Apollo Bay Sailing Club
Tell Tales
20th November 2017
There wasn't much action while all the boats were "slowly" making their way to the Top Mark.
But it surely makes for a beautiful sight of our Club's fleet on the water.
There are many conditions that sailors don’t like. Strong winds can be a bit difficult. Large swell can have the boat pitching and crashing off waves. The sun can beat relentlessly off the water straining your eyes and the cold can make it hard to hold sheets (ropes) and move quickly enough so as to avoid the bashing and bruising that come with miss timed maneuvers. All of these things can be mitigated by a good sailor. But only the best (and some might even suggest “lucky”?) can conjure some movement forward in very little wind. Saturday started well, with a good crowd gathered to hear Commodore Lisa (resplendent in summer wear) welcome one and all to the club and a military like briefing around the newly sign written blackboard (thanks Pete Bourne) by Anton and Pete.
But that is kind of where the fun ended and the hard work began. The course was set short (800 mtr upwind) but even that, in the end, would prove too much for some. The keel boats lumbered towards their start with everyone keen to take advantage of any small puff in the final minute. Interlude drifted so close to the duty boat it was as if to gently kiss her cheek (or was it just a slow motion ram?).
The dinghy start, 5 minutes later, probably had just a hint more wind and shortly after a few knots at least gave them the chance to get their sails full and bows pointing. The keel boats also made good progress all things considered. But for six boats everything would come to a grinding halt about 100mts shy of the top mark. What wind there was drifted around and between that and a bit of tide it was proving very difficult to get around the top. It’s Magic (line honours) and Wild Rose were first to clear it and set off down wind. The rest literally floated back and forth for a frustrating twenty minutes till Gypsea (laser) and Ziff (ff) willed themselves around and then had a little tidal help.
The other two boats to make the whole course were Boheme and 10+1, with Boheme taking 1hr 21 mins to do one 2,2 klm triangle it truly was a day to test the resolve of the hardiest sailors. Affrodite and Trading Post (like punch drunk fighters) tried everything to stay in the ring but eventually had to throw in the towel. Quickmatch tried their gennaker (asymmetrical spinnaker) but with no luck and Community Bank and Jamie (laser) had to head back without a finish as well. Well done to all for your persistence on what proved to be a pleasant, if at times frustrating, afternoon.
For more pictures of the race visit our Facebook page
Heat 3 Waterfront Motor Inn Pre Xmas Series
Heat 3 Café 153 Club Championships.
Handicap
1st It’s Magic
2nd Wild Rose
3rd Gypsea
Yard Stick
1st Gypsea
2nd Ziff
3rd
Thanks To Our Sponsors
Apollo Bay & District Community Bank, Great Ocean Road Trading Post, Waterfront Motor Inn, Café 153, The Fishing Co op, Surf-n-Fish, J&C Marriner Earthworks
Life is good. Come Sailing!
To find out more see our website or our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club