Mt Gay Rum 2013 Neptune Regatta – last day, last gasp

by Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia on 18 Feb 2013 One more day on the water for the IRC and Multihull Racing classes, and bearing in mind that they were all ‘fresh’ from the long race up from Neptune Island, 70nm to windward. First arrival last night was Walawala at 2124h, and last was The Dash at 0520h this morning. A splash and a shave and out on the water again – even if the scheduled start time was 1200h.

All four boats in the IRC Racing division turned out, and with Kukukerchu leading Walawala by just a point, there was some business to settle. Two of the Racing Multihulls opted to stop at Karas Besar with the Cruising fleets last night, leaving The Dash and Manao Express to argue the short strokes at the end of the regatta.

With the three Cruising divisions making their way up the Riau Strait on their last race of the regatta in good breeze, the RO set a windward-leeward course for the Racing boats just east of the Turi Beach jetty. There was plenty of breeze from (unusually) the northwest, but also a number of rain cells lurking around with intent to change the breeze. Kukukerchu slipped into an early advantage and led the Racing fleet round the 1.2nm sausage course for a definitive win, and placing her two points clear of Walawala.

The Dash took off with attitude, jumped into the lead and showed Manao Express the way all around the course. But by the time they had finished the wind was on its last legs, and it was a painfully slow last run.

Then the wind – what there was of it - swung, first to due north, and them to 030, and dying all the while. Everyone got wet for a short spell as rain moved across the course, leaving behind some very unstable puffy breeze. The top mark was moved (again), and then after several consultations with the piece of wool on the antenna on his VHF, the Race Officer decided that enough was enough and abandoned the last race. It was a good call.

And so the 2013 Mt Gay Neptune Regatta ended with the Racing boats heading back into the marina along with a number of the Cruisers, motoring home after having sailed to a short finish at the top of the Riau Strait.

Overall Results

IRC Racing
1. Kukukerchu
2. Walawala 2
3. Sea Bass
4. Rikki Tikki Tavi
Multihull Racing
1. The Dash
2. Manao Express
3. Tri to Fly
4. Dash Boot
Premier Cruising
1. Baby Tonga
2. Shahtoosh
3. Defiance
4. Pyrenees
5. Don’t Think Twice
6. Cibeles
7. KayHan
Cruising
1. Minx
2. Mico Verde
3. Naya
4. WYSIWYG
Multihull Cruising
1. La Gaeta
2. Katrianne