Port Macquarie Sailing Club

22-3-26

THE Port Macquarie Sailing Club held race 7 of the Summer Series in the morning and the 6^th Club Championship after lunch on Sunday in a quite variable Southerly breeze and some scattered cloud. The morning race was conducted in the last of the run in tide, and the tide ran out during the afternoon race, gathering pace as the racing progressed. Stuart Symons was on duty and set a slightly confusing course for Race 7 of the Summer Series which was shortened mid-way as the breeze started to ease off. Of course, once the shortened course flag was deployed, the breeze came back in. The course for the 6^th Club Championship race was controversially complicated, with some skippers writing the course on their arms, and others just getting it wrong. Needless to say, Stuart did consider radioing the clubhouse to see if it was safe to come in to shore after the race, but the better afternoon breeze led to a level of forgiveness.

The Arrow Cat division’s Race 7 of the Summer Series in the morning was only contested by Scott Witchard on ‘Lukim-Yu’, so he collected both the yardstick and the handicap points.

In the Monohull division’s Summer Series Race 7, Jeff Walsh in his Impulse ‘Serenity’ had a blinder, finishing ahead of Simon Gandy and Ezra Mert in the NS14 ‘Up Beat’, a lead that was increased once the yardsticks were applied. Tony Kuhn stepped out of his Arrow Cat for the morning to sail with Granson Julian in the club’s Pacer ‘Britannia’, yardstick giving them 3^rd place ahead of Dave and Hudson McNeill in their Tasar ‘Toy of Joy’. The handicap positions were the same.

3 Arrow Cats contested the afternoon’s 6^th Club Championship, with Tony Kuhn back on his Arrow Cat ‘Stella’ first to finish after a race long battle with Jack Corthals on ‘Crackerjack’ who lost time trying to follow the course, then came 3^rd place ‘Lukim Yu’, and, once again, the handicap positions were the same.

For the monohull’s 6^th Club Championship race, ‘Up Beat’ revelled in the stronger breeze to finish well ahead of ‘Serenity’ on both yardstick and handicap. Steve Couch in ‘Lazybuoy’ was sailing well, but after mixing up the confusing course then running aground quite hard, went back to the beach in disgust. The McNeills had left to go and celebrate Hudson’s Birthday.

Frank O’Rourke was away once again, this time winning the Ian Holley Memorial Regatta at Toukley Sailing Club in his Arrow Cat ‘Zero’.

Next week is yet another double header, with Race 3 of the Handicap Start Series starting at 11.30am, then, after lunch is the Commodore’s Cup race starting at 2pm. Tony Kuhn is rostered on duty.

By Jeff WALSH