Race Results 16 March 2024
Yendys won the inaugural Matthew Flinders Race by three minutes from Australia, with Alruth third, as the fleet honoured the navigator with blue ensigns and versions of Trim the cat aboard.
SFS Race Report 16 March 2024, UPDATED Autumn Series Heat 5 Yendys Wins the Inaugural Matthew Flinders Race Continuing the good form that saw it win the Aussie Title again this year, Yendys stormed home to win the final handicap race of the season and the inaugural Mathew Flinders Race. In a light Easterly breeze, Yendys, off scratch, won by 3 minutes from Australia with Alruth a further 30 seconds behind in third place.
Yendys in full glory. Photo thanks to Chuck Goodfellow, SFS Life member and Legendary Race Officer.
All boats paid homage to the great sailor and navigator by donning the Australian blue ensign on the side stays. Most boats also carried their own version of Trim, the famous seafaring cat that circumnavigated Tasmania and Australia with Flinders. Coral Taylor deserves our great thanks for promoting the event which is sure to feature every year in the sailing calendar. Coral also went to great efforts in getting the story published in Afloat Magazine and putting up a display board in the clubhouse detailing the life and exploits of Flinders who achieved so much in his short 40 years (including being the first to describe the continent by the name, Australia).
Trim the cat from Yendys.
By the time of the start, the breeze had settled in from the east and those skiffs that left the beach with their big number one gear were proven correct with 8-10 knots of wind and no sign, as is the case at this time of the year, of much more. An Easterly course having been set, the first upwind leg rewarded the boats that went right as they enjoyed the ESE lifts on the edge of the course. As is so often the case at this time of the season, picking which edge of the course is favoured can make a big difference and Yendys, having gone far right. was able to tack back and round Shark Island behind Tangalooma Top Weight, Australia and the Mistake.
Photos thanks to Chuck Goodfellow, SFS Life member and Legendary Race Officer.
On the run down to Kirribilli, the leading boats, running square, were in a good tussle with Tangalooma holding off Top Weight and Australia followed by The Mistake. Yendys, meanwhile, had taken her favoured course by running shy to Clark Island and gybing on to starboard to run into the mark at speed, closing the gap. Spinnakers dropped, the three leading boats then headed off on port tack to find that the breeze had gone right and strengthened a little as well. Yendys held on the longest and although slightly overstaying, was able to run to the Shark Island lighthouse slightly off a wind and pick off the leaders and round first with Australia second and Alruth and Top Weight close behind.
Photos thanks to Chuck Goodfellow, SFS Life member and Legendary Race Officer.
With the breeze now solidly ESE, Yendys set off for the finish enjoying a lovely three-quarter shy run. “Enjoying” that is until stand-in skipper, Andrew “Bucko” Buckland, no doubt irritated by a persistent cough and chest infection still on the mend, called for the ringtail. Suffice it to say that it went up, eventually, with The Admiral (on the sheet in the absence of the injured Michael Van Stom) employing his boat management skills to cure some defects in the rigging and thus assure the crew of the traditional rum and coke after the race.
Photos thanks to Chuck Goodfellow, SFS Life member and Legendary Race Officer.
Back in the fleet, Alruth had done well and looked to have second place in her keeping. A spinnaker mishap however on the final run home allowed the increasingly well-sailed Australia to beat Alruth to the finish by a mere 30 seconds. They were followed by Top Weight, Tangalooma and The Mistake. And so, another lovely day on Sydney Harbour and only one more race to go. Thanks to the starters, the rescue boat crews and all the volunteers. We couldn’t do it all without you!
The Race officers on the Killo (Above) Photos taken by SFS Life Member and volunteer, Barley Stewart. SFS member and volunteer, Stewart on the grey rib (Below) Thanks for being there every week for us!
The SFS ‘ferry’. Photo courtesy Chuck Goodfellow, SFS Race Officer on the Killo.
SFS Commodore, Terry Stewart with Ann Prosser from Yendys accepting the trophy for the inaugural SFS Matthew Flinders Race. Photo courtesy, SFS volunteer Barley Stewart.
LAST RACE OF THE 2023-2024 SEASON NEXT SATURDAY SEE YOU AT THE SQUADDIE!
Results for Race 19 Saturday 16th Mar 2024. Autumn Series H5 and the Inaugural Matthew Flinders Day Start time: 14:30. Fastest time: 1:45:11 Skiff
Skipper
Handicap (Mins) 0 13 7 11 16 13
Start Time 14:30:00 14:17:00 14:23:00 14:17:00 14:14:00 14:17:00
Finish Time 16:15:11 16:18:22 16:18:50 16:19:53 16:25:08 16:32:37
Race Time 1:45:11 2:01:22 1:55:50 2:00:53 2:11:08 2:15:37
Handicap Time 1:45:11 1:48:22 1:48:50 1:49:53 1:55:08 2:02:37
Yendys Andrew Buckland Australia Marshall Flanagan Alruth Scott Spackman Top Weight Terry Stewart Tangalooma Neville Turbit The Mistake Jerry Tickner Britannia DNC Aberdare DNC Scot DNC Australia IV DNC Myra Too DNC Note: Australia IV crew sailing Top Weight due to damage to A4 during the season. Top Weight made available by the generosity of SFS ex-Commodore, John Tierney.
The No 2 course was selected by the Race Officers. Wind Direction on the day ESE 8-12 knots
Wind on the harbour on Saturday 16th March 2024. Image: Seabreeze.com.au