8:46 AM Wed 14 Apr 2010 GMT
Light to no breeze that was constantly flicking around the dial kept divisions 1 and 2 drifting around the start line of the final race of the Commodore's Cup at Sail Port Stephens today.
PRO Denis Thompson was forced to keep postponing racing as officials waited for a breeze to fill in and eventually 7 knots appeared over the horizon, enough to get fleets away. Trouble was, it was still very shifty, and crews had wound back into relaxed mode.
On Margaret Rintoul V the barbecue was fired up and the delicious smell of sausages wafted around the start. Many, including those on Holy Cow (John and Kim Clinton) from Sydney, cracked open beers and the bread rolls came out as crews relaxed on deck, finding it a little hard to get going when Thompson finally announced shortly before 2pm that racing was getting underway in the light sou'easter.
It was a sluggish start and breezes remained light for the shortened race as some cracked kites, others opted for gennakers and the remainder poled out their headsails.
The trick of the day was to avoid the deep water with an outgoing tide, along with the sandbanks, which was difficult considering the light and fluky breezes, which ranged from 4 to 13 knots for the final beat home of the Explore the Bay course.
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A big spinnaker was perfect for today’s light breezes -
Andrea Francolini
©
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The two worthy divisional winners are tonight celebrating their first regatta win each.
Rob Curtis' Murray 42 Secret Mens Business 1 from Pittwater held the advantage to finish four points clear of Jeff Carter's Farr 40 Edake in the division 1 results.
"You don't have to win a race to win a series," said Curtis tonight, referring to his second and two fourths, the last one a big comeback after they were buried at the start today.
"I'm absolutely wrapped. It was about putting three good races together," added Curtis.
Brad Sewell's Sydney 32 Mainstay from South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club held onto this morning's pointscore lead to take out the Commodore's Cup division 2 win.
Sewell and his crew were unpacking the boat this afternoon following a very late finish, unaware that they had wrapped up the series.
"That's fantastic, did you hear that boys," said Sewell, who also praised the race committee for getting a race away in today's difficult conditions.
"The finish line couldn't come soon enough," he admitted.
"We were neck and neck with Eugenie. We had to chase them all the way. In fact we were a bit sick of the sight of them by the end."
Rob Harper's Pub Talk from Wollongong Yacht Club narrowly missed out the top podium place, coming within half a point of Mainstay.
Series Results [EHC DIV1] up to Race 3 (Drops = 0)
|
Place
|
Ties
|
Sail No
|
Boat Name
|
Skipper
|
From
|
Sers Score
|
Race 3
|
Race 2
|
Race 1
|
|
1
|
|
8300
|
SECRETMENSBUSINESS 1
|
Robert Curtis
|
RPAYC
|
10.0
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
2.0
|
|
2
|
2.0S
|
51408
|
EDAKE
|
Jeff Carter
|
MHYC
|
14.0
|
2.0
|
8.0
|
4.0
|
|
3
|
|
6812
|
PACA
|
Philippe Mengual
|
CYCA
|
14.0
|
3.0
|
3.0
|
8.0
|
|
4
|
|
360
|
PATRICE SIX
|
Tony Kirby
|
CYCA
|
15.0
|
1.0
|
13.0
|
1.0
|
|
5
|
|
6776
|
DANCES WITH WAVES
|
Jim Thomas
|
MYC
|
17.0
|
5.0
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
|
6
|
|
4883
|
LETS GO
|
Alyn Ovenden
|
RMYC
|
18.0
|
11.0
|
2.0
|
5.0
|
|
7
|
|
500
|
ANTIPODES
|
Greg Newton
|
CYCA
|
21.0
|
9.0
|
5.0
|
7.0
|
|
8
|
3.0S
|
SYD5
|
MARGARET RINTOUL V
|
Graham Morton
|
MHYC
|
24.0
|
12.0
|
9.0
|
3.0
|
|
9
|
|
8800
|
FIREBALL
|
Bill Lea
|
GFS
|
24.0
|
7.0
|
7.0
|
10.0
|
|
10
|
1.0S
|
6797
|
HOLY COW!
