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DOWNWIND Racing Association Newsletter
Diary Dates
March Wed 5: Twilight R5 Sat 8: Sun 9:
RSAYS Fixed Mark CYCSA Invited Crabbing Day
Wed 12: Twilight Ladies Helm Fri 14:
Offshore R2 (Island Cup)
Sat 15:
Coaster R7
Wed 19: Twilight R6
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Well what a busy time as we head into the final months of the season. Jess is now back in the office but she will be working from home so please take note of the Race Office hours and note that Jess now has a direct mobile number (0418 230 431) which might be worth putting into your phone contacts. Within her normal working hours this phone will be answered and of course Jess will make all efforts to return any after-hours calls at her earliest convenience. Due to work commitments John Gibson has resigned from the Racing Executive and we thank him for his valuable input. This will not impact on John's role as RO so he will still be present in and around the club in coming months. As we look forward to Presentation Night I remind you to put the date (Friday 9th May) in your diaries and join us for our end of season celebration. We will have an entertainment act and a live band so please rally your crew, family and friends and join us.
It is with sadness that I relate the news of Lou Abrahams' passing. Many of our racing fraternity would know or be aware of the Legend that is Wed 26: Twilight R7 & Series Lou and we send our fond thoughts to all at Sandringham Yacht Club at Presentation this very sad time. We also wish to send our thoughts to Geoff Common Sat 29: Great Southern Regatta and family. Many members attended Sylvia's funeral service and a celebration of her life which was held at the club following the funeral. It Sun 30: Great Southern Regatta goes without saying that Sylvia's wonderful smile and bubbly presence will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Sat 22:
Inshore R11 & 12
April
I congratulate Geoff Boettcher and his Secret Mens Business crew on their great Adelaide-Lincoln race this year, it was great to see how well Sat 5: Queen of the Gulf Regatta the tidy little Farr 400 performed in a Lincoln race and we welcome her Sun 6: Beneteau Bugle (RSAYS) to the club. At the Sunday presentations, Geoff was joined by Andrew Corletto, Andrew Saies and Jason Ward when Shining Sea, Two True and Sun 6: RSAYS Ladies R8 Concubine joined SMB 4.5 to collectively take out the Teams Trophy again this year for the CYCSA. Sat 12: Coaster R8 In other news, Jess is about to launch our annual REX raffle. We will be Fri 18: Good Friday allocating one book to each Racing Skipper, and hope that you will assist Sat 19: Easter Saturday us by either buying or on-selling your book. We will also be selling tickets at most twilight nights and race days. Don't throw out that loose Sun 20: Easter Sunday change! Mon 21: Easter Monday Fri 25: ANZAC Day
TRACI AYRIS RACING CHAIR
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RACE OFFICE REPORT
I hope everyone has made it home from Port Lincoln safely, and you are all ready for the busy last couple of weeks of the 2013-2014 summer season. Over the next month we have an action packed schedule. Our Twilight Series wraps up on the 26 March, but not before the Standalone Ladies Helm (bought to you by EverettBrookes Jewellers), which will be held on Wednesday 12 March. Our Offshore series continues with the Island Cup on Friday 14 March. Throw in a Coaster on the 15 March, and a double header Inshore on the 22 March and it’s a busy month! March concludes with the Great Southern Regatta (29-30 March). The Notice of Race for the GSR will be available shortly. The J24 State Championships will be held in conjunction with the Great Southern Regatta. Another date to put in your diary is the 9 May - The Racing Association Presentation Night. As always, this evening promises to be a good night out with your sailing buddies. More information will be released soon. The Racing Association is holding another fantastic raffle this year. The major prize will be a $2,500 travel voucher courtesy of Phil Hoffmann Travel. Other great prizes are also up for grabs, courtesy of our wonderful sponsors Yalumba, Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, The Stag, EverettBrookes Jewellers, Canegrass Saltbush Lamb, Mogas, Robert Oatley Vineyards, and Mariner’s Restaurant. Prizes will be drawn at the Racing Association Presentation Night on the 9 May. Finally, please be aware that we are now up to Issue D of our Sailing Instructions. After releasing Issue C last month with the addition of 1.7 (anchors being stowed inboard), we have had an influx of feedback from skippers and as a result, this section has now been withdrawn. We expect all skippers to be sensible when racing. Until next time, happy sailing!
