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Savvy Navvy 2024

HHYC UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series 2024

by HHYC Media 21 Aug 10:58 UTC 18 August 2024
Arcturus. UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series 2024 © Fragrant Harbour

There was no sign of life in the flags onshore. Low cloud covered Ma On Shan and visibility, even around the boats moored in Hebe Haven, was poor. A light drizzle wasn’t making things any better. But on the committee boat, Hebe One, a briefing was being held which was anything but gloomy. In high spirits, the volunteers were told it was going to be a great day and that “between 50 and 60 boats are expected”. It was going to be an islands race and, very possibly, the breeze would fill in later in the day.

Not everyone was having it, though, and one volunteer quietly asked the media “hope you’ve got something to write about”. Prophetically, the prediction about wind was right and it did, in fact, turn out to be a great day as 55 boats in seven divisions did battle in the eighth race of the UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series 2024. With just one day of racing to go, a lot hung off Race 8 . . .

Among swarms of dragonflies, Hebe One dropped anchor at 1000 in 22.5 metres of water and the support boats were sent off to lay the marks. IRC A was given Course 93 which took in a windward mark, Bluff Island, Steep, North Nine Pin, Basalt, a Port Shelter Mark, Bluff, Trio and Table Islands – 24 nautical miles, and a long day if the wind died. IRC B, IRC C,the Sportsboats, J/80s and PHS A were to follow Course 103 which took them round the picturesque East Nine Pin, and around Bluff, Steep, Trio and Table – 5 nautical miles less than the A division.

Finally, PHS B was given one of the club’s ‘circular’ courses which meant rounding the windward mark, Table, Steep, Bluff, an Inner Port Shelter Mark, Table Island again, and a finish off Little Palm Beach. Distance – 13 nautical miles. The race officials figured that, with these courses, all boats would be finishing together, or three hours after starting.

Calculating race time lengths is something like a badge of honour among ROs and requires skill . . . and some luck. For Race 8, it was both, as the majority of IRC B boats completed their course in two and a half hours, likewise IRC C.

Good news, as reports of wind came in. There was 8 knots at both Steep and Bluff – the predictions were being proven right. One of the volunteers even joked “better than the Observatory”.

At 1055, the countdown for IRC A began and, at precisely 1100, five racing machines slipped across the line with Happy Go in the lead. Five minutes later, a dozen IRC B boats were released, and five minutes after that, the divisions IRC C, Sportsboats and J/80s crossed without incident.

PHS A, in a fleet of nine, began their race at 1115 and, 5 minutes later, 11 boats in PHS B crossed the line. There’s a story to the latter as eight boats in this division didn’t sail their course correctly and, as a result, were scored NSC. Hmmm, it does pay to follow what appears in the Standard Sailing Instructions, published by the club (June 2021).

All starts for all divisions were clear, with most boats favouring the pin end. For the ODM, the Club has taken to using a RIB with an orange flag raised. Nelson Iam was aboard the inflatable for Race 8 and acted as a spotter for boats OCS – he didn’t have much to do at the end of the 250-metre line!

One of the problems faced by race management is the number of boats that wander on to the start line during countdowns. This loitering is not only selfish, it is dangerous and, during the IRC B starting sequence, one J/80 – Jelik 6 – was told, very loudly, by a gesticulating RO to “get off the line”. Or words to that effect.

Generally, conditions held around the various courses although, between Bluff and Basalt, it was a bit light. In open water and out among the Nine Pin Group, the big TP52s and the Ker 46, Zannekin, took advantage of the clear air and stronger southwesterly breeze.

At 1310, two horns were sounded for a short finish off Table Island (Ping Min Chau), although quite why there was a buoy laid between the Finish Boat and the island is a good question. HHYC SSIs 16.2.2 describe a short finish as being between the boat and the mark - which in this case was Table Island. Most, if not all, finishers left the buoy to port, "just in case". First boat home was the Cape 31, Rampage 28, at 13:20:01. From then on, the other fleets finished in quick succession.

In IRC A, Happy Go won on handicap, with Zannekin 2nd, and Unicorn in 3rd. The IRC B division was won by the well-drilled crew on Rampage 38, ahead of Nightshift and the unfortunate Capitano relegated to 3rd. IRC C saw Juice take the honours with Rita Yau’s Dexter II in 2nd place. 3rd place was taken by Nick Southward’s hard-charging J/109, Whiskey Jack.

The Sportsboats were won by Tuco, with Hotwired in 2nd. In the colourful J/80 division, the Future Sailing Team Club beat all into 1st place. Footloose scored a 2nd and Blue Water Racing Team, 3rd.

The cruisers in PHS A saw Tipsy Easy win the division on handicap. In 2nd was the Beneteau First 44.7, Harpseal, and 3rd, Rampage 08. The division also used ORC as a handicapping system. Winner in this was AmaZe. PHS B was won by the Hanse 370, Zoe, with its distinctive 'artwork'. A determined regular competitor, Scrumpy, took 2nd place, and Noah, 3rd.

The day finished with a prize-giving in the Garden Bar. The final day of racing is scheduled for the 24th of August 2024. Races 9 & 10 will be, for many boats, the deciders of the series.

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