A light 8-10 knot ENE and high tide welcomed sailors on Sunday for the first race of Port Macquarie Sailing Club's double header featuring Race 5 of the Spring Series followed by the 3rd Club Championship. With the tide only just starting to run out, the light conditions were not an inconvenience, but did whet the appetite for a bit more wind which was forecast for the afternoon.
In a close finish in the catamaran division, Tony Kuhn on Stella took the win just in front of Rob Barwick on Drift, and Dave Winter on Spica. Handicap results were identical.
In the monohull division, Martina Holt in Spellbound was in front once yardsticks were applied, followed by Paul Robertson and Caleb Bohlsen in Flembouyant, Terry Howard in Ratz, Kelly Witchard in Devocean, Steve Couch in Lazybuoy, Stuart Symons and Kieran Copeland in Elmo, Max Hachtmann in Gift, and Adam Pilcher sailing solo in Red Star. Handicap results were almost identical with Lazybuoy and Devocean swapping places.
Juniors had only one entrant with Zoe Copeland skippering with Simon Gandy in Sailfish.
After lunch, a few more competitors arrived, together with the forecast increase in wind strength – up to 14-15 knots with gusts as high as 18. The outgoing tide, now running strong, combined with the opposing wind to make some choppy conditions for competitors.
In the 3rd Club championship catamaran division, Frank O'Rourke on Dino had a convincing win, followed by Stella and Jack Corthals on Harpic. Drift and Spica did not finish. On handicap, Harpic took the win followed by Stella and Dino.
It was also an exciting afternoon in the monohull division with only the skilled or very lucky avoiding capsize practice. Jim Kerrison and Deb Stenning in Death Defying lead on yardstick followed by Flembouyant, Spellbound, Roger Shipton in Zazoo, Lazybuoy, Elmo, Tony Walker in Deep Purple, Gift, and Adam Pilcher, now sailing with Kelly Witchard on Red Star. Ratz did not finish. Handicaps shuffled the results with Deep Purple taking the win followed by Spellbound, Death Defying, Red Star, Zazoo, Lazybuoy, Flembouyant, Gift, and Elmo.
In the junior division, Sailfish took the win on both yardstick and handicap in front of Yang sailed by Oliver Houghton. Drake Houghton on Yin did not finish.
Sailing on Sunday is another double header for the Ted Kuhn Cup with races starting at 11am and 1pm. A barbecue lunch will be held again with COVID precautions.
Steve Couch - Publicity Officer
0417 667 879
publicityofficerpmsc@gmail.com
