Port Macquarie Sailing Club

16-2-25

PORT Macquarie Sailing Club held their double header races on Sunday, consisting of Summer Series Race 4 at 11.30am and the 4^th Club Championship starting at 2pm. The morning race was raced in the start of a big run-out tide with a nice little North Easter, and consisted of a work to a Port mark off Girraween road, a long run up to another Port mark across the river from the Governors Way Canal, and a reach across to the final Port mark just out off the canal before a work back to the Start/finish line to complete the lap. The afternoon race saw the strength of the run-out tide increasing and the North Easter strengthening slightly, so the course was extended by moving the first Port Mark out off the mouth of Limeburners Creek. Gary and Kim Herbert set the course and the race was sailed in warm conditions with a lot of hazy overcast patches.

Race 4 of the Summer Series in the morning saw 4 Arrow catamarans start their race of 3 laps. Frank O’Rourke on ‘Zero’ was first around the course for the scratch win ahead of Scott Witchard on ‘Lukim-Yu’, Tony Kuhn and his Grandson Julian on ‘Stella’, and Jack Corthals on ‘Crackerjack’. The handicap results were the same order.

The morning race 4 for the Monohulls saw a very tight tussle between the 3 Impulses for the entire 2 lap race, with Jeff Walsh in ‘Serenity’ taking the yardstick win by 18 seconds over Terry Howard in ‘Flying Dragon’ who was only 7 seconds ahead of 3^rd placed Rob Barwick in ‘Drift’. Simon Gandy and Esra Mert in their NS14 ‘Up-Beat’ were 4^th followed by Steve Couch in his Laser ‘Lazybuoy’, Dave McNeil and Reuban Nees in the Tasar ‘Toy of Joy’, and Steve and Lucy Bohlsen in their MG14 ‘Interceptor’. The monohull handicap results were also in the same order.

The Arrow cats’ 4th Club Championship race in the afternoon again saw ‘Zero’ take both the scratch and handicap wins in the 4 lap race from ‘Stella’, this time without Julian, and ‘Crackerjack’. ‘Lukim-Yu’ raced with daughter Abbey but failed to finish. Again the handicap results were the same.

The monohulls’ 4^th Club Championship in the afternoon saw the Impulses ahead on yardstick again in this 3 lap race. ‘Drift’ took the win after overtaking ‘Serenity’ halfway through the race in another tight tussle, Paul Robertson and Warren Sykes in the Tasar ‘Flembouyant’ took the 3^rd place and ‘Up-Beat’ was the 4^th finisher. Interceptor had spinnaker problems and failed to finish. Once again, the handicap results were the same order.

Next Sunday is Race 3 of the Handicap Start Series starting at 2pm. Simon Gandy is rostered on duty.

By Jeff WALSH