Liverpool Yacht Club Brass Monkey Series - Race 5
by Alistair Roaf 22 Feb 2023 03:06 NZDT
19 February 2023
It was an early start for the LYC sailors with high tide at 10:22. However, with twelve yachts entered, crewed by over 70 sailors, it was keen crowd. With so many boats entered, it required two locks to get the fleet on the river.
It was a light westerly wind, the Race Officer set a tidal adjusted windward-leeward-windward course across the river for the first three legs of the IRC race. With the strong tide, from right to left, the committee boat end was favoured by all, with a couple of boats going for close barging starts.
It was SKUKUSA which timed its start best and crossed the line first and close to the committee boat. The light gently gusty breeze suited the lighter boats which were able to quickly accelerate with the puffs of breeze.
MAXTOO rounded the windward mark first followed by BOJANGLES and SKUKUSA. On the run, the fleet were gybing for clear air and any pressure that could be seen.
It was then another testing beat to the next windward mark, E4. With the cross tide and light airs, boats were, at times, only getting a positive VMG on starboard tack; however when boats got a gust this all changed.
After E4 it was a 1.5-mile reach to G3. Not all boats were able to carry a spinnaker for this close reach but those that did made gains.
At G3 it was MAXTOO followed by DAYDREAM BELIEVER and EAZI TIGER. The top three positions, on the water, remained the same for the final two legs.
After an hour and three quarters of racing, on corrected time, DAYDREAM BELIEVER and JON DO took Class 1 and 2 honours, respectively.
In the Venture Class (NHC), there were three entrants with YNOT getting the best start in the upwind drift. YNOT maintained its lead on the water during the race but by the end of the race it was not enough of a lead to win which meant LADY DOROTHY was the winner.
IRC Results:
| Pos. | Boat | IRC Class | Type | Helm | Corrected Time |
|---|
| 1 | DAYDREAM BELIEVER | 1 | First 34.7 | J. Cartwright | 01:44:41 |
| 2 | EAZI TIGER | 1 | Corby 29 | A. Kyffin | 01:45:53 |
| 3 | MAXTOO | 1 | Prima 38 | N. Thomas | 01:49:54 |
| 4 | JON DO | 2 | Sigma 33 | J. Myerscough | 01:54:47 |
| 5 | BOJANGLES | 1 | J109 | P. Hampson | 01:55:22 |
| 6 | SKUKUSA | 2 | Impala | S. Lofthouse | 01:55:57 |
| 7 | ARCTURUS | 1 | Sun Fast 42 | R. Mann | 01:59:57 |
| 8 | RUN | 1 | First 35 | I. McMillan | 02:06:28 |
| 9 | SHAULA | 1 | Sunfast 37 | J. Anderton | 02:09:26 |
Venture (NHC) Results:
| Pos. | Boat | Type | Helm | Corrected Time |
|---|
| 1 | LADY DOROTHY | Horizon 30 | J. Nelson | 01:28:35 |
| 2 | YNOT | Oceanis 37 | CSSA | 01:32:20 |
| 3 | WILDWOOD | GibSea 760 | M. Blackwell | 01:40:23 |