The 55th Cockburn Sound Regatta in 2012
The Regatta started with a feeder race from FSC to the TCYC with the points not counting for the regatta but you always get the kudos of the win. They sailed into 20 to 25 knots from the South with gusts a bit bigger.
As I was other wise engaged, I waited until the Thursday to get down there and the wind had abated a bit, in fact so much so, that the first race was a doddle around the buoys. TCYC was geared up for our arrival and was feeding thousands and making coffee to keep us all awake. Just as the first race was shortened up the seabreeze started to make itself felt but in a half hearted fashion so we all retired for lunch and a little refreshment.
As a classic boat sailor I was very interested in the newly restored Koomela, an H28 which had very little provenance in our fleet on the river and I was pleased to see her out along with Jay Lawry's Karoleeya and John Wright's Anna. The two other classic boats were Gary Martin's Acrospire IV and Peter Joiners Sir Henry Merkin.
Some images from the 1st two races are below.
As I was other wise engaged, I waited until the Thursday to get down there and the wind had abated a bit, in fact so much so, that the first race was a doddle around the buoys. TCYC was geared up for our arrival and was feeding thousands and making coffee to keep us all awake. Just as the first race was shortened up the seabreeze started to make itself felt but in a half hearted fashion so we all retired for lunch and a little refreshment.
As a classic boat sailor I was very interested in the newly restored Koomela, an H28 which had very little provenance in our fleet on the river and I was pleased to see her out along with Jay Lawry's Karoleeya and John Wright's Anna. The two other classic boats were Gary Martin's Acrospire IV and Peter Joiners Sir Henry Merkin.
Some images from the 1st two races are below.
Day three ( Saturday )
A day off from photographing the Flying Ants at MBSC and I am greeted by an AP hoisted on the club flag mast.
It's 0830 and I'm already stinking hot and the concept of sitting down for the next 2 to 3 hrs until they make their minds up is not a good thought. Coffee from the obliging staff and a chat to the H28 people already there. No one can work out the handicap scoring system and it's probably best that no one tries to. So go to the newspaper and try and find out how the WA entries in the Sydney to Hobart are doing. Not a cracker. Fortunately a smart phone has the answer. Finistiere and This Way Up are still alive and slogging through a thumping Bass Strait swell.
Hola.. the siren sounds and the info is given to us. The Passage race is on for all but the little ones. A short ( 22 nautical miles ) run around the sound. 4 hrs and 40 minutes actually ( for us ).
As we took off on the first leg after the day buoy, we watched as Acrospire IV shredded a new spinnaker. Hmm! So we stayed in front until we hit the first of the beats on the wind. The wind continued building and lunch was had on the fly with bread, meat and lettuce wedged together to form an impromptu sandwich. By the time we had finished the big hop up to ( almost ) Woodsmans Point, we were well fed and ready to keep slogging on, across the sound, over to Garden Island and down past the Mussell farms and thence home ward with a few turns and twists.
Yes I was busy with the strings and didn't take as many as I would have liked. But see for yourself.
It's 0830 and I'm already stinking hot and the concept of sitting down for the next 2 to 3 hrs until they make their minds up is not a good thought. Coffee from the obliging staff and a chat to the H28 people already there. No one can work out the handicap scoring system and it's probably best that no one tries to. So go to the newspaper and try and find out how the WA entries in the Sydney to Hobart are doing. Not a cracker. Fortunately a smart phone has the answer. Finistiere and This Way Up are still alive and slogging through a thumping Bass Strait swell.
Hola.. the siren sounds and the info is given to us. The Passage race is on for all but the little ones. A short ( 22 nautical miles ) run around the sound. 4 hrs and 40 minutes actually ( for us ).
As we took off on the first leg after the day buoy, we watched as Acrospire IV shredded a new spinnaker. Hmm! So we stayed in front until we hit the first of the beats on the wind. The wind continued building and lunch was had on the fly with bread, meat and lettuce wedged together to form an impromptu sandwich. By the time we had finished the big hop up to ( almost ) Woodsmans Point, we were well fed and ready to keep slogging on, across the sound, over to Garden Island and down past the Mussell farms and thence home ward with a few turns and twists.
Yes I was busy with the strings and didn't take as many as I would have liked. But see for yourself.
The 4th Day and the last race.
The wind was there, out on the water and trying to push in from the North East to begin, so a quick saddle up got us ready to go over to the line for our dose of jelly snakes from Kerry. Nice girl that one!
Shaping up for the start, the wind started to falter and it was clear that staying out off the beach was the go as you could see a little line of black stuff out toward Garden Island. A Norwester was coming in. Beauty the wind is swinging west and we might even have something westerly to go home on tonight. The wind started to freshen and by the time we hit the day buoy, we were looking at something worth our while in the distance. By 10.20 am the breeze was in and away we went. The race was a good one and we finished by crossing the line under full canvas, just hardening up the spinnaker to almost onto the forestay and going like crazy to get everything down before we plowed into the fleet behind the finish line. We stayed in front of the other H28's for the race, but again our handicap let us down and we ended up tail end charlies again. Oh well.
A final thought... Gary Martin's "Acrospire" finally got his new spinnaker up, it was all about pushing buttons apparently.
Thanks to TCYC and all their volunteers , the start team and the catering people .... a great regatta and thanks of course to the sponsors, without whom we would not have had an event.
Shaping up for the start, the wind started to falter and it was clear that staying out off the beach was the go as you could see a little line of black stuff out toward Garden Island. A Norwester was coming in. Beauty the wind is swinging west and we might even have something westerly to go home on tonight. The wind started to freshen and by the time we hit the day buoy, we were looking at something worth our while in the distance. By 10.20 am the breeze was in and away we went. The race was a good one and we finished by crossing the line under full canvas, just hardening up the spinnaker to almost onto the forestay and going like crazy to get everything down before we plowed into the fleet behind the finish line. We stayed in front of the other H28's for the race, but again our handicap let us down and we ended up tail end charlies again. Oh well.
A final thought... Gary Martin's "Acrospire" finally got his new spinnaker up, it was all about pushing buttons apparently.
Thanks to TCYC and all their volunteers , the start team and the catering people .... a great regatta and thanks of course to the sponsors, without whom we would not have had an event.