JESS HARGREAVES RACING MANAGER
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RACING ASSOCIATION SPONSOR
IRC NEWS DIVISION 1 RACE 6: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
DIVISION 2 RACE 5: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: LUCETTE (CHRIS PRATT) 3: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM)
1: LOCOMOTION (PETER HALL) 2: ARCADIA (PAUL BOGNER) 3: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK)
No further measuring action during February, however the rating certificate for Secret Mens Business 4.5 arrived. As we suspected it is very high (1240) for a ‘40 footer’ however Geoff and his crew were up to the challenge and blitzed the fleet in the Lincoln Race. They took line honors as well as first overall in IRC and first in Division 1 IRC. Amazing results proving how fast this yacht really is. William Strangways
DIVISION 1 RACE 7: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
DIVISION 2 RACE 6: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: LUCETTE (CHRIS PRATT) 3: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM)
1: LOCOMOTION (PETER HALL) 2: ARCADIA (PAUL BOGNER) 3: PEER GYNT (PAUL BULL)
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PHIL HOFFMANN TRAVEL TWILIGHT RESULTS
STANDALONE STERNCHASER 5 February 2014 CRUISING A 1: LIBERATOR (GEOFF CATT) 2: THAT’S LIFE (GREG MANUEL) 3: G-WIZZ (GREG PATTEN)
CRUISING B 1: SYNERGY (MARK HUTTON) 2: KUDOS (VLAD HUMENIUK) 3: WIND WEAVER (WAYNE GRANT) RACE 4 12 February 2014
CRUISING A 1: G-WIZZ (GREG PATTEN) 2: RAPID 1 (KEITH FINCH) 3: LIBERATOR (GEOFF CATT)
CRUISING B 1: SYNERGY (MARK HUTTON) 2: KUDOS (VLAD HUMENIUK) 3: FLYING CIRCUS (STEVE POWER)
The Combined Pre-Lincoln Twilight scheduled for 19 February 2014 was removed from the series due to RSAYS scheduling a river start. The race was ultimately abandoned due to inclement weather conditions.
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FEB 2014
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SHINING SEA’S RACE TO HOBART
The forecast for the race a week out from Boxing Day indicated that the race was going to be a big boat benefit. However, as the start date approached the forecast changed so that it looked like the big boats would not have their ideal conditions as originally forecast but instead the conditions were likely to suit the 50 to 60 footers. The final forecast delivered by the Bureau at the mandatory briefing on the morning of the race confirmed that we were to expect light to moderate conditions for the first couple of days followed by a strong southerly change. Thankfully the forecast for showers in the morning on Boxing Day did not eventuate. At least we would not get wet just going out to the start line! With the Sydney to Hobart race being a leg in the around the world race for the Clipper yachts, the Race Committee decided on three start lines so as to give the Clipper yachts their own start and room for the 94 starters. That meant that we were on the southernmost (third) start line. We got off to a reasonable start with clear air and immediately set our Code Zero. This proved to be a great choice as boats around us that opted to fly spinnakers were crashing and rounding up all around us. Those that elected just to go for headsails proved to be considerably slower. As a result we rounded the marks and exited Sydney Harbour in reasonable shape and in the company of the bigger and faster boats. On reaching the first turning mark we furled our Code Zero and changed to a headsail for the long beat down the New South Wales coast in a moderate south easterly.
The forecast was for the south easterly to clock around to the left and go into the north east and build. There was also more favourable current offshore. As a consequence we decided to sail away from the coast. By early evening on the first day we were well positioned, leading our division and in the top 10 overall. By midnight of the first day saw us lying first in our division and third overall in IRC. The first night out at sea was very frustrating with the wind dropping and parking lots opening up everywhere. It was a real snakes and ladders night with the boats around us. We would catch a boat in front of us sitting in no wind, attempt to sail around them only to find that they then got the breeze and we would then come to a virtual standstill.
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SHINING SEA’S RACE TO HOBART
Day two again saw light to moderate conditions and our position changing around considerably both within our division and overall. Gains had been made by those boats that were further to the east. The game of snakes and ladders overnight, resulted in us losing positions and by midday on day two we had slipped well down the leaderboard. We passed Green Cape just after midnight on the second day in a building breeze. Having made the compulsory radio check and declaration we proceeded into Bass Strait. As we commenced crossing Bass Strait the breeze had gone around to the north as forecast and we set our masthead S2 spinnaker. During the course of the morning the wind continued to build and build so we then peeled firstly to a S3 masthead spinnaker and then eventually to an A5 – our smallest kite. By this stage the breeze was in the high 20s to low 30s. All of the weather observations and forecasts we were able to receive on board indicated that the south westerly front would shortly be upon us. And the question was whether we were able to get across Bass Strait before it hit us. As it turned out we were at the northern tip of Flinders Island before the change came through.
