2010 Sailing News
Page updated
29 March, 2010
ACYC Club Sailing
Race Report 2 - Sunday March 21
Race 2 in the Andaman Cabriolet ACYC 2010 Series sponsored by Octopus Electrical saw sailors gathering early at the Club. The weather looked fair with a gentle breeze blowing out of the east. Roger Kingdon set a course to allow for any changes in the wind as well as to facilitate shortening course. From the start at the port outer channel marker, the course went out to the Ao Makham Safe Water Mark, then back into Chalong Bay around the start channel marker followed by two sausages round the Baan Nit Safe Water Mark. The weather forecast was uncertain. Cumulus clouds could be seeing building rapidly over Phuket Island, perhaps a portent of changing conditions to come. Was Roger mindful of a not so dis-similar day almost exactly a year ago when two FireFlys (one of which was Moto Inzi) demonstrated their capabilities to do handstands with the second cat completing the flip!
Nine boats made their way out to the start line where Kathy de Cruz as Race Officer of the day had positioned herself at the port end. Out of the heat of the start!
Three boats were making their debut: Mark
Mizner’s Babe, The Beaver, skippered by Ket Mangklaseranee with crew from Katsu, and Bruno Martin's Mathong with the added distinction it is believed of being the first Wharram to participate in an ACYC race! Kathy got the boats away at pretty much on the dot of 12 noon with Windstar first to cross at the starboard end having come in on a broad reach on a perfectly timed run. Other boats to leeward were too far behind to expose Windstar's vulnerability and were not able to shut her out. Niña followed by Babe and The Beaver were next across. Early on, Iruvai had positioned herself strategically in the middle of the line to give herself a clear run across to the port end. However, for a while, it looked as though Simone was thinking of repeating their previous week’s manoeuvre on Iruvai by coming in below her and taking her up. However, perhaps realising that this would in all likelihood result in not clearing the committee boat, Simone tacked over on to port back toward the starboard mark.
At the same time, excitement was being generated down at the port end where Moto Inzi, on port and with some pace, came in close to the committee boat, crossing clear ahead of Iruvai who was now sheeted in hard and picking up speed. Close on Moto Inzi’s heels came Typhoon. However, the gap between Iruvai and the start boat was rapidly closing. After a call of 'Starboard!' from Iruvai which went unheeded, Iruvai, perhaps sensing déjà vu from the previous race, had to tack! That's enough to drive anyone to drink let alone her skipper! Typhoon perhaps not realising that she could now probably cross the line without further incident, herself tacked taking her onto the bow of the committee boat, which was fended off by her crew. Her port rudder came off its pintles in the process of crossing over the mooring line. After a few moments whilst still trying to remount the rudder, Typhoon bore away and then carried on back down rounding the committee boat before setting off to chase the pack. Mathong, finding it hard going in the light air, clawed her way up to cross the line a little while later.
Light winds made for slow progress out of the bay. Babe showed her capabilities by being able to sail faster and higher as well as being assisted by the last of the flood tide and rounded the windward mark an hour and five minutes after the start. Taking a few minutes to hoist her red spinnaker, Babe was soon overtaken by Moto Inzi who, having sailed over to the Koh Lon side of the bay, rounded a couple of minutes later and hoisted her spinnaker promptly. The next group around the mark some 20 minutes later was led by Niña, followed by Simone, Typhoon, The Beaver and Windstar. Well in the rear at around 10 to 2 was Iruvai. The changing tide made for a very uphill struggle for Mathong who decided to shorten course just before the Cape Panwa rocks to keep in touch with the fleet.
For the run back, the wind began to change. Simone and The Beaver, (flying the skipper and sailmaker's familiar yellow ‘Long Live the King’ spinnaker) ran across towards Koh Lon allowing Windstar sailing with a different wind to get ahead.
The final sausages saw all the boats gathered in close proximity albeit sailing different legs giving crews good views of fellow competitors as well as providing for more activity at roundings. The wind by now had picked up coming out of the south and all boats had some lively sailing, giving excitement at the end of what had been a long slow day. Unfortunately but perhaps fortuitously the large red spinnakers of Babe and Iruvai could not be flown at the very end and only Moto Inzi showed courage flying hers to take line honours over all.
All in all, a good day's sailing with a variety of conditions to allow boats to hone their skills. With two red spinnakers and one yellow spinnaker, one might think there could have been blood spilled - or any other coloured liquid substance - in these politically tumultuous times. Several points along a course are particularly susceptible as being potential conflict zones. Despite the challenges and excitements faced by various boats, places were awarded to all participants with special note going to the whingers, the all Thai team and a threesome on a shortened course.
| Boat |
Name |
Place |
| Simone |
Roger Harris |
1 |
| Babe |
Mark Mizner |
2 |
| Windstar |
Peter Wood |
3 |
| Boat |
Name |
Place |
| Da Vinci Niña |
Grenville Fordham |
1 |
| Typhoon |
Matt McGrath |
2 |
| Moto Inzi |
Roger Kingdon |
3 |
| Boat |
Name |
Place |
| Mathong |
Bruno Martin |
4 |
Thanks to Mick from Octopus Electrical
for sponsoring the day and for presenting the awards and to the ACYC crew for a tremendous post-race buffet and for providing the cherished cold beers. Cheers to Race Officer Kathy de Cruz for getting the fleet around the course.
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.
See you out on the water!!
Photos by Kathy de Cruz, David Hutcheson & Leslie Hand
ACYC Series sponsors:
Series 1: |
Series 2: |
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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.
See you out on the water!!
