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Snatch, club champion 2019-20. Who will it be in 2020-21?
Local Sailors in National Events
Glenys and Tim showing great pleasure in winning the Akaroa Butchery raffle- photo courtesy Paul Drake
Sun dropping after the last race of the season- photo courtesy of Afterglow
Gabriella leaving Mark4 
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Grand Hotel Coastal Series- Pompeys Pillar Race- March 15th 2020 This was the final race in the 2-races Coastal Series. A minimum fleet of 3-boats (Armalite, Meltdown and Penzance) started in a building north East breeze. It was a quick run to the heads with all three boats having spinnaker issues but still making good time.
Thanks are due to the Grand Hotel for their sponsorship of this series
Sailing Next Weekend Sunday 22nd March- CA Bouge Ladies Skippers Race Covid-19 Notice In the meantime each boat should ensure that any crew who are feeling unwell, or have recently returned by overseas and are therefore subject to self-isolation rules, do not sail. For information the following is a letter from New Zealand Yachting detailing their current approach to sailing events. March 16, 2020 You will all be aware the Covid-19 outbreak is a rapidly-evolving situation and we are getting updates constantly from the Ministry of Health and medical teams at High Performance Sport New Zealand and Sport New Zealand. You will also have noticed many events and gatherings are being cancelled or postponed and many of you will be making decisions about your own events and activities coming up. As of today, the Oceanbridge NZL Sailing Regatta is still going ahead at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club on March 28-29. This decision is based on the Ministry of Health’s current advice for public events and mass gatherings. Our event has a relatively low risk and sailors and supporters who have travelled overseas and not quarantined within 14 days of the event will not be able to enter. We can reduce the risk further by removing all large social gatherings. That means:
Please enter the event sooner rather than later. Please email Sam@yachtingnz.org.nz if you can also help out on the water. You will have seen the various guidelines for trying to keep safe and well. The best defence is to practice good hygiene, particularly washing hands thoroughly with soap and water. Other measures are:
The measures above are especially important for people who have pre-existing health conditions, such as those with diabetes, renal failure, pre-existing cardio-respiratory conditions or who are immunocompromised. Commodores Invitation Series Race2 March 8th 2020 This was the final race in this 2-races series and there was little, if any wind, at the scheduled start time of 2pm. However, a light southerly breeze gradually developed and the Mark Foy staggered start commenced at 2:40pm. Armalite and Penzance were off first followed by Lightly Oiled and Meltdown 2 minutes later and Transition after another 2-minutes. A short course was set having regard for the light breeze and delayed start which went across the harbour to Wainui and back to the start, then to Green Point and back to finish. Penzance sailed a consistent race to take first place, with Lightly Oiled, and Armalite third. Lightly Oiled were first overall in the series Special thanks to Commodore, Charl Chaney who sponsored this series Sailing Next Weekend- 15th March- Grand Hotel Coastal Series
Gluyas Motor Group Series Race One Feb 2nd 2020 Wind change was the order of the day and firstly it changed to a Northerly, then a Nor-wester and finally wind from the South of about 20knots. It was great to see Astruso back in the race fleet this week and they kept Snatch honest at the front of the fleet before finally overtaking them as the stronger southerly blew in. Further back it was Meltdown who led the chasing bunch until firstly Regardless and then Gabriella overtook in the freshening breeze.
The final spinnaker run from the Kaik back to the club rooms saw Snatch fly past Astruso to take out line honours, with Regardless coming home third just ahead of Gabriella, Meltdown & Transition. On handicap it was a close result with Meltdown first followed by Astruso and then Snatch. PHRF handicaps have been adjusted again recently and it was great to see the first 5 boats all within 2 ½ minutes on corrected time.
Special thanks this week to Gluyas Motor Group who are new sponsors of this series and who also provide valuable crew to Armalite. Sailing Next Weekend Sunday 9th February Gluyas Motor Group Race2 starting at 1400 Message From Secretary Sailing Programme and membership cards |
Oborns Nautical Supplies Series Race 5,6 & 7 January 26 2020
It was another glorious day out on the water this week for the 10 club boats who turned up for the final three races to decide the overall winner of the Oborns Nautical Supplies series. The forecast of very light winds was wrong and we were treated to 10 -15 knots of warm breeze from the south thanks to the Akaroa harbour draught.
Special thanks this week to Stephen Cook (who also provided the mark laying boat), and Ross Miller who set up a specific course for the 3 sprint races of the day by laying ‘Mark 10’ upwind of the Green Point reef and giving the boats a very competitive series of races..
Stephen and Ross in the mark boat- all photos courtesy Paul Drake
Sprint races lead to close starts and a bit of shouting between boats. Penzance attempted the ‘bumper boat’ start in race one leading to a penalty turn soon after! Once underway in race one a familiar pattern started to emerge with Snatch showing the way and being unchallenged to take out line honours. Further back Gabriella , Meltdown, Regardless , Lightly Oiled and Transition all stayed in close contact as the boats sailed two upwind & two downwind legs to the finish.
Frank Dickson helming Regardless into the Glen
Second over the line in race one was Regardless followed by Gabriella. On handicap Snatch took the double with Meltdown second and Lightly Oiled third. Of note Gabriella and Transition had exactly the same time on handicap to take out 5th equal place.
