Richmond Summer Series: Race 12 - The Final

I used to look down from the Auckland Harbour Bridge on a Wednesday night and wonder about the vast fleets of yachts racing up and down the harbour, most often thinking how nice it would be to be down there on the water either improving the sailing or perhaps just sailing up and down with some cold beer and a few friends.


Our starts and finishes are under the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Now of course, we have completed our second year of Wednesday night sailing on Kerkira, a Lotus 9.2 with the Richmond Yacht Club.

The Crew

John (Captain), Nicola, Tim, Ian and Blair. Mark was coming but the traffic battle finally won and we had to leave the marina before he arrived - very sad indeed. With the final this week, we were all very keen to get out on the water and see what we could do to get a good series placing.


Seen: John, Blair and Tim. Unseen: Nicola taking the picture and Ian directing us through traffic on the bow.

Course 10

This was a different course, which had us going down to Resolution and then back up under the Harbour Bridge to Chelsea, back again to Bayswater and then home to the finish. A great course with lots of company as we went up and down the harbour.

The Start

We have been very aware of our starts, and have concentrated each week on improvement. This week we were nicely in the box and well timed to get to the line. We didn't count on getting in a Townson 'sandwhich' and having ourselves bullied into irons - from hero to zero - we were dead in the water. We managed to get moving again and weren't last over the line, but so slow - I should have done some shouting... you never know.

Progress

The wind was from the south, and so we were able to ride down the harbour in the outgoing tide quite nicely, and caught back up with the fleet down towards the bottom of the Ports of Auckland area and to Resolution Buoy. We had by this time also caught Blackstar, and as physics would have it, could not pass them on the leeward side, so headed up-wind - only to come very close to the larger boats coming back west. We did finally get past before the mark, and then did all the trimming and adjusting possible to get our speed up and get away cleanly back to Chelsea. The tide was running reasonably strongly now so most boats headed in close to the wharves, and into a hole... we saw it before it was too late and continued a bit further out, where the effect of the outgoing tide was set against a better angle of sailing and more wind. We pulled away.


Auckland City was pink in the evening sky.

Coming back down the harbour and into the fading light we passed Blackstar and Pott Black (the series winner) coming up. We rounded Bayswater and headed for home - there was a guy fishing, who had tied off the racing buoy. We went quite close to the buoy (as you do) and could see him clutching the sides of the dinghy rather than a fishing rod ;-)

The Result

We came 5th on the night and 4th overall in the series - a very good result - the 3rd place just alluding us. Our sailing has improved immensely and so has our enjoyment. Thanks to everyone involved - the Richmond Yacht Club race control, the handicapper (cheque is in the mail), all the skippers and crews that have taken part in our Wednesday night obsession - and of course the fantastic crew onboard Kerkira!

And not to be disappointed at the clubrooms - Ian took away a pack of beer in the spot prizes.


The bridge looking beautiful in the last rays.

Thank you Nicola for all of the fantastic images you have captured - a great gallery and record of Kerkira racing on Auckland Harbour.

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