It was a busy afternoon on the water with both the Port Macquarie Sailing Club and Yacht Clubs hosting races on the Hastings River, together with several other sail boats hitting the water for shakedown runs or introducing new sailors to the sport, but not participating in the races.
With the river approaching the high-tide mark and a nice 7 or 8 knot northerly, a long course was set for Race 3 of the sailing clubs spring racing program. But, on the starter’s gun, the wind dropped resulting in a close-packed and frustrating first lap with lots of discussions about the need to alter the course or bring out the shortened course flag. Fortunately, the wind became stronger and a more consistent 10 knot nor’easter allowed for the planned course to be completed.
Paul Robertson and Kate Copeland in Flembouyant made an early push for the front of the monohull fleet, but their smiles were reined in by Jim Kerrison and Deb Stening in Water Rat as soon as the kite was deployed. Hard work kept Flembouyant in front. With yardsticks applied the margin increased. After Water Rat, Warren Sykes was close behind in Runamuck. Martina Holt in Spellbound and Steve Couch in Lazybuoy had a close race with Spellbound taking the lead downwind with Lazybuoy stealing it back upwind. In the last few metres, Lazybuoy nosed ahead for fourth position. Next were Simon Gandy and Chelsea Copeland in Voyager, Elsa Gandy and Zoe Copeland in Up Beat, Steve and Lucy Bohlsen in Interceptor and Kieran and Andrew Copeland in Big Bang. Tony Walker in Deep Purple did not finish. Handicap results will be available after the next race.
The Catamaran Division saw two entrants. Frank O’Rourke on Turbo took the win while Stuart Symons’s first race on Rainbow found a leak in one hull resulting in some challenging asymmetric sailing conditions and forced retirement before ending the race.
Next week will be a double-header starting with the postponed Race 1 of the Spring Season, starting at 11am. Rob Barwick is rostered on duty. After a BBQ lunch, the first Handicap Start Race will start at 1pm. Rohan Nosworthy is on duty.
