Race Results – 6 March 2021
Seven skiffs raced Heat 3 of the Autumn Point Score as a division of the Sydney Harbour Regatta. Aberdare led comfortably around Clark Island in a patchy southerly, while Australia IV was forced to retire.
SFS Race Report Sat 6th March 2021 by Bob Chapman, 8 Mar 2021. Race 19 of the 2020-21 Season and Race Three of the Autumn Point Score, with the SFS H18s race recognized as a separate division in the annual Sydney Harbour Regatta (SHR), conducted by the Middle Harbour Yacht Club over the weekend. The running of the SHR along with the first race of the annual J.J. Giltinan 18 Foot skiff championship would ensure a busy afternoon on the harbour with plenty of yacht, keelboat, skiff and spectator craft activity. Seven skiffs were on hand for today’s race with a moderate but puffy breeze from the SE and no.2 rig the popular choice, but the variable nature of the conditions could well provide a day of mixed fortunes. The race got underway from a handicap start off Robinson’s Point on the no.3 SE course into a patchy SE/Sth breeze, varying between 10 to 15 kts, at the end of a run-in tide. The four limit skiffs Aberdare, Britannia, Scot and Tangalooma got away to a well contested start, then Top Weight (14 min), Australia IV (6 min) and Yendys off scratch. Testing conditions for the beat up to Clark Island into a puffy breeze that flicked between SE and Sth along with the additional water traffic to negotiate. Aberdare worked the left side of the course and made good time to Clark Island to be first to round with a comfortable lead for the shy run to Taylor Bay followed by Top Weight, Britannia, Scot, Tangalooma and then a long gap to Yendys. Australia IV was forced to retire on this leg when part of the structure on their bowsprit gave way.
Limit skiffs start (courtesy Adrienne Jackson) No change in positions as the skiffs enjoyed a fast run to Taylor Bay, where Aberdare was first to round for the beat up to Shark Island with Yendys still a long way back. The skiffs had good breeze for the leg up to Rose Bay but were confronted with a large number of yachts working up-harbour to the same rounding mark at the top of Shark Island. The mark rounding at Shark Island was quite chaotic and very challenging for the skiffs with Aberdare first to round for the run back to Kurraba closely followed by Top Weight, then Scot, Britannia, Tangalooma and eventually Yendys. Fortunately the yacht fleet headed back down-harbour and was only a problem in the vicinity of Shark Island.
Shark Island yacht/skiff mark rounding (courtesy Bill Hughes / Phil Franklin)
Aberdare enjoyed a fast run under big spinnaker down to Kurraba to extend their lead where they rounded first for the beat up to Clark Island followed by Top Weight, Scot, Britannia, Tangalooma and Yendys now close at hand after making up a lot of time with a fast run under big spinnaker. Aberdare headed to the right-hand side of the beat, but unfortunately sailed into a patch of bad air followed by a long period of little wind and plenty of boat wash. Meanwhile the skiffs that sailed the left side enjoyed good wind pressure and the benefit of tacking onto port when the breeze switched to the SE.
Aberdare leads at Kurraba (courtesy Adrienne Jackson) Scot was first to round Clark Island for the run to the finish at Kurraba, followed by Top Weight, Yendys and Aberdare side by side, then Britannia and Tangalooma. The skiffs enjoyed a fast and incident free run to the finish where Scot was first across the line 1 min ahead of Top Weight and another 20 secs to Yendys (under ringtail), then Aberdare, Britannia and Tangalooma. With thanks to our on-water support team of Stu, Suzy, Chuck, Russell and Bill; Bill Hughes and Capt. Rob on the Regal, along with COVID Marshalls Tomoko and Nicki; and Team Tangalooma on the Bar-B-Q. With mark rounding details and on-water observations provided by Peter Notley. We look forward to seeing you down at the Squaddie next week.
Cool, calm and composed, Kimbo Priestly trims the spinnaker to perfection while forward hand Jack Tang moves aft to take evasive action as Scot crashes through a boat wash down the first run to Taylor Bay (courtesy Sydney Harbour Regatta, photo by Andrea Francolini).
Results for Sat 6th March 2021. Race 19 Skiff Scot Top Weight Yendys Aberdare Britannia Tangalooma Australia IV The Mistake Myra Too Alruth Australia
Skiff Aberdare Alruth Australia Australia IV Britannia Myra Too Scot Tangalooma The Mistake Top Weight Yendys
06-Mar-21 Skipper J. Watt A. Robertson P. Barnett J. Tickner I. Smith N. Turbit T. Stewart
Season Point Score 44 0 0 65 35 0 48 30 54 26 46
Race Hcap 0:15 0:14 0:00 0:15 0:15 0:15 0:06 0:01 0:07 0:15 0:06
Hcp Start Start Time 14:15:00 14:16:00 14:30:00 14:15:00 14:15:00 14:15:00 14:24:00 DNC DNC DNC DNC
Autumn Point Score 9 0 0 11 6 0 14 5 2 8 14
SE Course Finish Time 15:56:05 15:57:11 15:57:37 15:59:25 16:01:37 16:04:46 DNF
Ringtail Point Score 0 0 0 15 9 0 0 0 12 3 14
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SE Race Time 1:41:05 1:41:11 1:27:37 1:44:25 1:46:37 1:49:46
1215kts H'cap Time 1:26:05 1:27:11 1:27:37 1:29:25 1:31:37 1:34:46
New Hcap 13 13 0 15 15 15 6 1 7 15 6
Ring tail 1