Race Results -

January 13, 2008

Yachts battle big winds

By Karen Earnshaw

The wind put on a good show for the running of the second race in the 2007-08 Mieco Beach Yacht Club series last Sunday afternoon, with one yacht having to pull out due to a broken helm as a result of the strong gusts.

Six cruising yachts peeled away from their moorings to take part in the event, which for the first time ever included two divisions: One multi-hull class, the other mono-hull.

Multi-hulls tend to be as wide as some boats are long, making for a crowded start line, so the race committee elected to go the safe route and split the yachts, with the multi-hulls starting 10 minutes after the rest of the yachts.

A ton of shore-based crew were on board the yachts for the fun, which was watched over by the crew of the race committee boat, the Royal Australian Navy’s True Blue and volunteers from the yacht Moonbird.

The broken tiller belonged to the yacht Hygelig, skippered by Russ Cobb, and he ended up with a DNF (did not finish), retiring early to the mooring field for a cup of tea.

Fifth place was taken out by Ursa Minor (Brian Lane); fourth by Po’Oino Roa (Kathy McGraw); third by Sequester (Ted Cary); and second by the winner of last month’s race (and the first boat across the line), Ka Pai (Richie Rigg).

With a great start and an equally super crew, the winner of the blustery race — just four and a half minutes ahead of second place on corrected time — was the yacht Seal (Cary Evarts).


Captions: (please click on link to open picture)

1. Forrest Petersen, Annie Daher, and Lindsey Horton enjoy the ride on the winning yacht Seal

2. The trimaran Sequester on the Majuro lagoon race course