Regattas collided at Easter
THE changeover from daylight saving, the end of summer sailing racing events and the Easter break all came together last weekend in two melded regattas in southern Tasmania.
Because the traditional dates for the Port Esperance Regatta at Dover (always over Easter) and the Barnes Bay event (normally a two-day regatta on the last Saturday/ Sunday closest to the end of daylight saving) coincided this year many sailors competed in a combined three-day program.
The action started on the Friday morning with a race in two divisions from Wrest Point in Hobart to a line off Dennes Point on North Bruny — the first race in the Barnes Bay Regatta run by the Kingborough Boating Club.
KBC commodore Peter Williams said it was the third year in a row that the regatta had been beset by strong winds with a brisk trip for the two divisions.
But by that afternoon in Barnes Bay itself the weather had deteriorated and only division one boats contested the race with some retirements as well as the cancellation of division two racing.
“Nonetheless, there was a good turnout of both racing craft and cruising boats for the gathering off the pontoon in Quarantine Bay and the barbecue at the nearby historic Quarantine Station catered for by the Friends of Quarantine Group,” he said.
“The regatta has always been a mixture of solid racing and a family-oriented chance to get together on the water at the end of summer and this year was no exception,” he said.
The regatta will revert to the normal end of March date next year.
Results from the Barnes Bay Regatta:
Overall division one: Zephyr (Ian Johnston) 1, Philosopher (Shaun Tiedmann) 2, Ciao Baby 2 (Bill Batt) 3. Race one (on corrected time): Zephyr (Ian Johnston) 1, Liberte Express (Peter Williams) 2, Philosopher (Shaun Tiedmann) 3. Race two: Zephyr 1, Philosopher 2, Ciao Baby 2 2.
Division two (one race): Breakaway (Victoria Logan) 1, Athena (Jane and Phil Mason) 2, Young One (Nathan Mills & Jay Nibb) and L’Etoile (Mark Dawson) equal 3.
On Easter Saturday many of the Barnes Bay fleet of racers and cruisers joined a feeder race event from Barnes Bay to Dover for the two-day Huon Tasmanian Salmon Port Esperance Regatta at Dover.
Port Esperance Sailing Club commodore Matt Wardell said the traditional regatta had been a fantastic success _ a racing and community event in a spectacular setting.
“Next year the regatta will celebrate its 160th anniversary and the club is already planning a special program ,” he said.
Results of this year’s racing events were: Huon Tasmanian Salmon keel boat series: Ciao Baby 2 (Bill Batt) 1, Taspaints (Ian Stewart) 2, Hydrotherapy (Jim Thorpe) 3.
Huon Tasmanian Salmon keel boat cruising event: Pacific Flyer (Gavin Rigby).
Driftwood Cottage race for classic boats (Noel Doepel memorial) Aotea (Annie Venables).
Franklin Marine William Jackson Cup: Ciao Baby 2 (Bill Batt). Barnes Bay to Dover: Pacific Flyer (Gavin Rigby). Barnes Bay to Dover (cruising): Ciao Baby 2 (Bill Batt).
Off the beach B.K Price Trophy series: Scott Price 1, Peter Watson 2, Aleksandra Price 3, Off the beach series: Lucia Gasperini 1, Stella Gasperini 2.
Holiday activities
BOOK early is the message for the coming school holiday program to be run by the Tasmanian Maritime Museum.
The theme for this session is “Pirates Day” with a Tasmanian flavour and it is open to children aged from seven to 12.
The dates are Monday, April 16 and Thursday, April 19 and the following week on Monday, April 23 and Thursday. April 26. All sessions run from 10am to midday.
There is a widely varied list of activities including access to the museum’s ship simulator and children can come dressed as pirates if they wish.
Registrations invited for wooden boats
AND on a different note, boat owners wanting to be part of the MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival next year as participants in the boats afloat or boats ashore displays should start thinking about getting their application together now. Expressions of interest in the boats afloat section are expected to open this month and for boats ashore a little later in the year.
Organisers stress that it is not a first-come best-dressed reminder but because there are always more applications than berths available for boats to be tied up alongside it is advisable to get in early.
“The application period will be open for six months and all will be considered fairly in the final choice,” AWBF general manager Paul Cullen said.
“But boat owners can improve their chances with a well-prepared submission.”
This will include complete basic details of length, beam and construction and a good 100 to 200 word description of the boat’s history and other information including design etc and, importantly good clear photographs showing length and on the quarter.
There will further details on the application timetable released regularly.