Sailors wrap it up for 2020

Light winds and a 20-boat fleet meant it was game on for race two in the Boom Town Brewing Co. Lap racing series earlier this week.

With major wind shifts during the racing, course placement and sail selection were important factors in the final outcome.

The setting sun and unique cloud formations put on a great show for the fleet to finish 2020. Photo supplied

Flying Fox, Flying Tiger and Northern Rebel II were the best of the bunch off the line, Flying Tiger first around the top mark quickly going to their trademark gennaker and putting some distance between themselves and the chasing fleet.

Sudoeste delivered a good performance, slipping along nicely in the light conditions. At the head of the smaller boats in the fleet Freaky showed she is all ready to perform in the Giesen New Year regatta, punching well above her weight and challenging far bigger boats on the course.

As conditions softened during the race, course craft and sail trim came to the fore with some smart gennaker gybing by the foredeck crew on Midnight enabling them to reduce the gap to the leaders. Further wind shifts and a slight lift in wind speed saw the leaders battle tighten going in to the fourth and final lap. All the gennaker practice of earlier laps paid off as Chris Webb’s crew on Midnight flew their big pink gennaker (affectionately christened Lily) to overtake the front runners and claim the honour of being the only boat to complete 4 laps of the course within the time limit.

After applying handicaps Rob and Mandy Carpenter’s Farr 727 Freaky took the win for the second week in a row. In second place Bruce Lock’s Lotus 10.6 Sea Fox sailed a great race with Midnight taking third, the big Davidson 45 enjoying the fresher conditions in the latter part of the race.

With racing completed for 2020 the fleet now look forward to 2021 with the third and final race of the series on January 5, followed by the Giesen New Year regatta on January 9 and 10.