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Waglan 6
'The northeast monsoon is now affecting southern China and will strengthen gradually tomorrow,' said the Observatory's website. And for Sunday, the 8th of December 2024, the temperature was expected to fall from the previous day's high of 23 degrees to 16 degrees overnight. Add to that the wind chill factor and there was definitely a reason to stuff a second jersey into the kit bag.
Sunday morning, wrapped up on the committee boat, the race management team waited for race officer, Alex Johnston, to decide on a course. It was blowing relatively hard and a long course, allowing the faster boats to stretch their legs, was in order. "Course 20," he declared. "This will take them out to TCS 2, around Waglan and Castle, and back to Middle Island."
Wind recordings started coming in from Sai Fuk on the club's P4 sampan – a steady 8 knots from the north, with gusts of 12 near Chesterman Buoy. On Shun Fung (the committee boat), Johnson predicted that the breeze would swing to the east as the day progressed. He was partly right but, more importantly, not only did it hold for the duration of the race but it actually started to build as the afternoon wore on.
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The 14 boats that took part in Race 6 of the Aberdeen Boat Club's Waglan Series 2024-25 enjoyed exhilarating conditions and even the crew of the last boat home – 2 Easy – seemed to have had a great sail judging by the rousing cheer from Tiger Mok and crew as they crossed the finish line.
The race began with the departure of both IRC 1 and 2 at 1100 sharp. Kikukie's Dream II led the two divisions to the windward mark. The 6-knot northeasterly then softened off Repulse Bay and some boats struggled to make progress but, once past the Cheshire Home, they picked up speed approaching the Chesterman Gate and later Castle Rock. The big Solaris 60, Fenice, showed what it was capable of with experienced double-handed sailor, Philippe Grelon, at the helm.
Seven boats in two PHS divisions were next away in a clean start at 1105. Club boats – Skywalker, Concorde, Shun Shui and Five O One – made a strong impression as they caught up with the IRC tail-enders. Instead of TCS 2, Waglan Island and Sung Kong, the PHS boats rounded Fury Rocks instead and returned to Castle Rock through Lo Chau Mun, the channel between Beaufort and Po Toi Islands.
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Incidentally, the southwestern entrance to Lo Chau Mun has a depth of 71 metres according to the Marine Department's eSeaGo app. But it is also a designated Explosives Dumping Ground so, if you're ever thinking of dropping the hook for a leisurely lunch, best do it somewhere else!
The RO had planned on the race taking between three and four hours. He was spot on, considering the conditions and length of courses – Course 20 (L) was 21 nautical miles and Course 20 (S), 14.6 nautical miles.
Kikukie's Dream II placed 1st in IRC 1, with Glenn Smith's Wild Card in 2nd and the big Fenice second over line but 3rd on handicap. Neo One could only make 4th – perhaps because it didn't have its usual competition in Next, Eddy Lee's Neo 430. In IRC 2, the spirited Zesst took the top slot ahead of Arcturus+ and 2 Easy. Redeye, strangely, didn't turn up to race.
PHS A was won by the growing French contingent's Pascal Martin and crew on Skywalker, formerly owned by the late Barry Hill. Another ABC boat, Concorde, helmed by Patrick Delpy, took 2nd and Thomas Wong's DBX2, 3rd. Sadly, although entered, Ti'Punch didn't make the start and nor did the colourful Sense 50, Generations, and its ever-cheerful crew.
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