2015/2016 Summer Series Race 4 November 29
Sandringham Yacht Club
The Results and Series Aggregate status
Attached are the Results of Classic 2015/2016 Summer Series Race 4 conducted for the CYAA by the Sandringham Yacht Club.
Classic Yacht Racing returns to Sandringham Yacht Club
Some 18 years have elapsed since the SYC conducted a race for the CYAA. Reports from the Classic Yacht skippers and crews that competed in today’s pursuit race at SYC indicated fresh air had blown into Classic Yacht racing on Port Phillip.
Pre race leg work between the Classic Association and SYC Race administration sorted out the arrangements for conducting the Classics’ Race 4 as a pursuit start race with the SYC Classic’s competing in the SYC Tumblehome Series. With the Classic’s using Spinnaker’s while the SYC Club Classic’s racing as non Spinnaker’s, figuring out how handle the scoring where Classic’s Association Classic’s and SYC Club classic’s competed in both divisions and aligning a pursuit race start times were challenges. The race results indicate low stress teamwork between the Classics and SYC.
Action in the SYC Race Tower
Race management began at 9:30am with the CYAA and SYC Race director working on a course selection decision. With a 6 knot breeze that could drop out and with pursuit race start times based on a 95 minute race, the 8.3 mile SYC Course 13 was selected. This course provided the option of a tower based shorten course decision and allow the fleet backmarkers a chance to be with the first off starters to the finish line. Wishful handicapper thinking, didn’t happen. But lot’s of Classic Yacht racing action in an attempt to make the handicapper happy. Wishful Classic Fleet thinking. Didn’t happen. Doesn’t matter. All the Classic fleet went home happy after another day of more great Classic Yacht racing action. That’s what matter’s.
With two pairs of binoculars in the SYC Race tower continually scanning the northern waters of Port Phillip a Classic fleet of 13 starters were identified. The scene of the day for the SYC Tower was to watch the topsail hoisting action on Sayonara. “and they do it without winches” was the comment.
Pre race tactics for Classic Yachts
It times of light breeze’s it doesn’t pay to stray too far from the start line to develop some boat speed. The short duration between the start time and crossing the start line show most, but not all, of the Classic Fleet are finally learning this very subtle race start tactic.
Akuna leads the fleet off
A one up Akuna picked the right course and sailed well with the first off SYC Classic’s. She was followed by Bluejacket with Doug Jenkin helming. Her top crew of Kath Solly, Anne Batson and Charlie Salter didn’t take long to trim the flying jib into drawing mode. With her first Classic race for some time Kent Bacon on the helm of Renene was given many on water welcome back calls. Renene looked a picture from the tower as she crossed the start line. Warringa made an on time start and was followed by an on time Martini at full speed. After a small time break the Tumlarens were next off. Snow Goose hit the line 15 seconds ahead of Avian followed by a smart start by Ettrick two minutes later. Cyan followed this group of Tumlarens to make sure all was well. Phil Atkins had Trim all set for a well judged full speed on time start 4 minutes later. Sayonara was next with the SYC Tower attempting to count the crew on board. Then the Boambillee/ Mercedes III battle started. With 2 minutes separating them at the start both these Classics’ were hard at work to reel in the fleet.
SYC Race Tower Stress
To relieve the full on no idle talk, stress of the race start, tea break time in the SYC race tower was the call.
Top Mark action
At the first turning mark rounding Kites began to pop. Martini, Trim and Ettrick did well on the wind shifts to move up through the fleet. Sayonara had her crew working hard to keep up with the fleet in the light breeze beat. Bluejacket, after rounding, started a spinnaker run to slice through the front markers. On the run to the next mark Bluejacket was about to take the lead but was forced into the lee and lost her kite pressure. The way she goes was the word. No kite loss on Martini as they held on to the last moment to keep Trim at bay.
Shorten course decision
With a breeze at the still around the 6 knots but with only an hour and 20 minutes elapsed from the start the Race committee decided, no shorten course. Sure enough, 10 minutes after the decision the wind dropped.
Fleet positions at the finish line first time around
After SYC 3 mark rounding, Bluejacket took all the slight shifts to lead the fleet past the Race tower in one tack The table shows how the fleet were moving. Approaching the finish line for the first time tight Spinnaker work on Boambillee and Mercedes III had them pick up the fleet 10 minutes on the fleet.
More sights of the day for the SYC race tower as Sayonara came the line in grand classic style. with her flying jib and a top sail working, she had the SYC club house tilt as all the members at the bar ran out onto their balcony to see the sight.
| Start Time | At SYC 4 /Tower | Start Time | At SYC 4 /Tower | ||
| BlueJacket | 10:06 | 11:21:55 | Boambillee | 10:30 | 11:37:11 |
| Martini | 10:10 | 11:25:34 | Snow Goose | 10:16 | 11:37:14 |
| Trim | 10:22 | 11:29:27 | Mercedes III | 10:32 | 11:40:19 |
| Ettrick | 10:18 | 11:30:50 | Renene | 10:08 | 11:45:52 |
| Warringa | 10:08 | 11:31:25 | Cyan | 10:18 | 11:47:23 |
| Avian | 10:16 | 11:35:32 | Sayonara | 10:24 | 11:49:54 |
| Akuna | 10:00 | 11:59:35 |
Fleet bunching action
The breeze built slightly but was full of lift and knock flaws. At the next rounding of SYC 1 top mark, the mid fleet had bunched with port/starboard calls happening. Boambillee extended her lead on Mercedes III but both had gained on the fleet. Sayonara with all crew on the lee side was well heeled over to make good speed through the light breeze. Her heel over angle was at the angle where she looked like she was in a 15 knot breeze.
