During the two handicap-start races at the Wallagoot Lake Boat Club on Saturday, a south-easterly breeze gradually increased throughout the afternoon.
This negated the head-start given to the slower boats, who barely drifted away in very light winds, and favoured the late-starting faster boats.
In race one the fleet finished in reverse order to their starts, with the big Stingray catamaran of Darren Lydiard winning the race.
The NS14s of Tony Hastings and Josh Dorrough finished second and third respectively after both sailed solo in the two-man boats for race one.
Early starters Bob Harris and Mike Stove had a great, race-long, battle won by Harris’s tactics of approaching the finish on starboard tack, forcing Mike to give way and drop behind him.
Race two saw just four boats take part as the winds picked up and Brian Wright started first on his trailer-sailor “Dear One”, which held the lead for most of the race.
Sailing solo Hastings showed why his boat is named “Superfly” claiming a several minute lead.
“It’s such fast boat already, but when the trapeze and spinnaker get added, wow,” Hastings said.
The Handicap-start series is now complete, with final results being withheld until Presentation Day, on May 7.
The club invites all sailors, family, friends and supporters to attend the BBQ lunch and trophy presentation.
