Captain Tim Tucker called in from Sydney with a weather report predicting a light nor-westerly to fill in at 10.17am (WST) however it didn’t and although yachts drifted over the start-line, the resail of the first winter race (because it had been too windy) was aborted after 90 minutes.
So of a potential six races with seven attempts there were only four results and a total of nine yachts completed those four races across the three divisions however most weeks there were up to fifteen boats out on the water. Those numbers could be the winning Lotto numbers, just when, who knows.

Nevertheless there were some close overall results that determined the trophy winners. In division one Mulberry and Whispering Jack completed the four races with Mulberry victorious in three for a two point win with Bad Habits third. Circa and Perle made sure the races counted and finished fourth and fifth.

In division two, although Volant didn’t win a race they were very consistent and had a two point win over Not Negotiable whilst Blue Chip had two wins but then rested on their laurels to finish third. Farrouk, Helga, Covert Operation, Pinta and Show Me also competed for at least one race and finished in that order.

The first three placegetters in division three each had a win with second placed Catabatic scoring two. However it wasn’t enough to overtake Vaya Con Dios who took the trophy with the narrowest winning margins of less than one point. Stelfred was third followed by Tosca, Intuition, Kind of Blue, La Premiere, Hard Evidence, Mimosa and Sophia, however the latter trio only participated in one race.

A spectacular jacket (and speaker) offered by Martin Eyer (Circa) of CDM Australia as a trophy for the longest amount of time spent out on the water during racing was embarrassingly won by Mark Taylor on Helga. Much appreciated Martin.

Many thanks to those who were in the start tower during the season, it was equally frustrating for them trying to get races underway in no wind, and particularly Stephen Childs, John Porter, Katie Tucker, Kerry and Damian Martin.

Let’s hope the regular summer weather pattern kicks in with stronger easterlies and sea breezes as we count down to the Opening Day on October 7th.

John Bird