Apollo Bay Sailing Club

Tell Tales

Sat. 2nd November 2019

The first race of the season and after last week’s working bee and a fantastic paella night, it was time to start the fun.

In light and shifting wind we set a course, then waited for the breeze, it wasn’t westly as we had set, but NW, then moved around every point on the compass.

With great hope and little confidence, the start was finally called. Wild Rose, our reigning club champ, was given a 1 minute head start on the fleet to reward her for last year’s result. But in a cruel twist (that only happens to sailors) she drove into a wind hole and lost 45 sec of the hard earned bonus starting only 15 seconds before the fleet of 8 other yachts crashed her party. Their start then became a near disaster as 5 boats passed them before the first mark (only 1 km away).

The other crews are now considering what type of fine to impose on Wild Rose for sailing the entire race with a fender hanging over the side; maybe they were worried they would become a target during the chase? (I expect some stirring at the briefing next Saturday.)

The race was interesting as we started the fleet together for the first time in awhile and that forced the normal pace setter Boheme to compete with the smaller Flying Fifteens. At one of the roundings they were busy watching a FF who was entitled to room (and had gotten very close to them) when 10+1 went around them (and 3 other boats) to go from 5th to 1st. A huge move from 10+1 who then extended the lead to the finish line!

Every yacht on the course had their chance to win or to close onto the leaders, both April Dancer and Affrodite had to complete penalty turns for buoy rounding errors. The Miss Mollys sailed a blinder for a boat not suited to light airs and Fern Elizabeth showed great promise and came 3rdin the HC.

Unfortunately we had 2 retirements Community Bank & Interlude.

Life is good. Come Sailing!

To find out more see our website www.apollobaysailingclub.org.au or our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club