With the Mercury dipping and Instagram videos of snow falling on the adjacent range, Port Macquarie sailors presented in multi layered sailing apparel for last Sunday’s scheduled PMYC long river event from Settlement Point to the Dennis Bridge mark and return.

Temperatures were in the single digits during the lead up to the start which saw four yacht club yachts face the starter, together with Galene, a yacht yet to join PMYC, which being unable toformally race showed good speed as she sailed “in  company” during the race.

A West South West breeze of around 7 – 8 knots that had been blowing across the course when the five minute start count down began promptly lost a couple of knots, dropping to around a steady 5 – 6 knots at the start before picking up again to around 8 knots half way down the first leg to Hibbard.

Skippers were caught out by the sudden drop in pressure, and as a result, Cool Change, the first yacht to cross the start line did so an uncharacteristically 70 seconds late, followed by Solar Coaster, Third Man then Tribal Wave, already struggling noticeably in the conditions.

The available breeze oscillated along the first leg, with Solar Coaster, after starting on the riverbank side of the line, picking the shifts and overcoming an ordinary start to overhaul Cool Change.

The heavier Third Man, without some regular crew, was having difficulty in conditions that were unsuitable, while Tribal Wave, equally found the conditions challenging.

Solar Coaster extended her lead over the remainder of the fleet to be clearly ahead at the end of the first leg of the race at Hibbard. Cool Change followed across the line, while Galene, although not an official entrant was third, ahead of Third Man and Tribal Wave. Leg two from Hibbard saw the temperature increasing, but the breeze diminishing to between zero knots to 2 – 3knots, so with yachts parked, and mostly drifting with the current, the OOD shortened the course, deleting leg 2, (the longest leg), with the race to be completed by a return sail from Hibbard to Settlement Point.

With an inkling that the final leg might be completed spinnakers were broken out, and there was for an instant only, the magnificent sight of PMYC yachts sailing line abreast along the Hastings. Unfortunately, the fickle breeze dropped and spinnakers quickly collapsed.

After it became apparent that finishing the final leg was lotto odds, the OOD invoked the mercy rule, and abandoned the final leg, with the day’s racing being decided by the result of the first leg, which saw Solar Coaster take both line and handicap honours with Cool Change second while Third Man took third.

The result saw Cool Change maintain her series lead, with Third Man in second, and Solar Coaster third.