2014 RPNYC Moore Wilson’s Winter Series – I’ll huff and I’ll puff

by Paul Davies on 31 Jul 2014 Yet again – it was a weekend of two halves experienced by competitors in the 2014 RPNYC Moore Wilson’s Winter Series.


This week – we have two unique views on the racing – the Classic from a competitors viewpoint – and Sunday’s event report brought to you from the bridge of the Race Committee Boat 'Bloody Mary'…

Classic Yachts & Two Handed PHRF Series

After two weeks of rain, wind, snow and hail, the usual suspects gathered in keen anticipation on Saturday morning. The course was laid, with an eye to the forecast 30 knot southerly, the Classic yachts faced a comparative marathon from the Inner Harbour to Evans Bay’s Shoal Pile, then around Somes/Matiu Island to return to the finish line. The Two Handed fleet had a windward/leeward course set to test the skills and stamina of the foredeck crews.

With a timely start at 1030 hours, the fleet all pointed east and – in now familiar conditions – barely made progress before the race was recalled, and substituted with two hours of aimless drifting along the start line before being abandoned.

Your humble correspondent has depleted his reservoir of similes for ‘windless’. He does not know what he may be able to say if circumstances repeat.

On the basis that a picture paints a thousand words, then (from left to right), Loloma, Lizzie, and Galatea, mirrored off the OPT

With the fully crewed series nearing completion the series may well be wrapped up in a fortnights time.

Sunday Fully Crewed Series

As if to taunt those who wallowed in the near mirror-like conditions of the day prior – Mother Nature greeted sailors to a Sunday that would illustrate winter sailing in Wellington at its finest.

The breeze was out of the South – 18 gusting 30 from the South. It was thermals all round and even whispers of 'reefs in' were heard as the boats were rigged.

Suffering a severe case of near-fatal ‘man-flu’ the Regatta Director took his place on the Bridge of the Race Committee Boat 'Bloody Mary' anchored at the southern end of Evans Bay under the watchful eye of Race Officer Ken Burt and watched as a 1.5nm course was laid with military precision by Ken and his Team.

Division A started promptly at 1215, with the fleet spread evenly along a most generous, if not, bias-free start line. Wedgetail (Meric Davies) took full advantage of the pin, and tacked along the eastern shore to easily clear the fleet and lead around the top mark from REVS (Mark Gordon) and The Guarantee (Geoff Herd).

Wedgetail looked to have the jump on the fleet, before a blown kite allowed REVS to storm past in to the lead. Wedgetail made up the lost ground to take the gun from REVS and The Guarantee.

Results soon showed that the kite exploding cost Wedgetail top podium honours for the day, with REVS taking out the day on both PHRF and General Handicap, with The Guarantee banking two seconds. Wedgetail filled third on PHRF and Rocket Science taking third on General Handicap.

In Division B all eyes were on Brent Dewhurst and the Team on Gucci to see if their reputation of excelling in the breeze would again come to the fore. Talk on the docks also mentioned the sensational form of the 1020s in the fleet: Floating Free (winners from week 3) and Eat My Shorts.

Off the start line, it was the regular fleet leaders Black Diamond (Jamie McDowell), Testarossa (Grant Reid) and MRX Red (Matt Stevens) who showed their noses at the front of the pack. Comment was passed that Dewwy and the Gucci crew were 'deep…..very deep!' and would need more spades than a deck of cards to get out of trouble. Also back in the fray were the four Youth Scheme Elliott6’s – with all crews hiking hard in conditions at the top of their range.

As the fleet passed the Committee Boat to the bottom mark Gucci had pulled a rabbit out of the hat and were chasing the leaders hard.

At the end of the second lap it was Testarossa yet again smelling gunsmoke, from MRX Red and Gucci in third.

It was Floating Free who again took top honours on General Handicap from Gucci and MRX Red. The Gucci team would claim the day with wins on PHRF and IRC. Testarossa would have to settle for a well-deserved second on PHRF from Eat My Shorts.

With four races completed – and the drop only coming in to play after the last race is completed – the Moore Wilson’s Winter Series will yet again come down to the last race day – scheduled for two weeks time.

Series sponsor, Chris Coad was out on the water again. You can check out his photos right click here!


The Moore Wilson’s Winter Series runs every second weekend from June – August.

Everything you need to know – including a full copy of the results can be accessed on the RPNYC website right click here


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You can keep up to date with the 2014 Moore Wilson’s Winter Series page on facebook – where you can share gossip, tell tall tales, and even look for crew. Anyone can join – but remember – this page does not replace the website or Club Notice Board for all the really really official stuff!

Facebook Page right click here