Port Macquarie Yacht Club requires that yachts on its racing register comply with mandatory minimum equipment and safety standards. While not mandatory, situational training is considered desirable, including man overboard training. Cool Change’s crew will be entitled to claim exemptions following a man overboard incident and recovery during last Sunday’s river “A” race.

With Port Macquarie showing why it is considered to have the best climate in Australia, the 5 – 10 knots of breeze last Sunday was not too much for beach goers, while for sailors competing in last Sunday’s Port Macquarie Yacht Club river “A” race,  it was not too little.

In any event the start line was crowded at the favoured pin end as eight yachts ranging in length from 25 feet to 53 feet jostled  for position at the start, attempting to squeeze into any available gap. It was difficult to pick first across the line,  however it was Nick Bartell’s Hanse 510 Terra Firma that  came through and soon overhauled Enticer, commodore Andrew Walmsley’s Elliot 11, which surrendered to the rules of physics and trailed the larger yacht going into the top mark. After being squeezed out at the start and being forced to tack away, Teddy Clausen’s Cool Change found a clear lane and clean air away from the main group of boats. Solar Coaster in company with  Mike and Andrea Schulzer’s Galene followed,  ahead of Third Man, Tribal Wave and Ninja.

After gybing onto the second leg both leading yachts maintained station, while on the next leg some tactical sailing saw Enticer take the lead from the larger Terra Firma going into the Town Green mark. Back in the fleet Galene made up ground and overtook Cool Change, while Solar Coaster lost time and it’s spinnaker pole overboard on the downwind leg. 

Being a mixed fleet event yachts became strung out along the race course. Yachts began either to sail their own race, concentrating soley on performance while those in close proximity with other yachts had to consider tactics and dealing with disturbed air from the nearby yachts. At the head of the fleet, Enticer was struggling to get clear of the disturbed air from Terra Firma, which clamped a firm cover that Enticer was unable to overcome. Mid fleet there was rarely more than a 30 second gap between Galene and Cool Change, while Third Man and Solar Coaster were also sailing in close proximity.  After dropping back, Ninja flew her glorious yellow spinnaker and made up ground.

The midfleet duel between Galene and Cool Change saw Galene finish 5 seconds ahead of Cool Change, with that order being confirmed in the handicap placings, while the consistent Tribal Wave placed third on handicap, followed in handicap order by Third Man, Enticer, then line honours yacht Terra Firma, ahead of Ninja and Solar Coaster, which had been somewhat hampered by the loss of her spinnaker pole during the race. Solar Coaster’s spinnaker pole was recovered by a spectator boat, while Cool Change’s crewman’s clothes were “mostly dry” by race end.