Race two again saw Snatch out to a good lead which they held for another line honours win with Gabriella second & Meltdown third over the line. On handicap another double for Snatch followed by Meltdown and then Gabriella.
Regardless Foredeck in action
Race three was pretty much a repeat of race two with another close start followed by Snatch once again leading the fleet round the course. Second on line honours this race was Gabriella and third Meltdown. On handicap it was three out of three for Snatch with Gabriella ad Meltdown tied for second equal.
Regardless and Gabriella heading to the finish
On a beautiful evening we had a great turnout at the club rooms following the races where there was agreement that this was a great day out on the water. The format of three short sprint races gave us close and exciting racing and some tense moments as boats crossed tacks and round marks in close proximity.
Overall in the Oborns Nautical series Snatch came out the winners , edging out Meltdown who were a close second with Lightly Oiled third. Full results below. Special thanks to our sponsors for the series, Oborns Nautical Supplies.
Many people contributed to the success of this series but our starters Kevin & Peter deserve extra recognition. They managed three close starts, three finishes and then the collation of the results from seven races all within an hour of the last boat finishing. Well done Kevin & Peter.
Sailing Next Weekend Gluyas Motor Group Series Race1
Ths first race in this series is scheduled to start at 2pm on Sunday 2 February.
Saunders Robinson Brown Lawyers Two Handed Series Race 2 January 18
The weather for race two of the two handed series this week was in a word, stunning!
Sunshine, warm temperatures and a steady wind from the North – east which built over the race from 10 – 15+ knots, were all a welcome sight for the seven boats competing.
Snatch showed the rest of the fleet the way after making a good start and then led the fleet over a course which sailed up & down the harbour between the Lushingtons and Wainui marks. Astruso and One Way were next to the top mark but both boats lost time to the perennial challenge of two handed races – sail changes and sails in the water.
About to Start- photo courtesy of Justine Gillard
By the time the fleet rounded the bottom mark for the last time Snatch were out to a commanding lead with Meltdown well clear in second place. Further back Astruso and Hyperactive battled neck & neck with Astruso just edging ahead to finish third over the line. Regardless were the hard luck story of the day. After a powerful upwind leg they moved into second place before spinnaker troubles on the last drop of the day. When a big boat loses a big spinnaker in the water with only 2 crew on board …..it can be tricky to recover!
On handicap Snatch took out a well-deserved double with Meltdown second and Hyperactive third. Special thanks also to the skipper & crew of Afterglow who came in fifth on handicap. It is great when the sponsors of a race can also get out & compete with us. Sounds like spinnaker pole problems robbed them of an even better finish in the race.
Oborns Nautical Series Race 4 January 19th
When a light northerly breeze from the head of the harbour meets a southerly harbour draft coming in from the heads it will be a tricky day for yacht racing. That proved to be very much the case with our racing this week.
Ten boats turned up at the start for a coarse which took the fleet on a course between Lushingtons, the Kaik , Green Point, the Kaik & home. Snatch celebrated their recently repaired mast by jumping into the lead & staying there.
Rounding Mark2- Photo courtesy of Paul Drake
Coming out of start- photo courtesy of Charl Chaney
Further back the fleet was split with some boats staying close to Red Point and doing much better than those on the Tikao side of the harbour. But as so often happens the weather had more in store for us. On the spinnaker run down to the Kaik boats one by one entered the doldrums between the northerly and southerly winds and came to a halt. On Meltdown we had to watch with dismay as Transition & Lightly Oiled sailed right over top of us from a long way back.
At the front of the fleet Snatch and Astruso managed to stay in enough breeze to take out the first two places on line honours. Lightly Oiled were third over the line with Meltdown fourth.
Further back in the fleet the frustrations continued with the wind swinging several times between the north & the south. It was a day for patient skippers & crews. 
Regardless in the Prestart
The other lesson of the day for Gabriella and Armalite was that boats with dirty bottoms sail particularly slowly on days of light variable winds. Time for some hull cleaning maybe?
On handicap Lightly Oiled made up enough ground on the boats ahead to take out first place with Meltdown second and Snatch third. Full results below and the final day of racing to decide the series next Sunday.
Sailing 26th January
This Sunday is the final day of the Oborns Nautical Supplies Series. Three sprint races are scheduled, with a discard if 2 or more races are sailed. The first race will start at 1300.
Cruising Event
The French Farm Yacht Club is proposing an overnight cruise to Flea Bay this weekend. The intention is to sail there on Saturday 25th January and return on Sunday 26th January subject to weather.
Please contact Dave Maloney at darvomaloney@gmail.com to express interest
Young88 South Island Champs and Canterbury Keelboat Champs
These regattas will be held at the Naval Point Yacht Club on the weekends of 29February and 1 March (Y88 SI Champs) and 7-8 March (KB Champs)
The notice of race for each event is available on the NPCL website.
