West Highland Yachting Week’s fleet faced challenging conditions in the Oban to Tobermory Passage Race.
Strong and gusting winds made for exciting sailing for the fleet that stormed through from Oban to Tobermory – downwind, with the majority of the fleet finishing in just over three hours into Tobermory Bay. Well, WOW.
The initial upwind leg, set by Race Officer Malcolm MacGregor, gave a taster of the breeze to come and after rounding the mark there was some deliberation over kite setting as the wind increased.
With some spectacular broaches (being pulled over into the water by the power of the slewing unstayed spinnaker) many of the Tunnock’s fleet dropped spinnakers as quickly as they had been hoisted. A wise decision.
Conditions eased after the passage through Lismore Light, with kites again hoisted - flying this time for the duration of the passage race that is sponsored by Tobermory Whisky.
Roxstar again won Class 0 with Animal second and Jeffery and Scutt’s Carmen II third.
Port Edgar boat Erin came through to win Class 1 with Roddy Campbell’s Windmark II second and the Irish based Lizante third.
In Class 3, Richard Shellcock and family were on the edge in their Delphia 24 Knuts, planning in the conditions that laid them flat in more than a few broaches. But this did not stop them winning their class from John {Bodach) MacKenzie on his Westerly Typhoon Stoirm Mhor with Wilson Malone’s Typhoon Amaryllis third.
It was a win for West Highland Yachting Week’s major sponsor Boyd Tunnock in Lemarac in Class 5. The strong conditions suited the Moody that sprinted away from Joey Gough’s First, Tangle o’ the Isles, which finished second. The Sigma 33, Leaky Roof II, the first home of the seven Sigma 33s, was third.
Stevie Andrew’s new boat Panda Nova also liked the breezm winning Class 7 from the Moody 336s Cool Bandit and Cara of Kip.
In Class 8, the Trapper 28 Redwing took the win from Alistair Pugh’s Contessa 32 Marisca whilst Smithereen took the win in Class 9.
Argyll Fleet (the white sail fleet) Class 2 boat Sunrise took another win from Lorca J and Texa whilst Mystic Sun took the honours in Class 4. Consistent Irish winner, Slippi Jin, was first in Class 6.
Next up – the fleet splits into two for Thursday’s racing with the Tunnock’s (spinnaker) fleet sailing Round the Buoys off Tobermory and the Argyll Fleet racing a course at the north entrance to the Sound of Mull.
Results l.isting
- Class 0 1 Roxstar 2 Animal 3 Carmen II
- Class 1 1 Erin 2 Windmark II 3 LizanteClass 2 1 Sunrise 2 Stoirm Mhor 3 Amaryllis
- Class 3 1 Knuts 2 Stoirm Mhor 3 Amaryllis
- Class 4 1 Mystic Sun 2 Leomaris of Clyde 3 Hoodlum
- Class 5 1 Lemarac 2 Tangle o’the Isles 3 Leaky Roof II
- Class 6 1 Slippi Jin 2 Sigmatic 3 Glenafton
- Class 7 1 Pandanova 2 Cool Bandit II 3 Cara of Kip
- Class 8 1 Redwing 2 Marisca 3 Hot Toddy
- Class 9 1 Smithereen 2 Malindi of Lorne 3 Eureka
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