Waglan 5a

The Waglan Series is the Aberdeen Boat Club's main racing series during the colder winter months. It spans two calendar years and typically enjoys monsoonal winds from the northeast. Confirmed entries for the current series stand at 26, not counting the 'casuals' who join on the day.

Going back a little, conditions on Sunday, the 3rd of November 2024, were so good that the race committee held the scheduled Races 3 & 4 and was able to include a third race – or Race 5 – later in the afternoon. Hence, the race held two weeks later on the 24th of November, became 'Race 5a'. This will all be worked into the final series results on the 23rd of March 2025.

At 1000 on the morning of the 24th, the committee boat, Shun Fung, dropped anchor in its usual place between Round Island and Ocean Park while race officer, Alex Johnston, and his team decided on courses for the two fleets. Course 17 (L) was chosen for the five IRC entries and Course 17 (S) for the ten PHS boats. Sai Fuk, the club's reliable and cheerful support boat driver, rushed off to lay a windward mark 0.4 nautical miles in towards Repulse Bay and a club mark in Sheung Sze Mun, off Tai Tam Bay.

The main difference between the two courses, as set out in the club's Standard Sailing Instructions 2022 Revised Edition, is the longer course (L) takes in Sung Kong and Shek O Rock, while the shorter course (S) leaves out these two and has its cruisers rounding Fury Rocks instead. There is quite a big difference in lengths – 20 nautical miles for the longer and 14.6 nautical miles for the shorter course.

At 1035, the competitors started appearing. First came Eddy Lee's 'fleet' consisting of the Beneteau Sense 46, Generations, and the Neo 430, Next. Then came Kikukie's Dream, the crew in high spirits and ready to do battle. After that, boats arrived in quick succession ready for the 'off' at 1100.

But there was a small problem. Just as the RO was making his welcome speech at 1045, and paddling right across the start headed for Middle Island, came what seemed to be an endless line of canoeists, stretching from the ODM all the way back to Round Island and beyond! Given that Johnston favours long start lines, it is not difficult to imagine how long it took for these paddlers to clear the course. Oh dear.  

But, acting calmly, Johnston asked everyone to be patient and raised the AP flag, and waited.


Eventually, at 1059, the AP came down and an orange flag was raised. At 1105, the starting sequence for the two IRC divisions began and, five minutes later, five racing machines surged across the start in an almost straight line. All clear.

2 Easy pulled away from the others and was soon around the windward mark. But Arcturus+ and Kikukie's Dream were closing the gap and the race was looking set to be a fast one.

The PHS boats, altogether 10 in the A and B divisions, started at 1115. Shun Shui had positioned itself well at the start and led the PHS fleets to the windward mark. Unusually, the competitive J/80, JeNa PaBe, was not at its best and trailed the fleets.

The boats passed Stanley and Tai Tam without incident and, at 1230, wind readings from the Tai Tam Club Mark were 12 knots from the east-northeast.

As the boats left the Beaufort Channel (Sheung Sze Mun), the wind began to build and readings of 14 to 16 knots came in from Shek O. The IRC boats were relishing the conditions, especially in the open waters around Sung Kong and off Shek O Rock. The smaller, or less experienced, boats in PHS struggled a little but only one, Tipsy Easy, retired at 1325.

Both courses turned out to be just the right length – under three hours. No need to shorten this time.

Kikukie's Dream II stayed strong throughout the race and captured 1st on handicap in IRC 1. In 2nd was Glenn Smith's Wild Card and 3rd, Stefan Filip's Neo One. In IRC B, Arcturus+ placed 1st and 2 Easy, 2nd.

Pascal Martin in PHS A, steered Skywalker to victory ahead of DBX2 and Concorde. In the B division, veteran campaigner Five O One took the honours, with the brave J/80, JeNa PaBe, in 2nd and The Rising Sun from Discovery Bay in 3rd.

Race 6 in the Waglan Series 2024-25 will be on Sunday, the 8th of December.

 
   
 
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