Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)
A Toyota Hilux…
May well be unbreakable, but there was plenty of carnage going on during racing on Sunday, August 30. Seems the varying breeze and significant speed humps all over the course added to the day’s activities for most crews in some way from “Yikes” to “Now what do we do?”
Many thanks to Scott Nunn and Peter aboard ‘Blue Gum’, who provided us with these images and also ferried a sick crewmember from ‘Clockwork’ back to shore. No stress, it was all legal and done in between races.
‘Just A Minor Hick Up 2’ had a great day and performed well in the stiff breeze. She’s certainly one to keep your eye on, as her results have her gaining a decent foothold on the scoreboard, yet despite her name being in reflective media on the hull, she’s in just enough camo to go a little unnoticed. ‘JAHMU 2’ was one boat thankful for a bit of time in between races as they broke their kite pole on the start of the final run in Race Five. With the added impetus of adrenalin, they made a hasty retreat stage left and off to the RBYC marina, where a couple of the club’s crash boats contributed their boat hooks to join their own in “stronger than the original, but none too pretty” repair. A roll of world-renowned gaffer tape and a smattering of cable ties added to the embellishment. In a brilliant display of workmanship, this was all done by the time the postponement flag came down. Now just as the sails went back up, the jib halyard broke, so a new one was sent up. All in all, it was a pretty expensive day, not quite as bad as for others, but a great test for them and owner/driver, Peter Coleman, is still smiling – accordingly, it cannot have been that painful.
Aboard ‘Ninety Seven’, the always busy and getting a lot done, Neville “Nifty” Rose, tells me that he crashed last night and that all the crew would have earned their kip. Understandable as it sounds like everyone had a bit on in yesterday’s conditions. As the breeze was moving between 15 to 25knots, they chose to make their sail size calls as late as possible, to avoid getting to many reactions from their FDU members as they moved from and then back to their Medium (#2) and Heavy (#3). 2 and 3Ss were used downhill, so the packers would have had something to say as well.
Nifty had spotted the flick to the right just before the race got underway and recalls being surprised that the mark was at 300, when they had 285. A good start and correct side of the course to work on had them fifth to the top mark and sprung sheets out to the wing. The mark had been moved for the next work, but they had a huge, shiraz-style bucket wineglass around the forestay, that saw them loose two places and they were happy to see the course shortened to finish on the downhill leg. “Being a little late for the second start saw us play catch up as a result and that really sealed the day for us”, Nifty added succinctly of Race Six.
Bags, Bungles and Toyota Hiluxes (think of the ad that used only the one "B" word...), yesterdays MWS article and the originator of the “Oh what a feeling theme”, can be read by clicking HERE.
By John Curnow
