Wow, the weather, volunteers and skippers ‘pushed the boat out’ for us today. Light breeze around ENE and a sunny disposition all around. Rick CB and Tex in Rata set a perfect course, and Vern R set the ANZAM software up with the skippers’ names and sail numbers while Steve, Mike, Lindsay, Gillian and Sheila got their heads around the process of recording results across the line, checking them, entering them, adjusting the Fleet Board and preparing the next heats’ results sheets. Tex demonstrated how easy it is to set up the 3 x 3 gazebo he has kindly donated to the Club for multi usage including shelter for the race officials (which worked well today).

In the Skippers’ Briefing, Ian McGregor introduced Graeme Perry who was visiting from Kapiti Coast. Graeme is leading the administration of the DF 65s and 95s across New Zealand and enjoyed meeting some of our DF 95 folk and seeing our club in action. It was only a matter of minutes before he had a transmitter in his hands.

Thirteen skippers were placed in two heats for the ‘Seeding Race 1’ of the Qualifying Series in the Simple Heat Racing System (SHRS). The odd placed yachts went into the same heats again for Race 2 but the even placings swapped, and the same trick was used for Race 2 into 3. Race 4 was held after lunch to complete the Qualifying Series.

Vern R switched ANZAM to the Finals Series and we got through 3 more races of Gold and Silver Heats. Steve, Lindsay, Gillian, Mike and Sheila were in full flight and called another race, although rumours quickly spread that Sheila was delaying the pack-up until our son Ian and children arrived for a birthday celebration for me after racing. Indeed, the skippers who hung around after Race 8, got through 41 chocolate and carrot cupcakes and sang the birthday song conducted by grandson Hamish.

Huge thank you to the skippers for the scoring rehearsal ahead of the 2020 IOM South Island Championship, and…

• Vern (for his knowledge of ANZAM)
• Sheila (for entering the data – leaving Vern free to race)
• Steve French (non-member friend of Paul and Sheila)
• Mike Pacey, Lindsay and Gillian MacDougall
• the IOMers and DF 95ers (who turned out to make up the numbers to run two heats)

It was vital and successful to run the rehearsal with live racing to test the process. We now have lots to work on to get ready for 14 March for PRSC to run a successful South Island Regatta.

Paul J