On course action in Race 4, Sydney City Marine Winter Series 2012

by Alana Whitting on 29 May 2012 The strong winds experienced on Saturday (26 May 2012) ensured plenty of on water action in Race 4 of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC), Sydney City Marine Winter Series.

The MHYC Sailing Office kept a close eye on conditions and analysed the winds throughout the morning to confirm that racing could go ahead. And with the confirmation that racing would be proceeding so began the drama as yachts left the shelter of MHYC.

The smaller than usual fleet was further reduced as racing progressed with competitors succumbing to sail and boat damage along with course confusion. Our on water race reporter aboard 2Xcess was one casualty in Division Two – the only Division to have finishers in all top three places. Division One had only one place getter in MRZ and Division Three was without any finishers this week.

By around 4pm Saturday afternoon winds had dropped dramatically leaving those out on the water during the peaks of earlier in the day with only their stories of the chaos that abounded.

See our Race Report from Phil Clinton – Vice Commodore Racing, below.

For series results visit http://www.mhyc.com.au/files/results/2011/club/wintser/series.htm

This ten race Saturday series runs through to Saturday 14 July 2012 and offers two drops to series entrants. There will be no racing over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend (9, 10 & 11 June).

Weekly place-getters will be rewarded with a great range of gear from Sydney City Marine, with the Sydney City Marine Perpetual Trophy for the overall divisional winners.

Racing is on the ‘Sound of Sydney Harbour’, with a First Warning Signal at 1200 hours. Course lengths are specifically tailored to wind strength. The series offers IRC and PHS results and divisions are determined to ensure competitive racing delivered to all competitors.

Divisions:
Division 1 – IRC and PHS Spinnaker
Division 2 - PHS Spinnaker
Division 3 - PHS Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker/Cruising

Contact the MHYC Sailing Office for further details, Notice of Race and Entry Forms on 9969 1244 or sailing-admin@mhyc.com.au or visit the MHYC website www.mhyc.com.au


Week Four Race Report - from our on/off water race reporter, Phil Clinton

Saturday emerged as a bright sunny winters day.

Note to sailing office.....when ordering the breeze please only ONE of you order the breeze! (It appears that both Andrew and Roger ordered 15 knots. Hughie processed both orders and gave us 30 knots plus!!!!)

It was looking like a very interesting day. Yachts left the relative calm of the Marina heading for the sound to be greeted by a strong gusty 30 plus knots North Wester.

Even setting sails was a difficult task. Having set its sail 2Xcess headed out towards Middle Head where she found gusts of 30 knots plus over a constant 25 knots. So it was time to put in a reef. While putting in the reef we found two tears in the main. So that was our race done. Therefore the race report will be very limited due to the lack of a reporter on the race track.

But the stories being told afterwards were worth reporting. Wind gusts were reported at up to 38 knots.

Heading out to start were the following yachts; MRZ, 2Xcess, Another Dilemma, No Friends, Ten8cious, Stormaway, James Arthur, In the Red, Precision, Lunchcutter II, Shibumi, Twitcher, Bacchus, Innamincka and Heart of Gold.

So the start team was out there setting the inflatable marks for the amended course #6. Please note there is an amended course #6. If you sail the course in the book you will be wrong! So noted two yachts.

The first windward mark presented a bit of a challenge with two yachts trying to round it from opposite directions (hearsay only as the crew of one of the yachts had left the club prior to being able to confirm the position) this led to MRZ hitting the mark when in irons.

Of those that started two were now out due to sailing the wrong course and a couple of others on the way home as it was just not fun out there.

So the results were as follows;
1 X damaged mark (not the one hit by MRZ)
4 X damaged mains
2 X damaged headsails
1 X Stanchion leaving the yacht
1 X broken vang jammer
2 X yachts looking for the amendments to Course 6

Now to the race results.

#1 Division IRC and PHS
MRZ
No other finishers.

#2 Division
Another Dilemma
No Friends
Precision

#3 Division
No finishers.

The forecast for next week is for the other sort of winter race < 6 knots.

Phil Clinton – Vice Commodore Racing, Middle Harbour Yacht Club