Port Macquarie Sailing Club’s first double header of the season was held on Sunday consisting of Race 2 of the Summer Season, and the 4^th Club Championship. The first race was held in light and patchy 5 to 7 knot breeze that swung from SW to SE keeping sailors on toes and with eyes peeled to avoid the dreaded “holes”.

In the murky water and run in tide, Frank O’Rourke on Dino set a cracking pace for the catamaran division, and was followed home by Tony Kuhn on Stella.

In the monohull division, Simon Gandy in Sail Fish took the yardstick win, followed by Warren Sykes in Runamuck, Martina Holt in Spellbound, Grady, Liz and Gus McNee in Better Than Ballet, Steve Bohlsen (sailing solo) in Interceptor, Terry Howard in Ratz, Steve Couch in Lazybuoy, Andrew Richards in Impulsive, and Tony Walker in Deep Purple. There are no handicap results until after Race 3. It was great to see Andrew back on the water after a long hiatus and we hope the disused sailing muscles are not complaining this morning.

During lunch, the breeze picked up an extra couple knots and settled down to a sou’easter. Also, the tide turned allowing an opportunity to hit the same debris flowing in the opposite direction.

The 4^th Club Championship race start was an exciting affair. With an extra couple boats arriving over lunch and just the one start, it was a little tight on the line. Dino took a long approach to the start line but rocketed through the fleet and was in front before the canals and stayed there for the duration. Stella followed for second yardstick place, but in the handicap results, the positions were reversed.

In the monohull division, Roger Shipton in Zazoo was in a commanding position on the start line but unfortunately a broken mast caused a premature end to the day’s racing. Impulsive, now with Paul Robertson at the helm, gave Runamuck some new competition at the pointy end of the fleet and took the win. Third on yardstick was Spellbound, followed by Ratz, Better Than Ballet, Interceptor, Stuart Symons in Elmo, Layzbuoy, Simon Gandy and Kieran Copeland in Flying Fish, and Deep Purple.

Handicap results for the monohulls saw Elmo in the lead followed by Deep Purple, Lazybuoy, Ratz, Spellbound, Runamuck, Better than Ballet, Interceptor, Impulsive, and Flying Fish.

Elsa Gandy and Zoe Copeland in Sail Fish competed in the Junior division taking the win on both yardstick and handicap.

Next week will be Race 6 in the Handicap start series with Tony Kuhn rostered on duty.

Steve Couch – Publicity Officer

0417 667 879

publicityofficerpmsc@gmail.com