On Sunday, April 22, the Jervis Bay Cruising Yacht Club ran the fifth and final round of the Innovation Composites Round the Bay Race series. The day’s forecast was for light and variable winds, so the yachts raced around a short clockwise course at the northern end of Jervis Bay.
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Eight boats took to the water, with five larger yachts in Division 1 and the three remaining smaller yachts in Division 2. The race also counted as race three in the Callala Cellars Autumn Series.
The very light, Southerly, 3 to 5 knot winds made for a very slow race start. With yachts crowding the southern end of the start line. Sojourn 3, skippered by Rick Early, missed the line and had to circle around for a second attempt to start the race.
Perrfect, a Rogers Catamaran skippered by Ray Perry in its first race with the club, got off to a great start beating the rest of the fleet to the 1st windward mark. Laser 3, skippered by John Lawrence, a smaller Division 2 mono hull rounded the mark closely behind Perrfect.
As the yachts headed south, into the wind, Sojourn 3 was able to recover from its troubled start passing the other yachts and taking the lead in Division 1. John Anderson in Laser 3, the smallest and lightest yacht in the field was able to stay in the lead in Division 2.
In the light conditions the skippers were scouring the bay, searching for patches of wind that might help push their boats along. Sojourn 3 coupled some good luck with the wind, and with a fair measure of masterful sailing, was able to keep stretching its lead.
The winds picked up to 7 to 10 knots and shifted to the east at 12:30pm as the yachts completed the race’s final leg, returning to Callala Bay.
Sojourn 3 was the 1st boat to cross the finish line in 2 hours and 11 minutes. Once handicaps were applied, Rick Early, Sojourn 3, held onto 1st place with Rod Targa in the Navy’s entry, Franklin, 2nd and Alan Leach, Tranquillity, in 3rd.
In Division 2 John Anderson, Laser 3, crossed the finish line 1st in 2 hours 15 minutes. However, the application of handicaps saw Paul Gooey, Matana, take 1st with John 2nd and Denis Meredith, Wotalife, 3rd.
The winner of the 2018 Innovation Composites Round The Bay series was determined by the aggregate of the skippers’ best four results from the five-race series.
The consistency of Alan Leach in Tranquillity was rewarded with him winning Division 1 ahead of the Navy’s Franklin in 2nd. In Division 2 Paul Gooey, in Matana, with three first places, won ahead of Denis Meredith, in Wotalife.
The club’s next race is on Sunday, May 6. The Jervis Bay Cruising Yacht Club welcomes any existing crews and new members. Anyone interested in more information go to the website jbcyc.com.au for more details.
