Attached are the results of today’s pursuit race plus the status of the Series aggregate points and the Marie Louise III consistency trophy. Included with the pursuits race results  is an analysis of the today’s results used to obtain the ML III trophy points. This additional analysis is based on the actual on course time of each starter and uses the handicaps that would have been used if today’s race was not a pursuit race. Although not a true reflection of results from a mass start, these result’s, with the close corrected times groupings, will be part of the formula to allocate handicaps for the next race on July 20.

After the disappointment from the previous race where no wind conditions forced the postponement of Race 3 to be run on June 22, ideal 7-15 knot wind and sea conditions racing conditions was the word for the 22 Classic Yachts that started in yesterday’s pursuit start race.  A great result for Bob Munro and his hot shot team who crewed and helmed Tandanya to her decisive first home over the fleet. After a break from Classic Yacht, Tandanya hasn’t lost any of her previous race winning form to hold off Bungoona where Cameron Dorrough was hard at work till the end. The sight of Tandanya beating up to the Channel Mark 76 was the picture of the day. The one minute margin between these two finishers and their two minute margin over the rest of the fleet showed how well they both raced the lighter winds the early group starters had to handle.

Third home was Blackadder. While it could be said the sea and wind conditions were in Blackadder’s favour, Clive Moulday and his crew had extra task off making the extra distance Blackadder has to cover when working to windward beating than any other starter. This hard work paid off in spades. They were able to hold off the fast finishing Fair Winds II by 17 seconds and also put in the best corrected  time performance in the post-race analysis, again an indicator of how well she raced.

In addition to her fourth over the line other indicators to Fair Winds II race performance, under the helm of Mark Chew, was her placing at third for both her on course time and corrected time. With her support in bringing Scimitar home and her own pen docking efforts, the sail of the day must go to Fair Winds II.  Once again, Anne and Karen Batson, with a consistency noted by the handicapper, bought Zephyr home 40 seconds in front of a tight finishing group made up by Peter Lloyd’s Marie Louise III who over took Martini on the last leg to finish 7 seconds ahead of her. No doubt Martini with Michael Clark on the helm, with the better half of her crew missing, was not at full boil However they managed to hold off the fast charging Kingurra. Except for the last run, Kingurra was moving through the fleet all through the race particularly with an excellent one tack on the second beat to Channel Mark 76. She was the fastest Classic Yacht of the day with in on course time of 68 minutes and 6 seconds where the average on course time across the fleet was 87 minutes and 40 seconds.

A notable Loama crewing effort, after a suffice of liquid strength, by Joe Tuck and the boys was observed. No doubt it was this effort that bought, these mates since their kindergarten days, Joe Tuck, Peter Denniston and Matthew Fewster home a minute or so over the fast catching Boambillee. The George Fisscher and Michael Rhodes team put legs on Boambillee to reel the fleet in but a short stint of soft conditions did them in.

Another notable feature of the race was to have Rod Fullers H 28 Shamrock again racing with the fleet. On the runs Rod had Shamrock racing at her maximum and lost no ground to fleet. This hard work by Rod and his crew paid off with a one second take out of Peter McDonald’s Pastime II.

Avian came home next, driven hard with lee gunnel down water everywhere by those great men of Tumlare’ and tight mark rounding fame, Roger Dundas and Charlie Salter. No doubt, both will be receiving their dose on No Doz pills to help them “make it through night” the next race.

Martin Ryan and his top team worked hard on Mercedes III to bring her home with a second on elapsed on water time but to the observing handicapper was another victim to local soft conditions. Meaning, no soft handicap treatment next race.

Perhaps the need for soft treatment and a dose of the vapours must be given to Jim Hutchinson and Dingo. Two races in succession, Classic close calls have been Jim’s burden.

Another big event for this race was the return to the big picture with some in form racing by Kent Bacon and his crew on Renene. Her performance was another closely watched event by the handicapper as she held off Ettrick by 5 seconds.

Closely watched events were also happening on Gordon Tait’s Ettrick. From Heidi’s had at work taking in the sheets after one particular tack, to 720’s after a Zephyr incident, the first ever in a Classic Race, to hard lee gunnel down in the gust’s, to what can happen next, take a look.

