2014 Pipe Opener - Huon yachts star on home waters

by Peter Campbell on 21 Sep 2014 2014 Pipe Opener - Huon Yacht Club boat Obsession, Stan Pickering’s Doven 30, became the 46th winner of the iconic Cock of the Huon on its home waters yesterday, heading a good day’s racing by local entrants.

Obsession finished first on corrected time in Division three of the race on the Huon River, starting and finishing off Shipwrights Point at Port Huon, and maintaining small boats’ domination of the Cock of the Huon in recent years.

The Cock of the Huon is the middle race of the annual Pipe Opener conducted by Derwent Sailing Squadron and the Huon Yacht Club which began with a night race on Friday evening from Hobart down to Gordon on the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and ends today with a race from Port Huon back to Gordon.

Sailing in a gusty and variable south-westerly breeze of 10-15 knots, Obsession won Division three of the Cock of the Huon race and, with the lowest corrected time in the fleet, last evening was awarded the perpetual trophy, a Huon pine half model of one of the most famous yachts built down the Huon, the Admiral’s Cup team winner Caprice of Huon.

With Obsession elevated to Cock of the Huon, first prize in Division three went to Kaiulani (Malcolm Cooper) which in a pre-race incident towed the Hobart yacht Kharis off a reef it had hit on the way to the starting line. Kharis did not start in the race.

With Kaiulani first, second place went to Lock on Wood (Ron Akhurst), third to Take Five (Ian Gannon).

Huon Yacht Club boats filled the top three places on corrected time in Division one, with Bellandean (Andrew Scott) winning from Red Jacket (Ambrose Coad) and Ramrod (Scott Sharp).

Derwent Sailing Squadron entrant Moonshadow (Anthony Ellis) took out Division two from Huon boat Gomez (Noel Cook) and DSS Vice Commodore Steve Chau’s Young Lion, his newly acquired Young 88.

The fleet enjoyed a fast night race on Friday evening with Gary Smith’s Fork in the Road sailing the course from Hobart to Gordon in three and a half hours to also take first place under PHS handicaps in Division one. Second place on corrected time went to Pisces (David Taylor), third to Martela (Tony Williams).

Moonshadow began its good weekend by winning Division two of the night race from Young Lion and Hot August Night (Nat Morgan).

Business Time, Will Justo’s Northshore 33, won Division three from Take five and Kauilani, with the fleet sailing south in a south-westerly that ranged from five to fifteen knots.