An excellent fleet of seven yachts lined up for last Sunday’s delayed start Port Macquarie Yacht Club  River “B” race sailed between the Settlement Point and Hibbard ferries.  Pre start the day promised little with insufficient breeze to allow a start, until, almost on cue a zephyr of breeze at around the designated 4.5 knot minimum required sprang up, and a race start was enabled. 

Ninja was prominent at the start, although soon overhauled by Andrew Walmsley’s Enticer, with the F22 trimaran 2XS soon taking the overall lead from Enticer. 

Soon after the start, there was a collective feeling across the fleet of “oh no”, when the breeze briefly dipped to 2.5 to 3 knots, before  picking up to 6 to 10 knots. 

The first downwind leg saw 2XS and Enticer round the top mark well clear of the remainder of the fleet which became bunched up approaching the top mark. The mid fleet saw Ninja in front at the top mark, with Cool Change, Third Man and Galene all competing for position at the rounding. 

Ninja retained her position leading the mid fleet to about halfway down the windward leg, when Cool Change took the mid fleet lead, and established a healthy lead of up to 150 meters at the bottom mark. Third Man challenged Ninja, but despite closing, was unable retain the gains made.

Over the next downwind leg, 2XS, sailing angles pulled away from Enticer which remained the leading monohull. Mid fleet, Cool Change maintained her mid fleet lead on the downwind, while both Galene and Tribal Wave were making up time. 

The final windward leg saw 2XS solidify her overall lead, while Enticer did the same in respect of the monohulls. Some brilliant sailing on Galene saw that yacht take the lead mid fleet while Tribal Wave made up significant ground on the rest of the mid fleet.

The order over the finish line was 2XS, Enticer, Galene, Cool Change, Third Man, Ninja and Tidal wave. The very deserved handicap winner was the well sailed Enticer. In an almost unheard of occurrence which had long term club members trying to recall a similar finish, two yachts, Tribal Wave and Ninja dead heated for second, while line honours yacht 2XS finished fourth.