ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

Jungle Jim.

The bowman aboard Schüss has certainly been reading Andrew Verdon's article on being fit for sailing.

For the spiderman pose, if nothing else, he gets the hero pic for the article. Not super sure what our friend in the shrouds is up to, however...

Back to serious pursuits, now...

Chasing down Audacious, in front.

Audacious with a bit of heal there, aiming to keep it hot, as Schüss stays deep.

Interesting furling technique aboard Second to None... (pretty sure that heady has battens.)

Given the white kite, you would have to think it was Wicked keeping her nose in the feed bag there.

This is Mistress and I am pretty sure she's R-P penned, which would explain those lines... (Similar to Gienah I take it.)

Up forward - Issues with the tack? Gaby Carr trimming (She's just spoken with Steb).

Now this is a good shot (except for the kite gear).

Chutzpah38, Wicked and the Banana Boat building.

Bombora aren't going to be happy that I am displaying this image, but at least they read the site!!! Chutzpah all OK with Clockwork in behind them and Div2 kiting up for their own tussles. Right down the centre of the image are two vessels we see again later - INSX and Matrix.

That kite did not stay a problem for long... Maybe it was going onto the other gybe that cured it?

Off they go.

Chutzpah38 and Bombora then went on with the job of going after Audacious and Wicked.

And thank you for the segue - Wicked and Audacious in the super-hotly contested 40footer-or-thereabouts arena.

Now these two obviously came all the way down from the top side by side. Must be some good racing going on there, too!

INSX and Matrix still on Starboard.

Not for long - looks like the gybe is imminent.

Matrix set things off.

And sure enough, INSX will take that opportunity too.

Chris Tucker and the continually improving Halyconites. Snazzy - Droppping of main halyard for running... or spring in the vang?

Marvellous blue.

Me thinky perhaps spring...

See you again soon.

Swordfish Trombone doing the Buffalo Girls on Stampede.

Now that's a great image too. Steb and I go through thousands via Skype, so it's always nice to see one come out just as you expected to see it.

Don't know much about Tim Olding and the crew, but I fully expect they well and truly know the pointy end from the blunt.

Team BO and we know they like to go fast.

It's an image to make her owner, Keith O'Donnell, very happy and her designer, Don Jones, suitably proud. Very nearly the hero pic.

Post-gybe and it appears they are trying to lower the butt end.

Or is it a track issue?

Lucky it stayed full...

Paratrooper (Airborne - must have read the article too). Steb - I think we have to get a crop of this, please. Classic. Whomever you are, send us a note and we'll include it with the pic.

Phewwwwww. Didn't wrap.

Even clews, so we must be good to go now.

Go the Larry!

Pole forward and we're about to overtake Second to None.

All happy again and that is Nutcracker in front of them.

The full MWS results to date are HERE. The next race of the MWS is Race Five - the Passage Race on August 15.

So now, if you want to get out there with the best in town, you can. Individual entry for MWS races is HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions will be offered for the latter event.

 

 

By John Curnow

Thank you to David Judge and Tony Dawson from Hoobo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.