MIRROR STATE CHAMPIONSIPS

Maylands Yacht Club

AFTER TWO YEARS OF TRAVELING TO ALBANY for the state championships, the event returned to the metro area, more specifically Maylands Yacht Club. Instead of strong coastal winds and cool temperatures we were confronted with 40 degrees and light shifty winds. Going into the regatta the forecast was for light to no wind in the morning and a light sea breeze in the afternoon which was not encouraging. Luckily there was a bit more wind than forecast in the morning and a full program of eight races was run.

For those who haven’t sailed at Maylands it’s situated on a big bend in the river upstream of the Windan Bridge. With trees lining the river on both sides, views of Perth and the open expanse of Belmont Racecourse nearby, it’s quite picturesque. The effect on the wind however is not so pretty. The wind finds gaps in the trees, hills and buildings and funnels through creating lifts, knocks, wind holes all within a few meters of each other. This makes for very interesting—read frustrating— sailing and those with local knowledge have a distinct advantage. The light winds only exacerbated the issues we faced.

To make matters worse, many years ago, some sadistic motorboat owner, wanting get back at all people who use sails for propulsion, convinced the club to put a rounding mark near the bank under the steep hill and trees just where the wind has no chance of ever being undisturbed. Getting to this mark was at times akin to torture. There were 180-degree wind shifts, random holes that let everybody behind catch up and left you wondering what you had done to upset the wind gods. We even had the bizarre situation of two boats pointing in the same direction but on opposite tacks! Leaving this mark and heading down river was not much better, wind indicator showing a starboard breeze and the sails full and on a port breeze.