Mastering big swell off Manly – Estate Master new Farr 40 leader

by Lisa Ratcliff on 11 Mar 2017 The John Calvert-Jones National Championship has a new pointscore leader in Martin Hill’s Estate Master, which is now controlling the national title having shaken off their first day nerves over three races sailed in view of Sydney’s iconic Manly surf beach on day two.

“It was really wild out there,” said Hill of Saturday’s remnant swell from the week’s big seas. “Steering downwind was very tough - the waves were running faster than the boat and there wasn’t enough breeze to catch them up. It was still magnificent offshore and lovely to see the sunshine in Sydney for a change. It was a very exciting day, tonight it’s early to bed and it’s all on tomorrow!”

Estate Master leads Guido Belgiorno-Nettis’ Angophora by two points. A very deliberate plan to keep Belgiorno-Nettis close in the final race, then get inside him and push Angophora out in a port/starboard worked a treat. “We had a good tussle with Guido and he being the sportsman he is congratulated us after racing, then reminded us it’s all on again tomorrow.

“Three different winners out there – Estate Master, Zen and Edake - and Zen going from winning a race to last in the next shows how quickly things can change in this fleet,” Hill added. He suggested some loud motivational music playing “some modern stuff plus some Rolling Stones” on the way to the Manly Circle racetrack might have tightened-up the crew work.

Boat of the day with scores of four, two, two and third overall, three points off second, is Lang Walker’s Kokomo.

Gordon Ketelbey’s topsy-turvy results mirrored the sea state off Manly. Zen posted a win in race five and followed it up with two shockers. “We are calling it a one-third day,” Ketelbey said. “We were absolutely brilliant for the first race and shocking for the second and third. We went the wrong way after getting pushed out. Once you start back, you don’t dictate, you go where the other boats send you. Lumpy seas made it hard to steer and right now South Head reef is breaking. There’s still a lot left over from the low pressure system,” the class president said.

The Australian championship is the final event of the season and today Ketelbey paid tribute to the key organiser. “Our class secretary Jennie Hughes has been superb. She’s a very organised and social person who gees up the owner’s group and gets them sailing. I really think if we didn’t have her the fleet would be smaller. Everyone’s enjoyed another terrific season.”

Three races were sailed in SW to SE breeze 10-12 knots on the Manly Circle thanks to the host Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s race committee headed up by Rob Ridley.

The forecast for the final day of racing, Sunday March 12, is north-easterly winds 10-15 knots in the middle of the day increasing to 15-25 knots in the late afternoon. Four final races are scheduled to begin at 1100hrs in Sydney Harbour.

Belgiorno-Nettis’ Transfusion, renamed Angophora for his brief return to the one design fleet this season, began winning major Farr 40 trophies in 2009. Over seven years they’ve amassed an extraordinary six Australian championships, a class dominance Hill’s team is keen to halt tomorrow.

Alan and Tom Quick, the father and son combination who have bought Angophora joined in Friday’s dock party and cocktail party to meet the other Farr 40 owners and crews. “Given this regatta will be Guido’s last with the boat, his contribution to the success of the class over the last nine or more years is definitely worth noting,” Tom Quick said.