| SINGAPORE-(18-1-2003) Day 4 and another day of fresh breezes for the passage race from Nongsa back to Singapore and Changi Sailing Club. No calms and no holes made for fast passages with Irvmiren taking under two hours for line honours on the PY class' direct route.
I have not heard any reports of gear failures despite the fast sailing, perhaps the small amount of spinnaker work and few marks has a bearing on this.
Nevertheless I must report the incident which befell RSYC Satu. It seems that she was put about by a sudden wind shift combined with a lumpy sea and lost a crew member over the side. I am happy to be able to advise that the crew of RSYC Satu followed their training, making a radio report and giving their position taken from their GPS. Regatta support boats quickly attended the scene, rendered assistance and coordinated with the Singapore search and rescue authorities. Lynette was returned to Changi in style courtesy of the Republic of Singapore Navy and walked ashore with her faithful lifejacket tucked under her arm. All's well that ends well and I must say that I am very favourably impressed with the performance of the yacht's crew, the support crews of such a well organised regatta and of course the Singapore S and R authorities for their rapid response.
Today's course which included but one mark and only two tacks for most of Class B certainly suited heavier boats and Pilar seemed to revel in the conditions. Xen@ sported her No.2 for the first time in the regatta and really opened up a good gap from Next Page and Shoon Fung Too on the fast reach in from Eastern buoy to take first place, while the latter two yachts raced to a storming finish with the pub boat a mere half boat length ahead at the Changi Sailing Club line.
Racing Class A got off to a clean start and sailed a longer course across to Stapa before running back to Eastern and the long and fast reach in past the forbidding dark sheet pile walls of the Tekong reclamation to the club line at Changi. Jenny III seemed to be rather far back in the fleet but I have yet to find out why.
Karakoa took both line honours and first place. She was followed across the line by Hi Fidelity and Yo! whose positions switched on handicap.
I got ashore rather late to canvass for many stories. Some crews had departed for other venues, while others stayed at Changi Sailing Club to enjoy the excellent freshly made roti and tosai.
Tomorrow brings the sixth and last race and the grand finale and prize giving at the venerable but young at heart Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. The final results are still open and depend on tomorrows race. In Racing Class A Karakoa has a very healthy 6 points while Yo! with 4 second places to count is on 8 points. In Racing Class B the situation is similar with Xen@ on 6 points and Shoon Fung Too on 8.
It will be good racing tomorrow!
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