MC38 Swish trumps Act 5
The lottery that is winter sailing in Sydney toyed with the MC38 fleet for act 5 on Sydney Harbour. At the shortened series end, Steven Proud’s Swish held the narrowest margin win over the defending team, Marcus Blackmore’s Hooligan (RPAYC).
A countback separated the top two boats and third place, Shaun Lane and Quentin Stewart’s Lazy Dog (MHYC), was one point off.
Saturday brought biting south-west to south-east winds and rain and Sunday delivered stunning winter sun - a rare sight in Sydney due to La Niña’s firm grip on eastern Australia - but only enough knots to produce a single set of scores.
Middle Harbour Yacht Club race officer Steve Tucker attempted a fifth race but had to abandon when the sou’wester dropped from six to three knots, making it impossible for the one design fleet to sail the course within the time limit.
“Even though there was a smaller number of boats than usual, the best in the fleet were out there - and it was so close,” said the winning skipper. “The guys and girls crewing did a great job and so did Steve and his team, in what were trying circumstances. We all know that holding regattas in Sydney between April and July is a lottery,” Proud added.
Several MC38s are being trucked north for Hamilton Island Race Week, the main reason for this weekend’s smaller fleet.
The full complement will reconvene for act 6 back at Middle Harbour Yacht Club over the weekend of September 17-18.
The culmination of the class’s 2022 season is the three-day Australian Championship which will be hosted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron November 4-6.
Lisa Ratcliff
Australian MC38 Association media
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
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