All through the night and in the morning we were beating down along the Tasmanian East Coast in winds ranging from 25 to 40 knots but averaging in the 30 to 35 knot range. By this stage we were down to two reefs and the number 5 jib. We had made good progress and at that stage were leading our division and lying in seventh overall. By late afternoon we could easily see Tasman Island and the question we were all asking ourselves was whether we could get around Tasman Island before dark. As it turned out the wind swung further to the south making it impossible for us to reach Tasman Island before dark. Eventually we got around Tasman Island around midnight. We then had to tack our way from Tasman Island to Cape Raoul.
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SHINING SEA’S RACE TO HOBART
Unfortunately, in the process of putting in and taking out reefs the mainsail developed a few tears near the leech which meant that we were not able to reef and unreef as much as we would have liked so as to minimise any further damage to the sail. As a result we had to nurse the main for the last 30 or 40 miles of the race and we were reluctant to take out the final reef too early. As it turned out, the wind abated as we were coming across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River. By the time we had reached the Iron Pot, the wind had moderated to around 5 knots. The final stretches of Storm Bay and up the Derwent River was quite fluky and in order to keep out of the tide and current we tacked in close to and hugged the eastern shore. Even then we had to minimise the number of tacks we did in order to preserve our main to minimise further damage. We could see how with each tack the tears were getting slightly longer each time we tacked. Unfortunately the light conditions we were experiencing meant our ETA at the finish kept on getting later and later. In the end we finished at approximately 8.30am on the 30th of December with an elapsed time of three days 20 hours. That gave us third in our division and 18th overall in IRC. Although we were pleased with our third placing in the division we did all lament what might have been if we did not have to nurse our mainsail home for the last 30 or 40 miles. It was during those last 30 to 40 miles that our opposition were able to close the ground on us. But as just about anyone who has sailed a Sydney to Hobart race before will tell you, you do need a fair amount of luck on your side to win as well as having a well prepared boat and crew. And we would dearly have liked to have had a little bit more luck on our side. Despite the bitterly cold morning we were all warmed to see our family and friends and loved ones waiting for us on the dock when we pulled in at the end of the race and enjoyed a few nice cold beers and hot scallop pies.
I would like to thank all of the crew for their dedication and hard work not only during the race but in getting the boat prepared as well as a big thank you to all of the Shining Sea family including those that helped with deliveries, people who worked on the boat in preparing it for the race, family and friends who posted photos and comments on our Facebook page and club members who helped out in various ways but most of all we would all like to thank our partners and families for giving us the support and to allow us to do the race and indulge our passion. ~ Andrew Corletto DOWNWIND • CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA RACING EXECUTIVE WWW.CYCSA.COM.AU
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10 FEB 2014
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CLUB INSHORE SERIES RESULTS RACE 8: 1 FEBRUARY 2014 DIV 1 PHS 1: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 2: ALLIANCE (JIM HALLION) 3: WHITE KNIGHT (DAVID KNIGHTS)
DIV 2 PHS 1: CARIOCA (BETH HUTTON) 2: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 3: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK)
DIV 1 IRC 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: WHITE KNIGHT (DAVID KNIGHTS) DIV 1 AMS 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: ALLIANCE (JIM HALLION)
DIV 2 AMS 1: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK) 2: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 3: CARIOCA (BETH HUTTON)
RACE 9: 15 FEBRUARY 2014 DIV 1 PHS 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE)
DIV 2 PHS 1: EL FIDELDO (DOUG WATSON) 2: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 3: FLYING CIRCUS (STEVE POWER)
DIV 1 IRC 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE) DIV 1 AMS 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE)
DIV 2 AMS 1: EL FIDELDO (DOUG WATSON) 2: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 3: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK)
RACE 10: 15 FEBRUARY 2014 DIV 1 PHS 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: ANOTHER PLANET (BRENTON PEGLER)
DIV 2 PHS 1: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 2: FLYING CIRCUS (STEVE POWER) 3: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK)
DIV 1 IRC 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE) DIV 1 AMS 1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE) 3: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM)
DIV 2 AMS 1: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 2: EL FIDELDO (DOUG WATSON) 3: SUCH IS LIFE (DAVE NICOLSON)
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11 FEB 2014
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SHINING SEA SUCCESSFUL IN GEELONG
