All It Takes Is Patience For Tony Schofield
by Steve Harrison on 6 Apr 2010
John Brown’s Windward Star passes a Mirror dinghy against the background of Adamson’s Peak Steve Harrison
Tony Schofield sailed his Tasman 26 to a comfortable win in the Woodbridge Hill Hideaway Cruising Series at the Huon Tasmanian Salmon Port Esperance Regatta over Easter.
With two thirds and a first, Patience won from John Brown’s Herreshoff Windward Star on a count back to Rumbeat, a Farr 1104 helmed by Justin Barr.
The series began with the Kettering to Dover Race, a passage race down the d’Entrecasteaux Channel. A good breeze had the front-runners finishing in a little over four hours with Rumbeat crossing the line first. Andrew Matton-Johnston’s newly acquired Supersonic 27 Pukana took handicap honours from Rumbeat and Patience. Look out when Andrew gets the old boat back into tip-top condition.
Race two was another race back out into the Channel to Zuidpool Rock and return. While dinghies racing on Port Esperance dealt with frustrating conditions, the cruisers had good pressure almost all day. Rumbeat led the fleet home but the conditions favoured the majestic ketch Windward Star which won on handicap over five and a half minutes ahead of Ripper, Tony Lagden’s Robertson 950.
Race three, the Far South Plumbing Classic and Cruising Race, was a parade of sail with the cruising fleet joined by some wooden classics such as David Golding’s couta boat Pelican, and Ross Berkman’s Derwent Merlin. But again, Patience, Rumbeat and Windward Star dominated, taking first second and third on time and on the water.
It was the first time Tony Schofield had entered the event and he was joined in Dover by almost half the membership of the Austins Ferry Yacht Club from which he hails.
Next year is the 150th anniversary of the Port Esperance Regatta and organisers are planning a huge event.
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