Apollo Bay Sailing Club

Tell Tales

Sat. 16th November 2019

Rough weather beyond Cape Otway held the fishermen in the harbour at the start of the crayfishing season – but would it be OK in the Bay for adventurous sailors?

Big Bill Gross and Seaman Sheers set a starboard course as the winds came in at 20 knots gusting 25 but seemed like 30 knots at times!

The big keelboats took in a reef or two to reduce their sail sizes & the dinghies set up for rough weather – mast rammed hard forward, outhaul, vang and cunningham on tight. Fingers crossed and off we go!

Five boats hit the line with crews hiking hard or sitting on the rails with their feet over the sides to keep the boats upright.

Affrodite led the Flying Fifteens to the top mark before a clumsy tack allowed Miss Molly and April Dancer to shoot through and the race was on.

Keelboats Boheme and Ten+One powered upwind with sails reefed smashing through the waves as the water poured along the gunnels. Downwind the lighter flying fifteens surfed the foaming waves like greyhounds of the seas in moments of pure adrenalin.

Peter Bourne and Anton Tibbits on Miss Molly shone on the reaches flying down the waves – til disaster struck. A sidestay snapped and only dropping the sails in a flash saved the mast from bending. A sad tow back to Harbour ended the race for the Mollies.

Ten+One showed a clean bottom to the pack and took line honours ahead of Boheme. April Dancer led the flying fifteens – til Bruce & Geraldine dropped their spinnaker pole but circled back smartly to pluck it from the waves & hold their lead among the dinghies.

Wow that was a hoot! Sailing’s such fun and very affordable – you should give it a try. It should be calmer next week!

Life is good. Come Sailing!

To find out more see our website www.apollobaysailingclub.org.au or our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club