On a day that favoured the lower rating (handicapped) yachts, David Brett’s Illusion, on Saturday outsailed the fleet in the Combined Clubs Long Race Series for Group A.
The Hanse production yacht finished 18th across the line, third last, but first on corrected time won the AMS category of Group from Matt Denholm’s Mumm 30 Cleopatra and Peter Davis’ Jtyuu.
Illusion also won the PHS category, placing ahead of one-time Sydney Hobart winner Ultimate Challenge (Peter Jenkins) and Jtyuu.
Illusion was the best performing yacht of those entered in the National Pies Sydney to Launceston coastal race at the end of this month.
Favoured yachts Filepro (Darren Clark), Philosopher (Shaun Tiedemann), Wild West (Michael and Michelle Denney) and race leaders The Fork in the Road (Gary Smith) and Tilt (Peter Cretan) all finished at the lower end of the fleet on corrected time in Group A.
The 38 boat fleet started from Castray Esplanade in a light seabreeze, beating to windward down the river, larger yachts in Group A sailing a course out into Storm Bay to round Little Betsey Island then the Yellow Bluff mark off Bruny Island before heading back to Castray, some 30 nautical miles.
Group B sailed to Little Betsey Is and return to Castray, Group C racing within the river rounding marks in Seacroft Bay and off Blackman’s Bay.
The entire fleet then had a pleasant spinnaker, back up the Derwent to finish off Castray.
Intrigue won the IRC category on Saturday.
Veteran RYCT member Don Calvert showed his light weather sailing skills on the River Derwent and in Storm Bay with a win the IRC category ahead of Shaun Tiedemann’s modified Sydney 36cr Philosopher. In third place was Madness, Gavin Adamson and Jeanine Frawley’s Mumm 36 Madnes.
In Group B, the veteran former Half Tonner, Lock on Wood (Ron Akhurst) won under PHS but the consistent Young 88, Footloose (Stewart Geeves) placed first under AMS scoring.
Lock on Wood won under PHS scoring from Southern Swordfish (D Barry0 and Miss Conduct (Brian Fleming) while Footloose won AMS from Silicon Ship (C Wyatt) and Lock on Wood.
Only four boats contested Group C, scored under PHS, with Wayath (A Morgan) winning from Kindred Spirit (Peter Alcock) and Camlet Way (Stephen Mannering).
Words & Photos: Peter Campbell
3 December 2016