On the final run to SYC 7, Trim couldn’t catch Bluejacket while Martini fought hard to hold off Ettrick and a poled out Boambillee. Avian, Warringa and Snow Goose also had a closely watched spinnaker run.
Tight finish for some.
Coming up to the finish line Bluejacket held off Trim while Boambillee was hauling both in but it was a finish line too far. Mercedes III couldn’t catch Ettrick but with three Race tower people in line for a finish line judgement Mercedes III with Martin Ryan and his 7 crew took Martini out by a second at the finish line. To complete the race, Avian held off Warringa by 30 seconds and Snow Goose by 2 minutes. Sayonara followed through in full sail some 10 minutes later to give the SYC bar crowd another glimpse of what Classic Yacht racing on Port Phillip is all about. Bringing up the Classic Fleet to receive the final SYC race tower salute was a closely watched Cyan.
Down went to SYC race tower pennant to signal the end of Classic Yacht Summer Series Race 4 at Sandringham Yacht Club.
Sorry but no photos of what happened on the day.
| Fleet times going through the final finish line. | |||||||
| Classic Yacht | Start Time | At SYC 4 /Tower | Finish Time | Classic Yacht | Start Time | At SYC 4 /Tower | Finish Time |
| BlueJacket | 10:06 | 11:21:55 | 12:41:57 | Avian | 10:16 | 11:35:32 | 13:03:04 |
| Trim | 10:22 | 11:29:27 | 12:49:21 | Snow Goose | 10:16 | 11:37:14 | 13:05:06 |
| Boambillee | 10:30 | 11:37:11 | 12:50:34 | Warringa | 10:08 | 11:31:25 | 13:05:35 |
| Ettrick | 10:18 | 11:30:50 | 12:53:38 | Sayonara | 10:24 | 11:49:54 | 13:13:10 |
| Mercedes III | 10:32 | 11:40:19 | 12:54:07 | Cyan | 10:18 | 11:47:23 | 13:15:15 |
| Martini | 10:10 | 11:25:34 | 12:54:08 | Akuna | 10:00 | 11:59:35 | DNF |
| Renene | 10:08 | 11:45:52 | DNF | ||||
After a short blip with the finish times, the 3rd version of the results went out.
Congratulations go to Bluejacket for their first over the line performance. Watching them slice through the Classic and Tumblehome fleet was a feature of Race 4. No such thing a free lunch though. Skipper Doug Jenkin so chuffed with his result had his top crew drinking Pusser Rum all the way home.
Best on course elapsed time congratulations goes to Boambillee with an on course time of140.57 minutes. They pipped Mercedes III by 1.15 minutes.
Corrected time results were calculated for the race. We need these results for the Marie Louise III Consistency Trophy. The Race 4 corrected times were calculated using the on course times and the Handicaps used to calculate the starting times for each entrant.
Congratulations go to Sayonara for best performance on Corrected time.
All up congratulations to all the Race 4 starters for the display of tight Classic yacht racing performance given to the SYC Members. It was all watched with head nodding interest.
Big day for Classic Yacht racing on Port Phillip
While the Classic Fleet returned to their home clubs after the race, Tim Boucaut and his Warringa crew dropped into the SYC for some after an race warm down with Phil Atkins crew on Trim.
On other event was to watch was the return of Christella, under the helm of John Clark, Classic Racing on Port Phillip. Christella previously raced with the Classic Fleet with John Devers, our CYAA Member now in Brisbane, when on the RYCV register. In between she has raced with the Classic Fleet in Brisbane. Her stirring life story of ocean racing and voyaging was featured in a recent CYAA magazine article.
The Classic will send a note of thanks to the SYC Commodore for the support from the SYC Race Committee and the race management team in the SYC Race Tower that made the Classic Summer Series Race on Sunday a successful combined event with the SYC Tumblehome Series for Classic Yachts. A must do event for the Classic 2016 Summer. Thanks also goes to our Classic member at SYC, Phil Atkins of Trim for his perseverance to make the Classic Summer Series Race 4 at SYC happen.
Next Race December 13.
Next Summer Series race will be Dec 13, Race 5. Again a pursuit race starting at the RYCV Marina, 10:30am. Let’s see what the handicapper can do to the fleet this time.
Our Dec 6 race at RYCV had to be moved. No racing in RMYS waters. Dec 6 will see the ISAF and Olympic select trials for Off the Beach dinghies in a full on status.
An after Race 5 BBQ at RYCV has been organised. The BBQ will feature Donati of Lygon Street sausages and Karen Batson’s team from her Cookie and Boney’s resturants preparing the fixings. $5.00 per sausage and bread roll with fixing will be the go.
All up another day of signature Classic Yachting on Port Phillip
Regards to all
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
ACH_ BCH and corr time calculations
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