Race Results 25 January 2025
Yendys, skippered by Bazza Watson, won Heat 3 of the Australian Championship in a light ENE breeze, ahead of Aberdare and Top Weight, while Alruth lost second place with a loose spinnaker at the bottom mark.
Race Report: 25 January 2025 Australian Championship Heat 3 YENDYS AND FEWER MISTAKES
Photos of Yendys launching thanks to Bazza Watson
Yendys (Bazza Watson) showed her class again to take Heat 3 of the Championship in fine style. A much-improved Aberdare (Michael Carter) took second place followed by Top Weight (Terry Stewart) in third place. Alruth (Alan Robertson), after looking like having second place wrapped up, lost a lot of time at the bottom mark with its big yellow kite flying loose and finished fifth behind Mistake (Jerry Tickner) which showed that with fewer mistakes, this lovely, fast boat is capable of champion performances. Tangalooma (Neville Turbit) tailed the field into sixth place. Britannia (Dave Paget) retired and Australia (Marshall Flanagan) foundered off Athol Bight. Although this was Heat 3, it was the second of the three races to be sailed for the Title. The postponed Heat 2 will now be sailed on 29 March due to an already congested sailing program in February and March.
With an 8 knot ENE breeze having settled in, the fleet was sent away with a scratch start on the No. 2 Course. This season has seen a lot of this windward-leeward course. The No.2 course does offer two long works up to Shark Island and two long runs back to Kirribilli that will often result in a good three-quarter shy spinnaker ride that can test crews as the breeze backs towards the NE during the afternoon, as is often the case.
Yendys and Aberdare seemed to do best at the start. Aberdare, sensing a pin-end bias, started close to the pin, as did Australia who tacked below the line on to port in a risky move to cross the rest of the fleet on starboard. Yendys claimed the congested boat-end position and made it clear that she would again be the skiff to beat. Top Weight was late for the start and tacked early to join Australia, while the rest of the fleet continued on towards Cremorne Point.
Photo thanks to Barley Stewart
From here on, your trusty scribe was left somewhat in the dark. The Killo, under the control of Commander Ben Powell, had continued to suffer its engine problems and had overheated on the way to setting the start line. A suspected failed impeller on the intake pump meant that the usual chase to follow the fleet was a no-go. It can be reported though that at the Shark Island mark, Yendys led Alruth and Aberdare by 3 minutes. Top Weight was a further 3 minutes back, followed by Mistake, Australia and Tangalooma. Poor Britannia meanwhile had run into gear trouble and was forced to retire and head for early showers. After the first spinnaker run, Yendys rounded first, 4 minutes ahead of Aberdare with Mistake a minute and half further back. Alruth in the meantime managed to lose time when a late drop went badly, costing the boat at least 2 minutes and a couple of places as she was forced past the mark and had to return to round.
Photo thanks to Barley Stewart
As an interlude, it has to be said that leaving the drop late when big peak head kites are up is often only a marginal benefit. Late sets are a big disadvantage, but a late drop often leads to problems. The spinnaker sheet needs to be let go (but not lost as Alruth will confirm), the brace needs to be eased forward while the kicker is kept taut and the forw’d hand struggles to keep the brace from going to leeward and under the boat. Then more struggle to get at least 10 metres of pole out of the snotter, to manage the kicker in and out before it wraps around the bumpkin and hand the poles back for the crew to disconnect and store the sections. Then, let the halyard go (having been sure to ensure that it will run freely), before a mass of disobedient sail cloth is forced into the all-toosmall bow cavity and not left to go prawning. All in all, about a dozen things that can go wrong, and usually do when everyone is stressed with a late drop! So, bitter experience tells us that to be competitive: don’t drop too early, but never drop too late. It’s just not worth it. Seem to think that we have mentioned that before somewhere …
Photos thanks to Barley Stewart
And speaking of competitive, it was a real pleasure to see that Michael Carter and his rookie crew were at last getting the mighty Aberdare going and back as the competitor that she is. At the finish, Aberdare finished 8 minutes adrift of Yendys in second place. But we all know that Aberdare can bridge that gap with her staller b oat speed, especially off a wind. Top Weight came in 3 minutes behind Aberdare and Mistake was a further 1 minute behind Top Weight . Alruth had recovered well to finish 30 seconds behind Mistake after losing her big yellow kite in a spectacular display that had onlookers wondering if there was a quarantine issue on board. Tangalooma finished in sixth place. Yendys, of course, deserved the accolades for another fine win. But the big improvers were Aberdare and Mistake, the latter of whom completed the course without mistakes and who went on, incidentally, the following day in the Australia Day Regatta to take the chocolates. And take the chocolates they did when the handicaps were announced for Saturday’s championship, when Mistake won the handicap race by 6 minutes from Top Weight and Yendys. Something for the handicappers to rectify promptly as Mistake gets back from the far-too-generous limit she is currently on. One final note … after drinks on a balmy evening on the deck, a large number of sailors and their partners continued the process of reclaiming our sailing club with a joyous and noisy impromptu dinner up in the Club restaurant where we were well looked after by the staff and the chefs. We all think that Saturdays are for sailors and we shall be continuing the task of making the Club more welcoming and better value than ever for all of us.
THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS! We can’t do it without you!
Photos thanks to Barley Stewart
Photo thanks to Barley Stewart
Photo thanks to Barley Stewart
Photo on this page thanks to Esther on the gemini.
Photo on this page thanks to Esther on the gemini.
Photo on this page thanks to Esther on the gemini.
A bit out of focus, but you get the gist Photo taken from the Killo