2009 Sailing News
Page updated
28 March, 2010
ACYC Club Sailing
Race Report 11 - Sunday September 13
Fickle and shifting winds, a new cat on the prowl, a change of the race officiating guards and a guest MC set the course for Race 11 on Sunday in the Raymarine ACYC Race Series on Sunday.
And my oh my, doesn't time fly when minutes just lapse into mere seconds particularly when a start sequence is to begin and positioning is up for grabs! A baffled fleet nevertheless embraced a 12:00 start in which a five minute sequence was shortened to... umm, okay, well over four. Were they battle-loving troopers? Or was Kathy keeping them on their toes? To put up the AP flag and delay the race? Nah! A raaarrre ACYC moment... My pen rai for the fleet, which successfully got underway on a 'Scott Duncanson course' (special!) and particularly for the crew on board newcomer Da Vinci Niña who sorted out hardware, sails, lines, kids, winds, beverages... and then, to boot, crossed the line 18 minutes after start time!
Despite the stalled winds, the runup for the ideal positioning and subsequent start saw some anxious moments with the fleet to head towards
the mosque mark on the favoured starboard tack.Da Vinci Niña in her ACYC debut
A plan for some to continue with but for at least one other racer, swift moves forced a change of course to avoid a collision and come out clean, licking its Charro paws. However, for The Frog, the incident left a clear opening for to tack to port and take the early lead.
To take the early lead, follow the correct course and take line honours is almost a guarantee to win. Unfortunately playing leapfrog over a gate negates those correct moves and effectively removes the glory of the well-played game thus relegating one to third and last place. The long short? The Frog lost her glory on the lily pad! Yet for her two classmates, Charro and Da Vinci Niña, the varying winds offered a different perspective. A westward trek along the same line of travel on opposite coasts early in the racing day on different tacks produced the same result of achieving the correct roundings with Da Vinci Niña gaining ground despite her delayed start. Moreover, an ensuing power struggle in the more brisk and satisfying conditions of the afternoon sausages to the finish saw Da Vinci Niña overtake Charro to cross the line ahead. Too bad new kids on the block can't take the credit for the win in a performance handicap system! Congratulations to Charro who collected the wine as winner in the Multihulls.
A keen yet close start for Racing produced its own calibre of competition with the class in cool cahoots at 12:00. Katsu, followed by Minx, led the threesome, hugging the shore of Ko Lon to tack to the mark while Emerald Blue sailed close to the Chalong side. With the increase in wind speed, the Swan was first to round Ko Lon and emerged in the gap between Ko Lon and Hamburger Island to then complete several more sail sets and tacks around the Baan Nit Marker and the Starboard Channel Marker to round the cans twice. As the second boat of the fleet to cross the finish and the first in Racing, victory was hers for the day.
As always, a great Sunday!
| Boat |
Name |
Place |
| Katsu |
Ben Copely |
1 |
| Emerald Blue |
Nick Band |
2 |
| Minx |
Mick Kealy |
3 |
| Boat |
Name |
Place |
| Charro |
Mark Horrwood |
1 |
| Da Vinci Niña |
Grenville Fordham |
2 |
| The Frog |
Chris Jongerius |
3 |
Hands together for Scott Duncanson for his first race as Race Officer and for providing a unique 'SD course' and to Kathy de Cruz for getting the fleet off and getting them back. Also a special welcome goes to a visitor from the South of Perth Yacht Club (www.sopyc.com.au), Keith Salkeld, for making the effort and time to come to ACYC and for getting up on stage and presenting the prizes. ACYC deserves a round of applause for sponsoring the day with prizes of hats, T-shirts and bottles of wine.
A special thanks to Kathy de Cruz for the use of her camera. Cheers Kathy, Leslie.
The full results for the day can be viewed here. Overall results for the series and the performance handicap can be viewed at http://acyc.asiaaustraliatech.com
Photos of this race can be viewed here. Click here for the ACYC Photo Gallery.
Race 12 of the series will take place September 27. Call Scott Duncanson on 08 1892 4992 for
more information and visit www.acyc-phuket.com.
See you out on the water!!
Text & photos by Leslie Hand
