got the gun from Range & PHW. Ol’Yella & SFC were within striking
distance but could do no better than 4th & 5th respectively. The Fokes boys had a good race in Stowe to get 6th on scratch, which also got them the handicap victory from SFC & Ol’Yella. With the same 5-8 knot breeze blowing heat 4 also had a full compliment of starters. Once again a close start and race ensued, with the occasional tug & big ship trying to help mix the places up. Range suffered a broken vang early on to put them back in the fleet a little, allowing Firestorm & PHW to get a little lead that they would battle over for the rest of the race. A big ship threatened to spoil their party but they quickly scampered away from it leaving the rest of the fleet to deal with the 228m long roadblock. Firestorm eventually got a break to get the victory from PHW with range recovering for 3rd. Ol’Yella again claimed 4th but at this stage the consistency award must go to SFC Computers, who again finished 5th(they have finished nowhere else!). The gap up front allowed Mick, Dev & Janine to get the handicap victory for PHW from Stowe and Rapid Fire.
2010/2011 National Titles - Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Kangaroo Island Yacht Club is this years host of the 66th Annual VS National Titles.
The first thing everyone has agreed on is that the club is a ripper. A nice flat, grassed rigging area immediately out the front of a nicely laid out club with all the facilities, such as lounges, full height viewing windows, canteen, bar & no pokies. We have the run of the place & the hosts are doing everything to accommodate us. No problems on shore….
What about on water? Well no problems with a lack of breeze. For the sprint series the fleet had a constant 20 knot SE’er, and that is what the locals reckon is the norm’. Nepean Bay is big but fairly shallow so gets a short, steep chop. Not boat breaking stuff, but enough to keep the crews on their toes. The water & wind are coolish (read cooler than NSW but warmer than Port Arlington) so not much swimming between races. And the sharks are seeing the crews quick to the centreboards in the event of an unplanned swim!
Saturday 8th, January Heats 9 & 10.
Final Day 5 Races: Saturday conditions after a change overnight saw S breeze up to 18 knots on the course with short choppywateracross the Bay. All skiffs good to go & the series points focus on the 4 skiffs with 2 races to win the Handicap Championship. ADD 123, Purple Headed Warrior & Wobbygong were equal leaders on 17 points, while Wildtrack were in with a real chance on 20 points. The courses for the day were 2 upwind finishes with the top pin directly out in the Bay from the Club & the Gate marks set off the Club beach. An early start scheduled for 11:30 am had all skiffs on the water at 11:00am on a flood tide.
Heat 9: The fleet got away on starboard with plenty of pace in an excellent planning breeze. The heavier crews were hiking hard & generating good power & speed with their fuller rigs. Ol’ Yella & PHW electing to go with their older smaller main sails staying with Firestorm & Runaway to round the top mark in close company, setting kites for the first run in exciting conditions. With 1 gybe the go Firestorm, Runaway & Old Yella over cooked the approach to the gate marks & had early drops with two sail reaches into the gate. PHW had made another good call & laid the gate with their kite to put pressure on for 3rd place. The next beat & kite run saw close racing between the leaders as PHW overhauled Ol’ Yella to round 3rd. Another high speed run & back to the finish for another win to Firestorm, Runaway enjoying their favoured conditions sailed well to 2nd, PHW 3rd & Battleship also enjoying the pressure moving up on the more experience crews 4th.
Heat 10: As breeze settling at 12 – 15 knot in the S the fleet readied for their last crack at series placings. A congested boat end start saw a number of skiffs arriving at the Starters boat with high speed. As the openings on the line closed Firestorm & ADD123 tangled & capsized on the Staters Boat, leaving the starters to retire to the cabin to avoid spars & rigging. The rest of the fleet didn’t mind, powering on uphill in really good conditions. Hot Tuna, skippered by Michael Northam, Dave Mulvaney on sheet & Brad Dodds in the bow pushed PHW & Runaway for the lead. At the first mark it was Runaway from PHW, Ol’ Yella & Hot Tuna setting a new kite and on the attack. The gate marks at the bottom of the course saw Runaway 1st PHW in close pursuit & Hot Tuna well an truly challenging as they went through Ol’ Yella to port, just as the yellow boat capsized on the gybe to the left gate pin. Firestorm had recovered from last place & was now well in the mix with tremendous determination closing the gap & powering towards the leaders. In the condition easing, Firestorm was well in touch with PHW & Runaway by the 2nd top mark & headed Runaway at the last gate marks after a spectacular downwind leg. Firestorm went on to finish 1st, Runaway 2nd, PHW 3rd, Hot Tuna 4th & Ol’ Yella 5th. The Handicap title contenders did it hard with hcp heat places of ADD123 9th, Wobbygong 8th, Wildtrack 5th with the well sailed PHW 2nd . Hot Tuna scored a popular 1st on handicap on the back of their 4th on Scratch.
