Race 7 March 1 Pursuit start

Attached are the Race 7 Pursuit Race Group start times and Sailing Instructions.

Going to be a big final race of the Series.  Will Ettrick be able to keep enough finishers between herself and either Boambillee or Mercedes III to take the series? The current points standing, while not as tight as before the previous race, are still close for changes. You never know when the Bradbury factor will start operating.

The current aggregate standings for the 1st 3 placings are
Ettrick            33 Points
Boambillee    41 Points
Mercedes III   45 Points

Sailing Instructions
Note: some changes to the Classics pursuit race Sailing Instructions have been made for Race 7

1.      Only RYCV courses as described in the RYCV Sailing Instructions Green Book will be used.
2.     The requirement to display the Alpha signal with the displayed course number pennants is removed.
3.      The time of day requirement for the first boat to finish has been removed. Only one time now used, the race finish time of 1350 hours. Any yacht on course after this time will be DNF’d.
4.     The wind speed of 25 knots that determines if a race is to be postponed to another day has been modified to be defined as a constant wind speed of 25 knots. Experience has shown when southerly based wind speeds of 25 knots are reported the Hobson Bay waters protected by the Williamstown break water report winds of 18 knots. Northerlies of 25 knots prevent most Classic Yachts from all clubs leaving their pens and racing will be postponed.
5.       Racing will be abandoned if a Gale warning is posted during the race.

Race management announcements will be notified to the fleet by RYCV Race director on VHF Channel 69. Maintain a listening watch for shipping channel activity on VHF Channel 12.

Race 7 Group start times
Despite popular thinking, the allocation of Race 7 Group start times are not calculated with a dart board. The group start time assignments are based on the following inputs.

1.     Results of Race 6
2.       Performance of each starter during the conduct of Race 6.
3.      The new ACH of each Race 6 finisher. This new ACH is based on the BCH and CCH average over the last 5 race performances. Stuff up’s noted during the race and after race stories overheard by the handicapper also play a role here.
4.      The new overall ACH fleet average calculated after Race 6.
5.     Expected race duration under the forecast conditions.
6.     The corrected time of the vessel closest to the fleet average ACH is used as a reference for each individual starter with their new ACH to determine the allocated 10:30 am offset group.

All the above is done on an undocumented spreadsheet program. Because of the time between Pursuit races it takes awhile to remember how it all works. It allows immediate profiling of Group start times based on various race duration and individual ACH values.

The feature of Associations Series Pursuit racing is the work between the Handicapper and RYCV Race Director to select a suitable course to match the allocated race duration. Again not a dart board based decision.

Conducting a mix of mass starts and pursuit starts to give a fair series result is a challenge. The handicapper ears are already ringing and the race hasn’t started.

2015 Winter Series

The Notice of Race and the dates allocated for the 2015 Winter Series will be out soon.

We’ll have 3 Club’s conducting the Association Racing Calendar of 2015 Winter Series Racing.

While there’s more news below. This is where the handicapper leaves off.

The forecast looks a bit windy but should be OK.

To all the Skippers and crews.  All the best for Sunday.

Thanks to the Classic’s Skippers and Crews for the support through the series.

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

2015 Cup Regatta

Friday October 30 – Monday November 2

Cup Regatta HQ
RYCV.

Cup Regatta Reception Venue.
The Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club, Nelson Place
Williamstown

Cost
$35.00pp (6 different dishes plus refreshments).

The word.
Clear out your diaries now.
Make this Cup Regatta the show case event for Classic Yachting on Port Phillip.

Queenscliffe Maritime Festival
Friday 27 March – Saturday 28 March

Today the displayed poster is latest festival news received from the Queenscliffe Maritime Museum. Entry information will be published here soon.

The poster could not be attached. To big a file size for emailing with these notes, 8 meg. A reduced file size image of the poster has been attached. One will be displayed at the RYCV on Sunday.

The Tug Wattle                      
Seen by all who pass under the Bolte Bridge Melbourne’s historic Steam Tug Wattle has been shore bound for some years under going a live preserving restoration.  All that is about to change.

Melbourne’s Heritage Fleet supporters have put the word out. The Wattle will be soon relaunched.

A significant hull plate replacement program had put her refurbishment plans back big time after discovery of many unexpected structural problems. The pre-refurbishment survey showed to bottom hill plates in fine shape till the surveyor, much later on, asked for some concrete to be removed to be sure. Result: paper thin hull plates, several additional years refurbishment and a major sponsor funding drive. Why:the boys at Cockatoo dock had stuck all the yard scrap they could find into her ballast concrete.

It’s all been done and  back to the water Wattle goes.

