6:54 AM Fri 12 Feb 2010 GMT
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'Upwind leg of race 5 in a steady sea breeze. Close racing and lots of talent on display from our young crews.'
Michelle Philby
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The national championship of the Australian 12 Foot Cadet Dinghy was hosted by Royal Brighton Yacht Club (RBYC) in early January with the running of the 81st Stonehaven Cup regatta.
Crews came from South Australia and Tasmania to join their friends from past events from RBYC and Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron. The forecast was for excellent weather all week and there was much anticipation as crews and helpers prepared their boats for the first invitation race. Almost according to script, the race was postponed due to lack of wind, further increasing the sense of expectation for the first race of the regatta.
By 1130 hours, the wind finally set from the south and the boats left the beach for race one in bright, clear sunny conditions. All eyes were on last year's champion Bryce Hanaveer and his crew, Llewyn and Ryan Philby in Tasmania One, to see if they could keep up the form.
Well, they didn't disappoint! This first race set the scene for the rest of the regatta with Kittiwake 4 and Cry Havoc (both from RBYC) and Tasmania One from King Island Boat Club in a tight tacking duel to the finish. Tasmania One took the race narrowly from the other boats. That was how it was to be for subsequent races during the regatta, with minor placings shared among many of the challengers.
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Photo finish is the eventual Stonehaven Cup regatta winner, Kittiwake IV getting second place getter Cry Havoc on the line in the last and deciding race of the regatta. - Michelle Philby
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The weather was kind to the fleet for the entire regatta with a good variety of wind conditions. The competition was very well managed by the many volunteers and helpers, and a most successful regatta was had by all.
The seamanship and racing skills displayed by all participants was testimony to the wonderful training programs that have been built around the Cadet dinghy. Over 85 years, the class has proven that it is an outstanding training class. Its ability to carry three teenage crew enables an on-water apprenticeship system in which beginners start as mainhands in dinghies skippered by experienced cadets or adult coaches. This three crew design demands teamwork, builds lasting friendships, and reinforces a sense of club community.
Over time, the Cadet dinghy itself has undergone a series of significant updates while maintaining the delightful character of the traditional design. The upgrade from lugsail rig to bermudan rig has made the boats easier to rig and manage on the water. The addition of side buoyancy tanks has made it easier to get them racing again in the event of the inevitable capsize, and has reduced demands on the safety boat fleet. Three kids in a boat, racing every week under the watchful eyes of Yachting Australia accredited instructors bring the crews to a high level of competency on and off the water.
The final results of the regatta were very close with most boats showing up in the placings at various times during the regatta. However, the results from day one did indeed show us what was in store - with Kittiwake 4 skippered by Teirnan Lacy, with Matt Parolini and Maia Hester winning the coveted 81st Stonehaven Cup on 9 points, just three points from the brand new Cry Havoc skippered by Alex Parker with Angus Cooper and Madeline Hannington, and Tasmania One third with 21 points.
Rounding off the regatta were three races in the Open Division - open to anyone of any age who can sail a boat.
This is a much anticipated event because it brings out original traditional wooden Cadets lovingly restored, to race against the rest of the Cadet fleet. The racing is fun, but very keenly contested. Egos are on the line, with traditional rivals going head to head. It seems many of these competitors have never really gotten Cadets out of their system.
The Open Division races, sponsored by Brighton Coffee Machines were comprehensively won by Nick Chapman in his beloved Kittiwake II - a freakishly fast boat built in 1964 in Tasmania. Maybe he knows something about sailing, having sailed the same boat to win the Stonehaven Cup in 1980!
Congratulations to all the participants for an outstanding regatta sailed with intense but friendly competition.
Thanks must also go to all the sponsors without whom this regatta simply could not be run.
Everyone is looking forward to the 82nd Stonehaven Cup regatta to be run by the King Island Boat Club at Grassy, King Island, from the 3rd to 10th of January, 2011.
by Ray Smith
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Manly, QLD
