The 2017 Inter Clubs at SoPYC
Once again the Inter Clubs rolls around and the thought of 9 clubs competing was too good to refuse. And out of SoPYC my home base. An invitation for a ride with Swan River Sailing was gratefully accepted.
This year the clubs have really come to the party with the river clubs now looking at competiton from no less than 5 of the other clubs. We have FSC, TCYC, Hillarys, Dunsborough YC and Koombana Bay YC, putting together teams that will compete with the teams from SoPYC, RPYC, RFBYC and East Fremantle.
There have, as I believe, been some lessening of the restrictions on the visiting clubs so it'll be a pretty interesting mix on the water. Friday is veterans day, you have to be over 50! Saturday is ladies day (the morning) and then Sunday is free for all with the best of the clubs racers available out for a little rock and roll. Lets hope that the weather is good and the breezes are plentiful.
Be aware that it takes time to get images processed and up on line. Be patient please.
This year the clubs have really come to the party with the river clubs now looking at competiton from no less than 5 of the other clubs. We have FSC, TCYC, Hillarys, Dunsborough YC and Koombana Bay YC, putting together teams that will compete with the teams from SoPYC, RPYC, RFBYC and East Fremantle.
There have, as I believe, been some lessening of the restrictions on the visiting clubs so it'll be a pretty interesting mix on the water. Friday is veterans day, you have to be over 50! Saturday is ladies day (the morning) and then Sunday is free for all with the best of the clubs racers available out for a little rock and roll. Lets hope that the weather is good and the breezes are plentiful.
Be aware that it takes time to get images processed and up on line. Be patient please.
Sunday the 9th of April
On Saturday morning, the girls had taken to the water and the outcomes had a change amongst the racers with Freshie dropping out of top place and Freo jumping up to top place with two seconds and two bullets.
SoPYC managed to sail consistently and were always in the top three. Of the coastal clubs, Koombana Bay improved their position to take fourth on the day.
An Easterly dropped into place on Sunday morning with the chance for RO Les Swinton to strut his stuff and knowledge of his end of the river. No doubt about it, the course was set smartly and he had the racing underway. The races were rattled off in quick time with the locals using their knowledge of the easterly and it's fluctuating ways. The use of wind whisperers amongst the westerly clubs was suggested as they had a darned good idea of what the breeze was doing and even Klause and his team from Dunsborough should have fared better with his extensive local knowledge. Maybe his team were a little tired as they and most of the other smaller clubs had not had the luxury of being able to drop in a new team every five races.
And then we went in for lunch with all the hopes of a sea breeze to finish the afternoon session with.
We were sent onto the water for a one o'clock start. and we waited until an easterly finally blew up, so the RO set his course and sent them away. Ten minutes later the race was abandoned. No breeze to speak of and it would have been a lottery of a result. So we waited......and waited..... and waited.
Finally, well after two pm with the three o'clock deadline approaching, the westerly began to move in. Couldn't see it on the water to begin with, but the breeze was there and the course was re-aligned. With twenty minutes to go, the race began with the knowledge that this was the last race and the decider. Well the photo's tell it all.
RFBYC took the over all win, followed by SoPYC and Freo taking third. Of the coastal clubs; Koombana Bay did the best, followed by Dunsborough Bay YC and it is a credit to all the smaller clubs that they competed with essentially the same group of sailors all the way through. They must have been tired.
My thanks to Swan River Sailing (Cas and Andy) for putting me on the water and to Mike Taylor (once again) for driving me around. Thanks also to SoPYC for hosting the event and to all the volunteers who made it happen. But without the sailors, there wouldn't have been any joy. My thanks to you.
Enjoy the images.
On Saturday morning, the girls had taken to the water and the outcomes had a change amongst the racers with Freshie dropping out of top place and Freo jumping up to top place with two seconds and two bullets.
SoPYC managed to sail consistently and were always in the top three. Of the coastal clubs, Koombana Bay improved their position to take fourth on the day.
An Easterly dropped into place on Sunday morning with the chance for RO Les Swinton to strut his stuff and knowledge of his end of the river. No doubt about it, the course was set smartly and he had the racing underway. The races were rattled off in quick time with the locals using their knowledge of the easterly and it's fluctuating ways. The use of wind whisperers amongst the westerly clubs was suggested as they had a darned good idea of what the breeze was doing and even Klause and his team from Dunsborough should have fared better with his extensive local knowledge. Maybe his team were a little tired as they and most of the other smaller clubs had not had the luxury of being able to drop in a new team every five races.