Final Series Results:
Scratch: 1st Firestorm (9pts), 2nd Runaway (23pts), 3rd Ol’Yella (27 pts), 4th PHW (29pts) 5th ADD123(39pts)
Handicap: 1st PHW ( 25pts), 2nd Wildtrack (30pts), 3rd Battleship (31pts), 4th Wobbygong (32pts), 5th ADD123 (33pts)
Heat 9: The fleet got away on starboard with plenty of pace in an excellent planning breeze. The heavier crews were hiking hard & generating good power & speed with their fuller rigs. Ol’ Yella & PHW electing to go with their older smaller main sails staying with Firestorm & Runaway to round the top mark in close company, setting kites for the first run in exciting conditions. With 1 gybe the go Firestorm, Runaway & Old Yella over cooked the approach to the gate marks & had early drops with two sail reaches into the gate. PHW had made another good call & laid the gate with their kite to put pressure on for 3rd place. The next beat & kite run saw close racing between the leaders as PHW overhauled Ol’ Yella to round 3rd. Another high speed run & back to the finish for another win to Firestorm, Runaway enjoying their favoured conditions sailed well to 2nd, PHW 3rd & Battleship also enjoying the pressure moving up on the more experience crews 4th.
Heat 10: As breeze settling at 12 – 15 knot in the S the fleet readied for their last crack at series placings. A congested boat end start saw a number of skiffs arriving at the Starters boat with high speed. As the openings on the line closed Firestorm & ADD123 tangled & capsized on the Staters Boat, leaving the starters to retire to the cabin to avoid spars & rigging. The rest of the fleet didn’t mind, powering on uphill in really good conditions. Hot Tuna, skippered by Michael Northam, Dave Mulvaney on sheet & Brad Dodds in the bow pushed PHW & Runaway for the lead. At the first mark it was Runaway from PHW, Ol’ Yella & Hot Tuna setting a new kite and on the attack. The gate marks at the bottom of the course saw Runaway 1st PHW in close pursuit & Hot Tuna well an truly challenging as they went through Ol’ Yella to port, just as the yellow boat capsized on the gybe to the left gate pin. Firestorm had recovered from last place & was now well in the mix with tremendous determination closing the gap & powering towards the leaders. In the condition easing, Firestorm was well in touch with PHW & Runaway by the 2nd top mark & headed Runaway at the last gate marks after a spectacular downwind leg. Firestorm went on to finish 1st, Runaway 2nd, PHW 3rd, Hot Tuna 4th & Ol’ Yella 5th. The Handicap title contenders did it hard with hcp heat places of ADD123 9th, Wobbygong 8th, Wildtrack 5th with the well sailed PHW 2nd . Hot Tuna scored a popular 1st on handicap on the back of their 4th on Scratch.
Final Series Results:
Scratch: 1st Firestorm (9pts), 2nd Runaway (23pts), 3rd Ol’Yella (27 pts), 4th PHW (29pts) 5th ADD123(39pts)
Handicap: 1st PHW ( 25pts), 2nd Wildtrack (30pts), 3rd Battleship (31pts), 4th Wobbygong (32pts), 5th ADD123 (33pts)
Day 3 - Heat 5 & 6
A light breeze & a shark has the fleet talking…….
So much for the fears that the fleet would be blown off the water at KI each day. On this warm day the breeze struggled to reach 5 knots all afternoon. This meant the racing was tedious but close. At least the dolphins & penguins keep some of the crews entertained…
Heat 5 started with the fleet all on the line & very racy. Good starts by all saw many crossed tacks up the first work, with those boats tacking into the beach picking nice lifts. Among those boats were Add123, Wildtrack, Battleship & Firestorm. Wildtrack lead onto the run whilst some of the lighter crews, such as Ol’Yella & Wobbygong picked off the heavyweights. Actually Brian, Tim & Daniel were having such a great day that they took the lead by the lee mark & sailed away from the fleet. Wildtrack was also having a good day, moving into 2nd up the long work, with Firestorm & Battleship fighting off the rapidly approaching Ol’ Yella & Runaway. Add123 were also in the mix until a crash gybe lead to a quick swim. Hot Tuna & Purple Headed Warrior were still lurking but it was hard to make up time on this course.
