Coffs and Splutters But All Clear For A Night of Gambling

by Crosbie Lorimer on 2 Jan 2004 'Not exactly' said a Nicorette crewman this morning when asked would they be taking the same crew north as they did to Hobart last week; 'we normally run with 22 but we took a punt on the southerly forecast a couple of days back and so we’re going north with only eighteen; should be interesting!'

Judging from the story of the extraordinary turnaround and repair schedule on Nicorette since she pulled out of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race there would be a good chance that sleep deficit would be testing the remaining active members of the crew as she plugs into a steady nor’easter tonight.

Nonetheless, Nicorette was at the start in plenty of time to power through the fleet in the middle of the line this afternoon, leading Wild Oats and the remainder of the fleet on the 226 nautical mile ‘warm water’ option heading north.

Looking a little more sprightly were the crew of fellow Hobart retiree Strewth, the Lyons 49 which never made it to the start line of the Sydney Hobart, care of a recalcitrant starter motor.

These and more than 65 other yachts got away to a clean start this afternoon in a patchy 10-15 knot nor’easter that was predicted to get to 20 knots later today and potentially hold in tonight.

Nicorette and Wild Oats were soon pulling away from the rest of the fleet ahead of Paul Jolly’s Coffs Harbour Challenger formerly Eureka II with Steven David’s Joe (a Swan 45 One Design that presently leads the IRC overall point score for the series with a 3rd and three 1sts in the lead-up races) doing battle with Richard Hudson’s IC 45 Pretty Woman.

Paul Hyland’s Farr 40 Capria was also well placed.

As the fleet split between those holding close to the shore off Kilcare and those staying wider it was difficult to make a call on the leaders in the Sydney 38's, but Geoff Payne’s Risk appeared to get a good start and The Business (Division 2 leader of the series to date), Uncensored, Bashful and Blue Sky were all holding a good line up the coast as the breeze started to fill in.

As with the Sydney to Hobart race the Sydney 38s seem likely to serve up some of the closest and most interesting ‘Sked Spotting’ in this race.

Mark ‘Tacker’ Thompson who sailed on Wayne Kirkpatrick’s Asylum going south this year described at the RPAYC today some extraordinarily close racing between four of the Sydney 38s in the southern race.

Rupert Henry’s Team Lexus beat Asylum over the line by a mere 40 seconds and these two looked as if they were tied to Another Challenger and IRC division winner Chutzpah for most of the race. 'Easy to think of a few places where we could have made up that difference’ said a relaxed ‘Tacker’ before heading off to a well-earned picnic.

With five of the 13 Sydney 38's racing north presently in the top 10 overall pointscore for the IRC Division there’s plenty of experience vying for a fleet and IRC podium finish amongst this one design fleet.

As ever with the races north in a nor’easter, so much will depend on the tacticians’ call for tonight’s gamble. The Bureau of Meteorology suggest that the nor’easter will lighten but hold in tonight along with a building sea further north, but there’s also the possibility of a nor’west landbreeze closer to shore (and of course out of the south-going set).

There’ll doubtless be a few surprises as the early watches come on deck and look around through bleary eyes after dawn tomorrow.

Who’d be a tactician? Wearing slippers at sea is not much compensation!

The official race Sponsor is the Strathfield Group, one of the largest independent retailers of mobile communications products in Australia. http://www.strathfield.com.au/

Further news on the series is available on the Club website at www.rpayc.com.au or at www.sail-world.com/coffs2004