With two races on Sunday, Port Macquarie Sailing Club members were pleased to feel a nice 10 knot east nor’easter while rigging up and read a forecast that promised winds to increase for the afternoon event.
Race 4 of the spring season started first with the tide just starting to come in. Steve Couch in Lazybuoy got off to a good start but was soon reeled in by Martina Holt in Spellbound and Roger Shipton in Gift. Spellbound eventually made the most of the conditions to take the yardstick win in the monohull division followed by Gift and Lazybuoy. While Simon Gandy and Chelsea Copeland took line honours in Up Beat, they were relegated to fourth place on yardstick followed by Andrew and Kieran Copeland in Big Bang. Steve and Lucy Bohlsen in Interceptor got in some good kite practice and an out-of-practice Mitch Dawson in Impetuous rounded out the results. No handicap results this week due to a computer glitch.
There were only two catamaran division entrants with Dave Winter on Spica taking the win in front of Stuart Symons on Rainbow.
During lunch the winds increased a couple knots and blew in a few more entrants for the 2nd Club Championship race. The course was extended and the buoys opposite Jordans were added to the course to funnel competitors through a narrow slot near to spectators for a gybe to the next mark. A challenge for the close-packed middle fleet when one of the 15 knot gusts comes through.
Jim Kerrison and Deb Stening in Death Defying Too put on another masterclass taking line honours and the yardstick win. Warren Sykes in Runamuck was next followed by Terry Howard in his new craft, conveniently rechristened Flying Dragon to match his last. Up Beat, now with Kieran as crew, recorded 4th place again, but this time in front of Gift, Lazybuoy, Interceptor, Impetuous and Big Bang with Chelsea now as crew.
Only one catamaran division entrant means Spica takes the Club Championship points!
Next week will be Race 2 of the Handicap Start Series starting at 1:30pm. Warren Sykes is rostered on duty.
