RACE REPORT 28 October 2023

Spring Point Score Races 5 & 6

Photo courtesy of Livvy Hall

PRO Jules Hall reports:

The day started with the annual Competency Training - an important event at our club, refreshing our knowledge of the essential safety, race management and club boat procedures. You would be forgiven for thinking your PRO was not in attendance for the race management part, but he was, and he listened quite hard. Which was lucky because Huey was in for some games on the afternoon racetrack.

With an 8kt easterly at 2pm we laid a Dardanelles course, tapping into a nice funnelling effect between Shark Island and Point Bethwaite. The Radials and 4.7s made a complete schmozzle of the first start so up went the first substitute flag accompanied by two hoots to signify a general recall. There was some faffing to get the pin in the right place to create a squarer line. Once done the hooter went once and exactly one minute later (per DBSC Race Management Guidelines) we were back in sequence. A clean start this time and off went the Radials.

For the main event the Standards were their usual excellent selves, showing the Radials and 4.7s how to start in a professional, mature manner. Unfortunately, the development fleet (aka Radials and 4.7s) were a little too far away to witness the excellence (perhaps the Standards might do a demonstration start as part of next year's competency training?)

As the PRO, LTRaR, COTD and Co-COTD all reclined on the RIBs congratulating themselves on their efforts, the fleets proceeded around the course, more or less obeying the rules.

Huey obviously saw this self-indulgence. Clearly not appropriate. So, he decided to mix things up. The 8kts easterly declined to a far too sedate 1kt, gusting 2kts as the back half of the Radial and 4.7 fleet rounded the bottom mark for the second time. The fleets had been on course for 38 minutes at this point and, knowing we had to hit the target time of 45 min races to maintain our position on the PRO leaderboard, we dispatched the Dene Bergman to the top mark armed with hooter and Code Flag S to finish the boat 1.5 laps early. Two hoots, code flag S hoisted, along with all three class flags and the boats were finished smoothly.

As the Standards were approaching the finish line Huey threw in his next curve ball. The wind filled back in with an 8kt NE. Here we go! A little bit of sea breeze to make Race 2 a ripper!

The wing mark became the top mark. We moved pin to square up the line and by the time the Bergman was back at the starting area we were straight into sequence. The Radials and 4.7s must have been sneaking a peak at the Standards first start. They got it right this time. Excellent.

The Standards start. Well, the less said the better. Disappointing chaps. Maybe we reconsider that start demonstration for next year? Anyway, the black flag got them back in line and they were away for Race 2. Unfortunately, at exactly the same moment the majority of the Radial fleet were sailing through the line on their second beat. Oops.

Huey was still watching and his work was not complete. Nor’easter? No way - too good for you lot, he thought. Back to the east he sent it. At least he kept it at 8kts. For the Standards this meant the reaches were a run and a fetch. For the Radials the beat was a reach. And so was the run.

The race committee was all over it. The Paul Adam weighed anchor and aimed for the bottom mark. The Dene Bergman was sent to the top mark. The plan was simple - as soon as the last 4.7 was round the top mark we lift and move it east towards the Dardanelles. Meanwhile Code Flag C with sound signals at the bottom mark to signify the course change before the first boat rounds.

All was going swimmingly until we realised Sylvie Stannage was about 3 miles in front of the fleet and would be round the bottom mark before the last boat made the top mark. As you aren't allowed to change the course when a boat is on the affected leg, we were snookered. We could not change the course without abandoning the race and starting again.

It was far too late in the day for that sort of nonsense, so we let the race play out. A number of the gentlemen thanked us in the bar afterwards for removing upwind sailing – gentlemen, apparently, don't do that. The others enjoyed the five legs of reaching practice. We understand there may have been a position change or two, but the procession was orderly and neat for the most part.

DBSC - 0

Huey - 2

Other than that, a great day on the harbour! Snappy video of the racing by aspiring 4.7 sailor Livvy Hall is here.

Results (1st / 2nd / 3rd):

Race 5:

ILCA7: Julian Taylor / Luke Parker / Zander Bijkerk

ILCA6: Ryan Healy = Sylvie Stannage / Jack Restuccia / Sara Bruce

ILCA4: Benjamin Costandi / Jasper Kinsman / Zoe Allen

Race 6:

ILCA7: Zander Bijkerk / Craig Sheers / Hamish Crabb

ILCA6: Sylvie Stannage / Ryan Healy / Martin White

ILCA4: Benjamin Costandi / Zoe Allen / Jasper Kinsman

Photos by Elisabeth Tattersall