Attached are the list of entrants, their assigned handicaps and the Sailing Instructions for the  2013 Classic Winter Series Race 6. Race 6 will be conducted for the Association by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria by under direction of principal race officer, David Leroy.

Subsequent to that great sail we had in Race 5 the Assigned handicaps have been modified slightly. Race 5 elapsed times were rerun with the Race 6 handicaps. Except for placings 1 and 2 no other corrected time placing took place although the spread of corrected times tightened up between the first and last 2 placings.

With reasonable and cold racing conditions predicted for Sunday’s race 6 let’s see what the sharpened pencil activities of that handicapper, who you all know and love, result in.

Trim, the Ohlsen 36 from the SYC, with Phil Aitkins on the helm will have another go to make the start. Sea conditions on the morning of the last race were too hard on the nose to give Phil time to make the start. So we try again.

Let’s see how Michael McTavish with Serifa  and Cameron Dorrough with Bungoona perform this week. In the notes last week, a comment was made about the tight racing as indicted by the elapsed times. One close battle to the finish line not mentioned in the after Race 5 comments was that between Cyan and Bungoona. Like all great champions of the ring, after what could have been a knockout blow, Cyan picked herself up from the floor and took out Bungoona with a 2 second count. Again one more of the stories that gave Cyan the Race 5 sail of the day.

The notes accompanying the published results from last race had a comment that Peter McDonald was looking for some expressions of interest about taking over Pastime II. Those comments should have included the page address on the Classic Website where the Pastime II story could be found. So here it is, http://www.classic-yacht.asn.au/classifieds/

Some other interstate news. Our Web site has a new link installed to a web site for Traditional boat tragics. Its been set up by our Brisbane member, Greg Doolan. Greg’s a member of the Wynnum Manly Yacht Club in Brisbane with his 30’ Alden sloop Karunda. Greg participated in the 2013 Vintage Yacht Regatta conducted by the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club. Many of our Brisbane CYAA members take part in this Regatta. www.qcyc.com.au

Take a look to see what Gregs about tradboatsqld.asn.au

BTW there’s no connection between Andy Doolan with Tina of Melbourne and Greg.

Planning activity is moving ahead for the 2014 Geelong Wooden Boat Festival. Here’s a link to their website home page for the basic information. The remaining website pages are still stuck in the 2012 festival news. www.woodenboatfestival.yachting.org.au

Planning is still happening with the Classic Yacht Association involvement with the Tall Ships Festival Sail Day scheduled for Thursday September 12. There’s also the Classic Association invite to the Tall ship crew to take part in our Pursuit Race on September 8 as crew members with our Classic Yacht fleet. For additional on what’s happening during this Tall ship Festival here’s their website home page address. www.melbournetallships2013.yachting.org.au

In the mean while Cup Regatta planning is moving along. Besides the additional teams racing event on Friday involving 2 teams, each made up of CYAA/CYANZ and CBA members, additional trophies are being considered to sustain effort across all Regatta racing. The offer still stands for members to use their connections to sponsor  trophies for events of their nomination, including items such as door and spot prizes during social functions. The Regatta will acknowledge the sponsors of all trophies.

No more for now. Let’s go and live again. 10:30 am Sunday morning it’s time to hit the line hard with a copy of the Royals course book on board.

Regards

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Sailing Instructions Race 6 August 4 (RYCV)

Entries and Handicaps (RYCV) July 29

Attached are the results of Race 5, along with the 2013 Winter Series points and ML III consistency point’s status after Race 5.

Finally a day where wind and sea conditions gave our Classic Yachts a chance to show what they can do. Nothing beats the moment on a balanced Classic Yacht, when they bear up into the 20+knot gusts with lee gunnel down and only a light hand on the helm. They find the wind shifts for you.

The start was blitzed by the cracks on Martini however after bearing off to not put several Classic yachts to the test Kingurra stormed through the fleet to take over the lead from the windward mark.

The feature of today’s racing was the performance of all the Classic Yachts who don’t have the chance to shine in lighter conditions. Michael McTavish had Serifa performing beautifully. After a great start and picking the right wind on the beats Serifa was duelling with the larger Classic Yachts throughout the race. The word on Marie Loiuse III was ‘where is he now’ after being shadowed all race by Serifa.

There was also a great sailing performance put in by Akala. Watching her flying a kite in those marginal conditions was quite a show. Particularly in those gusty under control round up’s. The work put in by David McNeice and his crew on Akala during those runs paid off in the results.

Analysis of the elapsed times show there was tight racing across the Tumlare fleet where Jim Hutchinson worked Dingo hard to take out the corrected time honours within the Tum fleet after being pipped at the post by 30 seconds from Ettrick. That hard work by a war wounded Doug Jenkin with assistance from Kate Solly and a helping crew hand from Zephyr paid off. With Roger Dundas bringing Avian home 45 seconds behind Dingo showed there was nothing between the Tums after a 100 odd minutes of racing. Mixed in this bunch was Martini who received a 16 second knock out by Dingo.

Hard sailing by Peter and Scott McDonald had Pastime II take out the George Fisscher and Michael team on Boambillee by 67 seconds. For unknown reasons the Mercedes III people kept a watching brief on these two yachts by following them around the course.

No question about the sail of the day. Step up the crew on Cyan. As is always the case when your yacht is having a great day you are never able to watch what the fleet see. This would apply to Cyan. Watching her power up under kite on the first run, tight kite drops at the rounding mark, her tramping past Peter Lloyds Marie Louise III and Mark Chew’s Fairwinds II on a slightly sprung reach to showing the fleet how to recover a runaway spinnaker. Cyan race action with Craig Brown on the helm is a must to be recognised as the sail of the day.

So that’s it for Race 5. Good to see the tight mid fleet corrected times. As usual the top and bottom of the corrected time results show some fun will be had by that handicapper you all know and love with the preparation of the handicaps for Race 6.

One additional item. Pastime II

Peter McDonald has put out a notice on our Web site asking for expressions of interest in the takeover of Pastime II. This is an opportunity to take over a well found and easily driven Classic Yacht that also does well in club racing. The Web Site classifieds tells the Pastime II story.  Below is the address for a short Race 5 video taken from Pastime II. Apart from reliving parts of our race it will also give a glimpse of what it’s like to be on Pastime II.

So next race August 4. More Tall Ship festival news will be available by then. From crewing on the Europa to participating in the Tall ships Festival the Classics are there.

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe

CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Results