Berths in the inner harbour Te Ana Marina can be arranged by contacting: Matt Blythe Marina Manager, Te Ana 021 1957246 E: mattblythe@lpc.co.nz
These events are held at the AYC every second year and a reasonable number of boats normally come around from Lyttleton. It would be great if the AYC fleet could similarly support the event when it is held in Lyttleton
Oborns Nautical Series Race 4 January 19th
When a light northerly breeze from the head of the harbour meets a southerly harbour draft coming in from the heads it will be a tricky day for yacht racing. That proved to be very much the case with our racing this week.
Ten boats turned up at the start for a coarse which took the fleet on a course between Lushingtons, the Kaik , Green Point, the Kaik & home. Snatch celebrated their recently repaired mast by jumping into the lead & staying there.
Rounding Mark2- Photo courtesy of Paul Drake
Coming out of start- photo courtesy of Charl Chaney
Further back the fleet was split with some boats staying close to Red Point and doing much better than those on the Tikao side of the harbour. But as so often happens the weather had more in store for us. On the spinnaker run down to the Kaik boats one by one entered the doldrums between the northerly and southerly winds and came to a halt. On Meltdown we had to watch with dismay as Transition & Lightly Oiled sailed right over top of us from a long way back.
At the front of the fleet Snatch and Astruso managed to stay in enough breeze to take out the first two places on line honours. Lightly Oiled were third over the line with Meltdown fourth.
Further back in the fleet the frustrations continued with the wind swinging several times between the north & the south. It was a day for patient skippers & crews.
Regardless in the Prestart
The other lesson of the day for Gabriella and Armalite was that boats with dirty bottoms sail particularly slowly on days of light variable winds. Time for some hull cleaning maybe?
On handicap Lightly Oiled made up enough ground on the boats ahead to take out first place with Meltdown second and Snatch third. Full results below and the final day of racing to decide the series next Sunday.
Sailing 26th January
This Sunday is the final day of the Oborns Nautical Supplies Series. Three sprint races are scheduled, with a discard if 2 or more races are sailed. The first race will start at 1300.
Cruising Event
The French Farm Yacht Club is proposing an overnight cruise to Flea Bay this weekend. The intention is to sail there on Saturday 25th January and return on Sunday 26th January subject to weather.
Please contact Dave Maloney at darvomaloney@gmail.com to express interest
Young88 South Island Champs and Canterbury Keelboat Champs
These regattas will be held at the Naval Point Yacht Club on the weekends of 29February and 1 March (Y88 SI Champs) and 7-8 March (KB Champs)
The notice of race for each event is available on the NPCL website.
Berths in the inner harbour Te Ana Marina can be arranged by contacting: Matt Blythe Marina Manager, Te Ana 021 1957246 E: mattblythe@lpc.co.nz
These events are held at the AYC every second year and a reasonable number of boats normally come around from Lyttleton. It would be great if the AYC fleet could similarly support the event when it is held in Lyttleton
Pompey Race 12th January 2020
Unfortunately this race was not held due to lack of entrants.
The ‘course to be set on the day’ Coastal Race on the 15th March 2020 will now be used for a rerun of the Pompey Race.
Sailing Next Weekend
Saunders Robinson Brown Lawyers 2 Handed Series Race2 – Saturday 18th January 2020
The scheduled start is at 1400. A reminder that this series will have a discard this season
Osborn Nautical Supplies Series Race4- Sunday 19th 2020
This is a long harbour race with a scheduled start at 1300.
VHF Course
The Club is looking at running a VHF Radio Course. The tutor will be Peter Marshall from Coastguard Boating Education and all those who attend and pass will receive a Maritime VHF Radio Operator Certificate.
Course date: Saturday 15 February 2020
Start time: 10.00am
Venue: Akaroa Yacht Club
Cost: $120 per person
If you are interested in attending the course please contact
Glenys – secretary@akaroayachtclub.com no later than 20 January 2020.
APOLOGIES – UNABLE TO LOAD PHOTOS AT THIS TIME..
AKAROA YACHT CLUB NEWSLETTER
Akaroa Dolphins New Year Regatta
Nothing resonates more in sailing than the word ‘Regatta’. It conjures up scenes of billowing sails, flags, bunting, cocktails and a party. Well, that is pretty much what happened over the past weekend at AYC, and we have to thank our sponsors – Akaroa Dolphins – for their support over the years for this regatta. A truly great time was had by all. It’s true we were down a few boats this year, as some boats were not able to participate, but what we did have was a full on Young 88 regatta with two wild cards in the form of Transition and Gabriella thrown in for good fun.
Continuing with our summer of upset weather, sadly connected to the enormous bush fires in Australia, we had a strong southerly on Saturday to stir the fleet up. While the Y88s geared up with full mains and #2’s, Transition and Gabriella decided on reefs in the main as an extra level of caution in the breezy conditions. Race 1 had its share of spectacles on the first spinnaker run from the Kaik to Lushingtons with several colourful broaches which shook up the standings somewhat, before the final beat back to Green Point. Transition found the inside track down the east coast line to pip the fleet, and take line honours. Gabriella was just over a minute behind. On handicap it was One Way followed by Afterglow and Transition with the balance of the fleet very close behind. It was impressive to see how well the Y88s handled the breeze with full mains and flat seas.
The second race was sailed on the same course, with everyone gaining better control downwind. Gabriella led the fleet to the finish, just pipping Transition the final dash to the finish line. On handicap, however, those Young 88s showed their mettle with Afterglow claiming the win, followed by First Class and Transition.
