Sunday 13th once again
saw the Hobie 16s sailing the Pago Pago
Harbor. Again the racing was delayed due
to initial lack of wind. Racing got underway at about 1.45 p.m. as the wind started to build. This course for this day was the
reverse of the previous weekend, as the wind was from the South East, the
start/finish at the Yacht Club, upwind to the Red Buoy at Bluntâs Point, across
to the Green Buoy (Origin Energy) and a down wind run to the red buoy off
Sadies by the Sea, and a short upwind tack to the finish. Four competitors were on the water
and keen to race, McConnell Dowell, skipper Will Southon and crew Nick Taite,
PCS-TV, skipper Bill Hyman and crew Keku Pratt, PPYC 1, skipper Zac
Chavez-Tafur and crew Kani Pratt, Asco
Toyota, skipper Grant Crombie and crew Sebastian Rodriguez.
RACE 1:
PCS-TV was first across the start
with Asco Toyota right on his heals, McConnell Dowell was in close order but
PPYC1 was slow off the mark.
The run to the windward mark was
lead by PCS-TV opening the lead from Asco Toyota and McConnell Dowell, but
PPYC1 was closing fast.
At the windward mark PPYC1 was
right with McConnell Dowell and by the Origin mark had moved up to third place. The downwind run proved
uneventful, however Asco Toyota made significant gains on PPSC-TV and had
closed to within three boat lengths at the Sadieâs mark. PPYC1 and McConnell Dowell
continued to battle for third place. The boats held their order to the
Sadieâs mark headed up wind to finish, PCS-TV 1st by four boat
lengths to Asco Toyota, with PPYC1 and McConnell Dowell hammering it out for 3rd
and 4th respectively.
RACE 2:
Race two was almost a repeat of
race 1, excepting all boats got away to better start and remained closer to
each other throughout the race. At times it appeared that the
order may change but by the end of the race all the yachts finished with the same
placing as race 1.
Unfortunately PPYC 1 suffered
equipment failure after the race finished and had to return to shore to make
urgent repairs. With the help of John Goeke
(starter for the day) PPYC1 was repaired and ready to sail the forth race.
RACE 3:
Race three started without PPYC 1,
and was lead from the start by Asco Toyota ahead of PCS-TV and Mc Connell
Dowell. Asco Toyota lead the way on the
first leg of the upwind run just ahead of PCS-TV. PCS-TV took the lead from Asco
Toyota at the first tack and gradually pulled away to increase the lead,
meanwhile, with a magnificent effort, Mc Connell Dowell caught up to Asco
Toyota and by the windward mark the order was PCS-TV, Mc Connell Dowell with
Asco Toyota following. They rounded the Origin marker in
that order and set off for Sadieâs mark. PCS-TV and Mc Connell Dowell took
a course on the western side of the harbor
but with the advise of the crew, (Sebastian), Asco Toyota held a course
to the middle of the harbor and was able to make major gains to catch Mc
Connell Dowell by the Sadieâs mark
Mc Connell Dowell and Asco Toyota
rounded Sadieâs mark with Asco Toyota slightly ahead, and it was âall onâ the
finish. With the two yachts virtually side
by side Asco Toyota and Mc Connell Dowell made the final tack and headed for
the finish. Asco Toyota held on valiantly but
Mc Connell Dowell took second place by less than half a boat length. PCS-TV 1st, Mc Connell
Dowell 2nd, Asco Toyota 3rd.
RACE 4:
The order at the start was Asco
Toyota closely followed by PPYC1, McConnell Dowell and PSC-TV following up the rear. Once again on the upwind leg Asco
Toyota was out sailed and at the windward mark it was PCS-TV, PPYC1, McConnell
Dowell with Asco Toyota trailing the leader by about four minutes. Around the Origin mark and the
downwind run was on to Sadieâs. Using brilliant strategy Asco
Toyota once again held the middle of the harbor and was able to close the gap
on the leading boats and round Sadie,s mark hard on the tail of McConnell
Dowell passing them on the inside as they rounded the mark together. Asco Toyota charged past PPYC1 as
they tacked towards the finish, to find that PCS-TV had stalled on their final
tack just two boat lengths from the finish line leaving the way open for Asco
Toyota to slip over in 1st place. PCS-TV crossed the line 2nd
with McConnell Dowell passing the PPYC1 to take 3rd place. It must be understood that even
the most experienced skippers can have difficulty with the idiosyncrasy of the
Hobie 16, particularly when the wind is light and inconsistent, the yacht has a
tendency to stall when tacking. Congratulations to McConnell
Dowell for the much-improved performance and having overcome the problems with
the rudders.
Points at the end of the end of
the dayâs racing are: PCS-TV 6, Asco Toyota, 12, PPYC 1, 12, and McConnell Dowell, 21.
The race committee would like to
thank John Goeke for his assistance as starter and judge for the day.
Our thanks also to the sponsors of
the PPYC sailing program, Ace Hardware, ANZ Bank, Beca Pacific, Blue Sky, BP
South West Pacific, Cost-u-Less, Rotary, Sadieâs Hotels, Steffany Group and
also the sponsors of the Hobie 16s.
Last Modified on 25/04/2008 10:44