6:18 AM Sat 2 Jan 2010 GMT
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'Sean Langman’s 100-footer LOYAL sweeps past tailender Moonshadow.'
Peter Campbell ©
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Sean Langman must have had an insight into the weather before the start of today's iconic harbour race in Hobart, the Sargisons Jewellers King of the Derwent - his 100-footer LOYAL was the only yacht to start the race with
storm sails hoisted.
When an un-forecast 40-knot rain squall came howling down Mount Wellington and across the River Derwent 20 minutes after the start, Langman was perfectly prepared, unlike the rest of the fleet.
The squall sent boats hurtling in all directions as crews struggled to reef their mainsails and change headsails. Within minutes a dozen boats had retired, mostly with minor damage or prudent seamanship.
Langman, sailing his boat under the burgee of the Huon Yacht Club, one of Australia's southernmost sailing clubs, had decided to join the 70-boat fleet in the King of the Derwent with a reduced rig because of limited maxi boat crew experience on board. It proved a wise decision.
LOYAL made a conservative start in the big fleet which saw several boats forced out at the pin of the line and with her small sail area of a storm trysail and No 4 jib was outpaced by at least eight boats on the first beat to windward in the 15 knot north-westerly breeze.
Fortunately, a windshift to the west-south-west had turned the second leg into a tight two-sail reach and no spinnakers were flying when the squall hit.
Although she was clearly under-rigged after the squall past through and the wind eased to 15-20 knots, LOYAL sailed the 18 nautical mile course in one hour 21 minutes and 51 seconds, finishing a full leg ahead of Rob and Tony
Fisher's Helsal III.
Third to finish was The Fork in the Road, skippered by Gary Smith, which was followed by the Victorian yacht Veloce (Phil Simpfedorfer) and another Tasmanian yacht Dekadence (David Creese). LOYAL, Dekadence and Helsal III
all competed in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race while The Fork in the Road sailed in the Sargisons Launceston to Hobart and Veloce won the IRC division of the Heemskirk Melbourne to Hobart East Coaster.
Helsal III is facing a protest by David Taylor's Pisces arising from a starting line incident.
Provisional results of the King of the Derwent, which is decided on IRC ratings, have given first place to Harold Clark's Invincible, from the Bellerive Yacht Club.
Of the 47 starters, 14 boats retired.
by Peter Campbell
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