Sail Port Stephens 2011 - Saturday's Liquid Sunshine

by Sail Port Stephens Media on 16 Apr 2011 Sail Port Stephens 2011 racing day 5. A very tough day at the office, with 'liquid sunshine' but little breeze.

A southerly change, with brief gusts to 15 knots on the NSW Hunter coast, was followed by steady rain and lack of breeze. Postponements on all courses this morning. For much of the day there was just rain.

Offshore the swell was one to two metres with solid rain and little or no breeze coming from any direction.

Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson is a very patient soul and after three hours, the wind gradually lifted to five to eight knots from the west. So the AP flag came down. But as Denis explained 'the wind began dropping from the warning signal and it quickly faded back to nothing. With two minutes to go we stopped the sequence, signalled AP/A, abandonning racing on the IRC course for the day.

'A tough day at the office, the weather predictions did not come to pass, but we are pleased that the inshore fleets completed races.'

It was tough on the Port Stephens inside course too as Performance Racing Division Race officer Elaine Fowler explained. ‘It was very difficult this morning because the tide was roaring and the wind was not blowing. We went into sequence, but had to postpone, then the wind came in again, we went back into sequence, it dropped out again, so we postponed again.

‘Then we were lucky as the tide slackened the wind finally came in steadily at around eight knots and we got the Performance Racing division away and the Cruising boats away on the same breeze.'

In the Performance Racing division, Concealed Weapon, Barry Kelly’s Archambault M34 snuck away, followed by the Brett van Munster's GP26 Rapid Transit and Bruce McKay’s Sayer 12 Wasabi. The others were slow behind.

But out on the course as the fleet was doing legs near Corlette Point, the wind died away so race officials shortened at the Corlette Point mark.

The westerly came in as another line of rain, ensuring the Cruising fleet made it to the finish line.

Performance Racing line honours in Race 3 went to Iota, John McNamara’s IRC Farr 40 from Barry Kelly’s Archambault M34 Concealed Weapon and Robert Humpris’ Vismara V43 Rhumb.

On handicap, Brett Van Munster’s GP26 Rapid Transit took the first place, from Concealed Weapon and Iota.

Van Munster was grinning broadly when he came ashore. ‘We were on fire today. In light conditions we just accelerate away. We very much enjoyed beating 40 footers on the water. We would have had fun with the Sayer 12 Wasabi but they ran aground.

‘Tomorrow we are hoping it will be soft again or 25 knots plus and then we will really fly.’

Overall, after three races the Performance Racing Division is still being lead by Fathom, David Berryman’s modified Sydney 39CR (1,2,7) from Steve Rae’s J122 Marta Jean. John McNamara’s Iota is third.

Race 2 for the Performance Cruising Division 1 was a shortened affair, with Shawn Russett’s Tailwind, a Beneteau First 40CR first across the line. Peter Byford’s Joie De Vie (Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42i) was second, with Graham Mocbuckson’s Custom 18.5 German Frers Margaret Rintoul V, third.

On handicap Joie de Vie took the top place, from Tailwind and eXcapade, Noel Gough’s Northshore NXS 38.

After 2 races in the Performance Cruising Division 1, the Overall leader is Tailwind, just one point ahead of Joie De Vie. Andrew Dally’s Bear Necessity, the C&C 115 from the Middle Harbour Yacht club is third.

Performance Cruising Division 2 also sailed a shortened race with Matt Bosner’s Elliot 7 Nervous first across the line. Derek Sheppard’s Cavalier 395 Kahoona was second with Mainstay, Barry Sewell’s Sydney 32 third.

The handicap win went to Mark Wharton’s Navita, a Northshore 31 from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. Lake Macquarie yacht No Regrets, Ian Billington’s Dufour Classic, was second with Nervous claiming third.

The Overall Division 2 leader is Matt Bosner’s Nervous (1,3) with Navita (6,1) three points behind and leading on count back from No Regrets (5,2).

SB3 Nationals Day 2, Salamander Bay.

Nathan Outteridge went into day 2 of the SB3 National Championship with a two point lead over Glenn Bourke.

Nathan Outteridge won race 5, finishing one minute and nine seconds ahead of Phillip Gray (Dulon Polish). Glenn Bourke (Club Marine White) was third, one minute and forty two seconds behind the winner.

Glenn Bourke turned the tables in race 6 of the championship, winning by one minute ahead of Phillip Gray. Nathan Outteridge finished third, one minute and twelve seconds behind Bourke.

Overall Nathan Outteridge leads the SB3 National Championship by two points over Glenn Bourke. Jan Talacko (Foreign Object) is third.

Ian Brown is campaigning with Nathan Outteridge. 'We are pleased with our ongoing progress here as we prepare for the upcoming SB3 Worlds. I found some good light weather rig settings when I was sailing with Malcolm Page and Matt Belcher on Sydney Harbour (Sydney Harbour Regatta), so we've been trialling those. If it’s soft tomorrow we will continue doing that.’

Overall Results after day 2

IRC NSW Championship:
Division 1 Overall leader is Hooligan, from Shogun and Vamp.
Division 2 Overall leader is Balance, then Aroona and Schouten Passage.

Performance Racing Overall Series leader is Fathom, ahead of Marta Jean with Iota third.

Performance Cruising Division 1 leader is Tailwind, followed by Joie de Vie and Bare Necessity.
Performance Cruising Division 2 leader is Nervous, from Navita and No Regrets.

After today's 30 knot forecast did not deliver a race sailable breeze, when asked what the forecast was for tomorrow PRO Denis Thompson laughed. ‘Does it matter? Remember weather forecasts are never wrong, forecasters sometimes just get their days mixed up!’

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