Sunday was a completely different story. – flip flop weather!
The forecasts were for northerlies turning gradually round to the west, ending up late afternoon in the south, with easy breezes all day. But hang on, we are in Akaroa and forecasts too often do not mean much, so we waited for a fitful breath of air to fill sails to get a race off, and when the boats could move, we started the first race of the day in under 5 tentative knots from the north around a short course. It was a case of many position changes as the wind was very erratic, but it all came together with One Way and Gabriella finding some wind, finishing in that order. On handicap, it was One Way with the double, followed by First Class and then Gabriella.
Race 4 was always going to be a toss-up, or a non-event as the wind became very fickle and twitchy. We set a simple short course to the south to the Kaik and quickly realised that it would need to be shortened to there and back to the finish. Suddenly the earlier coolness and gloom lifted to sun and heat as jackets and such were removed. It was a trying race. – a drifter up the coast. Look! There’s wind over there, and so and so has it! Alas with hardly any steerage at times, it was impossible to join the other boats bounty as they zoomed away, only to come to a dead stop further up. And on it went, until we all managed to get over the finish line and head for the refreshment stand at the club. One Way excelled again with the double, and Hyperactive scored the double for second, with First Class claiming third on handicap.
Overall the series was won deservedly by One Way – well done. First Class came second, and Afterglow third. Well done to all crew and skippers, and a special thank you to Peter and Kevin, our starters who do a truly stellar job of making this all work.
Regatta are incomplete without parties and that is precisely what took place afterwards. A good time had by all at the club.
Next Sunday is the Pompeys Pillar Race with a noon start. Please check your compliance with Cat 4 requirements and that you have filled in your signed form confirming that you do fully comply.
Fair winds everyone
Photos attached taken by Tim Richardson of sailing on 4 January 2020
Membership Cards and Sailing Programme book
There are still a large number of sailing programme books (with membership cards enclosed) in the box at the Club rooms waiting to be collected. If you do not have yours please check the box next time you are at the Club.
VHF Course
The Club is looking at running a VHF Radio Course. The tutor will be Peter Marshall from Coastguard Boating Education and all those who attend and pass will receive a Maritime VHF Radio Operator Certificate.
The date of the course: Saturday 15 February 2020
Starting time: 10.00am
Venue: Akaroa Yacht Club
Cost: $120 per person
If you are interested in attending the course please contact
Glenys – secretary@akaroayachtclub.com no later than 20 January 2020
Glenys Roberts
Secretary
Akaroa Yacht Club Inc
Phone: 021 1556420
Junior Race Day Dec 27th 2019
The junior race day has become a popular and well supported sailing day for the club.
This year 6 club boats turned up to take out on the water about 25 junior sailors plus assorted parents and other interested adults.
The racing had an informal feel to it, in part because our regular starters were away and we struggled without them! Two short races were held in beautiful conditions with mild temperatures and steady winds. While some results were recorded the main measure of success was all the smiles on the faces of the junior sailors on return.
A great day on the water and great to see the young sailors mingling with their less young club mates. Special thanks to Stephen Horton for his great organization of the day. It felt a bit like drafting time at the sheep yards for a while down there!
The Guthrie Plate: January 1st 2020
The Guthrie plate lived up to its reputation of bringing in the crowds with 12 boats on the start line and plenty of willing crew to go round. The usual bright clear conditions on the harbour were lost under haze and smoke from the Australian bush fires. Our sympathies to the Australian cousins.
Snatch & Afterglow got the best starts and by midway to the heads Snatch & Astruso led the fleet. Beyond the Kaik the wind started to drop and boats were left searching for breeze across the harbour. By the time the fleet rounded the Heads mark boats had clustered together again although Snatch & Astruso were able to retain their lead.
A steady southerly breeze blew the fleet home under spinnakers but the weather gods had one more trick up their sleeves! Nearing the Kaik on the return home a strong southerly hit the fleet. Snatch took off under full sail and was reported to be doing over 20knots when suddenly…..their mast broke! Hyperactive unfortunately broke a boom in the same blow and several other boats in the fleet had their own exciting experiences to report. Fortunately no crew were injured although poor Snatch will be out of action for a while.
Meanwhile the race continued, the wind moderated and Astruso sailed well to take out line honours ahead of Transition with First Class just edging out One Way for third.
On handicap it was a good day for the Young 88 fleet with First Class the winner, followed by One Way and then Hyperactive. Full results are available on the club website.
Membership Cards and Sailing Programme book
There are still a large number of sailing programme books (with membership cards enclosed) in the box at the Club rooms waiting to be collected. If you do not have yours please check the box next time you are at the Club.
VHF Course
The Club is looking at running a VHF Radio Course. The tutor will be Peter Marshall from Coastguard Boating Education and all those who attend and pass will receive a Maritime VHF Radio Operator Certificate.
The date of the course: Saturday 15 February 2020
Cost: $120 per person
If you are interested in attending the course please contact
Glenys – secretary@akaroayachtclub.com no later than 20 January 2020.