Sandringham Yacht Club Anniversary Regatta April 18
Last year in spite of the high winds on the day, several Association members took part in this event.
It’s on again April 18.  More news on the event entry process via the SYC Top Yacht process later.

Alwyn and the HBYC 50th Port Phillip Sea Pilots Race

The Alwyn is being set up to be a starter in the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club’s 50th anniversary of the Port Phillip Sea Pilots Race, March.14. It’s a 44 miler around the Bay starting at 10:00 am. As the photo shows Alwyn needed at least 6 crew to handle her in her glory days. Today although de-rigged, when the wind is up she still races for glory in similar fashion. With winches 4 crew can do the task. The handicapper is looking for 3 more crew.

Sailing Instructions (RYCV)

Race 7 March 1 (Pursuit) Start times

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Congratulations to Loama who took out today’s race on corrected time and to Frances with their close fought line honours win with Acrospire III and Boambillee. The results plus the series aggregate and consistency trophy points status are attached.

Frances and Bungoona on the money

With a running start in a light breeze full of holes 18 Classics were all set for a race that wind shift concentration.  Frances and Bungoona had on the line starts with the majority of the fleet not far behind. Martini popped her kite earlier to put herself in good fleet position throughout the race while Acrospire III made up for her  delay from a light wind beat to the start and caught up to the fleet well before the first mark. Boambillee picked her way through the fleet with a kite that looked dead. Trim, the Ohlson 35, a design developed to take on the New York Yacht Club Concordia fleet, showed today’s fleet why her design was successful by staying with the early leaders.

Mark rounding drama

Breeze holes before the first mark allowed a large fleet to join in the first mark traffic jam with likes of Frances, Acrospire III, Boambillee and Mercedes III. The usual opportunist drama along with comments such as “you cannot go in there” being heard, Zephyr and Sirocco squeezed their way around the mark. Sayonara‘s 21 strong crew worked hard to keep calm and effect a clean rounding. After all this drama the fleet to settled down to work on the shifting to the south breeze beat to the laid rounding  mark off the RMYS break water.

On this beat Sirocco continued to lead the Tumlaren fleet with Ettrick making up ground. Snow Goose continued to keep her fleet position she won after her well sailed run to the first mark. Avian also held her ground on Marie Louise III.

To tack or hold

As the fleet rounded the floating laid mark the decision whether to tighten up or tack had to be made. Normally a beat down to Point Ormond is the go before heading out to the distant mark. This time the early tackers picked up the building breeze first. For the first time the mark R2 was used by the Classics as a distant offshore mark. Frances, Acrospire III and Boambillee were all working hard to not lose any ground. Mercedes III, Sayonara and Trim who didn’t tack at the mark used the shifting breeze to not lose ground in these 3 leaders. With a shorten course announcement  the line honours battle went to Frances who held off Acrospire III from making the pin end of the finish line. Following Sayonara through the finish line Trim sailed with concentration to hold off all the Tums and was 5^th over the line.

Loama takes out first on corrected time

As we know in light breeze races the fleet leaders are always crying about how the slower boats always pick up the building breeze. That may be so but the slower boats have to know where to put themselves to be the first to have the new breeze. Today was no exception. Joe Tuck and the boys on Loama went out that little bit further than anybody else on the first beat to R2 and were rewarded with the new breeze. From a distance they were seen in great shape heading for the finish and were all set to claim they package of Andy Doolan’s Neverfail bottled water.

Congratulations to Cameron Dorrough and Bungoona

Big news of the day was today that 60 years have passed since the launching of Bungoona.

Today Cameron Dorrough after taking over Bungoona on the passing of our great mate Col Bandy has allowed the fleet to continually watch one of Australia’s notable yachts sail and race in the manner she was designed to do. Now registered by the Australian Maritime Museum as a historic yacht that has contributed to Australians maritime history and heritage Bungoona continues to show that beauty and age do go together.

South Perth Retro Series.

Eu-Na-Mara and Panamuna

A similar series of races to the Classics on Port Phillip is conducted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club for the South Perth Retro Sailing Club on the Swan estuary. This is where the ex Royal Brighton Eu-Na-Mara now races. This weekend this group raced for the RPYC 150^th Anniversary Cup. No results at hand but progress of Eu-Na-Mara’s performance will be followed. Another ex Royal Brighton boat over there is Panamuna. She went over there many years ago to become the best performing racing yacht of the 50’s. She races out of the Royal Freshwater Yacht Club.

Acrospire IV

Acrospire IV is at the Fremantle Sailing Club and raced by our member Gary Martin.

Tall ship Alexandra Stewart is on her way

Peter Harris who heads up the Alma Doepel rebuild project tells us a Tall ship is in her way to Docklands on a voyage from Airlie Beach.

