Winter ‘yacht crawl’ on Port Phillip

by Bob Tanner on 5 Jul 2005 Frustratingly light winds greeted the 51 boat fleet at the start of the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s 2005 Bavaria Yachts Winter Series on Port Phillip on Sunday.

A 5 to 8 knot northerly at the start eased off as the fleet rounded the first windward mark, with many of the yachts struggling to complete the first lap in the dying breeze. A light westerly eventually moved across the Bay, allowing the bulk of the fleet to finish a shortened course.

Line Honours for the day was never in doubt. After a very conservative start, Chris Dare’s newly imported Corby 49, Flirt, sailed through the fleet to lead at the first mark, ahead of the Sydney 47 Gomez (Steve Chiodo) and the two DK 46’s; Dekadence (Phil Coombs) and Shogun (Rob Hanna).

At the finish it was Flirt, Dekadence, Shogun, Gomez and Outrageous (Ray Shaw – Beneteau 44.7), just ahead of the first Sydney 38 Chutzpah (Bruce Taylor).

In IRC A Division, Dekadence, Flirt and Under Capricorn (Phil Bedlington) took out the handicap placings, in AMS A it was Toecutter (Robert Hick), Under Capricorn and Swordfish Trombone (Tim Olding) and in Performance Handicap A, Prion (Michael Dolphin), Under Capricorn and Wasabi (Jim Milledge).

B Division had more of a struggle to the finish, with Midnight Rambler (David Cartan) taking Line Honours, first place in IRC B and second in Performance Handicap B. By Order of the Secretary (George Shaw) and Silhouette (Brian McDermott) were second and third in IRC B. In Performance Handicap B Division it was Schuss (Dennis McConnell), Midnight Rambler and Silhouette.

Race 2 of the Series will be on Sunday July 17th, with all competitors looking forward to a bit more of that winter breeze!

For full results go to: www.orcv.org.au