For the Christmas Regatta our sailors enjoyed a sunny day with light north easterly winds – perfect sailing conditions.
After a briefing from Bruce Davis five boats took to the water and lined up for the start of the first race, as other commitments at this time of year meant we did not have enough sailors for all boats.
In the first race Denis and Nola in Woody gained a slight lead over Michael and Ros in Ralph Newman, closely followed by Skye and Petra in Black Swan. They were followed by Helene and Clare in Eli D and David and Ole, Petra’s son, in Alex Martin.
The second race saw Alex Martin get a good start followed by Ralph Newman and Woody. The crew of Eli D, deep in discussion, lost focus and were late to the start. The wind was a little variable and some opted to go out into the main harbour, while the others to sail closer to the Fairlight shoreline. A wind shift gave Ralph Newman a lift, and they rounded the top mark just ahead of Woody. With more consistent wind on the second up-wind leg Woody was able to edge ahead and the finishing order was the same as race one, other than Eli D swapping with Alex Martin for last place.
In the final race Ralph Newman got a great start and covered the fleet initially, which once again split to their preferred sides of the course. This time however the favoured side was the middle of the harbour and Woody rounded the first mark, just ahead of Ralph Newman, Alex Martin, Black Swan and Eli D. This is how they finished this race and is also their finishing positions over the three races.
Despite the light breezes, a great day was enjoyed by all who participated and a key part of the success of the day was the professional management of the races by Bruce, and Pam Davis with the assistance of Vince. Support was provided by John, Kerry and Joe on Charlies Chariot and thanks to Warwick and Dany for cooking the sausages and preparing the lunch. After packing away the boats and equipment we announced the winners and shared a very pleasant lunch together.
Manly Sailability wishes a Merry Christmas to all our valued volunteers and their families, and we look forward to seeing you again all in the new year.
