Sail-World.com : Great racing in Auckland Finn Champs at Pt Chevalier SC

News Home

Text Only News

Powerboat-World

MarineBusiness World

Animated Knots

Video Gallery

VOR 2011-12

World Cruising

2013 America's Cup

Sail-World.com : Great racing in Auckland Finn Champs at Pt Chevalier SC

Great racing in Auckland Finn Champs at Pt Chevalier SC

'Roger Hall winner of the 2009 Auckland Finn Championships' .

Long time Finn sailor, Alan Dawson, gives a personal impression of the Auckland Finn Championships sailed at Pt Chevalier Sailing Club over the weekend.

The Auckland Finn champs were sailed at Pt Chev Sailing Club over the weekend with 9 boats entered. OOD Don Oliver and his crew of helpers set great and true courses which made this regatta an excellent advent. Both days saw the races sailed in a true westerly breeze between 10<>15 knots and increasing to 20 plus on Sunday. What a great sailing venue with good sailing water and lots of helpers to retrieve trailers etc.

Race 1.
Rodger Hall nzl 242 (IRL) started the regatta in perfect fashion by clearing out from the fleet and looking fast up and down hill. He took the 1st of his 3 guns for the day. Brother Ray Hall nzl 232 (Mac Donald’s) chased hard for a good 2nd with me nzl 23 keeping him honest and taking 3rd place. Kevin Stone nzl 235 sailed well and made up lots of places down wind to take 4th. Class Secretary John Duff nzl 55 5th, Dirch Andersen nzl 229 and Jim Goodare nzl 227 finished 6th equal, Gerrit Bearda nzl 193 and the Thames yacht club commodore Stu Munro nzl 9 fought out the minor placings finishing in that order.

Race 2.
Rodger H takes his 2nd gun. The racing is starting to heat up with the fleet finishing a lot closer than race1 as the sailors start to work out the venue and the best way to attack the course. Rodger H and I finished over lapped with Ray H 3rd and Kevin S 4th only seconds away. Gerrit B had his best result with a 5th place.

Race 3.
Rodger H has his 3RD gun for the day. I had a winning led at the top mark for the last time, but am still struggling to hold the advantage down wind. This was a problem all regatta, and I will need to address it before the nats if I want to be a threat. Nzl 23 2nd and the fast finishing Ray H 3rd. Kevin S has is third 4th placing of the day, Mr consistent. Dirch Andersen, with a good 5th place to end day one.

A few of the boys stayed in the club rooms Sat night , Before lights out we went to the Manukau fishing club for a couple of quiet ones and catch up with the Hartley 16 boys who had been racing on the Manukau harbour. 'Slept like a baby'

Sunday saw an increase in the breeze, up to 20 knots. A big day at the office for the fleet.

Race 4.
Ray H took command of the building breeze and dominated this race. His new rig looked very powerful. Rodger H 2nd and Kevin S a fast finishing 3rd and very close to a 2nd. Well sailed Stoney. I dropped of the pace with bad down wind speed and finished 4th. Jim G 5th.

Race 5.
The regatta was starting to really heat up with placings still up for grabs. The races were that close the boats were finishing within seconds of each other and testing the OOD on the finish line. Rodger and I had a real ding dong battle, me pipping him by 3secs. Rodger said we may as well being playing rugby against each other. That’s how tuff it felt. Ray H 5 secs behind for 3rd place. 4th to Jim G for his best result with Dirch A 5th.

Race 6.
The last race. All the boys feeling the heat with some going to shore. The breeze was up to 25 plus and the bodies were hurting, but still placings to sort out. Ray H and I had a real go at each other crossing tacks up the beats. But the old legs were starting to burn and the young buck took charge. Well done Ray. Me 2nd. Rodger 3rd. Kevin S 4th Dirch A 5th.

Racing over and to the prize giving. One race to drop and last years champ retains his trophy. Rodger Hall 1st. Raymond Hall and me 2nd equal, him winning it on a count back. With Kevin S 4th. 5th Dirch A. 6th Jim G. 7th Gerrit B. 8th John D. 9th Stu M

Rodger H 1 1 1 2 2 3.
Ray H 2 3 3 1 3 1.
Alan D 3 2 2 4 1 2.
Kevin S 4 4 4 3 6 4.
Dirch A 6 7 5 6 5 6.
Jim G 6 8 6 5 4 dnf.
Gerrit B 8 5 8 7 7 dnf.
John D 5 6 7 dns dns dns.
Stu M 9 9 dnf 8 8 dnf.

Thanks again to the Pt Chev club members and to 'Doyle sails' for the prize giving sponsorship. The Fleet has come a long way in two years. Lets keep it up.
C U on da water

Nzl23
Alan Dawson

by Alan Dawson

Tweet

Click on the FB Like link to post this story to your FB wall

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=63621

10:31 AM Mon 23 Nov 2009 GMT

Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.