Waglan 12

Under the influence of an anticyclone, the weather was fine and dry on Sunday, the 23rd of March. For sailors, not a great deal of wind but enough to get 25 boats over the line for the final of the Waglan Series 2024-25. Out to play were some of the big names in local yachting like Kikukie's Dream II, Wild Card, Next and Arcturus+ racing under the International Racing Certificate handicap system, and DBX2, Skywalker and Easy Breezy II in the Performance Handicap System.

Making its first appearance in the series was the Cape 31, Capitano – a good result for Denis Martinet and crew would improve their chances in the IRC Nationals. The brave J/80, JeNa PaBe, and the colourful Sense 46, Generations, were sadly missing among the cruisers but the classic Hans Christian 41T, Bowline, graced the PHS start along with Ganyibei, a newcomer entered by Spencer Suen.

The Waglan Series spans two years and is mainly about the tactical challenges of racing among Hong Kong's picturesque southern islands. On two of the 10 race days during 2024 and 2025, the committee set geometric courses southeast of Lamma Island to test the physical skills of the sailors and add variety to the series. Incidentally, on both these days, the wind held long enough for the committee to tack on two additional races for the IRC boats. The results of Races 5a and 9a will either be included or discarded as skippers see fit.

When departing the Aberdeen Boat Club, and having studied the predicted weather systems for the day, race officer Alex Johnston was considering Course 15 for both IRC and PHS but would make a final decision when wind readings from around the course were sent in.

It took a while to find the right spot but finally, at 1030, committee boat coxswain, Leo, was instructed to drop the anchor and Shun Fung came to a rest closer to Ocean Park than usual. About 0.4 nautical miles in towards Repulse Bay, support boat driver, Sai Fuk, waited for instructions to lay the Outer Distance Mark.

Then, at 1045, the RO decided to postpone the start and raise the AP flag. VHF Channel 72 crackled to life and he informed everyone that there would be a short delay while the ODM was moved due to the shifting breeze. He announced Course 15 (L) for the IRC entries and Course 15 (S) for the cruisers.

He went on: "Just to remind everyone not to stray into the East Lamma Channel Traffic Separation Scheme," adding that "because of the light airs, there is no Chesterman Gate. I repeat, no Chesterman Gate." Incidentally, Chesterman Buoy marks the end of the separation scheme so rounding it to starboard means you are, in effect, in the outbound lane of the TSS.

At 1104 the AP came down and one minute later the five-minute gun sounded for the start of racing.

Thirteen IRC boats crossed the line at 1110 and headed for the gap between Round Island and the Cheshire Home. Not very quickly, though, as the wind, blowing from the southeast, was little more than 5 knots. The Observatory had predicted Force 2 and, for once, they were spot on.

Course 15 (L) included Castle Rock, a Tai Tam Club Mark, TCS2, back to Castle Rock and a sprint to the finish at Round Island.

At 1115, the PHS A and B fleets enjoyed a clean start but, strangely, decided to go right, outside Round Island and even outside Chesterman Buoy. Worse, there was little wind to be found in the Lamma Channel and many of them struggled to make headway. Their course took in Castle Rock, the Tai Tam Club Mark, Beaufort Island, Castle again, and a finish off Round Island.

Boats that went closer inshore, like Nightshift, made reasonable progress but after the frontrunners passed Bluff Head the wind died almost completely. It didn't look like anyone would reach the Tai Tam Club Mark.

The race officer, waiting at the mark, decided to reduce the pain for everyone and lay the finish at Castle Rock. The committee boat headed south and dropped anchor at 1230. Along with two blasts of the horn at 1240, he informed everyone that the finish line had been laid between Shun Fung and Castle Rock.

Line honours for IRC was taken by Capitano at 12:53:52. The Cape 31 also took handicap honours ahead of Kikukie's Dream II and Wild Card. Aberdeen Boat Club stalwart, Redeye, placed 4th. In IRC 2, Arcturus+ won on handicap ahead of Nightshift and Witchcraft.

Winner of PHS A was Thomas Wong's DBX2. Pascal Martin put in a fine performance to steer Skywalker into 2nd place ahead of Johnny Ma's Tipsy Easy. PHS B was won by East Breezy II, with Shun Shui in 2nd and John Berry's Five O One in 3rd.

Sadly, in the trying conditions, four boats retired.

A final note, Race 12 was actually the fourteenth race in the Waglan Series for the IRC boats as they had sailed an 'extra' race (5a) on the 24th of November 2024 and another (9a) on the 2nd of February 2025.