16 September
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The Team
Nick Burns / Skipper
Patrick Pender / Helm
Tiger Mok / Tactician
Peter Backe / Trimmer
Anthony Day / Trimmer
Lauren Mead / Trimmer
Tim Storey / Pit
Joachim Isler / Mast
Peter Austin / Bow
Maureen Mueller / Reserve
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True Racing Spirit
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) has entered a team to represent Hong Kong in the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.
Racing began on Tuesday and at the end of Thursday’s races, the RHKYC team is lying 5th overall in a 22 boat fleet representing the cream of the world’s amateur sailing fleet, including many past Olympians, and all remains to play with three more races to go.
The previous night, members of the RHKYC team had been up late, with technicians working until 0100hrs to try and fix an instrument problem that had been plaguing the boat allocated to Hong Kong. The New York Yacht Club (NYYC), hosts for the Corinthian event pulled out all stops in the effort to fix the issue and replace the processor but a solution proved elusive and the RHKYC team was entering a third day of racing at a serious disadvantage in the tricky inshore conditions.
Skipper Nick Burns and NYYC agreed that, if the RHKYC had to race again with only 50% of the boat instruments working, then the only way to redress such a handicap was to require all the boats in the fleet to reduce their instruments to half capacity.
The fleet left the dock under an ‘L-flag’ informing all boats of the restriction they would sail under in order to even the playing field. Fortunately, due to fog, the start of the race was delayed until 1145hrs which allowed extra time for an expert brought in by the NYYC to remain on the RHKYC boat in a last ditch attempt to make things work.
With the whole fleet waiting anxiously, and all the boats out on the water, 45 minutes before the start, Tiger Mok, RHKYC’s tactician was able to radio the Race Committee to inform them that “all systems were go”.
Back on shore Nick Burns said “The RHKYC team is grateful for the superb efforts of the NYYC in ensuring an even playing field in this regatta; that is what good competition is about”.
And good competition is what they had – the RHKYC team won the crucial start in the second race and led the fleet for half of the race until its fore-sail came out of its foil and the team was forced to drop its sail. At the time the RHKYC boat was just in front of the two race favourites - the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club team, both sailing in their own boats. With quick crew work, the RHKYC team was able to re-hoist the sail and lost only a few places to finish a tight fought fifth in the 22 boat fleet.
The RHKYC is represented by Nick Burns, Patrick Pender, Tiger Mok, Joachim Isler, Anthony Day, Peter Backe, Lauren Mead, Tim Storey, Peter Austin and Jim Gregory (owner’s representative on the boat).
15 September
Another magnificent days sailing with 12-16 knots south west, under sunny skies, on the inshore course. But a day of mixed fortunes.
First race a decidedly average start in the middle of the line, squezed out and taking sterns to the right. No particular gains and lower mid fleet by the top mark. Made a couple of places on the run but lost again on the beat out of phase with the shifts, and final position of 19th.
Next race cracking start at the pin and out to the port layline, first around the top and bottom mark but lost one place to the Newport Harbour team on the second beat. Great dueling down the run between 4 boats, and managed to keep 2nd by inches from the New York team by holding them off the finishing line. Mo is sending photo- we are Bow 01.
The last race a superb start at full speed at the pin and out again to the port layline going well. Had to come back on a 15 degree righty, and last around the top mark. Made 4 places on the run hugging the shore out of the tide and then then a couple more on the next beat. No change on the final run but disaster just after the bottom mark when our jib unzipped from the foil , followed shortly by a jibsheet unclipping on a tack. Back to the rear of the fleet and close tacking with lots of traffic and not able to chose the shifts, finishing 18th.
Lying 7th overall and all to play for tomorrow. A cold front coming through tonight and forecast is light, shifty, and cold from the north west off the land. Hopefully local knowledge will not be so important. North American boats at the moment are in the first three places, while there are a bunch of foreigners, including us, within a few points of each other.
14 September
The first day of racing- sea fog burning away by by 10 am and a building south westerly sea breeze over the day from crystal clear sunny skies- apparently the best sailing weather that they have had all year.
