Apollo Bay Sailing Club

Tell Tales

Sat. 25 January 2020

The weather’s inconsistency is often the lament of many of our sailors. But not so this season, consistency has reigned…. week after week Huey has metered out 20+knots gusting to 30+knots providing some very exciting sailing, but such excitement can come at a cost.  Breakages a plenty.  Wind strengths were still high in the previous week, but the direction had changed from west/south-west to a full-on easterly – the scourge of all sailors and seafarers in these parts. Race management wisely called for an early cancellation.

So, all at last Saturday’s briefing were delighted to be greeted with a mild day, flat sea and predicted wind strengths of 6-15knts.  9½ craft left the harbour to test their skills or luck on the course ably set by duty officers Paul and Wayne aboard the Helena G. 

The five keel boats positioned themselves for the first start flanked by four FF15’s for their start 5mins later.  And what about the half craft?

Well what a surprise to find a windsurfer with someone wearing a headpiece that rivalled Carmen Miranda’s, on board, now who could that be???

Boheme managed the best start on a port tack closely followed by Quickmatch, the other 3 keelers crossed the line on starboard.  Boheme’s lead allowed her crew to avoid giving way to those on a starboard tack and was not headed for the remainder of the race.  Quickmatch’s good start resulted in a real tussle with Ten+One.  QM flew its spinnaker to good effect and it took a long time for the faster Ten+One to shake the pesky smaller boat. Further out to sea the reigning Club Champion, Wild Rose was seen flying a flag.  OH NO, not a flag! It was their spinnaker.  Whatever went amiss, it cost them dearly and the Interlude crew consisting of 3 generations of the Marriner family enjoyed crossing the finish line ahead of a much faster boat.

Five minutes behind came four FF15’s and a flamboyant windsurfer.  The FF15’s had a really exciting race with several lead changes.  The wind was fluky and shifted midway through the race which advantaged some boats more than others, but the tenacious crew onboard April Dancer were the eventual leaders leaving the remaining Shiralee, SS Margaret and Euffamism shimmying in their wake.

With so much excitement to observe onboard the duty boat, it is just as well that eagle-eyed Wayne noticed that there was something drifting toward Wilson’s Prom. It seems that vintage windsurfers shouldn’t be stored for prolonged periods in a hothouse as it was now in two bits, but the fancy headpiece was still in place.  The windsurfer was rescued and returned to the harbour and the duty crew then raced back to create the finish line for Boheme and their delighted crew.

Life is good. Come Sailing!

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