Onto the run to the finish that ‘shark’, Wobbygong, held a nice lead and held on claim the scratch win by less than a second from Firestorm, with Wildtrack only 3 secs further back. Battleship sailed well to finish 4th just a few seconds further back, with the ever consistent Ol’Yella in 5th. The younger crews dominated the handicap places, with Wildtrack getting the victory from Wobbygong, Battleship & Add123.
After a quick change to the course, Heat 6 got underway, albeit in even less breeze. Once again a clear start by all saw the boats sailing the shore side of the work favoured. Firestorm lead for the first lap as once again the light weather experts in Add123, Wobbygong & Ol’Yella taunted the heavier crews with their speed.
Up the next work the breeze dropped a little & oscillated, frustrating the leaders. But Runaway & Purple Headed Warrior picked the shifts well & moved through the fleet to be contention at the windward mark. Once again it was decision time, with Firestorm, Ol’Yella & Battleship choosing to run down the Redbanks side of the course, Runaway chose the middle, and the rest including Add123, Hot Tuna & PHW staying on the previously favoured shore side. The end result? All boats looked to have picked the correct line at some time but in the end all the fleet were pretty well together again at the lee marks, with just the final work & run to the finish to go.
With no-one wanting to give up the left side of the course a few boats risked hitting the rocks, but it was reasoned that at the speed most were travelling little damage would have been the result. As it turned out, everyone avoided the bottom, and with good tacking skills, Purple Headed Warrior rounded the top mark 1st for a comfortable win from Firestorm & Runaway. Wobbygong again charged through the fleet to finish 4th from Ol’Yella & Add123.
To demonstrate the closeness of the fleet in these conditions, less than 5 minutes separated all finishers. This of course makes the handicap a close affair but today there was no stopping Peter, Steve & Ryan on PHW, who easily took the handicap win as well. Wobbygong again placed well in 2nd, with Wildtrack in 3rd & Add 123 in 4th.
With even lighter conditions forecast for day 4, the series is anyones (you could probably get odds of 9-1 on some boats). Handicap leader Wobbygong will be hoping the forecast is correct, whilst 2nd & 3rd placed PHW & Wildtrack seem to sail well in anything. Add123 is lurking in 4th & with a nice handicap is ready to strike at the right time. Could be today???
So much for the fears that the fleet would be blown off the water at KI each day. On this warm day the breeze struggled to reach 5 knots all afternoon. This meant the racing was tedious but close. At least the dolphins & penguins keep some of the crews entertained…
Heat 5 started with the fleet all on the line & very racy. Good starts by all saw many crossed tacks up the first work, with those boats tacking into the beach picking nice lifts. Among those boats were Add123, Wildtrack, Battleship & Firestorm. Wildtrack lead onto the run whilst some of the lighter crews, such as Ol’Yella & Wobbygong picked off the heavyweights. Actually Brian, Tim & Daniel were having such a great day that they took the lead by the lee mark & sailed away from the fleet. Wildtrack was also having a good day, moving into 2nd up the long work, with Firestorm & Battleship fighting off the rapidly approaching Ol’ Yella & Runaway. Add123 were also in the mix until a crash gybe lead to a quick swim. Hot Tuna & Purple Headed Warrior were still lurking but it was hard to make up time on this course.
Onto the run to the finish that ‘shark’, Wobbygong, held a nice lead and held on claim the scratch win by less than a second from Firestorm, with Wildtrack only 3 secs further back. Battleship sailed well to finish 4th just a few seconds further back, with the ever consistent Ol’Yella in 5th. The younger crews dominated the handicap places, with Wildtrack getting the victory from Wobbygong, Battleship & Add123.
After a quick change to the course, Heat 6 got underway, albeit in even less breeze. Once again a clear start by all saw the boats sailing the shore side of the work favoured. Firestorm lead for the first lap as once again the light weather experts in Add123, Wobbygong & Ol’Yella taunted the heavier crews with their speed.
Up the next work the breeze dropped a little & oscillated, frustrating the leaders. But Runaway & Purple Headed Warrior picked the shifts well & moved through the fleet to be contention at the windward mark. Once again it was decision time, with Firestorm, Ol’Yella & Battleship choosing to run down the Redbanks side of the course, Runaway chose the middle, and the rest including Add123, Hot Tuna & PHW staying on the previously favoured shore side. The end result? All boats looked to have picked the correct line at some time but in the end all the fleet were pretty well together again at the lee marks, with just the final work & run to the finish to go.
