Gale plays havoc with yacht racing fleets

by Peter Campbell on 27 Sep 2003 A south-westerly gale played havoc with today’s opening race of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Ocean Pointscore for the 2003-2004 season, with only half the fleet completing the course even through it was sailed within Sydney Harbour rather than off the Heads.

With the Harbour a sea of whitecaps as winds gusted between 40 and 50 knots, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron abandoned all races. Only a handful of boats started in the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club events.

With the Bureau of Meteorology upgrading the coastal waters forecast from a strong wind warning to a gale warning of Smokey Cape, the CYCA elected to conduct the Ocean Pointscore Race within the Harbour.

A crew member was injured aboard the ocean racing yacht Antipodes, but no serious damage was reported to any boats.

However, of the 14 starters, only seven completed the course, with David Taylor’s Pippin and Geoffrey Phillips’ Forzado sharing the top handicap honours.

Pippin, an early nomination for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2003 won the IMS Division from Forzado and Amanti (Dennis Cooper) but Forzado reversed the order under IRC, Amanti placing third in both categories.

PHS went to Miss-G-Fuss-Moment (Stephen Colibree) from Amante and Pippin.

Tomorrow the CYCA will conduct its annual Monica Geddes Memorial Trophy Sydney Harbour Islands Race on the Harbour, with winds expected to moderate for the big fleet.

The Club’s Opening Day and Marina Party at its Rushcutters Bay headquarters will follow the race.