The fiercely contested Port Macquarie Yacht Club river series placings are now determined after Last Sunday’s long river race “C”, sailed from Settlement Point to the Dennis Bridge turning mark, and return. Sailed in a northerly breeze that slowly built over the course of the race, before shifting to north easterly, a moderate fleet of 5 yachts turned out to contest the event. With several larger yachts being unavailable for a variety of reasons the Lexcen 40, Third Man being the largest yacht on water was expected to lead the fleet around the course, which it did after coming from behind to run down the brilliantly starting Ninja which held the lead for the majority of the first leg, and the expertly sailed Tribal Wave, two of the smallest yachts,  in the shadows of the Hibbard ferry first leg finishing line. 

While in many clubs the Hibbard ferry would simply be regarded as “ferries that have right of way over yachts”, PMYC local rules have broken long river race “C”s into three sections, with yachts ceasing racing at a line on each side of the ferry, and crossing the ferry as convenient and restarting racing at a line on the opposite side of the ferry. This second and longest leg from the Hibbard ferry to the Dennis Bridge turning mark and return, saw the breeze generally increase, favouring the larger Third Man which was able to put a gap between herself and the remaining yachts, with the two smallest yachts, Tribal Wave and Ninja leading the chase. In a see-sawing tussle it was Ninja that just pipped Tribal Wave over the second leg, with Cool Change and Galene in arrears.

With the breeze having swung Nor Nor East the final leg of the event saw Third Man complete the course well out in front, while Ninja and Tribal wave both expertly sailed on the day took second and third over the line respectively.

The well sailed Tribal Wave took a good handicap win thus securing third place in the PMYC year long river series. On the day, Ninja, was in second place while Third Man took third.