PORTLAND-MORESBY - 17th APRIL 05

 

Yet another great sailboat race. That’s two weeks in a row. The forecast had not been good for Sunday

morning but there was much activity on the docks. At the 0930 Skippers meeting 9 boats were lined up

along the breakwater, and 11 boats crossed the start line at 1000. Competition is clearly heating up as

WESTWIND set her new head sail, ALACRITY set her new main, QUESTO had new go-fast bottom paint

and SOUL DANCER had installed a feathering prop.

 

None of the above made the slightest dent in the ability of JJ FLASH to flash into an early lead. However,

the most noticeable performance improvement was is SOUL DANCER who was well to the fore heading

over to the Pender shore. Also of note was SAORSA who was having a great race.

 

The fleet was clearly heading for a clockwise rounding of the islands. From the deck of ALACRITY it

looked as if the fleet was also heading for flat water. ALACRITY turned right at Beaver Point and enjoyed

a pleasant sail to Celia Reef buoy. Pleasure quickly turning to dismay as we saw the fleet clearing Pt.

Fairfax at the South end of Morsby long before they should have done.

 

It was a great spinnaker day with runs of 12 to 14 miles. As the day progressed the clouds cleared, the

sun came through and even for those of us at the back of the fleet it was a great sail. For those near the

front it must have been quite spectacular. As expected, JJ FLASH took line honors but it was SAORSA

who corrected out to be a well-deserved winner.

 

Results, time on time

 

BOAT

SKIPPER

RTG

ELAPSED

CORRECTED

POINTS

SAORSA

McEwen

180

6 11 06

5 44 36

100

ELECTRA

Kibble

141

5 52 07

3 46 15

91

QUESTO

Thorburn

143

6 02 14

5 55 08

82

WESTWIND

Andersen

142

6 07 15

6 00 36

73

YEOMAN

Hume

132

6 04 02

6 02 55

64

SOUL DANCER

Simpson

128

6 02 30

6 03 37

55

JJ FLASH

Farson

55

5 25 58

6 08 29

45

CLASSY LADY

Wellingham

221

7 10 18

6 17 27

36

ALACRITY

Jones

135

6 25 47

6 22 50

27

AQUILA MIA

Dashwood

127

7 03 58

7 05 56

18

MADRIGAL

Zapf

243

DNF

-

9

 

There is no race this weekend. The next event is the Annual SAILPAST on the 1st May with a NFS race

in the afternoon.

 

Bob Jones,

ALACRITY