4:30 AM Sat 10 Apr 2010 GMT
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'The fleet head north at the start of today’s Pittwater to Newcastle Race - Pittwater to Newcastle Race'
Tom Spithill
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A respectable fleet of 21 boats got away to a spectacular spinnaker start in today's Pittwater to Newcastle race, the final race in the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Clubs Blue Water Series.
With a light eight knot W-NW flickering the field, the start line was set by Race Office Elaine Fowler between Lion Island and West Head in the mouth of Broken Bay in Sydney's north for a downwind start.
The start was eventful with plenty of action at the pin end with Andrew Dally's 'Bear Necessity' coming in on starboard gybe forcing many of the other boats on port off the start line and having to come back around to restart.
The Murray 42 syndicate aboard 'Secret Men's Business' managed to slip behind 'Bear Necessity' and hoist their spinnaker first to take an early lead as they headed out of Broken Bay.
With the largest boat in the fleet, the Frers 62 'Margaret Rintoul V', getting caught up in the action at the pin end on the start line she soon recovered and managed to clear herself of the mess, finding clean air to hoist her large asymmetrical spinnaker to claw her way back to the front of the pack, chasing the early leader 'Secret Men's Business'.
Also off to a good start at the boat end of the line was David Boeckman's 'Bombolo' in his newly purchased Beneteau First 40.7, one of five in this class in the race who will share their own race within the race as they head to towards Newcastle.
With four more Beneteau design yachts in the race, they certainly dominate the field. Another starting well was
RPAYC Vice Commodore John Ellis who managed to dodge a few bullet on the start line to get an early jump in his Elan 37 'Sirocco' .
Last year's dual line and handicap winner, Garry Holder's ID35 'The Real Thing' whilst deep in the pack after his less than favourable start, will relish the light reaching conditions especially with his specialised reaching sail and will be in contention for handicap honours.
The smallest boat in the fleet is 'Blackbird' a Magpie 34 skippered by Robert Jarvie.
With light and fickle conditions expected all the way to Newcastle, it will be a tactical race with navigator's guaranteed not getting much rest as they battle the current and search for the puffs, but a late dinner at the NCYC looks on the cards for the crews onboard.
The Pittwater to Newcastle race is also a feeder race for Sail Port Stephens and most of the fleet will get another early start tomorrow for the Newcastle to Port Stephens before contesting the week of sailing in Port Stephens.
Results will be posted at
www.rpayc.com.au
List of Entries
Yacht Name Sail No. Class/Design Person in Charge
Allsail The Frog 6877 Beneteau Oceanis 11.23 Russel Waddy
Antipodes 500 Beneteau 523 Greg Newton
Bear Necessity MH115 C & C 115 Andrew Dally
Black Bird 4140 Magpie 34 Robert Jarvie
Bombolo 6661 Beneteau 40.7 David Boekemann
Cmist 6719 Beneteau 44.7 Troy Dillon
Dances with Waves 6776 Beneteau 40.7 Jim Thomas
Fireball 8800 Beneteau 40.7 Bill Lea
First Light 8837 Beneteau 36.7 Chris Ryan
Jayhawk 7335 J35 Robert Alder
LuLu Belle 6593 Jeanneau 37 Peter Lewis
Mango Groove 6164 Beneteau 40.7 Brian Shuttleworth
Margaret Rintoul V SYD5 Frers 62 Graham Morton
Next Moment 6198 X-Yacht 442 Ray Hudson
Reverie 8126 Beneteau 40.7 John Turnbull
Secret Mens Business 8300 Murray 42 Curtis/Trembath/Snedden
Sirocco 6637 Elan 37 John Ellis
Stress Free 5568 Catalina 36 Jim Bullough
The Real Thing 35048 ID35 Garry Holder
Windy Passage 6140 Northshore 38 Shaw & Carl Russett
by Damian Devine & Tom Spithill
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