*Busy afternoon off Point Piper. Photo by Chris Tattersall.*

Club Championships, Races 3 & 4

Saturday’s racing took place under sunny skies and with a strong, unsteady westerly. The weather mark was set just east of the Navy Buoy (off Clark Island), the leeward mark close to Shark Island. Gybe mark was set close to Point Piper, maximising the course length within our established racing area. While the Bergman was doing the initial mark-setting, the wind was gusting to 28 kts, so the Paul Adam was launched to provide additional rescue capacity and support to the race committee.

Race 3 got off on time, with clean starts for both fleets. The wind had abated somewhat with gust strength down to about 22 kts, and significant lulls to contend with. Par for the course with westerlies. The racing was close and exciting to watch. Before we could retrieve it, the finish line mark managed to drift and fetch up off Shark Island just north of the leeward mark (the lead pack of Radial sailors assumed it was some sort of leeward offset mark and rounded it to port). It was quickly returned to its proper station and secured with an additional length of anchor line.

By Race 4 the wind had shifted south by about 20-degrees, but was still “within the margin”, and so the RC elected not to fiddle with mark locations. Breeze strength was still up-and-down. The Radials (and our lone 4.7) got off cleanly. The Standards had two boats over early, but both returned and correctly restarted. The first tack was complicated by a couple of cruising yachts trying (not very successfully) get away from the wall of starboard tack Lasers, but then again that’s standard fare for Saturday afternoon racing.

DBSC sailors welcomed a small number of Australian Sailing Squad members to the day’s racing. Although they courteously did not cross the finish line (which would have confused yours truly), they showed they belonged on the squad and provided welcome competition in the leading pack.

Race 3 winners were Charles Byford (Radials) and Campbell Patton (Standards)

Race 4 winners were Scott hunter (Radials), Healy Ryan (Standards) and Isabelle Wilkins (4.7)

Thanks to the Race Committee (Martin Gill, PRO, assisted by Gaye Gill and Chris Tattersall, LTRAR) and the support crews (Rob Bruce & Ian Tudball in the Bergman, Ben Byford and Daryl Lawrence in the Paul Adam). Also, a special shout out to Kate McHugh who tracked retiring boats as they came ashore and radioed back to the RC to ensure we didn’t lose anyone (we didn’t). Pre-race toasties provided by Shirley and Andrew Cox.

There was a BBQ on the deck following the racing for which we need to thank Michelle Powers for making the salads, Kate McHugh for assisting with the preparation, and Daryl Lawrence and Jim Dounis for manning the grill and cleaning up.

-Chris Tattersall, LTRAR