It was a mixed bag of conditions for Port Macquarie Sailing Club’s double header on Sunday – a morning of light and patchy breeze for Race 6 of the spring season followed by a nice 15-17 knot nor’easter for the 3rd Club Championship in the afternoon.
Three laps were optimistically planned for the first race of the day. It took 10 minutes for all starters to cross the line, and by the time the leaders reached the first mark, the course was shortened to just one more mark and then the finish line.
In the monohull division Martina Holt in Spellbound took advantage of the light conditions to take the win followed by Jeff Walsh in Serenity, Steve Couch in Lazybuoy, and Tony Walker in Deep Purple. Next across the finish was Steve Bohlsen in Interceptor, who was having trouble keeping his crew, Lucy, awake in the boring conditions. Simon Gandy and Zoe Copeland in Upbeat were next followed by Andrew, Kieran and Chelsea Copeland in Big Bang. Rob Barwick in Impulsive did not finish in the frustrating conditions. With handicaps applied, the result was: Deep Purple, Spellbound, Lazybuoy, Serenity, Interceptor, Big Bang, and Upbeat.
There were only two entrants in the catamaran division. Scott Witchard on Hummer crossed the finish line first followed by Tony Kuhn on Stella. Handicaps reversed the result.
After lunch, the course changed for the afternoon event and a few late sleepers arrived to build the numbers. Warren Sykes in Runamuck got off to a good start and managed to stay in front even when shadowed by some yachts also racing on the river. Serenity and Terry Howard in Flying Dragon kept the pressure on but couldn’t get past. Next were Upbeat (now with Kieran Copland as crew), Impulsive, Spellbound and Interceptor. Big Bang (now with only Chelsea as crew) needed a few extra kilos of ballast in the stronger wind and unfortunately did not finish. Handicap results were: Runamuck, Flying Dragon, Impulsive, Upbeat, Serenity, Spellbound, Interceptor.
Frank O’Rourke on Turbo led for the entire catamaran race to take the win followed by Stella, Hummer and Stuart Symons on Rainbow. Handicaps shuffled the results to: Turbo, Hummer, Rainbow and Stella.
A special thank you to Kelly and Abbie Witchard for helping out in the starter’s box.
Next Sunday will be Sprint Races 11-15 starting 12:30pm. Simon Gandy is rostered on duty.