The Alexander Stewart was hand built over 17 years by three generations of the one family and is said to be the largest cold-moulded timber hull in the southern hemisphere. A magnificent vessel styled after the famous ship in which Joshua Slocum achieved the first solo circumnavigation of the globe in 1898.

Arrival details to follow.

That’s all for the moment.

Last race of the 2014/2015 Summer Series, a pursuit start from RYCV Marina, March 1

Group start times will reflect the handicaps calculated after race 6

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe

CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Results Link

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Attached are the Sunday Race 6 pre race notes plus the Sailing Instructions and entries with their allocated handicaps.

Read the notes and the SI’s.

They contain details of the course description changes made to fit in with the RMYS Port Phillip Womens Series Championships being conducted on Sunday 11:00am from RMYS.

The notes also contain info about the Pittwater Classic Yacht Regatta, the Queenscliffe Maritime Weekend and a comment about the Hobart Wooden Boat Festival

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

Race 6 pre race notes

Race 6 Feburary 15 Sailing Instructions (HBYC) V2 02_11

Race 6 Feb 15 Entries and Handicaps (HBYC) V1 06_02

 

 

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Race 5 Feb 1 2015

Another day of great Classic Yacht racing for the 20 Classics that went out to race at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in the prevailing blustery and squally conditions.  Attached are the Race results and the status of the series aggregate and the Marie Louise III consistency trophy.

Avalon leads the Classic fleet out from RYCV

With her magnificent sounding 10 HP Simplex engine running true Avalon the William Atkins Little Dipper class led the Royals classic fleet over to the RMYS race venue.  Although the decision on Avalon, after sampling what Port Phillip was throwing at the fleet, was not to race, her presence was the inspiration of the day.

Start Line Scenes

Pre start rain squalls in 1.5 metre seas followed by bursts of warming sunshine were put to one side as the fleet set themselves up for the run at the RMYS start line, the first time for several years. Boambillee and Marie Louise III were set up for long runs to be powered up for the windward chop only to see Mercedes III lead the fleet over the line.

Reports from several Classics said the sight of 6 Tumlarens all going hard for an on time start was the sight of the day. The scene was no different from those days 70 years ago when RMYS was the home of Tumlaren racing.

With Craig Begbie  using heavy Tum racing skills from his days of racing Vahine to advantage and twisting  new life into some Sirrocco deck fittings that her previous owner, Dave Allen, never thought possible,  Charlie Salters recently restored Tumlaren Sirocco held off Marie Louise III, forcing her to throw to the least favoured tack.

Elsewhere Phil Aitkins was holding Trim a tight line to the weather mark while Michael Mactavish’s Serifa and Avian under the helm of that great man Roger Dundas were also going well. Sayonara was dropped down slightly to keep her powered up through the chop. Also in the mix at the start were the two classics that were to be the feature boats of the day Bluejacket and Snow Goose.

Around the Course

Not long after the start Richard Macrae gave his Claire a let off after being hit by some decent size waves. After overhauling Sirrocco,  Boambillee and Fairwinds settled down on the starboard tack to power through the chop and lift themselves up closer to the weather mark lay line. Avian, Bluejacket, Ettrick  took the port tack punt while Marie Louise III joined them to keep clear of Sirrocco. Unfortunately the port tack chop was head on and Trim cleared out to lead this group to the weather mark.

Some approaching the mark drama for Bungoona with their club foot head sail . This drama put the Bungoona crew to the test which they passed but Tandanya was able to get past and clear out from them on the reach.

Zephyr also reported trouble that put paid to their efforts to keep up with the Tumlaren fleet on the first beat.

After a clean gybe at the outer turning mark Dingo was going well but a slight wind shifted caused the main to gybe and bang went the Goose Neck. Their headsail which promptly wrapped itself the forestay. With these two items of action dingo’s race to a sad ending. Jim Hutchinson informs the damage is repairable.

On the second time around the course Boambillee continued her battle with Mercedes III while Sirocco held on toFairwinds. This time around a short dig on the port tack bought Avian, Ettrick, Martini and Blue Jacket back with the fleet at the weather mark while Serifa did well on the starboard tack to also stay with this group.

Along the reach with Doug Jenkin on the helm had his crew working hard to have Bluejacket in great racing form and successfully put Marie Louise III to task to protect his wind.

After taking longer tracks to the weather mark than the rest of the fleet Sayonara again picked off the fleet on the run where Serifa received an acknowledgment from Dave Allen for allowing extra room for Sayonara to safely sweep past the turning mark.

Finish line action

Mercedes III continued to hold off Boambillee to take out line honours and Sirrocco followed Fairwinds and held off Sayonara to take out 4^th over the line. Meanwhile back in the fleet tight turning into the wind at the leeward mark allowed Marie Louise III prevent Trim gaining a windward advantage and drop over to the port tack.

