|
SAFYC
Horsburgh Challenge - 29 May 2005
an account by Lee Sea Yean, Jangan Main-Main
|
L-R: Miranda, Robert, Li Chin,
Annabelle, LG Ng Yat Chung, Sea Yean
"Are you sure that
it's a good idea to round Horsburgh in a J/24?"
my bow, Li Chin, asked me when she found out that I
was signing up for the Challenge. "The wind and
sea-state during the inter-monsoon season shouldn't
be too bad," was my reply. And I had always wanted
to see this (in)famous eastern-most point of Singapore.
As expected, due to the (lack of) wind condition, the
Race Officers wisely spared us the agony and made us
round Stapa buoy instead.
|
 |
The inaugural Horsburgh Challenge saw a strong turn-out
of 11 keelboats for the IRC Class and 8 for the PY Class.
It was an encouraging start for the Club's signature
event - in addition to nearly the Club's entire keelboat
fleet, challengers also came from all the other local
clubs, including Jenny III and Platu from Changi Sailing
Club, Sumatra and Scallywag from RSYC and Next Page
from Raffles Marina.
|
| The early morning start saw
most of the boats scrambling to make it to the start line
on time. I started poorly and we had to play catch-up
right from the start. We settled down quickly and started
to claw our way back into the race. |
| We managed to catch Jumping Jack, Dream
and Victory and were starting to close with the bigger
IRC boats when the wind started to fade halfway through.
It died down so much that we were more drifting than sailing
the second time we rounded Stapa buoy. I could only watch
helplessly as the bigger IRC boats pulled further and
further away while we sat in the hole. |
 |
| Fortunately, lady luck smiled
on us when the brewing storm sent wind our way and with
the spin up, we flew pass nearly the entire PY fleet (sailing
the shorter course) and managed to again close the gap
with the leading IRC boats. We lowered the spin just before
the storm hit and pressed on with the genny (Storm jib?
What storm jib?). We were the 7th IRC boat across the
finish line in 4 hours 34 minutes and 10 seconds. We however
made up enough time and were scored first after correcting
for our IRC rating. |
 |
Many thanks to the crew for their
effort. My Bow, Li Chin, for spotting the wind patches.
My Mast, Robert, for his eagerness. My Trimmer, Annabelle,
for her effort to fly the spin in the non-existent wind.
And my Box, Miranda, for doing everything that needed
to be done.
And I still have not seen the eastern-most
point of Singapore. But there's always the Challenge
next year!*
|
| Ed's note:
The Horsburgh Challenge is the Club's signature keelboat
event and will be next held at the height of the blustery
north-east monsoon in Jan 2006 when conditions are likely
to enable most of the yachts to finish within daylight.
The inauguration of the Challenge on 29 May, apart from
adding some pizzazz to the Official Opening of Changi
Clubhouse, serves as a teaser to the actual event. |
|