The “Geelong Regatta” has been a long standing regatta held around Australia Day, hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. This year’s iteration of the event included the passage race from Melbourne to Geelong and 7 races around Corio Bay. Shining Sea was entered in the Racing Division which incorporated the Beneteau First Australian Championships and Victorian State IRC and AMS titles. The racing division was divided into 3 divisions with all Beneteau First yachts competing within Division 2. Some nuances of construction, rig plan and sail area meant that Shining Sea had to give all other Beneteau First 45’s time on handicap, meaning first over the line with a gap was the only way to win! The schedule for the 13 crew of Shining Sea started with a working bee and crew training on a hot day in Melbourne, whilst concurrently players were melting at the nearby Australian tennis Open. These conditions would change quickly for the next day’s passage race. Cooler weather would prevail with some rain. The big question was which way the wind was going to blow. A trough sitting over central Victoria was expected to do something, but none of the forecasting models or Bureau’s predictions aligned, so it was a case of strategy on the fly. The start of the passage race was a light W to NW, with 200 boats converging on 2 start lines, in a light rain. The first leg was a 3.5 mile reach to a mark off Sandringham yacht club. Shining Sea was off to a good start and ironically rounded this mark in the company of the only other SA boat, Aikin from RSAYS. The next leg was across Port Phillip Bay. Ironically for much of this leg we were in the company of Aikin, Shamrock (formerly Secret Men’s Business 2) and Primitive Cool (formerly Secret Men’s Business 3.5). Some strange Newtonian force of attraction between current and former SA boats was happening….. A large roll cloud to the south heralded a southerly change so it was a case of abandoning the course line and get south to pick up the change. Fortunately some good tactics by Chris Tillett saw Shining Sea well positioned to benefit from the change and we consolidated our position with the reach through the outer and inner channels to the finish line. A good first up result for SA boats in Div 2 of the racing division with Shining Sea 1 st on IRC and 2nd on AMS, whilst Aikin scored 1st on AMS and 3rd on IRC (yes, the vagaries of handicap rating systems). The 2nd day's racing saw 3 x windward / leeward courses (2 laps each) on the outer bay course. Conditions were sailed in a fresh southerly from 16 – 20 knots, albeit in flat seas. On these heavy boats the crew certainly knew they were in for some tiring racing as the legs were short and the boats in close quarters. It was soon evident that there was not much between the First 45’s in these conditions, with “Ikon”(Bruce McCracken from HBYC) being the stand-out boat on height, quickly getting the controlling position in all 3 races. Shining Sea was in catch up mode over the 3 races to match Ikon and it was pleasing that all aspects of the boats speed and handling improved throughout the afternoon to match-race Ikon in the final race of the day. The result was a 2nd and 2 thirds on IRC which had us in second place in the regatta, 2 point behind Ikon (with 3 bullets that day). It is fair to say that most crews slept well that night.
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12 FEB 2014
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SHINING SEA SUCCESSFUL IN GEELONG
Day 3 saw lighter north-easterly to easterly conditions around 9 – 13 knots with 2 races scheduled. The first 2 lap w/l race saw Shining Sea jump to a handy lead on the first lap courtesy of some Chris Tillett brilliance at picking the left, favoured side of the course, which was consolidated to the finish. The second race in similar conditions was a course where there was a mix of w/l racing which blended into a fixed mark course around the bay, followed by a sail through the Outer and Hopetoun Channel to the finish in the inner bay. Again Shining Sea had a lead after the W/L leg and was never headed to the finish line. Highlights being multiple gybing along the 100m wide Hopetoun channel whilst dodging various cruising division and the odd ship! By the end of this day Shining Sea was in first position on IRC within the regatta, with 2 more races to come. Day 4 saw the wind from a different quadrant again. Hot north to north west winds 9 – 13 knots were blowing across the course within the inner bay, this time strongly influenced by the topography of the land. With 2 W/L races scheduled and the forecast showing the winds to abate early afternoon it was important to get a good result in the first race. Fortunately a good start with speed put Shining Sea in a commanding position over the fleet and with a shift to the left turned the race into a soldier's course for the 2 nd lap. Some good performances by the First 40’s made it difficult to determine what the results would be in the final wash up. Fortunately there was a delay of 1.5 hours whilst the race committee tried to set a course for the second race. Minutes out from the warning of the second race we saw we had won race 1 that day and could not be beaten in the series (taking into account 1 drop race from the point score). This was most fortunate as the second race was started in very light conditions and many boats played the adage “from the roosters tail to the feather duster” in terms of position changes in the fluky conditions. For Shining Sea, this was our worst result for the regatta (7th) and subsequent drop. Despite the last race, we were relieved that we had a successful regatta winning Division 2 Racing series on IRC and AMS and also winning the Beneteau First National Championship. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect was the recognition from the other Beneteau owners for a consistent series across varying conditions. By Colin Gordon
