Page 32 - CYAA Magazine Jan 2018 Issue 41
P. 32

Classic  Yacht  Association  of  Australia

                                                              expecting  a  lazy  afternoon.  Then  at  12.30,  the
        Day 5 – Friday
                                                              word went around that racing was on and the AP

        The  judgement  of  the  sailing  management          flag  was  down.  ‘all  the  cracks  gathered  to  the
        proved on the mark, with the day seeing rain and      fray’.
        weak winds until mid-afternoon, nice SE winds
        for a couple of hours then a sudden SW change         As crews scrambled to get out of the pen to be at
        around 5pm that would have made life difficult        the start area for a 1.30 start, a minor muck-up on
        for many boats if they were on the water.             Gazelle putting the headsail back on the boat saw
                                                              us last out of the pen. With the radio telling us it
        Day 6 – Saturday                                      was 7 minutes till race start, we were still at least
                                                              7 minutes away. Relief that even the setup crew
        Concern about today’s weather saw the AP flag
                                                              were  pushed  for  time  and  the  race  start  was
        hoisted at 8am. While the winds seemed modest
                                                              delayed  for  5  minutes  while  the  marks  were
        then, the organisers were obviously concerned
                                                              dropped!
        about the prospect for that to change, reportedly
        scouring every possible source in the region, both    With only a slim margin over Jennifer, ASA and
        onshore and offshore, for data, As crews whiled       Allegra but 8 points behind St George, our initial
        away the morning outside race HQ (or went to a        objective was to maintain our ranking. However,
        local  coffee  shop  with  instructions  to  be       as  Vice  Commodore  and  principal  regatta
        telephoned  if  the  AP  flag  came  down!)  the      organiser, Rob Trenberth in St George decided it
        knowledgeable locals pointed out that if the trees    was  better  to  stay  home  and  finalise
        on  the  ridge  above  the  yacht  club  were  being  arrangements for the presentation function that
        blown about, then the winds in Lake King would        night. But quite a few others, for various reasons,
        be too strong. Speculation of 25–35 knot winds        decided  to  stay  in  their  pen.  We  wondered
        abounded.  The  organisers  suggested  the  latest    whether  we  were  being  played  for  suckers  by
        time for the AP flag to be lowered was 1pm. As        going out!
        the  clocked  ticked  past  midday,  we  were









































        Intrigue and Amazing Grace sailing for the windward mark.                          Photo Australian Imaging
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