Richard MacRae had Claire in top form in the conditions to hold of the Purcell family team on Scimitar. Today was the day where Scimitar was able to show how she can leave and return to her marina pen in engineless mode. Easily and a confidence learning curve is the word.

John Payne with his Swan crew made the race look a picture with her classic net boat looks and performance. Another Classic Yacht that didn’t lose ground on the runs.  Andy Indrans called out to the handicapper from Corio Vertue, “watch out I’ll be finishing the race” and finish he did.

Perhaps the big event of the day was the first ever time Classic Yacht racing appearance of Bluejacket by Doug Jenkin and his team. A great sight was seen by the fleet as Bluejacket sailed with the fleet with her flying and work jib in action. The handicapper didn’t do Bluejacket justice this race, so justice will be swift.

So that wraps up our Race 3. Next race, July 20. School holidays and inter-working with the ORCV Winter Series is now the go.

A couple of other comments is the notable performance by Richard Gates of Wanita in his Absolut and Graham Kelly of Kallara, on the helm of Eaglehawk in the HBYC Brass Monkey Series. Wanita will be leaving for Hobart soon.

One event that’s being supported by the CYAA is the celebration of the Norman Wright shipyard 105^th year of operation. This is the shipyard where our Stradbroke II of Cup Regatta fame was designed and built. In a collaboration with our Queensland members the Association has put together a presentation on the Stradbroke II’s history to assist the Norman Wright shipyard with this event. This story will be posted on our Web site close to the event.

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Results Page

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Attached are the CYAA (Vic) 2014 Winter Series Race 4 (Pursuit Start) Group start times and the associated sailing instructions. The race will be conducted by the RYCV and will start from the RYCV marina.

The group start times are based on a 7 item formula that uses an average on course time duration of 95 minutes in 15 knots. With a predicted 15-20 knots for this Sunday morning, the formula may come home this race. Last pursuit race, March 2, on course average time was 132 minutes over a 7-12knot range.  In this March 2 race, Anne Batsons Zephyr pipped Col Anderson’s Acrospire III by 30 seconds and Roger Dundas in Avian by one minute.

One feature of the cancelled, due to no wind, previous race, race 3, was the prediction that Bluejacket would be on the start line. Didn’t happen. This race Doug Jenkin with top gun Dave Allen will have Bluejacket lining up and ready to eat up the early group starters. Doug is still working in internal fit out modifications to prepare Bluejacket for her voyage to and from the 2015 Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. Andy Indrans with Corio Vertue will be another member of the CYAA(Vic) fleet going to the Hobart festival.

Fleet news update

We have received a message from Peter Johns, Frances, during his shopping trip to Europe. He visited the Ording Block works while in Amsterdam, and picked up a couple of Aluminium Bronze bound tear blocks for the back stay tackle on the Frances.  Frances will come out of the water when he returns mid-July to repair some ribs and fit the electric motor prior to her bringing back International 8 metre racing to Port Phillip.

Peter also added he would be visiting the Southampton Yacht Services on Friday to be shown around by the owner, who is an old friend of his mate from Royal Dart. Southampton Yacht Services are about to start a major rebuild of the hull of Cambria which was in Australia a few years ago. We will receive some photos of this visit.

FRANCES Running backstay turning blocks by ORDING

Other Classic Yacht fleet news is what some of our fleet are doing in club racing. Marie Louise III with Peter Lloyd and crewed by Peter McDonald of Pastime II and Peter Costolloe of Alwyn is running second in the mid week pursuit start racing conducted by the RYCV. Alwyn, in true Classic Yacht racing style with lee gunnel down, held off the fleet to take out a second placing in the HBYC Brass Monkey pursuit start winter series last Saturday, June 14.

That’s all for now. Our start time to live again begins at 10:30am. Sunday.

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

2014 Winter Series Race 4 June 22 2014 (Pursuit) Sailing Instructions (RYCV)

2014 Winter Series Race 4 June 22 (Pursuit) RYCV Group start times.

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2014 Winter Series Race 3

11:05am June 21 2014

With the 3 diesel railway engine strength sound signals from the Hobson’s Bay Yacht Club Race Committee that put the sounds of Mercedes III’s Andrea Bocelli to flight and the raising of the N over A race signals, the inevitable became the obvious to the 20 Classic Yachts that were on the water in race ready whip cracking mode. At 11:00 am a wind flaw came through with mirror water state following was the clincher.

