Piccaninny pick of the boats
Omokoroa Boat Club — April 10. Our sailing day was a perfect one to get out on to the placid waters of the Tauranga Harbour. The only problem for the Omokoroa Fleet was the lack of a vital element: wind.
It was decided to motor down to Panepane wharf in hope of a breeze and at least the tide to bring us home. The forecast indicated SSE or SSW light breezes. The tide was high in Omokoroa at 14.40 and 1.6m.
The start was at 11.56 and the starters were Against All Odds,
Caribbean, Diversion, Konini, Goldie and a newly polished Piccaninny, the sole trailer yacht in the fleet
It was agreed that we would sail up the Te Puna channel and then between Motuhoa Island and the sand bar to finish at D, off Omokoroa Point.
The start was in no breeze and the flooding tide. All yachts made a good start but some had their radios turned down but heard the siren.
It was a matter of tack for tack to use the tide to clear the West 10 mark before the reach up channel. Caribbean, Goldie and Piccaninny were clear initially and led the way passed the first mark. A tack into mid channel saw first Carribean and then Piccaninny with clear air pass the down wind Goldie.
Then Piccaninny got a lift from both tide and a breeze to pull clear and build an unassailable lead.
Looking back we saw Diversion and Carribean hoist spinnakers but to no avail. The Tasman 20 revelled in the light airs and slowly pushed up channel. As we turned into the Motuhoa passage the rest of the fleet was well behind. At the turn the wind started the midday change and moved to SSW which helped us reach across to the main channel and the finish at D. Mind you, we were looking closely at the depth for the last few hundred meters.
Pic finished at 13.38.08, 2nd was Against All Odds at 13.51.08, 3rd was Carribean at 13.55.06, 4th was Diversion at 13.56.03, 5th was Goldie at 13.58.27 and 6th was Konini at 14.47.00.
It was a great sail and the first time Piccaninny has got the double of handicap and line honours.
Many thanks to the excellent Crew work of Alan and Johan and to the rest of the fleet for being there.
The next and last sail of the summer series is on Sunday, briefing at 10.00 and we are due to welcome the Katikati Boat Club who may over night at Omokoroa and have dinner at the Club, hope you can come along and welcome there on Saturday night.