"The 2011 Batemans Bay Regatta attracted an excellent fleet of 99 boats
last. The turnout was particularly strong in the Cherub, Tasar, Sharpie and
Maricat classes. The Maricats held their Australian Championships as part of
the regatta. There were two races on Saturday afternoon and two on Sunday.
On Sunday the trailerable yachts sailed a race around Batemans Bay using
Batemans Bay Sailing Club permanent marks.
Conditions were a bit patchy as can be the case at this time of year. The
first race was sailed in a light northerly gradient breeze. The fleet became
quite strung out as the best tacticians managed to stay in the good
pressure. A nor'east sea breeze came in mid afternoon forcing a hurried
realignment of the course between races. The second race provided some great
spinnaker rides as the breeze filled in. On Sunday racing had to be
postponed until a nor'wester came down the river around midday. This built
up to 10 to 20 knots which had the big cats flying.
Cherub sailor Alison Chapman fell off her boat between races while her crew
Tom Drury carried on single handed aboard their boat "Enough Rope". After a
prolonged swim she was retrieved by one the Laser sailors and returned to
her boat. Despite this "Enough Rope" went on to win the last race and the
Cherub class overall. In the Laser Radials racing was very close with
placings separated by the proverbial biscuit toss. Canberra sailor Rick
Longbottom prevailed. In the Tasars world champions Rob and Nicole Douglass
were way too strong. Amongst the regular BBSC sailors Tom Tester was equal
first in his division sailing his Formula 14 catamaran, Gary Foley and Annie
Hodge finished fifth in the Tasar class aboard "Sea Ferret", Rob Way and
Peter Schwarz finished 8th in their division sailing their Hobie 18
"Matron" while Rob Currall piloted his Taipan 4.9 "Knock Out" to 7th in the
same division.
As usual a large proportion of the BBSC membership turned up to help run the
regatta. BBSC's new committee boat "Clarence the Clocker" did a great job as
a race management platform. Her crew were race officers Peter and Lynn
Connell, Dave McGill, Colin Enright, Michael Reisima, Sarah Kennedy and
Lachlan Brown. Other race management crew included Andrew Bain, Ross
Hayward, Keiren O'Phee, Michael O'Brien, Ron Spelman, James Gardiner, Simon
Lowth, Warren Jones, Gus McDonald, Ray Bull and Tony Sutton. Helpers ashore
included Lynn Bain, Sandra and Robin Davey, Richard Dunne, Terry Paton, Rob
Douglass and Judy Brown."
Lachlan Brown
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