DF95 Mid Week Handicap

A cold, blustery and shifty north-wester of 20 knots gave skippers plenty to contend with at today’s DF95 handicap at Risdon Brook Dam. I am guessing that quite a few skippers exercised discresion and chose to stay warm at home as it was a small intrepid group that turned up to race.
 
B-rigs were the order of the day and were universally chosen by the skippers for the morning session. After lunch the A-rigs were given a try as conditions had been moderating but as soon as the change had been made the wind returned with its former fierce gusts and so skippers all changed down again.
 
Andrew Floyd turned up with his IOM today after mistaking the monthly schedule. Luckily Wayne had brought a spare boat and so Andrew was able to get the feel of a DF95. The truth Andrew, is that having one radio yacht in not nearly enough!
 
Gear failure played its part today and noticeably the three who took overall podium honors were the only ones to finish all the races. Stuart Dawes retired after the first race with servo problems, my winch called it a day at lunchtime and Phil Turnbull’s mainsheet kept him at the repair shop for most of the morning. 
 
Third place was taken by Ian Hey who sailed well in the difficult conditions.
 
Second was Wayne Behrens who very quickly took his handicap from 40 to the maximum of 90 with handicap penalties from first four races. 
 
Today’s winner was Ray Joyce who finished with ‘all podium results’ and -2 points overall once discards and bonuses were taken into account.
 
Thanks as always to Andrew Wardrop for his work as PRO. 
 
It was a tough day in the cold and blustery conditions but it is pretty well always worth going out to race radio yachts.

REMINDER - ADFRSA AGM
The ADFRSA is having their AGM tomorrow night, Thursday, 3rd November at 7.30pm. You shoudl ahve received a few emails from the Secretary for this, the last one being tonighs reminder email. It would be great to get some Tasmanian representation at the meeting. If you cannot find your AGM email, contcat Kyle and he'll forward the one that was sent to him for log in details etc.
 
Reminder of upcoming sailing
Saturday will have the A Class yachts returning to Montrose for some scratch racing. Button press at 11am
Sunday’s scratch racing will be for IOM yachts at Montrose at the summer-time start time of 1:00. 
Next Wednesday’s handicap will be for IOM’s (button press 11:00)
And don’t forget that there is still time to enter for the Tasmanian IOM Championships at Montrose 12th -13th  November. (Enter on-line)
 
John S