With no-one wanting to give up the left side of the course a few boats risked hitting the rocks, but it was reasoned that at the speed most were travelling little damage would have been the result. As it turned out, everyone avoided the bottom, and with good tacking skills, Purple Headed Warrior rounded the top mark 1st for a comfortable win from Firestorm & Runaway. Wobbygong again charged through the fleet to finish 4th from Ol’Yella & Add123.
To demonstrate the closeness of the fleet in these conditions, less than 5 minutes separated all finishers. This of course makes the handicap a close affair but today there was no stopping Peter, Steve & Ryan on PHW, who easily took the handicap win as well. Wobbygong again placed well in 2nd, with Wildtrack in 3rd & Add 123 in 4th.
With even lighter conditions forecast for day 4, the series is anyones (you could probably get odds of 9-1 on some boats). Handicap leader Wobbygong will be hoping the forecast is correct, whilst 2nd & 3rd placed PHW & Wildtrack seem to sail well in anything. Add123 is lurking in 4th & with a nice handicap is ready to strike at the right time. Could be today???
A detailed version including heat to heat results is available in the Results section.
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Invitation Sprint Series.
With Wobbygong still in transit 8 boats lined up for the first race. The traditional knockout series was to have all 8 boats line up for the second race too but Wildtrack withdrew after Jake copped a blow to the head. Hot Tuna (Mick, Dave & Brad) also started this race but had to retire after breaking a couple of trapezes. They had already broken one in the first race so headed to shore to start looking for spares. The race action in these heats saw Runaway & Firestorm at the front, within boat lengths of each other. Col, Adam & Meika on Ol’ Yella were coming to grips with being lightweights but sailed well for a pair of 3rd places. Peter, Steve & Ryan got the Purple Headed Warrior jumping to get one up on the boys (Jonathan, Andrew & Dean) in Battleship in heat 1, only to see the boys reverse the result in heat 2. Tim, Jason & Hugh did it easy in Add 123, getting the feel of the place in a couple of races but headed to shore before needing spare parts.
The 3rd race saw similar results to the first two, except PHW retired after breaking a D2 -where is Dev when you need him!!. As the final heat counted down and tensions grew, Runaway & Firestorm circled each other but Ol’ Yella decided to save it for another day and headed for home. Runaway, with speed to burn, got the best of the start & the tactical duel, leading Firestorm around the top mark by a few boat lengths. A good kite set saw them increase this lead but in hindsight might have been costly. When both boats gybed & were struggling to make the leeward marks, Firestorm was able to hold the kite for a bit longer & took the lead. With no more than a boat length between them, they split tacks & headed for the finish. In the end Firestorm got the win, by about 1 boat length!!
So with no major damage, the crews enjoyed the welcome BBQ & started planning how to beat their rivals over the next week. And it seems that watching them drift away will not be an option….
The 3rd race saw similar results to the first two, except PHW retired after breaking a D2 -where is Dev when you need him!!. As the final heat counted down and tensions grew, Runaway & Firestorm circled each other but Ol’ Yella decided to save it for another day and headed for home. Runaway, with speed to burn, got the best of the start & the tactical duel, leading Firestorm around the top mark by a few boat lengths. A good kite set saw them increase this lead but in hindsight might have been costly. When both boats gybed & were struggling to make the leeward marks, Firestorm was able to hold the kite for a bit longer & took the lead. With no more than a boat length between them, they split tacks & headed for the finish. In the end Firestorm got the win, by about 1 boat length!!
So with no major damage, the crews enjoyed the welcome BBQ & started planning how to beat their rivals over the next week. And it seems that watching them drift away will not be an option….
Day 1
A firm SE’er sorts out the Fleet.
Heats 1 & 2 of the 66th VS National Titles have been sailed at Kangaroo Island Yacht Club. And I doubt there would be one sailor who would complain about a lack of breeze so far. The fleet today rigged in a consistent 20 knot SE’er that didn’t ease. Reports from various sources ranged the wind from 18 knots to 25 knots. Whatever, it led to many experiences….
The fleet was pleased to welcome Brian, Tim & Daniel from Wobbygong when they arrived safely today to join the fleet. Brian’s thoughts of the hot Hay Plains crossing were soon forgotten when he put the boat in the water and promptly introduced the mast tip to Nepean Bay. Cool.