Club Night
A reminder it is Club night tonight Friday 3 January 2020 – 6.00 – 8.00pm
Glenys Roberts
Secretary
Akaroa Yacht Club Inc
Phone: 021 1556420
Sunday 22 December- Race3 Oborns Nautical Supplies Series
Nine boats sailed in the 3rd Race in the Oborns series on a warm day in light breezes varying from NW to N and from 6 to 9knts.
The course was to Childrens Bay , Green Point, Lushingtons, The Kaik, Lushingtons, Green Point and the Finish, which turned out to be a good selection for the conditions.
Snatch lead out of the start followed by Transition, Astruso, One Way and Lightly Oiled. These boats were first around Green Point and stayed at the front to the finish
Snatch sailing away- photo by Paul Drake
Regardless heading to Kaik- photo by Paul Drake
Snatch made the most of their good start and in conditions that suited they extended out their lead on every leg to finish first almost 30 minutes ahead of Transition in second place. The remainder of the fleet was more tightly bunched with Lightly Oiled, Gabrella, Astruso, One Way, Meltdown, Regardless, Penzance and Armalite in that order.
Snatch powered up in gentle breeze – photo by Hannah Anderson
Approaching the Kaik- photo by Paul Drake
The first 3 boats on handicap were Snatch, Lightly Oiled and One Way. One Way is now leading the Oborn series followed by Meltdown, Snatch and Transition.
Action on Lightly Oiled leaving Lushingtons- photo by Hannah Anderson
It was great to see Lightly Oiled up with the leaders perhaps benefiting from more regular sailing.
Thanks are due to Keith Molloy and John MacDonald for taking over the startbox with the regular starters away and also to John Mac for manning the BBQ.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing plenty of boats out in the events below.
Upcoming Holiday Sailing
Juniors Day- Sunday 27th December
This event starts at 1400 all juniors are welcome for a fun afternoon sailing on Keelboats.
We are calling out for boat owners to make themselves available together with sufficient crew to handle their boat. The bar and BBQ will be open afterwards.
The Guthrey Plate- New Years Day
The Heads Race for the Guthrey Plate is scheduled to start at 1300. A Heads turning mark will be laid on the day. This event often attracts the largest fleet of the season
Akaroa Dolphins New Year Regatta -4th &5th Jan
Two short harbour races each day with the first race scheduled to start at 1300.
Sunday 15 December- Peraki Race Grand Hotel Coastal Series
This week we raced the first of the Grand Hotel coastal series races. The course took the fleet out to the Heads and then a right turn along the coast for about five nautical miles to a virtual buoy off Peraki Bay and then home again.
Four boats lined up at the start line and Meltdown made the most of a downwind start and a spinnaker run to lead the fleet away from Akaroa Bay. Regardless and Hyperactive chose paths on the eastern side of the harbour and overtook Meltdown to be first to the heads.
Penzance passing the Kaik- photo courtesy of Bill McSweeney
The usual sloppy seas and variable winds greeted us outside the heads before a steady 15 to 20 kn nor’easter had us reaching for the virtual buoy. Hyperactive sailed a great leg to lead the fleet around the mark, followed by Regardless, Meltdown and Penzance.
Heading back to the harbour Regardless was leading but it was Penzance who took off and caught up with Meltdown & Hyperactive. Back through the heads and into the harbour Regardless extended their lead to the finish. Pleasingly the wind held up for the whole journey home and all four boats enjoyed good breeze and delightful sailing conditions. For those too busy before Christmas to come sailing you missed a great day on the water.
Over the finish line Regardless took line honours. Meltdown, Hyperactive and Penzance finished next in that order but remarkably close together after a long race. To have the whole fleet back home in less than 4 ½ hours was very impressive.
On handicap Hyperactive were first with Penzance a very close second & Meltdown third.
Sunday 22 December- Race3 Oborns Nautical Supplies
This Sunday is the third race in the Oborn’s Series starting at 1400hrs.
Reminder Junior’s Sailing Day- Friday 27 December
The juniors sailing day will be on the Friday 27th December commencing at 1400hrs. The junior sailors will be spread around the boats as space allows so that each boat has a mixture of junior and experienced crew. This has become a very popular event with both the juniors and the yacht crews, and is a great way to extend the juniors involvement in sailing. It is proposed to set some short races, which will keep interest up throughout the afternoon.
ALL juniors interested in sailing are welcome including children who may not be presently involved in the Akaroa Sailing Club
It would be helpful if boat owners can confirm their likely availability to allow planning of numbers.
Sunday 8 December- Race 2 Oborn’s Nautical Series
Another pleasant day with a 10-18 knots Norwester, which was much more gentle than forecast. Course 27 was selected which was from the start to Green Point (Mark 9), twice around windward/leeward legs between Tikao (Mark 6), and Onuku (Mark 8) before a beat to Mark 9 and the Finish.
There was a little confusion in the prestart as bees had made a nest in the starters horn which prevented it from working! However, the lights still worked, and Peter Roberts, the race starter, gave some help on the VHF. It was a reaching start down to Mark 9 with Snatch bolting out of the gates first followed by One Way and Meltdown. Hyperactive started down the line. Meltdown sailed over One Way while Hyperactive came smoking along underneath to get around the mark second behind Snatch. Then it was up to Tikao with Transition doing well sailing low and fast.
