Port Albert Annual Regatta

By Jenny Davies, PAYC

Port Albert Yacht Club hosted South Gippsland Yacht club to enjoy their Annual Regatta on May 2nd with 16 boats competing on the mirror like waters of Nooramunga Inlet. Once again the regatta was won by the South Gippsland Yacht Club but with some strong performances from the smaller Port Albert Yacht Club. A wide range of dinghies competed in two divisions comprising Lasers, Solos, Impulses, Mosquitos, Taipans, Windrushes & a Nacra 5.8.

Due to the very low tide the Officer of the Day had to look for enough water for a starting line between the green channel mark and the end of the wharf and of course this meant a mud bath to launch boats! In the morning’s race, the 16 boats had just enough breeze to make the course with a fluctuating light easterly and were assisted by the still falling tide. The course was down the channel to a buoy set near the basket beacon and return. It took the fastest boats approx. 40 minutes while the slowest took about 1 hour and a quarter.

The second race saw the wind drop totally, stranding 5 boats unable to even reach the start line and one monohull needed towing home as there just wasn’t enough wind to beat the current for it to round the buoy to sail the homeward leg. Such is sailing!

Results (combined race winners – 1; 2; 3):

• Division 1 Catamarans: Rob Mc Nair (SGYC) “Westy” Windrush 4.3; Pete Kiely (SGYC) “Sixth Element”, Mosquito; Jake Lurati (SGYC) “Squeaky Bar” Nacra 5.8
• Division2 Mono hulls: Geoff Rippingale ( SGYC) ”Ripper” Impulse; Libby Nicol, (PAYC) “It’s very Blue” Impulse; Alastair Finlay (PAYC)“TBI” Impulse
• PAYC Commodore’s Cup Winner: Congratulations to Libby Nicol sailing Impulse ”It’s very blue”

Sailors and friends enjoyed mingling on the lawns around the club over a BBQ lunch and afternoon tea where SGYC Commodore, Wayne Smith thanked PAYC for organising and running the regatta. All sailors relaxed and dreamed of ordering the perfect weather for next year’s challenge.