Sheerlines December 2022


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Classic Yacht Association NZ

December 2022

From the cockpit…

The Patio Bay agenda item was the highlight of our recent committee meeting. The weather had given us a break and vessels took to the water heading for Patio Bay.

We noted that there were 30 yachts and 11 launches competing, and then another large group joining in. All in all, about 60 boats – one of our largest fleets for this event. We discussed the catch 22 situation of needing entries in advance for planning, but also being able to facilitate the significant number of boats that want to turn up on the day, weather and available time dictating the decision to attend.

There were also a number of boats that chose to return home that same day after the race, again perhaps indicative of the time shortages we all face.

The committee was very pleased with the event and thanks go out to all who helped make the day, and especially to our wonderful hosts. As so many people have commented, it was a fitting tribute to Bert Woolcott.

On the water…

Patio Bay Saturday 3 December – a Yacht & Launch Event

A lovely write up of Patio Bay from the Townson point of view courtesy of Tony Kendall…

Our Patio Bay Rally was held on Saturday 3 December when we all left the Orakei Wharf area for our sail to Patio Bay, Waiheke Island with the Classic Yacht Association and their beautiful ships.

We had Bliss from Milford, Manutaki and Resolute from Gulf Harbour staying Friday in Okahu Bay and Westhaven, Sunbeam and Delicado out of Pine Harbour with Sunlight coming from Half Moon Bay – a very diverse range of home places. Bliss, a T25 with Simon Smith doing the thinking got away ahead of us, followed by five Twilights, Resolute, Richard Evans and Sylvia, Manutaki, Rob and Pam Lorden and two wolfhounds, and Sunlight, Peggy and Tony Kendall with Sara Poore as sleeping watch as her Moonlight Lady (T9.2) had not completed her upgrade in time. Delicado, Derek and Joanne Brebner and Sunbeam, Jason Butterfield and Andy started five minutes later.

We had five different combinations of set ups amongst the Twilights.

Manutaki had all the cruising paraphernalia that you can put on a Twilight including a No. 2 furler headsail , a fixed blade propeller and carried her dinghy. Resolute set a furler and carried her dinghy. Sunlight also set a furler but towed her dinghy. Sunbeam set her deck sweeper headsail but carried her dinghy while Delicado set her deck sweeper headsail and towed her dinghy. How does a handicapper sort that mixed lot out?

We sailed away after 10.10am in a dying light southerly that went dead calm in large patches causing us to take over 2 hours to reach Browns Island beacon.

Manutaki sailed a course that gave them a very up to date look at Rangitoto Wharf before doing an involuntary slow 360 degree turn which Rob thought was more interesting than sitting absolutely stopped.

The sea breeze finally came in well after 1.00pm to give us a reach to Passage Rock trying to dodge the areas of no wind. Jason Butterfield, Sunbeam, left us for dead but we caught him off Awaawaroa Bay when all the area ahead went silver flat. The sailing began again as the classic yacht leader, Rawhiti, A2 slid past us looking just so majestic with all sails set and hard on the wind in 6 to 8 knots followed by many of the other A classes. This was what we came to see – all those beautiful gaff riggers in full sail and flight amongst us.

At the arrival line after an interesting beat against the tide, there was a flurry of 32’s crossing within a minute of each other at about 4.30pm with Sunbeam 1^st, Sunlight 2^nd, Delicado 3^rd, Bliss 4^th, Resolute 5^th and Manutaki somewhere.

It was interesting to see that Starlight, Richard Dodd and the original and restored Rainbow II , Neil Gillard and Andrew Taylor, having started nearly 40 minutes after us, came through with better winds to join us in the exciting scurry to the finish. Rob, Manutaki proved that he could go faster to windward with his motor than the tricky beat to the finish.

It was commented that these cruises and rallies are not races, but we do sail our Townsons very efficiently and with great concentration.

We had a pleasant group BBQ ashore and a quiet calm anchorage for the Saturday night.

Sunday’s southerly wind direction gave us all a rare lay through to home in winds up to 17 knots. Beautiful and soul restoring!

This year’s Patio Bay rally once again proved what an excellent event it is on our Townson calendar.

Thanks to CYA for allowing us to sail with them each year.

Thanks to the Townson skippers and crews for joining us with their beautiful classic yachts.

COMING EVENTS 2023

Fri 27 Jan: DYC Night Race to Mahurangi

Sat 28 Jan: Mahurangi Regatta, Classic Launch Parade

Sun 29 Jan Mahurangi Return Race

Mon 30 Jan: Auckland Anniversary Regatta www.regatta.org.nz.
Classic Launch Race followed at 1300 hrs by a Launch
Parade.

AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY DAY REGATTA 30 JANUARY 2023

Want to be in the draw for $1,000 cash?? – then ENTER HERE

by 31 December 2022

All keelboat, tugboat and classic launch race entries – all you have to do to be in the draw is enter by 31 December, race and be present at the draw on Tuesday 21 February 2023 at the Prizegiving to be held at the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron.

Look forward to receiving your entries to create a fantastic display of our beautiful yachts on the start line – great cash prizes and fabulous spot prizes on offer!!

NOTE: CYA Harbour Series entrants are automatically entered in the Regatta as part of the Series.

CYA CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2022-23: View here

From our fleet …

ZARAPITO is a Grand Banks 42, Hull Number 299 built in 1973 by the American Shipyard in Hong Kong. She was the last of their Grand Banks to be constructed of mahogany. Powered by twin 135hp 6.2ltr Ford Otosan, she also has a 4kW Onan Genset. Arrived in NZ from the US in 1996 and spent time in the Marlborough Sounds before coming up to Whangaroa Harbour in 2015 before we bought her last December.

Owners: Mike and Dee Pigneguy

Have you read this …?

The infamous 1998 Sydney to Hobart race witnessed 160kph winds. Martin Duggard tells the story of that race and places us in the midst of the skippers, crews, organisers, family members, and the tragedy that unfolded.

It is a book that is hard to read for the fact that we know the ending, yet at the same time want to read to know what happened.

“The 1998 Sydney Hobart took us beyond sport, beyond the drive to compete. We found ourselves at the edge of life and death survival” – Ed Psaltis, winning skipper of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Locker notes ….

From Stephen Horsley, of the Mahurangi Club

The Yearbook is on the press as I write and any day will be in the stores. It's 108 pages and this year's themes are restorations and a grand old Baltic Trader designed RANUI, plus a piece on electrolysis and a boy's own story of fixing up an old Idle-along. The usual 16 plus pages of regatta photos from Roger Mills and Ivor Wilkins will delight you.

All entrants to the regatta receive a copy at the discounted price of $15 ($20 normal)

Entry to the Regatta must be done online. No beach entries anymore.

CYA JOURNAL LINK

Read our Journal, two pages of classic vessel stories, here. View Journal.

CYA CONTACT DETAILS

Chair: Richard Cave chair@classicyacht.org.nz
Vice-Chair: Russell Brooke 0274539841
Secretary: Joyce Talbot admin@classicyacht.org.nz or 021 818-448
Yacht Captain: Peter Brookes admin@classicyacht.org.nz
Launch Captain: Shirley-Ann McCrystal launchcaptain@classicyacht.org.nz
Committee: Mike Pignéguy, Chris Bierre, Tom Bertenshaw
Editors: Russell Brooke & Robyn Pearce editor@classicyacht.org.nz