Monsoon Winter 4

"We're going around Kau Sai Chau," was the word onshore as sailors and race officials passed through the club on the morning of Sunday, the 7th of December 2024. Outside, as midday approached, groups of happy sailors on the pontoon, waiting for the club's ferry boats, made it clear that an islands course was just what was needed in such glorious weather.

Temperature outside in Port Shelter was 21.9 degrees and humidity, 67%. The wind was blowing 10 knots from the north while overhead, the sky was clear and visibility good, although Ma On Shan and Clearwater Bay were a little hazy. Race officer, Frances Hurley, chose Course 40 which takes in a Club Mark, the Green Beacon at Shek Chau, Tai Tau Chau, Bay Islet and Ma Tsai Pai. In other words, a clockwise rounding of Kau Sai Chai, proving the rumours correct!

The committee boat, Hebe One, stopped in the middle of Port Shelter while the officials took stock of the situation. Hurley wanted a reach for the first leg of the race so she moved Hebe One to the southwest quadrant of Port Shelter and laid the Club Mark to the north, at the mouth of Inner Port Shelter.


Noah
was the first boat to arrive, followed slowly but surely by 25 others. There were not enough IRC entries so it was decided that there would be a J/80 class and two PHS divisions – A and B. Any IRC boats that did show up would race in PHS A.

Over on the eastern side of the bay, at 1205, the classic Colin Archer ketch, Jadalinkir, built in Sydney in 1946, slipped by on its regular Saturday morning sail to unspoiled parts of the territory. And, not far from the committee boat, a fleet of Optimists bounced along in the lively seas. Everyone was having a great time – fresh winds and clear skies make a big difference.

At 1225, the ODM was laid for a short-ish line while crews checked in to the committee boat on their VHF radios. White horses began to appear and the wind piped up. One reading registered 15 knots – the Northeast Monsoon was doing its job.


Because everyone was following the same course, the RO let the cruisers go first and, at 1300, five PHS B boats crossed the line with Marmalade in the lead. Adagio and Voyages 53 arrived late so, sadly, both scored a DNS.

Next came the mid-fleet, PHS A at 1305, The two VX One sportsboats ducked and dived among the bigger boats, mixing it with the likes of Zoe's Guard and Minnie the Moocher, and doing very well in the process. There are now four of these nippy little sportsboats in Hong Kong – when will we see more? The 22 cruisers and sportsboats were soon criss-crossing Port Shelter, headed for the Club Mark.

Last away were the four Hebe Haven Yacht Club J/80s. Ever popular with both local sailors and Mainland crews, the J/80s have courted controversy in the past but are now the mainstay of Hebe Haven Yacht Club's many racing programmes.


After one and a half hours of racing, overall and PHS A line honours went to Johnson Yuen in Zoe's Guard at 14:37:04. In PHS A, though, 1st place was occupied by Team Hebe Dragons in a VX One – Rafael Buitre was at the helm. In 2nd came Zoe's Guard while 3rd place was filled by regular campaigner, Minnie the Moocher.

PHS B, the first division to start, Baby Beluga won line honours but, on handicap, Marmalade took the honours ahead of the enthusiastic Noah while Baby Beluga was relegated to 3rd.

The J/80s were won by Team X-Terminator (Jive), helmed by Juliet Ashton. In 2nd place came First Order (Baring Asia 2) and 3rd, Weekend Sailing (Jelik 7).

 
   
 
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