Port Macquarie Sailing Club

25-1-26

THE Port Macquarie Sailing Club’s latest round of Sprint Races was to be races 7 – 11, on Sunday, but with beaut sunny conditions and an easy North Easter, it was decided to try and get more races in to make up for the last round when racing was halted after the first sprint race due to a Southerly storm. By running 3 races before lunch and 4 races after lunch, we managed to run races 7 – 13. Steve and Lucy Bohlsen set a nice little sprint course with a work from the start line to a Port mark off King point, a run upriver to a Port mark opposite the Governors Way Canal, a reach across to a final Port mark in the mouth of the canal, and a work back to the finish line. The tide was the last of the run in for the morning races but was pretty much changing for the afternoon races, just starting to run out by race 13.

Race 7 of the series, the 1^st race of the day, included Frank O’Rourke sailing the Club Laser with the monohulls instead of his Arrow Cat, as there were no other catamarans racing and it felt more of a challenge. Simon Gandy and Ezra Mert in their NS14 ‘Up Beat’ won the race followed by Jeff Walsh in his Impulse ‘Serenity’, then Frank O’Rouke in the Club Laser (after an uncharacteristic capsize), and Steve Couch in his Laser ‘Lazybuoy’. Gary Herbert wasn’t ready by the start in his Laser ‘Allegro’.

The 8^th race again saw ‘Up Beat’ take the win followed by ‘Serenity’, ‘Lazybuoy’, and the Club Laser. ‘Allegro’ failed to finish.

The 9^th race was again ‘Up Beat’, ‘Serenity’, ‘Lazybuoy’, the Club Laser, and ‘Allegro’.

Race 10, after lunch, saw the addition of Jack Corthals on his Arrow Cat ‘Crackerjack’, so Frank O’Rourke rigged his Arrow Cat ‘Zero’ to form a cat division. ‘Zero then finished ahead of ‘Crackerjack’ in this race. ‘Up Beat’ was again the first monohull home followed by ‘Serenity’, ‘Lazybuoy’, and ‘Allegro’.

The 11^th race again saw ‘Zero’ finish ahead of ‘Crackerjack in the catamarans. Continuing the winning streak, ‘Up Beat was again the first monohull across the finish line, but some good racing by ‘Lazybuoy’ saw him beat ‘Serentiy’, relegating that boat to 3^rd for a change. ‘Allegro’ did not start.

In the 12^th race for the catamarans, ‘Zero’ again finished ahead of ‘Crackerjack’, and ‘Up Beat’ again won the monohulls ahead of ‘Serenity’ and Lazybuoy’.

The 13^th and final race for the catamarans once again saw ‘Zero’ beat ‘Crackerjack’ to the finish line. ‘Up Beat’ finalised their winning streak for the day beating ‘Serenity’ home. ‘Lazybuoy’ did not start.

Next Sunday is a double header, with race 4 of the Summer series in the morning at 11.30am and the re-scheduled 4^th Club Championship at 2pm, after lunch. Jeff Walsh is rostered on duty.

The Port Macquarie Sailing Club had a good representation at Queens Lake Sailing Club’s ‘Queen of the Lake’ marathon on the Saturday. Frank O’Rourke won Division 1 in his Arrow cat ‘Zero’. Division 2 was won by Paul Robertson with Queens Lake’s Martina Holt as crew in the Tasar ‘Flembouyant’, Simon Gandy and Ezra Mert were 2^nd in the boat they normally sail at Queens Lake, the MG14 ‘Vamos’, and Jeff Walsh was 3rd in his Impulse ‘Serenity’. It was bad luck for Steve & Lucy Bohlsen in their MG14 ‘Interceptor’ when they broke their mast rotator in the pre start and were unable to race.

By Jeff WALSH