A spinnaker run down the Derwent, a spinnaker run home, but in the middle of the race a big windless patch in Seacoft Bay, near the mouth the river.
That was the frustrating story from many Group A yachts in yesterday’s Combined Club Long Race, the fourth of the season due to abandoning races because of galeforce winds.
“Frustrating day on the water for all yachts, particularly Group B with the sea breeze fighting the gradient west-north-westerly wind,” commented Bellerive Yacht Club marine manager Peter Watson.
Those to suffer most were the front-runners in the Group A fleet, with Graeme Wood’s Wot’s Next leading the fleet home in 5 hours and 56 minutes for the 32-nautical mile race down the river and into Storm Bay to Ralphs Bay and Black Rock and return.
Group A start off Victoria Esplanade, Bellerive. Photo Peter Watson
On corrected time Wot’s Next placed 17th under PHS scoring. Runner-up Tilt (Peter Cretan) placed last.
Derwent Sailing Squadron Vice Commodore Peter Haros’ Wings Three won the Group A PHS from black-sailed Jiyuu (Peter Davis) and Illusion (D Bett).
Jiyuu won Group A under AMS scoring from Wings Three and Illusion. Her previous best had been a third place on handicap.
Pointscore leader Philosopher (Shaun Tiedemann) placed eighth on corrected time, TasPaints (Ian Stewart) 10th and Intrigue (Don Calvert) fifth after crossing line fourth in the 35 boat fleet.
Group A (AMS) winner pf the Long race. Jiyuu.
Photo Peter Watson
‘Gun boat’ Philosopher made up for her AMS result with a win under IRC scoring, with Intrigue second and As Good As It Gets (Ian Marshall) third.
In Group B Lock on Wood (Ron Akhurst) won from Twitch (David Rust) and Groove (E Gusto) the three being among the leaders in the spinnaker run back up river after sailing down to Ralph’s Bay and Pearson’s Point, a distance of 28 nautical miles.
In Group C, Wayatih (A Morgan) took handicap honours from Steve Mannering’s Camlet Way and Petr Alcock’s Kindred Spirit.
The last boat to finish crossed the line close to five o’clock, taking six hours and 48 minutes to sail the Group A course of 32 nautical miles, an average speed of just under five knots,
Words: Peter Campbell
Photos: Peter Watson
5 February 2017
