Thanks to the invitation and efforts of David Seaman, Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and John Burgess, Chair of the RYCV Lipton Cup Regatta Organising committee, along with the patient and persistent work by the RYCV Principal Race Officer David Leroy and the support of the RYCV front office admin led by Danielle Cooper, Classic’s Summer Series fleet was part of RYCV’s 2014 Lipton Cup Regatta success story.
The battle to the start line
However success on the water didn’t come easy on Sunday. Once again the sea conditions were at the boat damaging stage. Many skippers made the right call to fight another day. 9 yachts of the Classic fleet, with additional crew from Classic yachts that couldn’t race, were able to take on the conditions thrown up to them by Port Phillip. Sayonara and Frances went out all set to race but no. With the big seas running, Dave Allen on the helm of Sayonara and Peter Johns who raced Frances through the Cup Regatta 40 knot front knew that with decks awash in 2 metre seas, it wasn’t worth the risk to crew and boat. A sad Lipton Cup Regatta Race 2 track
Royal Yacht Club of Victoria Lipton Cup Regatta Trophy Classic Yacht Association of Australia Lipton Cup Trophy sight to see them turn back, with no expected let up in the conditions both made the right call. There went the chance for the todays Lipton Fleet to see how they stand against the champion yachts of the original Lipton Cup era. Doug Jenkin also had to turn Bluejacket around to retrieve and fly his number 3, accidently left behind.
Hang on we’re off
At the start, with Trim fighting the heavy sea conditions to make the line in time, Blackadder made Mercedes III work hard to break through and not fall below the pin end of the start line. Tense times were the go beating to the weather gate with many clean big fleet port tack clearances by Mercedes III.
Tumlarens in heavy Port Phillip conditions
Not able to see how the other Classic’s were doing on the beat in the Cruising division fleet big fleet but looking over the results Blackadder didn’t leave off from her on the button start. In what was to be her day, she ate up the heavy conditions to scorch the Classic fleet and take 1st on corrected. Snow Goose must have been in there at the start as she turned in the best corrected timer ever since George Low bought the families heritage Tumlaren to back full racing condition. In fact all the Tums, Avian, Ettrick with Karen Batson of Zephyr on board and Snow Goose put in a heavy weather performance that showed the Lipton fleet why the Tumlaren’s, although now regulated to Cat 7, are known as the boats that excel in whatever heavy conditions Port Phillip can throw at them.
Bluejacket paces the fleet
After a head sail change down to his number 3 Doug Jenkin put Bluejacket up against Avian for a short time as the conditions had lightened out on the beat home from the Hobsons Bay gate but Avian under full rig made short work of him.
The squeeze of time
Ross Clark bought Martini home 11 seconds ahead of Bungoona who told her skipper don’t push me or else. Or else was a touch of the finish line mark where the time to complete the exoneration turn was fatal to her corrected time placing. Bungoona took out a close run third over Avian.
Don’t look back but it’s Boambillee
George Fisscher kept Boambillee going and was closing in on Mercedes III on the run from Gellibrand to the Hobsons Bay Gate but being caught on the wrong side of the starboard hand fleet at the R2 gate and forced to cover more ground to windward of the rhumb line to P3 didn’t do his corrected time chances any good.
A Drama not wanted.
With a protest committee redress of 4.5 minutes Mercedes III was elevated to second on corrected. This redress came from being the point boat, deploying of her life ring to and standing by the Skipper of Blue Chip who went through the life lines with some help from a spinnaker pole. Left the helm to assist with a kite retrieval. After a 5 or so second wait from when he first sunk to when he finally appeared, with hand out stretched, like Godzilla, to grab the life lines of a long gone boat. That time was not a good time to go through. A lucky escape from the Rhapsody of the Depths in full wet weather gear, fortunately no boots.
Trim done in by the conditions
With a combination of a hard beat to the start line and not being able to fly her mizzen in the conditions, Phil Atkins tried many tactics to help Trim make up for the lost time by flying all sails plus the mizzen stays’l on the run from P3 the Hobsons Bay gate. But with the conditions lightening off it was not to be.
Blackadder takes the Tea Bag Trophy
So congratulations to Clive Moulday and his crew on Blackadder. From her start to reaching across to P3 she always looked a winner. Mercedes III and Bungoona followed up with second and third placings. A feature of the results was close corrected times between the second to eight placings.
Recognition of the Classic’s participation.
