SATURDAY saw the first race of the outside course series for the Sussex Inlet Basin Yacht Club's 2020-2021 season.
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The forecast was for some strong north-east breeze and sadly it did not disappoint.
A few skippers ventured out into the basin only to assess the conditions as not fun and decided to return to the relative calm of the river for the remainder of the day.
This left just four boats willing to take on the challenge of some building waves on the basin and wind speeds gusting over 20 knots.
With a new course to try, Phil and Marco on the Committee vessel got the fleet underway at 1pm as usual with the first long work to the top mark to be completed.
Three boats, led by Sothern Cross (GA and the Dragon), followed by Gone Too Farr (Greg and Ronda) and then Backchat (Steve, Jan, Mark and Graham), decided that the north-west side of the course was the way to go.
This left HooRoo (Andy and Lou) to try for the other side and headed further east.
By the time the boats reached the first top mark, HooRoo had managed to get there first by sailing a slightly shorter distance and rounded the mark to head downwind with the fleet in hot pursuit.
Southern Cross took the lead passing the smaller HooRoo, to then be followed by Gone Too Farr and then Backchat.
With the breeze building, it was another long bash to the top and with all boats now knowing the way, it was a shorter work this time.
Next was a short downwind leg to the new gate mark and then back up to the top again.
Phil on the committee boat then radioed the fleet to announce a shortened course due to the deteriorating conditions.
No complaints from the sailors since it meant one more downwind leg, then a short work, through the gate (which had swung open in the breeze) and a final short broad reach to the finish.
Gone to Farr was the only one's game enough to try a spinnaker and this kept them in touch with Southern Cross and made it hard for Backchat to get past.
HooRoo was left chasing but was still in contention due to the good first work.
Over the line it was Southern Cross, followed by Gone Too Farr, then Backchat followed by HooRoo, it would all be down to the handicap for the PHS results.
All boats and crew returned to the safety of the river intact if a little windswept.
A big thank you to Phil and Marco on the committee boat for staying out there in some fairly unpleasant conditions.
Next week is race one of the inside course - hopefully, after two races in the strong breeze, they might get some more benign conditions but then again this is still 2020.
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