Shifty breeze plays havoc in NS369 hit out

by Jason Rowed on 1 Mar 2003 Day one, race one, for the Joico regatta run by RPAYC. A light and shifty breeze with the sun making an unusual appearance, keeping the tacticians very confused.

With Five Northshore 369’s racing in class configuration in IRC division 2 it was all on for their first real hit out.

Ross Breadman sailing his NS 369 Renaissance sailed an all most perfect race to lead the whole way only to fault and round the last leeward mark instead of carrying on to the finish line.

Ross certainly wasn’t on his own here as Fuji Film and Avanti did the same.

Capitalizing on this mistake Trim skippered by Dick Smidlin slipped through from second place to take the gun just ahead of AFR Midnight Rambler, Avanti, Ellipse and then the unlucky Renaissance.

Under IRC the Northshore 369’s finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th.

Race 2 saw the wind shift further left and stay at the same strength.

Trim won the pin end and looked comfortable only to get confused with the recalls and fold under pressure and return to the start line “just in case”. AFR lead from Renaissance up the first beat with the lead changing many times.

Trim made a great come back after picking a great left hand shift to round the top mark in third place.

With the wind holding steady, the positions on the run stayed the same until the bottom mark. It was at this mark the wind disappeared and the first three NS 369’s found themselves “with a bit on”.

Trim managed to get caught up with a PHS boat and AFR and Renaisanace slid of into the distance.

RPAYC’s race committee sounded a change of course at the bottom mark but unfortunately the first couple of boats missed the information and it was Dick Smidlin driving Trim that slid home with yet another bullet followed by Ken Murphy and Gary Riley in Avanti and Ellispe. Renaissance and AFR Midnight Rambler ended up with a PMS “Whoops”

IRC results where

1st Trim NS 369

2nd Pippin

3rd Avanti NS 369

4th Ellipse NS 369

Stayed tuned for tomorrows info.