Congratulations were passed to the entire fleet of classic who participated with the Regatta entrants by the chairman of the 2014 Regatta organising committee, John Burgess and seconded by David Seaman, Commodore of the RYCV. The Associations participation was noted as an important feature towards sustaining the traditions of RYCV Lipton Cup Regatta.
With suitable fanfare the Classics results were announced prior to the Lipton Cup Regatta results.
The Col Bandy inspired Classics Lipton Cup Trophy will now have Blackadder as the additional name to join that of the handicapper when he took out the Classic division of the RYCV 2006 Lipton Cup Regatta with his Alwyn. In her former days as an A class racer on the Derwent, Alwyn took out the 1924 and 1926 Hobart Regatta Lipton Cups.
The Regatta Classics
For the classic yachts that entered the Regatta, Mercedes III and Boambillee, it was not to be. The handicaps assigned were too aggressive compared to what now goes for racing yachts. So be it, if the construction materials and design tools of today were available then our Classic yachts would have used them. While retaining the elegance of yesteryear racing they are still the best examples of yesterday’s leading edge technology of the yacht racing technology an era that has evolved to what yacht racing is today.
FYI, the Cruising division results were recalculated using Classic handicaps. You guessed it. Boambillee first race 1 and Mercedes III, first, followed by Boambillee in race 2. Classic handicaps being used in club racing. Forget it.
The 2014/2015 Summer Series continues
While that’s it for the Lipton Cup Regatta, not so for the Classics. Next race will be Race 3 conducted for the Association by Hobsons Bay Yacht Club on November 30.
One admin reminder note.
Notice of Our AGM being held on November 23 at 6:30pm at Ravaloe, 205 Domain Road South Yarra, aka Martin Ryans house, has been recently forwarded to all financial members.
Regards to all
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
Inserted in the story is a reference to the Rhapsody of the Depths. To help understand what it’s all about, an extract from the Errol Flynn story where he describes what you go through before drowning has been included. Important info to remember and stop panicking when in trouble in the water.
Attached are the CYAA 2014/2014 Summer Series Race entrants and allocated Handicaps for Race 2 on Sunday November 16.
The race will be conducted for the Classic’s by the RYCV. The Classic’s race will be a combined start with the Lipton Cup Regatta Cruising division fleet.
This combined Classic/Lipton fleet race has been set up to allow CYAA yachts compete in both the Lipton Cup Regatta and the Classics Summer Series Race 2.
To celebrate the Classics 2014/2015 Summer Series Fleet racing with the 2014 Lipton Cup Regatta fleet the Col Bandy “Lipton Cup Trophy” will be awarded to the best performing Classic Yacht on corrected time in Race 2.
The Association has been in close communication and co-ordination with the RYCV Race Director to manage the combined start of the Classics and the Lipton Cup Regatta Cruising Divisions.
Important
Please note the changes to the usual Classic’s Summer Series Sailing Instructions.
The Sunday race start area is to the east of Port of Melbourne Channel Pile 11.
The Sunday scheduled warning signal for the combined Classics and Cruising divisions is set for 1005 hrs.
There are 2 Lipton Cup divisions ahead of the Classics and Cruising divisions. 0955 hrs warning for Divisions A&B. 1000 hrs warning for Divisions C&D including Sports boats and Trailables.
The Classic and Cruising divisions E&F scheduled 1005 hrs warning signal time is dependent on no prior division general recalls.
Keep away from the start area till the Classic & Cruising warning is signaled.
Both the Classic Pennant and the Lipton Cruising Division Class Flag, code flag “U” will be flown as the combined start warning signals from the RYCV Thorsen Race committee vessel.
Keep a listening watch on VHF Channel 69 for possible changes to warning signal times.
One course only of 11.4 miles that includes two gates. A course map based on northerly wind is attached to the Sailing Instructions.
The gate 1.25 miles windward of the start line is set up to keep prior divisions away from subsequent starting divisions. In practice keep a good lookout.
Lipton Divisions A & B course is to the windward gate and then R2 to Outer Anchorage then P3. Divisions C & D have a similar course to the Classic and Cruising divisions.
To assist Classic’s Race 2 starters, a map of the Cruising division course with a prevailing north wind has been provided with the SI’s. Note: the location of the start gate is wind direction dependent.
The RYCV Race Director has warned of a possible shortened course for possible light wind strength reasons.
Time limit of 1500 hours for first yacht to finish and 1600 hours for all yachts to finish.
