2007 Fielders Colorbond Classic
Lake Alexandrina Goolwa to Milang Freshwater Race
On Saturday the 24th of February, 8 members of the Lake Bonney Yacht Club took 6 Mosquito’s to Goolwa for the annual Lake Alexandrina Goolwa to Milang Freshwater race.
Starting on the Murray River at Laffins Point, upstream from the Hindmarsh Island Bridge, some 90 yachts of all descriptions set off in 9 separate divisions. The Mosquito sailors were the second last division to start in Division H. - a fleet of 12 catamarans including Yvonne 20’s with asymmetrical spinnakers, and Hobie 16’s.
In a stroke of misfortune, Beau DeLaine broke a forestay 20 minutes before the starting gun, losing his mast into the river and breaking the tiller in the process. In record time he and his helpers were able to retrieve the boat, repair the damage, and get him back on the water to start 10 minutes after the rest of the division.
More bad luck was on its way-, just 5 minutes into the race and comfortably leading the rest of the division, David Dunk and his crew Jaimee broke a diamond stay wire, which threatened to fold the mast over. Unable to continue, David had no option but to withdraw from the race.
With water being at a premium, a few boats found the bottom of the river in unexpected places, including Lake Bonney team Peter Dunk and Kirsten Thomas who spent some time in the mud trying to free a stuck centreboard.
With the bad luck flowing, another Mozzie, “Consummate Eze” was grounded at Clayton with a rather large window in the mainsail that wasn’t there at the start.
The typically gusty conditions coming from Hindmarsh Island buffeted the fleet and gave skippers and crews aching stomach muscles from extended periods on starboard tack. The shifty conditions meant a close beat to Clayton, with boats favouring the mid-stream route having to tack 10-12 times, while those who pinched to windward against the duck weed along Hindmarsh Island being able to sail from Goolwa to Point Sturt with 1-2 tacks.
There was some close racing as the Lake Bonney Mosquito’s threaded their craft through around 70 slower boats, at times passing boats that should have been well in front of the mozzies. The final leg of the river before entering the lake turned into a shy reach, followed by a broad reach in seriously choppy conditions with spindrift flying from the whitecaps in about 20 knots of steady breeze. The brave, or foolish, hung on trapeze to the very last, enjoying a screaming reach on the point of submersion.
At the Point Sturt gate into Lake Alexandrina just one Yvonne 20 (Kinetic) stood in front of the Lake Bonney Mosquito fleet. Unfortunately the spinnaker run across Lake Alexandrina gave the Yvonne the trophy for first boat home by just 9 minutes.
At the Milang finish line after approximately 2 hours racing, Lake Bonney Sailors finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th overall. Just 5 seconds separated 2nd and 3rd place, and 1 minute between 3rd and 4th. The 9th boat home started half an hour after the rest of the fleet due to assisting with repairs to the dis-masted yacht at Goolwa.
In all, a good days sailing and another display of the strength of the Mosquito class.
Division H Results:-
1st. Yvonne 20 531 Kinetic Paul Hawkins
2nd. Mosquito 1734 Go-Nads Andrew DeLaine
3rd. Mosquito 1732 Just Do It Steve Thomas
4th. Mosquito 1745 Two Obsessed Beau DeLaine
5th. Mosquito 1707 Natural Progression Peter Dunk
9th. Mosquito 1600 Screw Balls Brenton DeLaine
For full results go to
http://www.theclassic.org.au/results.htmlHappy Sailing
Andrew
