The Night Race was, just for once, one of our better events. The many racers who did
not participate missed a truly interesting experience. The event was not without its
moments however. At the 2000 skippers meeting we found ELECTRA all ready to go but
no crew. Rounding up Roger took some time but it did give CAT DANCERŐs able crew
time to fix the navigation lights.
At the delayed 2130 start we had squally winds from the northwest. We had elected on
the dock to make this a NFS event: even so ALACRITY was recording 6 knots wing on
wing. Locating Welbury Spar is fairly easy from the Sisters. The left hand red lights on
top of Mayne Island are more or less above the Spar. Getting to Bat Rock was a more
interesting challenge as in most previous night races Welbury has been the short course
finish. Batt Rock was a new adventure.
ALACRITY was the lead boat and ELECTRA showing great faith in our navigation
stayed on station in line astern. Fortunately Batt Rock buoy has some green reflective
tape which we picked up with the flashlight about 50 yards and 20 degrees to port. (We
heard later that CAT DANCER went way beyond the mark and knew something was
amiss when the depth sounder quickly reduced to 9 ft.)
It was a glorious sail to windward as the wind was not only a warm wind but sufficient to
give ALACRITY a steady 6.5 knots with 7.0 showing on one occasion. It was like a night
passage in the tropical trade winds.
All good things come to an end and we hit the parking lot off Second Sister. ELECTRA
staying well to the south was able to keep going. A lighter wind did fill in from the north
east which allowed ALACRITY to finish but by this time ELECTRA was on her berth.
There was no sign of CAT DANCER after the wind died completely and most crew had
gone home. Roger and your scribe headed out in ALACRITY under power, concerned
that the early electrical fix might have drained the starting battery. No worries, we found
her off the speed buoy, a blaze of lights and a power driven bone in her teeth. This was
still only two hours after the start.
We took times but frankly I forget what they were. Clearly ELECTRA was ahead of
ALACRITY (with my big headsail we both rate 141) and CAT DANCER was DNF
therefore:
ELECTRA 100
ALACRITY 67
CAT DANCER 33
Bob Jones,