The combined fleet of the Classic and Cruising divisions will number approx. 50 yachts. A list of Lipton Cup Regatta entrants is attached.
The Lipton Cup Regatta Sailing Instructions for divisions E & F are also included.
We have 3 additional starters with the Race 2 Classic Fleet. Frances with Peter Johns on the helm after her Cup Regatta best overall performance. Leigh Norgates Avalon a William Atkins Eric Junior design is again racing with us . Clive Moulday has Blackadder also back racing with us after her winning performance in the recent Winter Series.
Big day this Sunday. It’s all go. The RYCV car park will be full.
First up is a note about the next Classic Summer Series Race scheduled for Nov 16 designated Race 2. This race will be conducted with two significant changes.
This race will start at 10:00am. It will be a massed start with the Lipton Cup Regatta Cruising division.
This means different course options. The Classic Summer Series Sailing Instructions for this race will be issued mid-week and reflect these changes. The handicaps allocated for this race will be those allocated for the previously postponed race that was to be conducted for us by RMYS.
These changes have come about to allow Classics Summer Series entrants to also enter the Lipton Regatta and race under handicaps assigned by the Lipton Cup Handicapper.
A link to Lipton Cup notice of race is listed below for those Classic skippers wanting additional information. Another two days of Classic racing Lipton Cup is the go here although the full on the previous weeks Cup Regatta racing takes some beating. http://www.liptoncupregatta.com/get_file.cgi?id=3265392
For those of us who follow Marine artists, attached is a flyer from the Maritime History Association of Victoria about an opportunity to meet up with Oswald Brett at a Williamstown Seaworks function on Nov 14.
The June 2012 CYAA Magazine carried an article contributed by Bruce Stannard on the marine artist Oswald Brett. A copy is on our web site at
One other piece of news is that our Member Geoff Martin who sails Zephyr with Anne and Karen Batson is also a ships modeller. This news was discovered why the Association attended a Maritime History Association of Victoria and Shop modellers of Victoria function. This is a not very good copy of his work , an 1815 UK Revenue cutter. Geoff’s current task is to carve a model of the Queen Victoria figure head that will be attached to the model of the Barque HMCSS Victoria. A Golden Orb in an outstretched left hand and a clutched sceptre in the right hand. Victoria’s Colonial Navy became the basis of the Royal Australian Navy.
2014 Cup Regatta
With our recent Cup Regatta, Frances on her first return to racing for some years provided the fleet with a sailing exhibition to be awarded the Stradbroke II and Col Bandy Trophies for the best performance overall. The winners of the five races conducted were Bob Munro’s Tandanya, with Joe Tuck and the boys on Loama, Richard Macrae with his Claire. Loama, once again for the fourth race. The final Race, a pursuit, had Col Anderson’s Acrospire III providing the fleet a grand stand view of what Classic Yacht racing is all about.
Our weather disrupted Guineas Cup racing between Boambillee and Mercedes III of the Classics and Gemfish and C97 Couta Boat Association and the Dave Allen organised Inter Association Challenge could complete one race only before the weather conditions close the series down.
After the abandonment of Fridays racing the fleet
proceeded to Docklands to prepare for the Friday’s Cup Regatta welcome function at the Water Front Bars Black Sail room. A well patronised affair where Mark Chews Montage poster of people and classic yachts was auctioned off under the spirited bidding worked up by Jeff Richardson of C97.
The next day after distribution of the water based victuals kindly provided by Andy Doolan who’s preparing Tina of Melbourne for the 70th Sydney to Hobart race, the fleet headed down the river to take on the heavy weather of Port Phillip.
Deteriorating conditions were also the story for the first day of Cup Regatta racing. All was reasonably well till the westerly front came through. Jeff Richardson reported 41 knots across the deck of C97. The Tums showed what they can do in heavy weather. Fair Winds worked her all New Zealand crew hard to keep her on track when the front came through. Frances on her first race outing stood up to this front with no problems and took line honours. With all the hard going Race 1 corrected times were still close.
Another Saturday race was started after some signal and radio confusion. This was abandoned as the weather closed in.
Sunday racing saw a first for the Cup Regatta with three races conducted over a 6 hour interval. Heavy going for crews and boats were the reports. Top level Classic Yacht Regatta racing was again seen in all races. Elapsed time comparisons between the first two and last race indicated how hard a full day of round the sticks Classic Yacht racing was on crews. Watching Classic and Sports boats with their 5 races on the same course in heavy conditions was a spectacle.
