Lexus Adelaide to Port Lincoln Blue Water Classic - 60th Anniversary

11:55 PM Thu 18 Feb 2010 GMT

'DocTel Rager - 2008 Adelaide to Port Lincoln' DocTel

The Lexus Adelaide to Port Lincoln Blue Water classic starts today with 70 boats entered in the 158nm race heading west to Port Lincoln with light to medium airs that swing from a NE through to SW for the sea breeze, then around to SE back to the North in the evening before changing to the SW and being pretty much on the nose as the fleet heads into Port Lincoln.

Celebrating it's 60th anniversary and run by the Port Lincoln Yacht Club PLYC with hosting assistance by the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (RSAYS) for local race management in Adelaide, the cruising division is heading off at 10am in 2 to 3 knots of breeze as the north easterly weather pattern looses control to the stronger south to south westerly sea breeze as it fills in Gulf St Vincent on a 35 degree warm summers day.

Once the sea breeze arrives it's cooler air and accompanying wind speeds will be most appreciated as the cruising fleet heads south west.

At 3pm the racing division will start in what should be a stronger sea breeze of up to 10 to 15 knots for the the first 35nm leg to Marion reef where most boats would already hope to have their spinnakers flying as they head along the 49nm leg across the foot of the Yorke Peninsular to Cape Spencer during the night before turning north to navigate in the dark through the gap between Emms Reef and Reef Head to then turn West/nor-West for the 40nm leg to Dangerous Reef where some of the great white shark underwater footage in Jaws the movie was was filmed.

Then it's into the last leg into Port Lincoln where the winds can be variable as they enter Boston bay and negotiate the mussel and fish farms near the finish at the town centre wharf.

With big tidal movements in the gulfs this weekend and strong tidal races between the islands, light winds and lots of direction changes in the weather it will be a battle of tactics, good luck and good sailing to win this years race on line honours, handicap and IRC for the mono hull and multi hull fleets.

Several new entrants from NSW and Victoria are here to challenge the locals and you can be sure that local boats Secret Mens Business 3.5 and Two True will be doing their best to defend their recent wins of the 2010 Audi Week IRC Division 1 and 2010 Sydney to Hobart overall winner titles respectively.

Race details and results can be found here.

www.plyc.com.au/bwclassic/

www.rsays.com.au

by Steve Jenkins

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Lexus Adelaide to Port Lincoln Blue Water Classic - 60th Anniversary

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