Finding Armstrong.

While Europe and the UK sweats it out in 40 degree heat, the frostbites roll on at the South of Perth Yacht club.

The field was a little more narrow this time as only 16 boats took to the water and although the promise of a big blow was on the cards later in the day, it was more a comment by the skippers as to how many spinnakers they would use on the day, as a soggy spinnaker holds no breeze on a light day. Fortunately the showers diminished as the start line fired up and the six boats in Div. One approached the line. Of course there was no sympathy from the Nicholas driven Flying Tiger “Lets Dance” as he took Glen Thomas up and over the pin end forcing Problem Child to slow dramatically . The starters must have been kind as we thought Lets Dance was very close to the line. Richard Evans and Wicked were a steady start a little further down the line while others chose to start later, avoiding the hurley-burley of the racing start.

Div. Two were a little lean on players today but the regular players were out there with Cover Drive and King Canute in contest with Serenity and Lady Claire providing the fleet with encouragement. The main battle was of course between King Canute and Cover Drive and considering that it was a race between a Cole 32 and a SS27 it was going to be hard work for the smaller boat.  But the little blue boat in Div. Three is a problem. Hellas is fast and despite not popping a kite he stayed in front right from the start. Mind you it was our fault as we blew the start and had to chase the rest of fleet down.

But once around Sampson and on our way to Armstrong we were following that blue boat on a down wind run.  Both H28’s had agreed not to run spinnakers and as such we were somewhat handicapped but apart from Hellas, the rest of the fleet had no such constrictions. And they charged down the breeze at us. By the time we were approaching Nedlands YC they were snapping on our heels and then the problem arose. Where was Armstrong? The new jetties on Flying Squadron have changed the background to Armstrong and finding it was a problem for Nick on Hellas. He went too the wrong mark as we have also done in the past and the rest of the fleet was following us as well. Of course as the realisation of a mistake dawned, then all of a sudden the dynamics changed and spinnakers had been pulled down too early. Following Hellas we ran away from the fleet and rounding Armstrong on the way to Bond a new breeze struck up and the boats began to seriously bow to the force of the wind. Fun! To add to the misery of our followers, Div. One ran through the leaders of the following pack, forcing them to tack over or slow their boats momentarily. So it remained for the rest of the race with the Div. three fleet working hard to remain in contention.

The finish line for Div. One had Lets Dance over the line first, further damaging his handicap , but yielded first place to Glen Thomas and his band of rock stars on Problem Child once the handicap had been used. Ever consistent Slippery When Wet and Wicked slipped over the line third and fourth and promptly had their positions reversed once the handicap was used. K Factor has probably brought his handicap down again and he had Naughty Black Shorts following up behind as Wendy Jorgensen gets used to the family Sydney 30.

Div. Two was a good challenge for King Canute as the 5 foot of waterline difference meant that Peter Weir’s Cole 32 was going to put him in front, but the handicap was the clencher and King Canute was close enough to take the win on handicap with Lady Claire taking third place on handicap.

Division Three. Enough said about the little blue boat Hellas, she was very quick and once in front he was hard to catch up with, so a first and fastest was a fine reward for the day with Swiftsure Saga taking second over the line and on handicap with Marty Compton’s Commotion in third place over the line but on handicap it was Wynella driven by Ernie Little.

Oh, and the soup was hot!