Sailing Club

Tell Tales

Easter Saturday

So, its Easter Saturday everyone is looking relaxed and ready for a great day’s sailing. Conditions for today’s event were looking challenging but not overwhelming with a 14 knot ESE blowing consistently most of the day and a very choppy large sea.

We had a great line up of yachts, six fifteen’s, one OK Dinghy and one keel boat, enough boats to keep everyone on their toes. Nearing the end of our sailing season everyone’s skills were reaching their peak, so an excellent start was achieved by all, with April Dancer once again leading the way, closely followed by Black Pearl. All other boats were close behind.

It was a grueling one kilometre up-wind struggle bashing through the endless barrage of very heavy large choppy waves to the top mark. The 14 knot wind, the choppy sea and with three triangles and one windward return to go, presented many challenges. Bruce and Geraldine in “April Dancer” were in control and looking like they were the main contenders but Peter and Stu on Black Pearl, with a cunning manoeuvre, chose a different path to catch up to and then pass April Dancer.

It was a day where skipper and crew had to keep their focus on the sailing and not let the conditions beat them down. So as the day progressed the yachts spread out with very little time between them.

The exciting moments to watch were the little OK Dingy, Zebra Crossing looking like a cardboard box with a sail, sailed by Will, was challenging the fifteens and was right up with Black Pearl and April Dancer. (Showing it’s not the boat but the sailor) they were closely followed by “Ziff” sailed by Gary and Jamie, a father and son team, SOTA with Igor and Rob doing the business, then back in the field Skiffle Beat with Paul and Nala followed by Aphrodite with Chris ad Katie. Ten plus one were on a two-minute delayed start so they were very quickly chasing all with determined vigour in the big Jeanneau.

As the day progressed all was going well with only a few exciting developments seeing Gary, while Goose Winging on the downwind run do a brilliant accidental gybe, with him being completely buried under water looking like he was more interested in diving today than sailing. Skiffle Beat were unfortunately hit by several waves flooding their boat to the point where they were nearly disabled. With a little bit of very helpful advice from Anton on the Duty/ Rescue Boat on how to escape from their predicament they were OK but were then forced to abandon their part in the race.

The final approach came with everyone reasonably close but with enough distance to be clear as to who was first, second and third. Well done everyone, surviving and meeting the challenge of today’s race.

Crew of Duty Boat Anton Tibbits / Peter Bourne.

Results

There will be a post sailing BBQ this Saturday at the clubhouse. $5 /head. All welcome. Bring a salad or desert if you’re able. Only 2 sails left for the season!!

Save the dates

1. Presentation night on Friday the 2nd of May. That’s 2 weeks after the last sailing weekend and 2 weeks before the
2. GOR Marathon – our core volunteer derived fundraiser for the season. 16th and 17th of May.

Wet, wavey, windy with relentless bow spray and thick blankets of sea water bucketing inboard. All the sailors were well soaked, salted and stuffed after Easter Saturday’s race. There are few more rewarding or satisfying feelings.

Life is good. Come Sailing!

To find out more please see our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club.

New Members Always Welcome!

Many thanks to Bendigo Bank for their support of Learn to Sail at ABSC.