The Bone Brothers looking to upgrade?- photo courtesy of Chris Mangels
The fleet rounded Tikao with Snatch first, Transition and Meltdown neck and neck for second followed by One Way, Hyperactive, Lightly Oiled and Armalite who were doing some mine sweeping at the rear. We all had a nice run down to Onuku although there was not quite enough breeze for Snatch to really hit her full potential.
Transition heading down to Onuku- photo courtesy of Kevin Kerr
The order of the boats rounding Onuku was Snatch, Transition, Meltdown, One Way, Hyperactive, Armalite, and Lightly Oiled. This stayed the same for the remainder of the race with the exception of Lightly Oiled picking up a place after hoisting a kite for the second run. A lovely day out sailing, and it was great to see Lightly Oiled joining the fleet again.
The finishing order over the line was Snatch, Transition, Meltdown, One Way, Hyperactive, Lightly Oiled, and Armalite. The corrected time results were very close with only 8 minutes separating the fleet.
The overall positions after 2 races are One Way and Meltdown tied for first, and Snatch is third.
Sunday 15 December- Peraki Race- First Race in Grand Hotel Coastal Series
This Sunday is the Peraki Race Coastal Race starting at 1200hrs. It will be necessary for all entrants to register at the startbox with complete list of crew names and a CAT4 safety declaration. Race instructions including GPS coordinates for the virtual mark at Peraki will be emailed later in the week
Newsletter December 1 2019
Saturday November 30- Saunders Robinson Brown Lawyers – Two-handed series Race1
A hardened bunch of sailors turned out for a wild and gusty first race with most participants heading to Club Med to hoist the sails which can be challenging with only two on board. The blustery NorEasterly saw only a couple of yachts make a decent start. First mark was Children’s Bay with a quick run down to Green Point with everyone erring on the side of caution and no kites were flown. After rounding the mark first the fleet was split with some boats hugging the coast uptowards Lushingtons while the others chose a more middle harbour path up to Robinson’s Bay. There were some interesting easterly wind shifts out of Takamatua, while a more northerly channel persisted down Onawe Peninsula with Snatch weaving its way through the shifting winds. This made for some chopping and changing in positions. Having rounded the top mark it was down to Lushingtons with everyone except Snatch playing safe and not flying their kites. Then it was back up to Robinson’s Bay where there was no change to the interesting wind patterns. There was a meeting of the winds which culminated in a calm patch right at the top mark. On the run for home Snatch Astruso and One Way raised their kites and made good gains down the harbour towards Green Point. After rounding Green Point it was a quick and easy leg home.
Handicap finishing order was Snatch 66 Harry/Dean One Way 88 Tim/Jacqui Astruso Ross M/Brent C Afterglow Jonathan G / Craig P Hyperactive 5881 Brian B /Mark W, Regardless Jonny/Jane
There are 5 races in this series. so don’t be shy – find a friend to race the next one with on 18th Jan (and there is to be a discard at the end of the series).
Sunday 1 December- Race 1 Oborn’s Nautical Series
It was another glorious sailing day on Akaroa Harbour this week. Warm temperatures and for a change this season, lots of wind although it was gusty & swinging between North & North-east.
Seven boats crossed the start line although in gusty conditions several boats changed headsails immediately prior to the start and were late getting started. Once again it was Snatch who got to the first mark in the lead followed by Regardless. By the third mark (Lushingtons) the lead had changed with Regardless showing her strength in the stronger winds. In the middle of the fleet Meltdown and Gabriella were bow to bow approaching the top mark before an infringement and a penalty turn by Gabriella gave Meltdown a chance to break free.
A long run to Wainui & a beat back to Lushingtons followed with Snatch & Regardless battling for the lead. Towards the back of the fleet One Way picked up some extra breeze on the Akaroa side of the harbour and made big gains on the rest of the fleet.
Gabriella and Afterglow heading to Wainui- photo courtesy of Chris Mangels taken from One Way
Over the Line it was Regardless first, followed by Snatch and then Meltdown. On handicap Regardless took out a well-deserved double with One Way second & Meltdown third.
Sunday 8 December- Race 2 Oborn’s Nautical Series
This Sunday is the second race of the Oborn’s Series with a harbour course starting at 1400hrs.
Christmas Social
A reminder that the Christmas social is being held at the Clubrooms from 6pm on Saturday 7th December.
There will be a charge of $5 per head to cover a BBQ and finger food
Newsletter Sunday November 24th- Race No 5, 6 and 7 Black Cat Cruises Series
This week was the final day of racing in the Black Cat Cruises Series and 3 races were planned. A strong southerly change forecast for mid-afternoon would have the final say in that however!
Race 1 on the day started in light to moderate breeze with the wind oscillating between North & North-west. Setting a course in the Nor –west is always tricky and for a change we had a down wind start with eight boats lined up. The boats quick to get their spinnakers up were rewarded with Snatch, Transition & Meltdown round the first mark in that order. Snatch stretched out a lead over the next upwind leg from Green Point to Lushingtons. Astruso moved into second followed by Meltdown.