COASTER RESULTS RACE 6: 8 FEBRUARY 2014 PHS 1: ANOTHER PLANET (BRENTON PEGLER) 2: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 3: ALLIANCE (JIM HALLION)
AMS 1: ANOTHER PLANET (BRENTON PEGLER) 2: ALLIANCE (JIM HALLION) 3: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN)
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13 FEB 2014
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AMS NEWS
DIVISION 1 RACE 5: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
DIVISION 2 RACE 5: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM) 3: 3 COOL CATS (SCOTT MUTTON)
1: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 2: FREEDOM (BOB SCHAHINGER) 3: YOUNG EINSTEIN (ROB SELLICK)
Total fleet in SA as at the end of February 2014 is 48! Early in Feb I weighed and measured That’s Life and Alternative Therapy. We also lodged their applications along with some amendments for Secret Mens Business 4.5. The ratings came back mid Feb. A last minute amendment for Alternative Therapy’s new spinnaker just made the cut. SMB 4.5 blitzed the fleet in the Lincoln Race—First on elapsed time and first overall on AMS. Another great effort in this race came from That’s Life, well positioned for a podium finish with about 40 miles to go they ripper their spinnaker but still managed to come in 4th overall in AMS. Well done to Greg and the crew. William Strangways
DIVISION 1 RACE 6: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
DIVISION 2 RACE 5: 15 FEBRUARY 2014
1: SHINING SEA (ANDREW CORLETTO) 2: VERTIGO (JAMIE GOODE) 3: SLIPKNOT (SEB BOHM)
1: DR FEELGOOD (JASON COONAN) 2: SUCH IS LIFE (DAVE NICOLSON) 3: FREEDOM (BOB SCHAHINGER)
RACING ASSOCIATION SPONSOR
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14 FEB 2014
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VALE LOU ABRAHAMS
Lou joined Sandringham Yacht Club in 1964 and sailed a succession of fast yachts in a career spanning some 50 years that resulted in success at many of the world’s premier yacht races, from the famed Sydney Hobart, to the Clipper/Kenwood Cup in Hawaii, the Admiral’s Cup in England and numerous other events around the world. As early as 1970 Lou was making a name for himself in sailing, originally with the first racing yacht he owned, Odin, then with Vittoria – the first Victorian challenger in the Admiral’s Cup. Next came his series of boats incorporating the ‘Challenge’ name that became well known throughout Australia and overseas for successes in Sydney Hobart races, Hamilton Island, Hogs Breath and Geelong Race Weeks, Victorian Association Cup teams, Club races and those international events mentioned above. Among the significant awards Lou received is the Australian Ocean Racer of the year in both 1984 and in 1990. Additionally, in 1983 he was awarded the Victorian Yachtsman of the year and in 2006, the Veteran Ocean Racer of the Year. In 2002 Lou received a Commonwealth medal for Services to Sailing – well deserved after fifty years of unassuming but extremely successful involvement in sailing and the Services to Yachting award in 2006. Stepping back to the 60’s, 1963 to be exact, marks the beginning of Lou’s long association with one of the world’s great events, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. It was Sir Arthur Warner who took the then 36-year-old Lou on the famed Winston Churchill as his bowman. Lou would complete 44 consecutive races, the last in 2007 aboard Challenge. Lou and his team have competed in seven Fastnet races, held each year in England, and he has been quoted saying, “It’s not quite as tough as the Hobart, as half of it is OK – if you beat there, you run back - but it does fog up a lot”. Challenge II (C2 or the Big Red Boat) followed Vittoria. The S&S 45 was campaigned from 1979 to 1983, and provided his first Hobart win in 1983. Challenge III was from ‘84 to ‘87, with the carbon fibre Frers going off to compete in the 1984 and 1987 Admiral's Cups and also represented in the 1986 winning Australian Kenwood Cup team. From there, it was Challenge Again and Ultimate Challenge the Ed Dubois IOR one tonner which provided Lou with his second Sydney Hobart win in 1989 and a close second in 1991, and other top results with many an overseas trip included up until 1995. Another Challenge, the Sydney 38 came next, and then an updated model - Challenge - followed shortly after, as he fully committed to One Design. Lou and his crew won the Sydney 38 National Championship four times and all but one Victorian Championship since its inception. Lou’s crew is a close knit group who have the highest regard for their skipper; his professionalism, seamanship, good humour and, above all, consider Lou a real gentleman and great skipper. There was much more to Lou Abrahams than a successful sailing career. As Commodore of Sandringham Yacht Club from 1972 through to 1973, he introduced a level of professionalism and business acumen that was instrumental in the continuing development of the Club. But mostly, we remember Lou’s passion for doing what he could to ensure as many as possible could share his love of the sea and sailing.
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15 FEB 2014
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