2007 Sealink Waiheke Jollyboat Champs
Over the weekend of march 10th and 11th the inaugural Sealink Waiheke Jollyboat champs were held off Oneroa beach
The superb venue did not disappoint and six short races and a long offshore race was held over two days Organizer Gordon Dyer once again provided discounted ferry prices to entice the Aucklanders to make the trip over and we all enjoyed the outstanding social life and BBQs.
On Saturday Four short sprint races were held. Mark Winters sailing his trusty boat Weapon cleaned out in all the races in winds not reaching more than 8 knots. Good starts and tactics combined with his outstanding boat speed and boat handling saw Mark give everyone else a right drubbing.
Roger Hall in Peppermint Planet spent all day looking at Marks stern to finish second in all the races. Some of the best racing came form the Waiheke group and in one race five boats crossed the finish line over lapped. Alex Stone ended the day the best of the Waiheke group with Gordon Dyer always close by.
Gordons hospitality on saturday night was superb and we all enjoyed a BBQ at his home and once the first beer was poured the hope of an AGM evoporated.
Sunday bought expectations of more wind and while it was a little more the pending forecast of 20 knots never eventuated Gordon Dyer in Plan B with his son on boat lead all the way in the morning s first race to win comfortably with Hall second and Winters passing Alex stone on the last run to finish third. With the breeze building a little more Hall won the fifth race despite almost capsizing at the top mark for the last time - Alex Stone was second and Winters third.
The highlight of the days racing was the offshore race up around an island east of Oneroa and back. Hall, Winters,Dyer and Stone led the pack up the coast. Hall went way too far offshore and almost lost sight of land while the smart ones chose to hug the coast- At the island all four were within three boat lengths and then all overlapped at the boat shed mark.
On the reach home Winters opened up a good lead to march off and around the red reef stake 1.5 miles for the finish. Stone and Hall raced each other to the finish line with half about length separating them with Dyer a couple of minutes back flying a bright green gennaker for finish fourth.
Overall Mark Winters won the regatta with five guns a second and a third clearly the best of the fleet.
Many thanks to Gordon and his team for a fine event and a good turn out of Waiheke boats.
The photo shows Mark charging off the start line for yet another win.
