Port Macquarie Sailing Club

12-10-25

THE Port Macquarie Sailing Club’s 1st race of the handicap start series was held on Sunday. The overcast and still morning didn’t bode well for the forecast afternoon light North Easter, but by the 2pm race time, it had become quite sailable, especially combined with little tide due to the race starting in the last of the run in and finishing in the start of the run out. Simon Gandy set a lovely Port hand course with a work to buoy A off Stephens Street on Settlement Point Road, a reach across to B deep into the mouth of Limeburners Creek, and a long run to C across the river from the Rowing Club. The North Easter just got better as the race progressed making it easy for the Catamarans to do their 4 laps and the Monohulls to do their 3 laps.

The catamaran division had Frank O’Rourke on his Arrow cat ‘Turbo’ and a long overdue visit from Ethan White (who lives locally but generally sails at Great Lakes) and his crew Nick Maguire on their Taipan ‘Mystify’ The handicapper had them both off the same handicap. ‘Turbo’ mostly led the faster Taipan class ‘Mystify’ for the rather light and fluky first lap, but as the wind increased, ‘Mystify’ was able to stretch her legs and take the lead for the rest of the race.

In the Monohull division, Rob Barwick in his Impulse ‘Drift’ had a cracking race to take the win ahead of Terry Howard in another Impulse ‘Flying Dragon’, Steve Couch in his laser ‘Lazybuoy’, Paul Robertson and Warren Sykes in a Tasar ‘Flembouyant’, and Stuart Symons and Kim Williams in another Tasar ‘Elmo’. Lucy Bohlsen sailing 1 up in her Flying 11 ‘Popcorn’ was planning on doing 1 lap, but a capsize 50m from the finish line saw her sail back to the beach once it was righted instead of finishing her race. Gary Williams in his Laser ‘Allegro’ continued practicing his sailing.

Next week is a Double Header, with Race 4 of the Spring Series starting at 11.30am, a BBQ lunch, and the 2nd Club Championship starting at 2pm. Rob Barwick is on duty.

By Jeff Walsh