A sharp eye for picking wind lines and the savvy mastery of light airs sailing were on full display in Sunday’s Port Macquarie Yacht Club “river A” event. The event which the Officer of the Day, wisely changed the course from “river B” was run in breezes ranging from zero to five knots, and an initially surprisingly strong run in tide.

Pre start there was some concern that there would be insufficient wind to start the event, however immediately before the scheduled start time a zephyr crossed the race course allowing a well contested downwind start.

Cool Change was first across the start line before being passed by Third Man and eventual line honours winner, Solar Coaster. Those two yachts duelled for the entirety of first leg, with Cool Change in close pursuit and Tribal wave not that far behind that she was out of contention.

Upon arrival at the first mark, it was difficult to determine overlaps between the two leaders, who in the course of disagreeing created a hole at the rounding which was gratefully accepted by Cool Change.

While the breeze had been a reasonably consistent five knots SSW, after rounding the top mark, current and a now more fluky wind tested the skills of skippers and crews. Solar Coaster briefly challenged Cool Change for the lead but although having boatspeed on Cool Change in the fluky light airs Solar Coaster repeatedly ran afoul of the disturbed air left by Cool Change , and eventually elected to tack out, onto a loose tack, which saw Cool Change eke out a lead of up to two hundred meters.

Eventually, Cool Change had no option other than to take the same loose tack that Solar Coaster had earlier taken, at which time Solar Coaster’s boatspeed advantage come into play resulting in a position swap which saw that boat take the same lead Cool Change earlier had over her. Further back in the fleet the inconsistent breeze had caused headaches onboard Third Man which temporarily lost way and Tribal Wave, which was literally inching her way against the incoming tide.

Third Man’s issues may have been compounded, as a broken radio transmission shortly before they retired from the event indicated a rusty nail (injury?) on board that yacht.

In any event Solar Coaster remained in the lead at the town green rounding, although seeing her recent lead over Cool Change being rapidly eroded. Third Man had withdrawn by this stage. Both Solar Coaster and Cool Change broke out spinnakers for the final leg to the finish line with Cool Change eating away at Solar Coaster’s lead, crossing the line some eighty meters adrift.

Seeing both those yachts douse their spinnakers and heading homewards, Tribal Wave which was having trouble overcoming the tidal run elected to discontinue racing.

Post race the crew from Tribal Wave and Cool Change made thir way to Port Macquarie Marina, and joined Larissa Trapeznikova on her newly purchased Yamaha yacht “Ninja”, to spill champagne over Ninja’s decks, and welcome her to the club.

After handicaps were applied to the times, the skilfully sailed Cool Change took first place with Solar Coaster second, while all other yachts in difficult conditions recorded DNFs.