The final day of the Cup Regatta racing finished up with their pursuit race that had Acrospire III lead the fleet home with Pastime II and Mercedes III following. The presentation BBQ was another gourmet and epicures delight thanks to Karen Batson and her team.
Some faire tunes from the pipes of David Mackenzie started off the presentation of the Cup Regatta trophies.
After announcing the winners of each race who received the Aus Sailmakers vouchers placing for each race a cheer went up when Frances was announced as the best overall performance of the Cup Regatta. A further cheer went up after the skipper of Frances gave his thanks.
The handicappers award for the Doyle sails best improver on handicap went Richard Macrae’s Claire.
Our visitors from New Zealand worked hard on their decision on which Cup Regatta entrant would best represent the Association internationally. They decided on Helen Lovett’s Oenone was the Classic Yacht to be awarded the Cookie Restaurant award.
Bud Alden took out the Trans Tasman trophy for his sailing and sewing performance on Mercedes III took the trophy.
Jeff Richardson exhibited his master of auctioneer’s talent to work up a heavy bidding war for the sailing bags handmade by Bud Alden of New Zealand. Bud worked flat out to finish these Classic Sailing bags for the Cup Regatta.
The Cup Regatta was finished up with our music providers of the BBQ “The Long and Short of it” sending our New Zealand visitors home with their studio version of PoKaraKara Ana and the Maori Farewell.
The 2014 Cup Regatta has gone. Welcome to the 2015 Cup Regatta.
There’s a substantial amount of Video images covering the Regatta. This will be collated into a single video when time’s available.
Sorry for the delay with the publishing the Cup Regatta story. Your handicapper been tied up generating sailing incident reports for the RYCV and dealing with Race 5 result problems.
A long and big day. First Cup Regatta to conduct 3 races in one day. Shows what can be done when weather conditions appear to be against you. Racing of the day began in 25 knot conditions that subsided to 18 knots and returned later in the day to 22 knots with a medium southerly slop coming up for the last race.
All races had scenes and moments. Some as seen from Pastime II are attached.
No doubt an exhausting day but who can be tired of being one of the participants, particularly in the starts. A memorable day of Classic Yacht Regatta Racing.
Much the action with Classic yachts of all types and sizes committed to a mass start has been recorded in video from the race committee boat .
The best performer of the day over the 3 races went to Joe Tuck and the boys on the Couta Boat Loama with a 1/1 and 3. Claire, known to the race time keepers as the Joker of the pack, the ex working Couta Boat was continually sailed hard by Richard MacRae who never gave up in adverse conditions to almost trump the fleet with a 17/2/and finally a 1. Peter Johns and his smooth action team had Frances, the International 8 metre, on her second race appearance for over 12 or so years gave the fleet a display of consistent performance in every race with a 2/3/and a 2.
Overall the day belonged to the entire Classic Yacht fleet with their skippers and crews. Very tight finishing times were a feature of the Races 1 and 2. The finish time of Race 3 indicated fatigue setting in. so recharge overnight for we have out final race of the Regatta all set for a 10:00 am pursuit start. Start times are all calculated and have been posted on the RYCV Web site page allocated to Classic results.
The evolving Cup Regatta handicaps and the start times for tomorrow’s pursuit race have be calculated using the Top Yacht scoring system.
Cheers to all and let’s hope for a decent pursuit race tomorrow. Then its BBQ time with entertainment and tunes by our Cup Regatta duo The Long and Short of It featuring Patsy Toop and David Baird.
In the protected northern water off Gellibrand Breakwater water Race 1 of the 2014 Cup Regatta was started on schedule.
Tandanya 1st on corrected time.
According to Bob Munro, Tandanya, under the helm of Stephen Lake, and crewed by Mark Bergin has never sailed better than she did today. Tandanya took out corrected time honours over 11 starters by 12 seconds to Frances.
The conditions were a bit willing for part of the race, particularly with the puffs around the Ann Street pier where Jeff Richardson on the Couta Boat C97 recorded 41 knots across the deck.
Frances on her first time out in many years kept improving throughout the race to take out second and Michael McTavish bought Serifa home third after a well sailed race with two up. With a corrected time split of 23 seconds over the first three places, the race was another of those with very tight corrected time finishes and where mistakes or problems had to be paid for.
Below is a small sample of images that capture some of the first Cup Regatta race action.
