ORC races 1&2 on Gladstone Harbour

                                                            ORC Handicap start

          
                After two weekends of blustery strong winds and miserable rain and no sailing , everyone was keen to get out on the water ...

     Piranha , No Problem and Wistari had all headed south to deliver yachts to the start line for Easter's big event ... the Brisbane to Gladstone Multi hull Yacht Race ...

          and the other race going on .. The Brisbane to Gladstone Monohull Yacht Race...

                         Immigrant was still racing since the trailer takes care of her delivery..
                              but there was a definitely more conservative feel to the day ,
                          
                                   as we made note a spinnaker never made it out of the bag..

                              As is often the case the fun and games begin at the pontoon...

                               .. where even two boats have as many ropes going as ten..                                          

and where working motors seemed in short supply...more about engines later..

                            Cary has copyright on that hat .. What team is that??????

.. and the dynamic duo had won the battle of the boats and were congratulating themselves on moving to Herc for the afternoons entertainment..

very satisfied grin there Skye!

            
                                       Boats towed yachts

                                        Yachts and dinghies made their way out the creek...
               but on Doctor's Orders .. we were skipperless and mate less and still waiting waiting ..
     

                                                   Oh... here he comes our fearless leader...Ahh refreshments ..

                                                                            Naturally..

so we got him to work.. immediately..

                  

since i was spending most of my time on the top step of  the cockpit hatch..

in order to keep the camera dry and myself out of the range of having to do actual work...

                                         things were going past fairly quickly...

                
                                                           The usual players were on the water..

                                                    That SonofaBeach....

                                                                                

                                
                                    The handicapper was cutting a swathe through the fleet ..

                                Martin was thanking his stars the handicap was Jacks problem..

                                             Steve had Morgan to make the cockpit decisions

             We didn't know anybody on 4...................cause we were on 9 and then 12 and next week 20?

                                                                                
                                      We watched everybody go ......

                                   until finally we were out there too..

everybody had a steer... even the photographer ..

                                                                                       
                                                       it was wind against tide,

Lex called the shots ..

                                                and got into the chase ...

                                           Immigrant ... We're coming for you!!           

                                        .....with skill

                                                                     with tactics...

                                                            with hard work....

                                            the positions were soon reversed!!!

.. and that was just Race 1!!

Race 2 began ...

with much the same

                                   tactics, technique, tenacity.... etc

  
                                             Immigrant was flying up...

                                  and crashing down...

                                                                                   
                                                 Soilitaire was all about trapeze...

                                          It was wet!!!

but it was fun..

                                                   it wasn't all too serious ..
                    

and while we all headed back to the club house..

                             we were surprised to see the bow of Wistari ...

                              returning for repairs ... such is yacht racing and boat ownership...

                   
                                                         you start again.............