|
John & Kim Clinton
|
CYCA
|
25.0
|
13.0
|
1.0
|
11.0
|
|
11
|
|
6164
|
MANGOGROOVE
|
Brian Shuttleworth
|
RPAYC
|
25.0
|
6.0
|
10.0
|
9.0
|
|
12
|
8.0S
|
6719
|
CMIST
|
Troy Dillon
|
CYCA
|
34.0
|
8.0
|
11.0
|
15.0F
|
|
13
|
|
5856
|
OMDF
|
Roy Brough
|
LMYC
|
34.0
|
10.0
|
12.0
|
12.0
|
|
14
|
|
N15
|
SOCA
|
Paul Trevillian
|
NCYC
|
42.0
|
14.0
|
15.0S
|
13.0
|
Series Results [EHC DIV2] up to Race 3 (Drops = 0)
|
Place
|
Ties
|
Sail No
|
Boat Name
|
Skipper
|
From
|
Sers Score
|
Race 3
|
Race 2
|
Race 1
|
|
1
|
|
6257
|
MAINSTAY
|
Bradley Sewell
|
SLMASC
|
12.0
|
6.0
|
5.0
|
1.0
|
|
2
|
|
333
|
PUB TALK
|
Rod Harper
|
WYC
|
12.5
|
1.0
|
2.5
|
9.0
|
|
3
|
|
4796
|
MOET
|
Keith Masters
|
RMYC
|
16.0
|
7.0
|
7.0
|
2.0
|
|
4
|
|
6826
|
EUGENIE
|
Brendan Hunt
|
CYCA
|
16.5
|
8.0
|
2.5
|
6.0
|
|
5
|
|
5341
|
SAGA
|
Patrick Hurley
|
PYSC
|
18.0
|
2.0
|
12.0
|
4.0
|
|
6
|
1.0S
|
M15
|
GETAWAY
|
Philip Martin
|
SLMASC
|
20.0
|
9.0
|
1.0
|
10.0
|
|
7
|
5.0S
|
A84
|
HARLEQUIN
|
Clayton McLellan
|
SASC
|
20.0
|
11.0
|
4.0
|
5.0
|
|
8
|
|
380
|
NEGOTIATOR
|
Wayne Taylor
|
WYC/GFS
|
20.0
|
4.0
|
9.0
|
7.0
|
|
9
|
|
N30
|
BLU NOTTE
|
Stephen Buckingham
|
NCYC
|
21.0
|
10.0
|
8.0
|
3.0
|
|
10
|
|
9111
|
ROPABULL
|
Mike Roper
|
RMYC/BB
|
24.0
|
5.0
|
11.0
|
8.0
|
|
11
|
|
5713
|
SHES THE ONE
|
Michael Kirby
|
PSYC
|
29.0
|
3.0
|
13.0
|
13.0
|
|
12
|
|
6678
|
SUPERTRAMP
|
Sue And Alan Pick
|
RPAYC
|
30.0
|
13.0
|
6.0
|
11.0
|
|
13
|
|
3767
|
MISTRESS
|
Bruce Currall
|
SLMSC
|
34.0
|
12.0
|
10.0
|
12.0
|
|
14
|
|
6877
|
ALLSAIL THE FROG
|
Russell Waddy
|
RMYC
|
45.0
|
14.0
|
14.0
|
17.0
|
|
15
|
|
4323
|
DISTANT DRUMS
|
Gerard Nymeyer
|
PSYC
|
46.0
|
16.0
|
15.0
|
15.0
|
|
16
|
|
B38
|
RUNNING AWAY
|
Alistair Bailey
|
PSYC
|
49.0
|
17.0
|
16.0
|
16.0
|
|
17
|
|
6593
|
LU LU BELLE
|
Peter Lewis
|
MHYC
|
50.0
|
15.0
|
21.0R
|
14.0
|
|
18
|
|
6764
|
THE GOOD LIFE II
|
David Simm
|
PSYC
|
63.0
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
|
|
18
|
|
N9
|
ONE FOR THE ROAD
|
Kym Butler
|
NCYC
|
63.0
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
|
|
18
|
|
6830
|
SLOOP JOHN B
|
Doug Coombes
|
RPAYC
|
63.0
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
|
21.0C
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For further information please visit
www.sailportstephens.com.au
by Di Pearson
Click on thumbnails to enlarge and find more photos:
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