Sailing on the Derwent - Hobartians say, ‘What winter chill?’

by Peter Campbell on 19 May 2010 Tasmanian sailors seem oblivious to the chillier weather of late autumn and early winter when it comes to competitive racing on the Derwent. But they do wear thermals or wet suits when on the water.

Before dawn on any weekday, one can see a fleet of Laser and Sabots milling around on Sullivan’s Cove under the guidance of Yachting Tasmania head coach Richard Scarr as he prepares them for a tilt at the Queensland Youth championships in June.

In recent weeks, more than 40 keelboats have been competing in the Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Autumn Two Handed Series that ended last Sunday.

Next Sunday, dinghy sailors and keelboat crews will turn out for the opening race in the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania’s Winter Pennant Series, followed by the Derwent Sailing Squadron and the Bellerive Yacht Club’s Winter Pennants the following Sunday. In total, each club will conduct five races over the winter with many yachts contesting each club’s Winter Series.

The RYCT’s Winter Series for keelboats will be different this year, with pursuit racing being introduced for the first time since club stalwart Rowan Johnston ran them some 20 years ago.

During that time, the club enjoyed great numbers of competing boats and race officials are confident that many more boats will enter this year. “The beauty of handicap starts is that first home is the race winner and, of course, first to the bar for drinks and the free barbeque,” says Richard Scarr, the new sailing manager at the RYCT.

Among the early entrants for the RYCT and other club Winter Pennants is 81-year-old Grahame Inglis with his Scott Kaufman-designed, Huon Valley-built 30-footer Rouseabout.

Graeme has been sailing on the Derwent since the 1940s, and is still an active sailor, summer and winter. He has owned, and raced successfully, Rouseabout for the past 20 seasons.

“I’m not the only yachtie of my age still actively racing,” he says. “There’s Tom Kirkland, John Hunn, Terry Bragg and Alan Floyd, all in their 80s or close to it, but I’m not sure they are turning out for the winter racing.”

Other early entries for the RYCT Winter Pennant racing include several Farr 40s, the ocean racing Dumptruck, a fleet of Foil Moths, including Robbie Gough, Will Logan and Julian Salter. A large fleet of dinghies, including Sabots and Lasers will be racing in the Dinghy Group Winter Pennants.

Racing will start from 9.40am, with pursuit racing for keelboats starting from a mid-river line.