Tight sailing along the RMYS Breakwater allowed Marie Louise III to make the finish line in one tack but not before being pipped by Avian by 35 seconds. Close elapsed times between Serifa, Ettrick, Snow Goose, Martini and Trim were also a feature of the race.

Bringing up the last of the finishers was Blackadder who kept with the fleet in difficult circumstances.

Result and analysis

For the sail of the day congratulations to Charlie Salter and Craig Begbie putting in a great race on Sirrocco and for showing todays classic fleet how Tumlaren racing must have been 70 years ago. Analysis of the results show even if Sirrocco was racing at a handicap (635) way above the 5 other Tumlarens she would have carried the day. Dave Allen Sirrocco’s previous owner was seen giving her a serious once over after the race.

While the race could have been a little bit longer the RMYS Race Director used the prevailing conditions to select the course and to be able to keep a decent watch of the race from the race control tower. The race director was later on the water in the RMYS rescue vessel William Paterson.

The average on course time across the fleet was 90 minutes. Close to the number we aim for.

SAIL NO.	YACHT	SKIPPER	FINISH	ELAPSED	H’Cap	ETP	CORRECTED TIME
322	SIROCCO	Charlie Salter	11:55:51	85.850	612	4	52.540
R1115	BLUEJACKET	Doug Jenkin	11:59:59	89.983	610	10	54.890
96	AVIAN	Roger Dundas	11:58:14	88.233	623	6	54.969
309	SNOW GOOSE	George Low	12:01:29	91.483	605	13	55.347
R1363	SERIFA	Michael McTavish	11:59:36	89.600	619	8	55.462

Close corrected times between all the finishes was another feature of the race results. Check out the attached pdf.

Two other notable sails of the day were given to the fleet by Doug Jenkin with Bluejacket and George Low with Snow Goose.  These results show a clean sweep of the race by 3 Knud Reimers designs.  A design that is still holding true to the day when it left his drawing board.

So all up another great day of Classic Yacht racing with our next race scheduled for Feb 15 to be conducted for us by the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club.

Series Aggregate status

The series aggregate status is tight with three on the same points score where all races count.

Oct 5	Nov 16	Nov 30	Dec 14	Feb 1
Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Aggregate
SAIL NO.	YACHT	Points	Points	Points	Points	Points	Points
S51	BOAMBILLEE	1	8	9	1	11	30
321	ETTRICK	3	6	5	9	7	30
R450	MERCEDES III	2	2	14	3	9	30

 

Marie Louise III Consistency Trophy

		Oct 5	Nov 16	Nov 30	Dec 14	Feb 1	Series
		Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Aggregate
SAIL NO.	YACHT	Points	Points	Points	Points	Points	Points
321	ETTRICK	4.1	1.7	0.6	0.0	1.6	8.0
R502	MARTINI	1.2	2.4	4.1	5.2	1.8	14.7
S51	BOAMBILLEE	5.4	3.9	3.0	3.6	1.9	17.7

Post race announcements

With the race all done the results were announced thanks to some timely work by the RMYS race director and the RYCV Admin staff.

Two special announcements were made. These announcements were to acknowledge the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand continuing support of our Cup Regatta and in particular the much acknowledged Bud Nalder sail bags. Both especially made for the 2013 and 2014 Cup Regattas.

The first Bud Nalder sail bag was presented to Dave Allen for his best overall result in the first time conducted Elliot’s Teams race between the Australia and New Zealand Classic Yacht Associations and the Couta Boat Association. The second Bud Nalder sail bag was presented to Mark Chew for his successful efforts to have a CYANZ team compete in the 2014 Cup Regatta on Fairwinds and for pitting up for the successful auction of the two sets of Classic Yachting on Port Phillip montages.

Don’t forget Karen Batsons Cookie Restaurant. Karen has been our Cup Regatta Concours d’Elegance sponsor for the last 2 years. Incidentally yesterday the main reason for Zephyr’s performance was no Karen on forward deck.  Another restaurant opening was the main task for Karen yesterday.

The next announcement was to award the trophy provided by Andy Doolan of Tina of Melbourne. From now on the winner of each series race will receive a six pack of NeverFail water courtesy of Neverfail.

Below are some of our Cup Regatta sponsors

So that’s it till Feb 15 when the Classic fleet lives again.

Handicaps and revisions will be worked on. The pencils are already sharpened and at the ready.

Once again no photos.We need action photos of our fleet racing on the day, If you take a couple or so select some and and pass them over on an immediate basis to the handicapper.

Regards to all

Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper

www.classic-yacht.asn.au/results/

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