RPNYC members Michael Instone (recent academy grad), Phil Bishop (Helter Skelter owner) and Craig Ryburn (helm), joined local Bay of Islands Crew of Isabel and Kane to compete in Bay of Islands Sailing week over 22 – 24 January. Bay of Islands sailing week is a massive event with 140 boats entered across 13 divisions. The Sports Boat division had a strong showing with 14 entries. Michael Instone reports on his first bay week experience.
Up front, the battle for supremacy between designers Shaw and Bieker continued, both sharing line honours with four wins each for Shaw’s Angry Dragon and Bieker’s Ghost Rider. On Handicap Shaw’s Snatch (including ex Wellington/RPNYCs Matt Steven and Jono Clough) won comfortably over Bieker’s second placed Helter Skelter. Daisy Duke (Matt Gottard) from RPNYC just missed the podium on line with a 4th place.
On Helter Skelter we had three days of exciting and at times, challenging sailing, particularly on day one.
Race one saw two of the crew take a swim. While flying under kite to the finish and having three crew out on the wire, the boat heeled to windward, dropping two crew into the water. Still attached to their wires, the two managed to climb back aboard and complete the race, somehow not losing any places despite boats flying down behind us.
Race three of day one, a bay race to Nine Pin Island (a 4 NM beat) and back (a 7NM run), saw the wind die towards the finish. Snatch came from the distance to pip Daisy Duke and Helter Skelter in what was a close finish between the three.
Day two saw only two of the three races started. Helter Skelter consolidated its position. Going into day three, we were placed sixth with few points between us and third. We believed that if we were to sail well, that we could achieve third.
Helter Skelter had a good day on the water on day three. We thought we had done enough for third place and were disappointed when Sign It Magic was announced in third place. We then heard Helter Skelter came in second (third for line honours) and were elated with our result!
In other divisions RPNYC was represented by Satellite Spy in B division who managed to get 1st on handicap and 3rd on PHRF and Onco Fonco in the muiltihull division who got 5th on line and 3rd on handicap.