With the rest of the fleet becoming used to the conditions the start line was fiercely contested, with Firestorm, Runaway, Hot Tuna, Purple Headed Warrior, Battleship, Add 123 & Ol’ Yella all on the line for the gun. And all were close at the top mark until the carnage began.
First to come to grief was Hot Tuna. A big wave led to a broken rudder which led to a capsize that led to the crew trying osmosis through the sails. That last bit doesn’t work. End of the day! The sponsor of Hot Tuna, Tim, saw this all developing & headed to shore himself to make sure Add 123 has some spares after day 1….
On the course, Firestorm won by a small margin from Ol’ Yella. Runaway climbed back through the fleet to finish 3rd after an early swim avoiding a collision. Purple Headed Warrior sailed a nice race to finish 4th, importantly beating rivals Battleship in 5th. Wildtrack had a couple of swims but came home 6th, not far ahead of Brian, Tim & Daniel On Wobbygong in 7th. It was a hard initiation for the Hawkesbury boys but they persevered & got 7th & a few good spinnaker runs!! Handicap honours went to the ever consistent Ol’ Yella.
Heat 2 saw more carnage. Purple Headed Warrior rounded the top mark in good shape, only to have a wave break the rudder & hurl the crew through the sails. Wildtrack did similar. Battleship & Wobbygong both had lesser problems but ended up with DNF’s. So this left three. Firestorm held a small lead around the first mark after Runaway towed some crew behind the boat for a while. Ol’ Yella was not far behind. After some exhilarating spinnaker runs & gruelling works, the margins were close but the positions remained unchanged. A nice handicap saw Runaway take the gong.
Heats 1 & 2 of the 66th VS National Titles have been sailed at Kangaroo Island Yacht Club. And I doubt there would be one sailor who would complain about a lack of breeze so far. The fleet today rigged in a consistent 20 knot SE’er that didn’t ease. Reports from various sources ranged the wind from 18 knots to 25 knots. Whatever, it led to many experiences….
The fleet was pleased to welcome Brian, Tim & Daniel from Wobbygong when they arrived safely today to join the fleet. Brian’s thoughts of the hot Hay Plains crossing were soon forgotten when he put the boat in the water and promptly introduced the mast tip to Nepean Bay. Cool.
With the rest of the fleet becoming used to the conditions the start line was fiercely contested, with Firestorm, Runaway, Hot Tuna, Purple Headed Warrior, Battleship, Add 123 & Ol’ Yella all on the line for the gun. And all were close at the top mark until the carnage began.
First to come to grief was Hot Tuna. A big wave led to a broken rudder which led to a capsize that led to the crew trying osmosis through the sails. That last bit doesn’t work. End of the day! The sponsor of Hot Tuna, Tim, saw this all developing & headed to shore himself to make sure Add 123 has some spares after day 1….
On the course, Firestorm won by a small margin from Ol’ Yella. Runaway climbed back through the fleet to finish 3rd after an early swim avoiding a collision. Purple Headed Warrior sailed a nice race to finish 4th, importantly beating rivals Battleship in 5th. Wildtrack had a couple of swims but came home 6th, not far ahead of Brian, Tim & Daniel On Wobbygong in 7th. It was a hard initiation for the Hawkesbury boys but they persevered & got 7th & a few good spinnaker runs!! Handicap honours went to the ever consistent Ol’ Yella.
Heat 2 saw more carnage. Purple Headed Warrior rounded the top mark in good shape, only to have a wave break the rudder & hurl the crew through the sails. Wildtrack did similar. Battleship & Wobbygong both had lesser problems but ended up with DNF’s. So this left three. Firestorm held a small lead around the first mark after Runaway towed some crew behind the boat for a while. Ol’ Yella was not far behind. After some exhilarating spinnaker runs & gruelling works, the margins were close but the positions remained unchanged. A nice handicap saw Runaway take the gong.
Day 2 - Heats 3 & 4
A better breeze for sailing…….
What a contrast! After the firm breeze of day 1, today saw Heats 3 & 4 of the National Titles sailed in much calmer, and warmer, conditions. And as seen by the results, the conditions produced much closer racing for all entrants.
Firstly, it should be noted, that ALL entrants lined up again for day 2. It took some effort, & great support from the locals, but all boats were as good, if not better, than when they started the previous day. Plenty of stories to be told later, but as an example a very clever local went to the local hardware shop, purchased some material then proceeded to repair the sails torn from crew jumping through them. He did a great job and charged about $20. He then repaired a rudder or two after dinner. When I say this guy is clever, he is driving around in a very schmick AC Cobra he built himself….