Asturso enjoying the sail to Lushingtons- photos by Kev Kerr
The next leg had the fleet both reaching & running out to the Kaik as the wind continued to swing & then die away. Snatch managed to round the mark at the Kaik & head for home, while Meltdown & Astruso watched the rest of the fleet catch up from behind & then pass them.
Mark Walker on Transition
On the final beat to the finish line it was Afterglow who were the star performers coming from well back in the fleet to a handicap winning position by picking a course towards the centre of the harbour. Meanwhile Snatch kept their winning record of line honours finishes followed by Regardless then Gabriella. But the fun wasn’t over! Before the rest of the fleet could finish the southerly change with 30-40 knot winds struck. Afterglow, Meltdown & Astruso went on the finish in exciting conditions, with Transition & One Way electing to withdraw from the race.
On handicap a great result for Afterglow coming in first, followed by Gabriella and then Snatch.
Overall in the Black Cat Cruises series Snatch were convincing winners with Meltdown second & Gabriella third. Full results below.
Special thanks to our sponsors for this series, Black Cat Cruises.
Sailing Sunday 1 December- Race 1 Oborn’s Nautical Series
This Sunday is the first day of the Oborn’s Series with a harbour race starting at 1400hrs.
Christmas Social
The Christmas social is being held at the Clubrooms from 6pm on Saturday 7th December.
There will be a charge of $5 per head to cover a BBQ and finger food
Juniors Sailing Day
The juniors sailing day will be on the Friday 27th December commencing at 1400hrs. The junior sailors will be spread around the boats as space allows so that each boat has a mixture of junior and experienced crew. This has become a very popular event with both the juniors and the yacht crews, and is a great way to extend the juniors involvement in sailing. It is proposed to set some short races, which will keep interest up throughout the afternoon.
It would be helpful if boat owners can confirm their likely availability to allow planning of numbers.
Message from the Secretary
Subscriptions
Thank you to all who have paid their 2019/2020 subscription. Don’t forget to collect your membership card and sailing programme book from the Club rooms.
A reminder subscriptions are due and you have up until 30 November 2019 to take advantage of the early payment discount.
Subscriptions paid after 30 November 2019 will cost you more i.e. another $25.00.
If you have not received a subscription invoice or require another one to be sent please contact me: secretary@akaroayachtclub.com
Newsletter Sunday November 17th- Race No4 Black Cat Cruises Series
Bright sun, a steady breeze and mild temperatures greeted this weeks fleet of 6 boats.
A long harbour race was scheduled so we sailed a course up to Lushingtons, then out the harbour and back to Wainui twice before returning to Childrens Bay & the finish line.
Photo of Snatch taken on a windier day
Snatch has been the consistent performer of the fleet so far this season & once again they got a great start and rounded the first mark in the lead, followed by Astruso and then Gabriella.
The boats stayed in that order round the next upwind mark, followed by Meltdown , Transition & One Way.
The Black Cat Cruises series this year has had its share of drama and then fickle winds but this week the sailing was about enjoying some beautiful weather on Akaroa harbour. There were very few dramas to report and over the line the fleet came home in the same order they rounded the first mark with Snatch in the lead, followed by Astruso & then Gabriella.
Handicap times were close and again this week Snatch took out the double with Meltdown second and Gabriella third.
Sailing Sunday 24November- Races 5,6 and 7 Blackcat Series
This Sunday is the final day of the Blackcat Series with 3 sprint races starting at 1300hrs.
The scoring allows for a discard of the worst result after 6 races, which means that Sunday’s results will determine the final standings.
Race Photos
We are always looking for photos to add some colour to the weekly newsletter. Timmy Richardson often provides these but it would be great if other boats contributed as well to get a different perspective.
Photos can be emailed to secretary@akaroayachtclub.com. There is also the chance to win the Richard Macauley Trophy which is awarded annually for the AYC photo of the year
Newsletter Sunday November 10th- Race No3 Black Cat Cruises Series
After a challenging start to our racing so far this season Race 3 finally gave us some better conditions and a keen race fleet of seven boats. The race started in 5-8 knots of southerly with a coarse round Green Point, Lushingtons, Wainui & Lushingtons again.
Gabriella got a jump on the fleet at the start but unfortunately they also had a jump on the start line and they were called back. The rest of the fleet were left with the familiar sight of Snatch taking a lead round the first mark before a spinnaker run to Lushingtons. Astruso & Transition were in close pursuit. Before long the Southerly died and a Nor-West replaced it so we ended up sailing a reaching leg out the harbour to Wainui.
Meltdown heading to Wainui
Regardless & Transition lost the wind near the Wainui side of the harbour , letting Meltdown , One Way & Gabriella catch up down the centre of the harbour. Yet another wind change saw a Nor –easter spring up as Snatch, Astruso ,Regardless & Meltdown led the fleet back to mark 9 (Green Point)
One Way sailing to Mark9
It was a day of big wind changes and the southerly returned for the final short run from mark 9 to the finish.
For the second week in a row it was Snatch who crossed the line first , followed by Astruso. In a race within a race Meltdown & Regardless had a close final tussle for the line under spinnaker before Meltdown edged ahead. Further back in the fleet Gabriella , One Way & Transition all crossed the line within 15 seconds of each other.