Although no racing for the day the Classic fleet still put in an impressive appearance circling the Race Committee vessel. Trim, Phil Atkins Ohlsen 35, from Sandringham Yacht Club was there with all sails set but.

The Kingurra team of Ian MacFarlane, Guido Brandt and Glen Kile from Royal Brighton ready to put the fleet to the test on the Peter Joubert’s Black Swan design after picking up additional crew from the Royals marina.

From the Squadron we had George Fisschers and Michael Rhodes team on Boambille and the two Tumlare`s Dingo with Jim Hutchinson and Snow Goose with George Low, all patiently waiting.

From Hobson’s Bay Yacht Club we had Shamrock, our H28, with Rod Fuller on the helm. A sighting that all the fleet recognised and welcomed back. Peter and Scott McDonald, fresh from their previous day of racing in HBYC Brass Monkey Race series winning form, had Pastime II all ready after a 3 week hull and topsides clean up and makeover.  Making up the other third of the HBYC Classic fleet was Andy Indrans on the stage with Corio Vertue and ready to perform.

Heading up the Royals classic fleet was Cameron Dorrough’s Bungoona putting her 45 horses to work. The task of the 45 horses was to tow and park the heavy weight of the Tumlare` fleet Avian with Roger Dundas, Jennifer Cook and Charlie Salter on board, to the start line. In anything you can do I can do better mode, Ross Clarks and Michael Willams Martini was also observed performing feats of strength with the Tumlare`s Zephyr with Anne and Karen Batson and Ettrick with Gordon Tait and Heide in relax mode knowing they had our visitor of the day, Alex Howard on board.  Catch 22 here as Alex also looking for a time out and relax from his champ dinghy racing ways.

Circling the fleet in full sail was the sight of our Fife designed 1898 Intercolonial Trophy winner, Sayonara. Today still a winner in the beauty and racing stakes with Dave Allen on the helm and the hard at work line crew making all tacks and gybes a smooth operation. Making up the Sayonara crew for the day was the skipper of our Fife International 8 metre from Sandringham Yacht Club Caraid, Bobby and Helen Barr.

Another welcome sight on the water was our 1943 Netboat Swan headed up by John Payne. Again another of our fleet with intentions to give the Classic fleet a workout in the corrected time results. Richard Macrae with Claire was seen waiting patiently. A reworking of Claire’s handicap is the word  as Greg Hyne, his gun crewman, notified the handicapper some internal ballast has been painfully but successfully ditched. The boys on our Couta boat Loama decided todays too young to waste so lets put Loama up to her actual role in life. So Joe Tuck, Peter Denniston and Mathew Fewster went fishing. Sad to report the fish had the drop on them. But you never know sometimes while fishing come great ideas. Say no more.

One of a couple of disappointment’s of the day particularly for Peter Lloyd and his top notch gun crew on Marie Louise III, was no more Cyan her great adversary and performance yardstick on the water. The fleets other disappointment was the sadly missed Renene with Kent Bacon and his crew. Kent currently putting in the hard yards proving he’s no knockover.

Saving the best till last is what is when it comes to the sight of the day. No doubt the fleet would agree the sight of Bob Munro’s Tandanya back with us would take out this honour. There she was looking oh so smart with her polished looking mast and topsides sailing in and around the fleet with Stephen Lake on the helm. Another feature of the day was Bob Munro bring out one of his many volumes of Classic Yachting history. This time it was the 1960 Lloyds Register of Yachting. In the register there they were, the listing and their private signal code for Marie Louise III, Tandanya and Caraid. There’s more of our fleet listed on this register.

So no more classic racing for 3 weeks, June 22 is the next race to be conducted for us by the RYCV. It’s now that time of the year where our race dates have to fit in with ORCV winter series.

Obviously no change to the 2014 Winter Series aggregate or Marie Louise III consistency point status. Handicaps will be the same as those allocated for Race 3.

So till next race.

Regards to all.

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Race Handicapper

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