The Boardwalk Hobie 16 Nationals kicked off today, 27 April with one race that sorted the men from survivors.
Race Officer Ronnie Baer elected to sail Course 6G first – windward leeward with a gate. The Weather forecast was for a North West of approximately 26 knots – on the edge for the Hobies but sail-able in the flat offshore conditions.
The top mark was laid close to the old Humewood Slipway and east of Shark Rock Pier with the gate approximately 300 metres on the shore side of the Bell Buoy.
The race was started after the skippers briefing in a steady 24 to 27 knots off of a relatively neutral line and first over were local favourites, Andrew and Angela Ward, with Blaine and Roxanne Dodds hot on their heels. 40 boats on the course made for a colourful spectacle. Most elected to sail towards Bird Rock and the relative shelter and flat seas that side of the course presented.
All boats made it around the top mark safely and started the ‘hairy’ run down to their gate of choice, hitting larger swell and increased wind for the jibe and, many going for an early swim.
On the next round the wind increased to over 30 knots with gusts estimated at 35 and 38 – depending on who was reporting.
And then the capsizes began to occur more frequently with some crews taking up to four attempts to get upright.
Eventually 16 boats managed to finish and the rest of the fleet had to be satisfied with a Did Not Finish (DNF) for the first and only race of the day.
First out of the gate and second over the finish line, Andrew Ward said; “The first three quarters of the race were fine with up to 27 knots after which the increase in wind speed dictated that we had to sail basically to just keep it upright, consolidate and complete the course. We overstood the finish and had to foot off to make the line. We are very happy with our start which had us out of the blocks at speed and ahead in clear air.”
The provisional results so far after one race:
- Blaine and Roxanne Dodds
- Andrew and Angela Ward
- William and Lucinda Edwards
- Alan and Daniel Lawrence
- Peter and Dylan Swales
- John McGillivray and Paula Archibald
- Belinda and Grant Hayward
- Wessel van der Merwe and Sisa Mphikiswa
- Craig and Mark Teasdale
- Andrew Young and Pippa Edwards
- Byron Ravenscroft and Martin Struwig
- Douglas Edwards and Katyo Dando
- Brent Hayward and Tyronne Hammick
- Mike and Judith Herald
- Donald Brink and Anastasia
- Charles Girard and Michael Swanepoel
The forecast for tomorrow is for a light 3 to 7 knots North Easterly swinging to East.
Alan Straton
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Are we going to see anything on television about the Hobie 16 on television?
Riana, The Boardwalk Hobie 16 Nationals is being filmed for Supersport and SABC’s Morning Live has indicated that they will come down to film (Thanks Janine!)