Yacht Fleet set for change in Weather

by Ian Grant on 8 Apr 2001 Grant Wharington's Victorian maxi Wild Thing aided with the advantage of water ballast increased her line honours lead in a day of demanding headwind sailing off the mid New South Wales Coast today.

Moderate North East winds which increased during the day following a bleak morning of soft winds and coastal showers have allowed Wild Thing to stretch her lead to 5 miles over Brindabella (George Snow) with Sean Langman's Grundig Xena another 12 miles astern.

This trio had built a slight break on the bulk of the fleet as they sailed the surf line inside the headlands.

Skipper Wharington reported Wild Thing was relishing the conditions as they set a course to weather South West Rocks off Kempsey.

As expected the headwind sailing had proved to be another supreme test for skipper tactician and crew with the crews called on deck to execute numerous sail changes required to suit the wind angle and velocity.

After almost 27 hours of slogging against the wind in what is proving to be a test on crew and craft Wild Thing had logged an average speed of 7.5 knots and still had 265 n/mls to sail.

However she was close the favourable spinnaker sailing south east wind change created and the building sea state generated from the tropical cyclone Sose which was plotted west of Noumea late today.

While Wild Thing, Brindabella and Grundig Xena are positioned to duel for line honours the finishing order will be determined by boat speed over the final 120 nautical miles after the clear Cape Byron.

The smaller open 60 Grudig Xena has been doing it tough in the head winds but she is expected to be in the thick of the line honours fight when the breeze bends to allow a spinnaker hoist for the first time in the race.

Meanwhile the battle for handicap honours have provided some surprises with the Mooloolaba Yacht Club sloop Bimble Gumbee skippered by Commodore Nick Cox heading the Performance Handicap class.

Bimble Gumbee better known for scoring top results in reaching and running winds had protected her handicap rating against some top performers including David Pescud's Aspect Computing crew who recently won the Strathfield Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race.

Provisional corrected time honours was also close in the IMS class where the 2000 Hamilton Island Race Week champion Fireball a Beneteau 'Beach Ball' skippered by Brian Saunders led Nips N Tux (Howard De Torres) and Syd Fischer's Ragamuffin