In order to blow away the cobwebs after the Club AGM, a few boats turned out the next day, suitably armed with water-bombs and water-pistols, for the Eightsome Reel pursuit race.
The boats started from the mouth of the DB marina on a time dictated by their DBPN handicap and then sailed a local figure-of-eight course around Peng Chau and Hei Ling Chau - once in each direction. The Committee boat monitored the central ‘gate’ and acted as finish line once the two laps had been completed. First to last, the start times spread the boats an hour and a quarter apart at the start, but this quickly compressed in the variable winds and tides between the islands.
A very close finish saw Wizard just catching and beating Epic to the line by 80 m in a lovely SE’ly breeze. A photo of the melee at the centre of the course is below, taken from the Committee boat alongside the central ‘gate’ through which the boats had to pass on each lap.
More entries next time should make this a very interesting, fun Pursuit Race format...
Photo’s courtesy of Race Officer, Mark MacDonald.
