On Saturday, the Nowra Community Sailing Club began the new season with heat one of the Kel Campbell point score and heat one of the Bomaderry Bowling Club championship.
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Six boats greeted the starter with a light north-easterly breeze of around five to six knots and a high tide beginning to run out.
Wayne Norris won the start from Steve Phelps, Michael Fairbairn and Cameron Phelps.
Bill Jauncey was just behind this group and Leo Howard having his first race at Nowra, was just behind Bill.
As expected, Michael sailing his faster Finn got ahead of the Spirals but Steve kept him honest with Wayne close to Steve and Cameron also in the Spiral bunch.
Bill, who was carrying an injury and thinking the breeze would increase with the approaching southerly, elected to race with the smaller Spiral 5.6 square metre sail and was ruing his decision as Leo on his Laser swapped places with Bill before he eventually sailed away from him, ultimately finishing less than three minutes behind the leading Spirals, a remarkable effort for a first sail on the river.
Steve held onto second behind the Finn but on the last leg, which was a run to the finish, Wayne just managed to pass Steve and finish just six seconds ahead of him and Cameron was another 21 seconds behind his Dad.
Leo was two minutes eleven seconds behind Cameron, and Bill was another four minutes back.
The Bomaderry Bowling Club championship is decided on boat class yardstick and Michael easily won that by over two minutes from the Spirals of Wayne and Steve.
The Kel Campbell handicap is based on a rolling individual handicap and young Cameron Phelps grabbed that one by over two minutes from his Dad Steve, then Michael, Wayne and Bill.
Leo will get a handicap after sailing another race.
This coming Saturday we sail for heat two of the point score and championship.
The start is around 2.20pm and visitors are most welcome.