Top yacht gives fleet plenty to mull over

TASMANIAN yacht Philosopher has made an impressive start to the prestigious 2018 Australian Yachting Championships, heading both the IRC and PHS point scores in Division 3 after four races on a hot and windy Port Phillip.

The top-performing Sydney 36cr yacht from Hobart’s Derwent Sailing Squadron yesterday scored 3-1-2-2 in the IRC rating category and is sharing top of the leaderboard on eight points with local yacht Doesn’t Matter (Murray Mackay) which has placed 3-1-2-2 on corrected time,

Under PHS scoring, Philosopher, steered by the owner’s son, Sam, and with a youthful crew, has had a 1-2-4-3 result for 10 points. The Tasmanians are one point clear of another local boat from the host Sandringham Yacht Club, Rhapsody (Andrew Smith).

The opening day of the three-day regatta was sailed in temperatures that exceeded 40C with racing starting in a hot 18-22 knot northerly gusting to 27 knots. In early afternoon, a southerly sea breeze saw the wind change direction 180 degrees, with race four sailed in 18 knots.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall winner Ichi Ban, Matt Allen’s TP52 from Sydney, heads standings in IRC Division 1 after four races, while in Division 2 IRC the leader is local Melbourne yacht Ikon, a Beneteau 45 First, skippered by Bruce McCraken.

COMBINED Clubs keelboat racing returns to the Derwent today, with 56 yachts entered for the first post-Christmas pennant race, a long river race to be conducted by Bellerive Yacht Club.

After four races on the Derwent, Doctor Who (Rod Jackman) heads both the IRC and PHS categories of Group 1 while Don Calvert’s Intrigue (Don Calvert) is leading in Division 1 AMS.

ON Lake Macquarie in NSW, the South Australian-Tasmanian crew of Malcolm Higgins and Nick (“Camel’’) Johnston finished fifth overall in the 505 Australian championship.