Australia Day turns it on for Yachties at Port Macquarie Yacht Club

AUSTRALIA Day weekend  was characterised by strong to near gale force winds that produced lively conditions that saw sailors abilities tested on both regular Sunday racing, and more so, on Australia Day Monday. 

The Port Macquarie Yacht Club ran events on both days, a three lap river event on Sunday and a three race regatta on Australia Day.

Five yachts and one multihull  faced the starter in Sunday’s event, with a recent arrival to the club, a Hanse 510, Terra Firma, racing, but unable to feature in results due to her soon to be corrected unaudited status.

With a steady breeze of around 15 knots from the South, Andrew Wamlsley’s Enticer won the start, retaining the lead for three quarter distance down the first windward leg, before being  eclipsed by the shadow of the larger  sails on Terra Firma as it passed Enticer to take the lead approaching the Town Green mark.

The aptly named F23 trimaran 2XS, sailed by Andrew and Jenny Macleod, was in a mood on the day, demonstrating the speed differential between monohulls and multis, frequently sailing on two only of its three hulls, and throwing up huge rooster tails.

Back in the pack, Kookaburra 2 led Solar Coaster with those two yachts eking out a lead over Third Man in sixth place on the water.

Whereas the distance between the yachts went up and down, the on-water order was soon established with 2XS leading, while Terra Firma was the leading monohull, then Enticer followed by Kookaburra 2, Solar Coaster then Third Man.

Crews settled into the  multiple upwind tacks where apparent wind was topping 20 knots, to more relaxed downwind sailing of around 10 knots of apparent wind. With the breeze on the day, the three lap event was completed in times often seen for a single lap race!

The (mixed fleet handicap) result saw Kookaburra 2 take the win by mere seconds over Stuart Watson’s Solar Coaster, with  2XS  third, coincidentally the same place she took in the recent national championships.

Australia Day saw the winds  strengthen to within the 20 – 30 knot range.

All competing yachts elected to be heavily reefed in the conditions, which were not too far short of survival sailing.

Terra Firma  and Enticer stayed on their mooring while 2XS’s owner swapped out his multihull to sail the redoubtable Razamatazz 2 for the event.

It would be like comparing self immolation to sunburn to say that conditions were extreme, but that racing proceeded was a tribute to the skills of all crews, such that while there were sore bodies, racing was conducted without injury or major damage.

Starting well was critical, as in all events contested boats that did well at the start led at the finish. Race one was Kookaburra 2’s which streeted the fleet for a convincing on water win.

Race two saw Razamatazz 2 do to the fleet as had Kookaburra 2 in the previous race.

Race three, saw Kookaburra 2 trail the fleet at the start, while Razamatazz 2 sprinted away from the main body of the fleet, holding off a late challenge from Kookaburra 2 which fell agonisingly short on the line by a matter of seconds.

With points equal on the day, and one win each it was Razamatazz 2 which was the regatta winner on countback,  and while Third Man and Solar coaster were also tied on points it was Third Man taking third place, also on countback.

By Captain SLIPPERY