Heat 3 began with a light easterly of around 5 knots. A good even start by all saw some of the ‘heavyweights’ in Hot Tuna, Firestorm, Ol’ Yella & Runaway head to the left of the course, whilst others including Purple Headed Warrior, Wildtrack, & Battleship headed right. Good move! The further up the work the more the breeze freshened from the right. With Hugh & Jason calling the shots, Add 123 was furthest right & was first round the top mark by 2 minutes from PHW, themselves another minute in front of the pack.
Unfortunately, the change in wind direction made the course pretty much a soldiers course for the next 2 laps, with a tight spinnaker run followed by a 2 tack work. But the increasing breeze made sure crews had to work hard anyway. Firestorm had some nice speed & picked the next work well to gain a lead they held to the finish. Peter, Steve & Ryan are just going about business without fuss on PHW and sailed a great race to finish 2nd. The tight runs were just right for the ‘more powerful’ crews with Runaway & Battleship were moving through the pack to finish 3rd & 4th respectively. Add 123 held on for a handy 5th. With the race time difference between the 1st & last boat only 7 minutes, it showed that many boats sailed above their ‘weight’, with Wobbygong the best, easily winning handicap from PHW & Battleship.
A quick course change and Heat 4 got underway in near perfect conditions. Good, clean water (with not a stink boat in sight) and 12 – 15 knots saw the VS’s at their best. Again to emphasize the good sailing within the fleet, less than 10 minutes separated 1st & last on this longer downwind finish race.
Firestorm got off to a good start to lead around the top mark until the finish. Ol’ Yella was not far behind & with good downwind sailing kept the pressure on the old fellas up front. Runaway never really hit their straps in this heat but still managed 3rd. But the start of this heat was Add 123, showing that with some reasonable conditions they are fast. Finishing 4th over the line the boys easily won handicap honors from Wobbygong & Battleship.
What a contrast! After the firm breeze of day 1, today saw Heats 3 & 4 of the National Titles sailed in much calmer, and warmer, conditions. And as seen by the results, the conditions produced much closer racing for all entrants.
Firstly, it should be noted, that ALL entrants lined up again for day 2. It took some effort, & great support from the locals, but all boats were as good, if not better, than when they started the previous day. Plenty of stories to be told later, but as an example a very clever local went to the local hardware shop, purchased some material then proceeded to repair the sails torn from crew jumping through them. He did a great job and charged about $20. He then repaired a rudder or two after dinner. When I say this guy is clever, he is driving around in a very schmick AC Cobra he built himself….
Heat 3 began with a light easterly of around 5 knots. A good even start by all saw some of the ‘heavyweights’ in Hot Tuna, Firestorm, Ol’ Yella & Runaway head to the left of the course, whilst others including Purple Headed Warrior, Wildtrack, & Battleship headed right. Good move! The further up the work the more the breeze freshened from the right. With Hugh & Jason calling the shots, Add 123 was furthest right & was first round the top mark by 2 minutes from PHW, themselves another minute in front of the pack.
Unfortunately, the change in wind direction made the course pretty much a soldiers course for the next 2 laps, with a tight spinnaker run followed by a 2 tack work. But the increasing breeze made sure crews had to work hard anyway. Firestorm had some nice speed & picked the next work well to gain a lead they held to the finish. Peter, Steve & Ryan are just going about business without fuss on PHW and sailed a great race to finish 2nd. The tight runs were just right for the ‘more powerful’ crews with Runaway & Battleship were moving through the pack to finish 3rd & 4th respectively. Add 123 held on for a handy 5th. With the race time difference between the 1st & last boat only 7 minutes, it showed that many boats sailed above their ‘weight’, with Wobbygong the best, easily winning handicap from PHW & Battleship.
A quick course change and Heat 4 got underway in near perfect conditions. Good, clean water (with not a stink boat in sight) and 12 – 15 knots saw the VS’s at their best. Again to emphasize the good sailing within the fleet, less than 10 minutes separated 1st & last on this longer downwind finish race.
Firestorm got off to a good start to lead around the top mark until the finish. Ol’ Yella was not far behind & with good downwind sailing kept the pressure on the old fellas up front. Runaway never really hit their straps in this heat but still managed 3rd. But the start of this heat was Add 123, showing that with some reasonable conditions they are fast. Finishing 4th over the line the boys easily won handicap honors from Wobbygong & Battleship.
