Today’s weather for an Australia Day Regatta was hot and steamy, with a light Nor-Easterly blowing across Manly Cove. Our crews for sailing rigged their own boats, then sat and waited for the Race Officer Team to arrive. In the meantime, Helen and Wilma were registering the crews, and taking temperatures, helping with life-jackets and generally helping to get things moving.
Warwick took a kayak to retrieve Charlies Chariot, and then Ken, Warwick, Marg the photographer, and later on the Race Crew and three buoys took off across the bay to lay the course of around 30 minutes duration.
Denis and Ivan helped with the rigging of Woody,
Eileen and Michael, rigged Alex,
Rob and Kieran made Black Swan the perfect racing craft,
Ragnhild and Janette worked on Vin,
Ralph Newman was rigged by a number of people while we waited for Helene and Heather to arrive. Heather unfortunately was not able to make it, so Kristoff, who had turned up out of the blue accompanied Helene instead.
David rigged Dolly Wallis, while we waited for Fiona and supporters.
And the rest of the team rigged Eli D, while we waited for her crew to arrive. Unfortunately, they did not turn up, so Eli D was left on the deck to wait.
Our Race Officer Crew of Bruce and Pam arrived, delivered a race briefing to the assembled crews, then embarked on Charlie’s Chariot to pick up the Race Boat, Carlysle. The crew of Carlysle swapped boats, found the perfect spot for a Race-Start, and started the instructions for a course laying.
In the meantime, the boats were taken to the pontoon and launched, so that the crews could safely make their way across the bay for the Race Start.
What a fantastic team effort.
By just a few minutes past 10.00, all was poised for the start, and after the usual Race Sequence, and the jockeying for position on the start the first race commenced.
Woody was first over the line in this race, and the second race commenced. Dolly Wallis was the clear winner here, and there was a photo finish for 2nd place, with Alex just pipping Ralph Newman over the line for 2nd and 3rd place. The third race was full of excitement also, with Dolly Wallis again the winner, Alex coming in 2nd, and Woody in 3rd place.
After that, it was a race for home, where a wonderful lunch was waiting, courtesy of Dallas and Joe, and the waiting team of washers and de-riggers to get all of the boats stacked away ready for the next time.
Thank you so much, Pam and Bruce for laying a perfect course which took the exact amount of time allocated. The crew of Charlie’s Chariot did a wonderful job keeping everyone safe and taking some incredible photos. The crew back at the pontoon working the radio, providing lunch, having a few swims to keep cool, and being welcoming to visitors.
- Boats set up on the deck (Crosbie Lorimer Photo)
- Flags ready for setting up
- Pam setting the clock
- Jockeying for position, Race 1
- First Race winners, Denis and Ivan
- Series winners, David and Fiona
- Support Boat Crew
- Second Race, 2nd Place.
- Photo finish for Race 2