Photo of Transition taken from One Way nearing the finish line- courtesy Tim Richardson
Snatch again took out the double with handicap honours as well this week, followed by Meltdown , with One Way third. Full & overall results listed below.
Sailing Sunday 17 November
The fourth race in the Blackcat Series is scheduled for this weekend with a 1300hr scheduled start and a long harbour race.
Bar Duty Roster
The bar duty roster for the first part of the 2019-2020 season is below. If you are unable to undertake your duty on the day selected please arrange with another boat to swop days
YACHT DUTY OFFICER
OCT 27th Committee Committee
NOV 3rd Melt Down Gil Smith
NOV 10th Transition Patsy Little
NOV 17th Regardless David Maloney
NOV 24th One Way Tim Anderson
NOV 30th Afterglow Bill McSweeney
DEC 1st Future One Keith Molloy
DEC 7th Committee (Xmas Party) Committee
DEC 8th Hyper Active Charl Chaney
Dec 15th Armalite Peter Gluyas
DEC 22ND Penzance Alex Aitken
DEC 27th Gabriella Stephen Horton
JAN 1st Astruso John Macdonald
JAN 4th Snatch Phil Narbey
JAN 5th Lightly Oiled Ali Chaney
JAN 12th Transition Brian Little
JAN 18th Regardless Peter Zwart
Jan 19th Melt Down Gil Smith
Subscriptions
Thank you to all who have paid their 2019/2020 subscription. Don’t forget to collect your membership card and sailing programme book from the Club rooms.
A reminder subscriptions are due and you have up until 30 November 2019 to take advantage of the early payment discount.
Subscriptions paid after 30 November 2019 will cost you more i.e. another $25.00.
If you have not received a subscription invoice or require another one to be sent please contact me: secretary@akaroayachtclub.com
Newsletter Sunday November 3rd
– Race No2 Black Cat Cruises Series
Summer arrived in Akaroa this weekend. Blue skies, warm temperatures, lots of sun…..and very little wind! The fleet of 8 boats sat round at the start line in the heat for well over an hour waiting for the wind to arrive. We got puffs from the Nor-east, from the south and from the Nor-west but nothing steady.
One Way with Shore Crew prior to race
Racing finally got under way later in the afternoon with a light breeze from the south. A short course took the boats to Green Point, Lushingtons, back to Green Point and then home. Snatch pulled away to be at the top mark first, followed by Astruso and then Gabriella. By the next mark the wind was up its old tricks with a 180 degree swing to the Nor-east. Snatch managed to stay in the breeze and build a commanding lead. The rest of the fleet were left drifting between breezes and testing the patience of all the sailors on the water.
Snatch were the star performers of the day finishing almost an hour ahead of Regardless who were second over the line with One Way and Gabriella recording the same time about a minute further back. Race rules state that boats must finish in a time within 150% of the winners time and on a day of fickle and frustrating wind no one managed this.
So both Line and handicaps honours go to the crew of Snatch.
Full results listed below.
We will all be hoping for something better from the weather gods next weekend.
Sailing Sunday 10 November
The third race in the Blackcat Series is scheduled for this weekend with a 1400hr scheduled start and a harbour race.
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2019-2020 Season Opening
It’s only 3 weeks until Labour weekend and the AYC opening. I wont mention winter boat maintenance, which will now be all but complete.
Social Function
26th October -the opening function will be held at the clubrooms commencing 1800hrs. This will include a BBQ meal organised by Ali Chaney who has taken over as social convenor. All AYC members are most welcome to join in a celebration of the new season
Annual Sailpast
27th October- 1300hrs sail-past- once again our Commodore, Charl Chaney, will be on station at the end of the AYC jetty ready to salute the fleet and receive ‘greetings’ from the yacht crews. Non racing yachts, dinghies and launches are welcome to join in the fun.
Opening Day Race
27th October- The opening day race start is scheduled for 1400hrs. This will be a harbour course and is also the first race in the Blackcat series.
Handbook 2019-2020
The new seasons handbook will be available at the AYC during the weekend (providing subs are paid)
There are a number of changes in the Handbook including revised courses and sailing instructions so the 2019-2020 version is a must have on board during races.
A change to the start-line has been made to allow that a substitute mark1a can be placed on the day in order to decrease the bias that occurs with the existing startline in northerly winds. This is described in detail in SI 10.0
Sailing Programme
The racing programme for this season is below.
Changes include increased numbers of 2-Handed Races, and a Mark Foy invitation series of 2 races that will be held over the weekends when the Young88 and Canterbury Keelboat Championships are being held in Lyttelton
Handicaps
PHRF has been retained as the handicap system for the coming season, and it will be necessary to have a current PHRF certificate to get a result. Renewal of the PHRF certificate is a straightforward process online at the following link https://www.yachtingnz.org.nz/shop/phrf.
Safety
As a reminder all boats are required to comply with the YNZ safety regulations Category 5 for Harbour Races and Category 4 for Coastal Races. Entry in a race confirms acceptance by the Skipper of responsibility for safety compliance.
Peter Zwart has been appointed Health and Safety Officer for 2019-2020 and should be approached with any queries.
Finally best wishes from the Race Committee for an enjoyable, and successful 2019-2020 sailing season