Elliott 5.9 Appletons Estate Rum Travellers Series
by Ian MacIntosh on 22 Jul 2005
Elliot 5.9's tough it out on a cold Lake Taupo in mid-July Ian MacIntosh
Last weekend saw a fleet of 10 Elliott 5.9’s get together in Taupo for Race 3 of the Appletons Estate Rum Travellers Series.
Numbers were slightly down, with several boats undergoing maintenance, but boats came from as far Kerikeri and Wellington, and as always the racing was close. The eight race regatta was hosted by the Lake Taupo Yacht Club, and racing took place in Tapuaeharuru Bay just offshore from the club.
Some crews took a full appreciation of the hospitality Taupo had to offer on Friday evening, but the icy water and the sight of Mt Ruapehu covered in snow definitely woke them up the next morning.
A shifty easterly of 12knt blew throughout the day, but was complicated by Mt Tauhara directly upwind of the course, leading to big oscillations and making course setting difficult for the windward leeward format. This caused a strong bias to the pin and very few passing lanes for the first three races.
The remaining two races were set further out in the lake, with a truer course the result - winds lightened with the regular shifty gusts cycling down the course made for close tactical racing.
The final three races were held on Sunday, with a similar course to Race 4 and 5 from Saturday, a little more breeze came up so crews were working hard, hiking and calling the shifts, not to mention some very competitive starts on the even line.
Prize giving at the LTYC, saw the generosity of our sponsors show through again, with Simon Manning of Auckland on Voodoo, walk away with the regatta first place and literally more Appletons Estate Rum than he could carry.
See the full Results on www.e59.org.nz.
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