And then we went in for lunch with all the hopes of a sea breeze to finish the afternoon session with.
We were sent onto the water for a one o'clock start. and we waited until an easterly finally blew up, so the RO set his course and sent them away. Ten minutes later the race was abandoned. No breeze to speak of and it would have been a lottery of a result. So we waited......and waited..... and waited.
Finally, well after two pm with the three o'clock deadline approaching, the westerly began to move in. Couldn't see it on the water to begin with, but the breeze was there and the course was re-aligned. With twenty minutes to go, the race began with the knowledge that this was the last race and the decider. Well the photo's tell it all.
RFBYC took the over all win, followed by SoPYC and Freo taking third. Of the coastal clubs; Koombana Bay did the best, followed by Dunsborough Bay YC and it is a credit to all the smaller clubs that they competed with essentially the same group of sailors all the way through. They must have been tired.
My thanks to Swan River Sailing (Cas and Andy) for putting me on the water and to Mike Taylor (once again) for driving me around. Thanks also to SoPYC for hosting the event and to all the volunteers who made it happen. But without the sailors, there wouldn't have been any joy. My thanks to you.
Enjoy the images.
Friday the 7th of April
The breeze was in. Nine clubs on the water and even the delivery of the yachts to sail on was excellent. They had been in use in a charter until 4 pm over at Royal Perth and by 4.30 pm they were almost ready to go out on Melville Water East. The sight of the yachts under a main only on a broad reach across the river was spectacular as they arrived at the club.
There was talk about using the Canning river area, but the chance to sail on a booming sou wester of 19 to 23 knots was too strong and RO Les Swinton had the course up and running. Probably a good idea as one of our coastal cousins managed to find the mud beside the channel. Lord knows what would have happened if the racing was down at the Canning mouth. Many thanks to Jenn Suffield who allowed me onto her umpires boat to photograph.
Nine clubs meant fleet racing and a big start line. With the wind whistling through, the only choice was to go left and drive up to the top mark, using the lift of the sou westerly to take you up there. However it was noted that a former SoPYC Laser sailor (Klause Schmetig) now down at Dunsborough, went right and did fairly well considering that most of the crew hadn't sailed a Foundy before. And didn't start using a spinnaker until the second or third race.
The battle was on with the start line producing a couple of OCS and certainly one or two red flags and the possibility of a black if the boat didn't take their penalty quickly enough. The top end was just as interesting with a few port/starboard challenges to keep the umpires on their toes. Only one red flag I think.... and then the approach to the bottom end, particularly the finish lap with the last two races seeing some spectacular gybing duels. Yes there was a red flag produced.
But these were just the opening salvos... there's more to come and most of it will be tactical sailing as we are not being promised such spectacular breezes. I'll be back on Sunday as I have commitments on Saturday.
Yes these images are for sale. Just contact me through the website.
The breeze was in. Nine clubs on the water and even the delivery of the yachts to sail on was excellent. They had been in use in a charter until 4 pm over at Royal Perth and by 4.30 pm they were almost ready to go out on Melville Water East. The sight of the yachts under a main only on a broad reach across the river was spectacular as they arrived at the club.
There was talk about using the Canning river area, but the chance to sail on a booming sou wester of 19 to 23 knots was too strong and RO Les Swinton had the course up and running. Probably a good idea as one of our coastal cousins managed to find the mud beside the channel. Lord knows what would have happened if the racing was down at the Canning mouth. Many thanks to Jenn Suffield who allowed me onto her umpires boat to photograph.
Nine clubs meant fleet racing and a big start line. With the wind whistling through, the only choice was to go left and drive up to the top mark, using the lift of the sou westerly to take you up there. However it was noted that a former SoPYC Laser sailor (Klause Schmetig) now down at Dunsborough, went right and did fairly well considering that most of the crew hadn't sailed a Foundy before. And didn't start using a spinnaker until the second or third race.
The battle was on with the start line producing a couple of OCS and certainly one or two red flags and the possibility of a black if the boat didn't take their penalty quickly enough. The top end was just as interesting with a few port/starboard challenges to keep the umpires on their toes. Only one red flag I think.... and then the approach to the bottom end, particularly the finish lap with the last two races seeing some spectacular gybing duels. Yes there was a red flag produced.
But these were just the opening salvos... there's more to come and most of it will be tactical sailing as we are not being promised such spectacular breezes. I'll be back on Sunday as I have commitments on Saturday.
Yes these images are for sale. Just contact me through the website.