Issue date
"All Boats, All Boats, This is Race Control. If you can hear this you are on the wrong channel!" Day 2 of the Tasman Bay Cruising Club's fourth Nelson Regatta, and the record fleet numbers are on their way across to Torrent Bay in an increasing northerly.
Day 1 saw the Romeo and Juliet fleets and a separate class of Trailer Yachts sailing three races round the buoys in blustery conditions, which took their toll of spinnakers and sailors. At the end of the day John Leydon in Wizard had proved his superiority amongst the Trailer Sailors and the larger boats were assessing their chances in the four coastal races to come.
By mid afternoon on day 2 the fleet had ducked in between Fisherman and Adele Islands, negotiated the Astrolabe, safely rounded Pitt Head and were tucked up in the Anchorage preparing for an evening of swimming, socialising and singing from the amazing voice of the Rear Commodore.
The cheerful tones of the organiser over the radio at nine next day were greeted with some groans but all boats made it to the start line for a short race up the coast and round to the western side of Tonga Island.
Next came a new leg of the regatta, racing from Tonga Island north, round Separation Point, then west across Golden Bay to a finish off Tarakohe Harbour. Superb wind conditions meant that all boats finished in good time and the Harbour Manager slotted in an extra twenty eight boats without turning a hair.
The evening entertainment was provided by a very hospitable team from the Pohara Boating Club in their splendid premises beside the harbour. An influx of something over 150 yachties worried them not a bit and great new friendships were formed over an excellent meal.
Day 4 dawned somewhat grey but the signs of a decent northerly filling in to blow the fleet back on the long (37mile) leg back to Nelson had the race committee breathing a collective sigh of relief. By 0930 all boats were on their way and a whisker over four hours later Oldsmobile crossed the finish line in Nelson Harbour, with the slowest boat less than two hours later.
Busy collation of results followed and at a lively prizegiving later in the evening some very generous cash prizes donated by our other major sponsor, Unimar, the offshore support services company, were presented to :
Romeo Fleet: 1st Gucci, 2nd Farr Away, and 3rd Redline.
Juliet Fleet : 1st Laricina, 2nd Westerly, and 3rd Playdoh
"We"ll be back" said most people I talked to, "Best Ever ! " said a number of others, and who am I to disagree with them?
