Musto Skiff Open at Blairgowrie (AUS)

Photo credit :: Russell Bates

Report by Jono Neate

Gentlemen, coming third I have the responsibility of writing up the weekend report.

Firstly, thanks to Ritchie and Richard for getting us down to Blairgowrie for the weekend. I think it has truly proven itself as an awesome place to go for a musto.

Right’o Ins and Outs-

Outs

The weekend had some big outs with dominant sailors Hamo and Hosie not present. Also we were missing experienced sailors Bulka, Sutherland, Elsworth, Williams, Hannaford and Nash who all would have enjoyed the flat 16-18knots on Saturday.

Ins

Piele, (with his wife who had to wait for a ring now has to wait for a new kitchen)
Newman, P, (not one, but two Newmans on the track!) Newman, P is very fast on the pick up and appears to be tuning the skiff to the same detail as a F1 racing car.
Ander, the newest member to the class was down in the boat park soaking in some boat handling advice. No racing, but good to see Ander down at the club.

Saturday 12th Nov

Race 1 2:30ish

Good conditions with an oscillating breeze with up and down pressure, given everyone plenty to think about.
Ritchie in his home waters smashed it up the first beat. On the run, Paul and myself took off on the starboard but both gybe back into the middle and by the bottom overlaid. Wasn’t the greatest feeling for both of us watching the fleet smoking down on the inside.
Ritchie was solid in the conditions and made the low groove his own up the works, but in the end couldn’t hold off the downwind class of Hill.

Race 2

The wind kicked in a fraction and the causalities began! It started with Richard slowing Robin’s pace my ripping a slice through Robin’s main, (making Robin’s sail more like an AC45 wing) Unfortunately for Robin, it wasn’t fast and he limped into shore. Piele was another causality with back pain. The increase wind however did make RR & Moorhouse start to really fly up wind and both looked a good chance of taking a heat in the breeze. After a few lead changes it was Johnny who benefited from the early gybes to take out the race.

Race 3

The pin starting boats were looking the goods off the start. All heading into pressure.. However the wind drifted right for a while and it was John who started on port in the middle of the line and myself, starboard at the boat, that benefited from the right hand shift. The pin boats took a knock back to the middle of the course while John and I could wait for the next shift.
John and I exchanged the lead a few times in the following run and beat. In the end John went two in the row!
There was a great result from Paul who managed to hold off the likes of Ekberg and Hill.

Sunday 13th 2pm ish

Race 4

We left the beach in no wind knowing South Channel was spinning at 17knots. By the time we got racing it was about 14knots and starting to chop up.
All broken gear was repaired. All sore bodies were rested and in some cases drugged with pain killers and we had 9 boats again.

From the start the fleet went left while what I can remember Moorhouse and I played the right. We both ended up in pretty good position at the top. By the bottom of the run Tim Hill and John in standard fashion delivered on the run and put themselves in a position to win. John went hard right on the following beat, I stayed on shifts to the right and Tim appeared to chase and cover John. The left didn’t pay and boat on the right made big gains.

Race 5

John and I went into the race on equal points. Tim Hill 3 points down. Without too must aggression I didn’t allow John to jump off the pin on port and near the top I put a tack on top of him. However in the dieing breeze and it being a musto race there was still a lot that was going to happen before then end.
And that it did! Especially for me, and more so Richard. Richard was first and the top mark and also led a close pack of 4 boats in as many boat lengths around the bottom mark.
Richard, I, Hill and John (in order). John tacked in a left hand shift and I followed. Richard and Hill sailed the lift smartly to the next shift. At the final run Richard led, then Tim, I had lost Jon and a few metres and Paul had caught the pack.

Then the final run saw the following. Richard 1st to 5th. Tim 2nd to 1st. John 3rd to 4th. I stayed in 4th and Paul 5th to 2nd.

Well done Tim and Paul.

Summary

Fun weekend. Congrats to John. Also congrats on the standard of the racing. Looking forward to coming back in Jan.

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