Port Macquarie Yacht Club is not unique in being without a clubhouse, as there are quite a few similar yacht clubs in NSW, however it is unique in having run yachting competitions continuously for some 43 years, and with the exception of during Covid time, staging both offshore and inshore competitions without interruption over that entire period.
Having said that, however, with mixed fleet racing being the norm over the history of the club, and with yachts joining and leaving the club over time, last Sunday, handicapper Ken Macdonald must have been well satisfied with the current handicapping system that saw 5 minutes separating all boats in a mixed fleet contest lasting only just shy of 1 ½ hours with yachts ranging from the 22 foot 2XS to the 40 foot Third Man.
With a penalty/encouragement handicap system such as is in place it is unusual for one yacht to exert a multi season dominance such as Cool Change has over the PMYC inshore competition, as with seventeen races completed this year, after last Sunday’s race while mathematically Third Man can take out the series, it appears Teddy Clausen is in the box seat for another inshore series win, after again dominating the annual inshore (river) series.
Last Sunday conditionwise saw business as usual, with, at the amended start time, barely sufficient breeze to ripple the surface of the water and with a difficult flood tide of 1 – 1.5 knots pushing the fleet up towards the start line. While all yachts negotiated these trying conditions and started well, it was Third Man that may have made the best of the start, but soon after, unfortunately, ran into problems and fell back to the rear of the fleet.
F22 trimaran 2XS sailed by Andrew and Jenny McLeod, utilised its superior speed and soon overhauled early leader Enticer, on the first beat towards the Settlement Point, and led the fleet around the course for the rest of the day. Enticer settled into second place behind 2XS, while further back Third Man remained in close contact with Cool Change up the first beat.
On the downwind leg running against the current towards Town Green 2XS extended its lead over Enticer, which, in turn pulled away from Cool Change and Third Man. Third man however deployed it’s yellow masthead spinnaker and over took Cool Change coming in to the bottom mark, then led Cool Change around the mark, and for a short distance on the next beat where Cool Change fought back, and after a number of well executed tacks, regained her lead over Third Man.
The breeze built over the course of the race topping out at around 13 – 14 knots for much of the second lap of the river “A” course providing exhilarating sailing for crews. Some yachts that had set up for lighter airs had to adjust luff tensions when the breeze came in but this was handled with aplomb by all crews, who appeared to be relishing the lively sailing over the second lap.
2XS led over the line almost half a lap clear of Enticer which finished a similar distance ahead of Cool Change, with Third Man about a minute adrift of Cool Change at the finish.
After handicaps were applied leveling out the playing field Cool Change took first place, from Third Man second, with 2XS third.