What a difference a day makes! The third and final day of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s China Coast Regatta dawned sunny and still, but by 0900hrs a 030 ̊degree breeze had been spotted at Tai Tam Bay. A notice to competitors had been issued overnight allowing the Race Officer more flexibility in the area selected for the race start and this allowed Steve Bourne to set up the first windward/ leeward for the day just off Beaufort Island to make the most of the breeze.
An on-the-water amendment to the Sailing Instructions was also effected to allow an additional race for the IRC Racing fleet, giving them a full series and a discard to boot. Short, sharp racing was the order of the day, and after eighty minutes and three laps Jelik 2 heard the gun for Racing Division 0. The other Divisions were all set a two lap course, with EFG Bank Mandrake taking 1st in Racing Division 1, Red Kite II in Division 2, Kei Lun in the Classic Cruisers and Boadicea in HKPN.
Bourne then sent the Classic Cruiser and HKPN fleets off on their final race of the series, an islands course, before relaying the start line for the second windward/leeward of the day for the Racing Divisions to deal with a swing in wind direction to 055 ̊.
The ‘replacement’ race got underway in 10-14kts, with Audi ultra showing improving crew work to pull away from her peers and take line honours two minutes ahead of Jelik 2. However it was Hi Fi who took the point on corrected time, putting her in an invincible position for the overall series.
EFG Bank Mandrake had a cracking day in Racing Division 1, taking another win on corrected time while Minnie the Moocher took the gun. In a keenly contested Racing Division 2, Whiskey Jack was thrilled to get her first win of the Regatta, pushing Red Kite II into 2nd place.
The final race for all the Racing Divisions was an islands course, and Bourne took pity on the rugby fans on board the fleet by setting the shortest possible course. After sending Division 2 off first, Bourne planned to start Division 1, however a mass OCS led to a general recall – even on the restart, Ambush and Stella contrived to be over, taking some time to get back and clear the line.
By the time all the fleets were on their way, Moonblue 2 was in sight, and the Committee boat set up to shorten course at Stanley Mark for all classes, to ensure a timely finish to the weekend’s racing.
After three days of ‘mixed bag’ conditions, the competitors were left with a memory of China Coast Regatta with the sort of breeze traditionally enjoyed in October.