Lee leads 16ft Skiff NSW Titles after Day 2 abandoned
An uncooperative seabreeze and a procession of shipping movements prevented any racing from being completed on a disappointing Day 2 of the NSW 16ft and 13ft Skiff Titles being sailed at Port Hunter 16ft Sailing Skiff Club, Newcastle Harbour.
Two attempts were made to get Race 2 underway at midday, both resulting in recalls. The shipping window then closed and the 44-strong fleet of 16s, along with 17 13ft Skiffs, headed back to shore.
Forecasters had predicted a 25-knot nor-easter and nearby Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club abandoned its offshore racing due to a gale warning, however the wind gods missed the memo. It remained fickle until racing was called around 2pm.
It left reigning national champion Sarah Lee leading the series after claiming Race 1 on Saturday. The St George sailor has regular crewman Kurtis Warner aboard her skiff Bosker Build, with veteran Peter Mackie replacing Keagan York on the mainsheet.
In stark contrast to today, Saturday’s race had a clean start in 20-knots of breeze and a hectic first work under No.2 rigs. Manly’s Imagine Signage was first to the top mark before skipper Nathan Wilmot mistook the buoy and sailed further on.
Belmont’s Skelcon (Henry Makin) rounded correctly and grabbed the lead briefly as chaos and carnage ensued at the mark for the bunched fleet, compounded by a sharp, wind-versus-tide chop.
Bosker Build moved from fifth to second on the run then overhauled Skelcon to win by 30 seconds.
“It was a pretty hairy race for everyone, regardless of whether you were at the front or back, but pretty good fun,” Lee said. “There were a lot of boats to make your way around and I was actually puffed because we had so many tacks and gybes for such a short race.”
Wilmot still managed a smile after recovering to finish third: “It was good fun and a good, hard, quick race against a lot of boats on a small track. I think when we come to these events it’s enjoyable to race against boats we don’t normally compete against.”
First home in the 13ft Skiff class was Harken, helmed by Heidi Bates from Manly, ahead of clubmates Cybertechgroup (Ash Naper) and Sail Media (Ben Milham).
The State series will head to Manly 16ft Skiff Club on the weekend of November 30-December 1, with race officer Hugh Leicester hoping to make up for at least one lost race from the Port Hunter weekend.
Results: https://ty.skiffs.org.au/202425/index.htm?ty=46042
Mark Rothfield
