Race Results – 9 January 2021
Eight skiffs opened 2021 with Heat 3 of the Summer Point Score in a shifty east south easterly. Top Weight rounded Shark Island first with a substantial lead over Aberdare and Scot.
SFS Race Report Sat 9th January 2021 by Bob Chapman, 11 Jan 2021. Race 11 of the 2020-21 Season, Heat Three of the Summer Point Score and the first race of the New Year, 2021. Warm conditions in the boat park (now with a reasonable cover of grass after a damp and humid 4 week break) with eight skiffs on hand for the day’s racing. The breeze was moderate to fresh from the SE early in the day with the expectation it would lighten off and go left as the day progressed. Rig choices were split between full-size no.2 rig and big rig with the wind strength at rigtime bordering on the change-over wind range. The race got underway from a handicap start off Kurraba Point on the no.2 East course into a shifty 10-12 kt E/SE breeze and run-in tide. Tangalooma and Britannia were first away off 15 mins, then Aberdare, Top Weight and Scot (all on 13), Australia IV (5), Yendys (1) and The Mistake off scratch. The first beat to Shark Island was challenging with the breeze favouring the east on the northern side of the harbour and south-east on the southern side, making the middle section difficult to negotiate and not helped by the additional boating activity on the harbour at this time of year. There was a variety of options for the skiffs to make their way up this leg, some more successful than others. Top Weight was first to round Shark Island for the square run back to Kurraba with a substantial lead from Aberdare and Scot close together, then Tangalooma, Yendys, Australia IV, Britannia and The Mistake. The early section of this run favoured spinnakers set on a port-hand pole, but as the skiffs progressed through the middle section of the run the breeze moved from SE to East and along with the run-in tide forced the skiffs well to the left side of the required course to make the bottom mark. The lead group of skiffs dropped their spinnakers to gybe late onto starboard and sail to the bottom mark main & jib; meanwhile Yendys gybed their spinnaker early and sailed a good angle down to the bottom mark to make up considerable time on the lead group, with the following skiffs also gybing their spinnakers to run to the mark.
Aberdare and Scot with good pressure down the first run (courtesy MVS)
Top Weight leads the way to bottom mark at Kurraba (courtesy Adrienne Jackson)
Top Weight was first to round at Kurraba for the beat up to Clark Island followed by Scot, Aberdare, Tangalooma, Yendys, Australia IV, The Mistake and Britannia. The approach to Clark Island into the shifting breeze was quite challenging, making for big gains & losses. Yendys was first to round at Clark Island for the long starboard leg to Shark Island, followed by Tangalooma, Top Weight, Scot, Australia IV, The Mistake, Aberdare and Britannia. Not much opportunity to change positions on this leg but still plenty of issues in negotiating the erratic and shifting breeze along the way.
Yendys leads Tangalooma around Clark Island (courtesy MVS) Yendys was first to round Shark Island for the square run to the finish off Kurraba followed by Tangalooma, Top Weight, Australia IV & the Mistake side by side, then Scot, Aberdare and Britannia. Once again all skiffs set spinnakers on a port pole, with the distinct probability they would need to gybe for the last section of the run. The Mistake came to grief off Clark Island whilst preparing to gybe their spinnaker, with the jib down the skiff ploughed into a boat wash, resulting in a broken bowsprit that in turn led to a situation where the unsupported mast came down (in 2 pieces).
Top Weight takes 2nd place on the finish line (courtesy MVS) Yendys continued to forge ahead down the final run to take the gun for a comfortable 5 min win. Meanwhile Tangalooma was unable to hold course to the finish line and was forced to make a late spinnaker drop then gybe over to finish under main and jib. However, Top Weight after gybing their spinnaker, slipped into 2nd place to finish 23 secs ahead of Tangalooma, followed by Australia IV, Scot, Aberdare and Britannia. With thanks to our on-water support team of Barley, Stu, Bentley, Peter, Robert, Chuck, Michael and Bill; along with COVID Marshalls Michael, Tomoko and Nicki. With mark rounding details and onwater observations provided by Peter Notley and Michael Van Stom. We look forward to seeing you down at the Squaddie next week.
Results for Sat 9th January 2021. Race 11 Skiff Yendys Top Weight Tangalooma Australia IV Scot Aberdare Britannia The Mistake Myra Too Alruth Australia
Skiff Aberdare Alruth Australia Australia IV Britannia Myra Too Scot Tangalooma The Mistake Top Weight Yendys
09-Jan-21 Skipper J. Porebski A. Robertson J. Lewis M. Carter M. Flanagan J. Tickner I. Smith J. Winning
Season Point Score 32 0 0 44 26 0 29 19 43 18 22
Race Hcap 0:01 0:13 0:15 0:05 0:13 0:13 0:15 0:00 0:07 0:15 0:06
Hcp Start Start Time 14:29:00 14:17:00 14:15:00 14:25:00 14:17:00 14:17:00 14:15:00 14:30:00 DNC DNC DNC
Summer Point Score 6 0 0 11 10 0 6 6 9 13 12
East Course Finish Time 16:24:34 16:29:16 16:29:39 16:31:23 16:32:52 16:34:46 16:40:38 DNF
Ringtail Point Score 0 0 0 9 6 0 0 0 6 0 6
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E/SE Race Time 1:55:34 2:12:16 2:14:39 2:06:23 2:15:52 2:17:46 2:25:38
812kts H'cap Time 1:54:34 1:59:16 1:59:39 2:01:23 2:02:52 2:04:46 2:10:38
New Hcap 0 13 15 6 14 14 15 0 7 15 6
Ring tail 2
2 1