Kawhia New Year
01/01/08 17:57 Filed in: January
A New
Year celebrated, a new day, a new race-course, many
new ‘if only” yarns told and new winners! A very
civilised race start time at 1400 hours to match the
late tide gave the sailors plenty of time for a late
breakfast, recovery, the New Year market and race
preparation. A fleet of 27 yachts was the biggest
fleet for many years, blue incoming tide, a
developing 10 to 15 knot westerly sea breeze, a
bright blue sky filled with the new Year’s sun was
truly a great setting.
The line winner, a man not to sit in the “corner” Jack loaded with a crew of six, despite the shallows of the course, displayed their light blue spinnaker down the Ahurei Channel before crossing the finish line an hour and two minutes after the start.
A certain skipper just sails for pleasure, the pleasure that others derive from being ahead of him. A self imposed handicap system had been applied to this Joker, leave the outboard motor hatch open, the motor dragging in the briny and to cap it off don’t even have the dam thing running (now known as the “Chappy Factor”). That’s no way to climb to the head of the “Column(bine)”!
The leading Joker for much of the race, not so used to being at the head of the pack, more used to a leisurely sail pulled up on a sand bank, was that time for an Espresso before rejoining the race?
A soft floor to the harbour “ResiVor” put a defining halt to yet another Joker’s chances of a win. Or was it the lack of her normal crew called home for a days work and undermining the master’s performance?
A flawless effort from the powerful yet graceful and uppermost the accurate navigation instincts of the sea bird “Taiko” she swept to a victory to take the leading Joker prize of 2008!
The most majestic yacht on the harbour had to be the Flying Dutchman of Philip Phillips, she may have been late to the start but her classic lines and materials were pleasing to the eye.
The most loved yacht must have been “Aroha Nui” for she spent most time on the racetrack under the careful guidance of Pete the Pom and Danny the first mate.
A competitor to the fireworks of New Years Eve, a Laser show staring four Ngarotarians intensely competed for the New Years honours board. Two knights, the Arthur’s, often at the head of the tightly knit group had an intense tactical battle on the two long upwind channel legs. The first reaching leg gave a shiny blue hull a chance to show and “Man” he did fly toward the front approaching mark three. The architect of their undoing (following in the foot steps of the famous English architect Sir Christopher Wren) put his bow ahead for the first time as he passed the wharf on the first upwind leg but not before being relegated again on the downwind leg. A repeat performance upwind toward the penultimate mark put paid to the “knights” again and gave the architect a tight victory and the hooter!
The line winner, a man not to sit in the “corner” Jack loaded with a crew of six, despite the shallows of the course, displayed their light blue spinnaker down the Ahurei Channel before crossing the finish line an hour and two minutes after the start.
A certain skipper just sails for pleasure, the pleasure that others derive from being ahead of him. A self imposed handicap system had been applied to this Joker, leave the outboard motor hatch open, the motor dragging in the briny and to cap it off don’t even have the dam thing running (now known as the “Chappy Factor”). That’s no way to climb to the head of the “Column(bine)”!
The leading Joker for much of the race, not so used to being at the head of the pack, more used to a leisurely sail pulled up on a sand bank, was that time for an Espresso before rejoining the race?
A soft floor to the harbour “ResiVor” put a defining halt to yet another Joker’s chances of a win. Or was it the lack of her normal crew called home for a days work and undermining the master’s performance?
A flawless effort from the powerful yet graceful and uppermost the accurate navigation instincts of the sea bird “Taiko” she swept to a victory to take the leading Joker prize of 2008!
The most majestic yacht on the harbour had to be the Flying Dutchman of Philip Phillips, she may have been late to the start but her classic lines and materials were pleasing to the eye.
The most loved yacht must have been “Aroha Nui” for she spent most time on the racetrack under the careful guidance of Pete the Pom and Danny the first mate.
A competitor to the fireworks of New Years Eve, a Laser show staring four Ngarotarians intensely competed for the New Years honours board. Two knights, the Arthur’s, often at the head of the tightly knit group had an intense tactical battle on the two long upwind channel legs. The first reaching leg gave a shiny blue hull a chance to show and “Man” he did fly toward the front approaching mark three. The architect of their undoing (following in the foot steps of the famous English architect Sir Christopher Wren) put his bow ahead for the first time as he passed the wharf on the first upwind leg but not before being relegated again on the downwind leg. A repeat performance upwind toward the penultimate mark put paid to the “knights” again and gave the architect a tight victory and the hooter!