We were sailing on the inshore course in flat water and strong tide helping us on the upwind leg, and punishing on the down wind.
For the first race a cracking start, around 8 boats down from the committee boat, and we then held a fast lane out to the left, tacking below the lay line. We reached to the first mark in 3rd place, clear of the whole bunch behind. Downwind no change of position and rounding the left gate mark. Picked up one more place on the next beat with only the Japanese ahead, but lost out in the final run by a couple of inches to the Canadians at the finish, who had came down on pressure in the last few minutes of the race.
Next race an unglamourous start in the middle of the line, sandwiched, and eventually bailing out and taking multiple sterns. A partial recovery by the top mark to about 10th and another couple of the run. A very good beat got us to 5th but falling into a hole on the final run dropped us two places to 7th. The race was won by the Canadians.
The final race we won the pin and blew off the opposition sailing high and fast to just below the port lay line. Rounded 2nd but we had to hold off the Americans trying to take our wind, and lost a place in the rounding to Australia. A good run but no change in position. Next beat we got the wrong side of the pack and lost two places, but held our position on the run. The final beat with great tactics, and helped by two shifts, we finished a good second to Australia who had led the whole race.
Superb conditions, flat water and 12-16 knots of wind, in a very competitive fleet. Dynamics on the boat working very well, good boat speed up and down wind, and we are happy to be lying in 2nd place overall after the first day.
More tomorrow.
13 September
Sunday and Monday were days of practice races and starts for the fleet.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a 15 knot south easterly. We were sent out to the offshore course, lumpy with a 2m swell. In first practice race we were 2nd when they abandoned, with good upwind speed and very good downwind, picking up 4 places at the bottom mark.
For the second race we achieved a good start but got stuck in the middle of the course, unable to acheive target speed in the lighter breeze. A forgettable result but as Joachim pointed out we learned a great deal by our mistakes- not getting clear air and sheeting on too hard in the light and lumpy conditions.
Today started with light cloud cover that soon burnt away and produced a 10-15 knot south westerly. We sailed in the inner course, flat water and tide, but beautifull sailing. After one practice start we learnt the tide and wind advantage near the shore. We also learnt we had to be more aggressive in the start. In the following practice race we had a great start, but half a boat length over. As we wanted to learn about our speed, rather than get a result we carried on and crossed the finish 200 m ahead of the next boat.
Overall we have good upwind speed and height using a lot a twist on the sails, and excellent downwind depth and speed. The opening ceremony is tonight, and assuming we survive that , the serious competition starts tomorrow.
12 September
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) has entered a team to represent Hong Kong in the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. The RHKYC was one of the 18 world-wide teams invited to join in the Inaugural New York Club Invitational Regatta in 2009 and assembled a team which finished 11th in the closely fought racing.
This year, the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) has expanded the format to include 22 teams from across the globe and has once again invited RHKYC to participate. With the Club’s support, member Nick Burns has organised a team to represent Hong Kong and the Club, and is hoping to improve on their 2009 result.
The event, last held in September 2009, will be held September 10-17 in Newport, Rhode Island. There will be five days of racing, with 11 windward/ leeward races planned in all. Day 1 is on Tuesday 13 September, with racing starting at 1100hrs.
The 22 yacht clubs participating this year have come from far and wide; they represent 16 nations spanning six continents. All are converging upon Rhode Island to participate in an event described as “the ultimate sailing contest among amateur competitors proudly representing their homelands”.
Representing Hong Kong, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club will be competing against:-
Yacht Club Argentino (ARG)
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (AUS)
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (BER)
Royal Canadian Yacht Club (CAN)
Real Club Nautico de Barcelona (ESP)
Nyländska Jaktklubben (FIN)
Itchenor Sailing Club (GBR)
Royal Ocean Racing Club (GBR)
Royal Yacht Squadron (GBR)
Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (GER)
Royal Cork Yacht Club (IRL)
Yacht Club Capri (ITA)
Yacht Club Punta Ala (ITA)
Japan Sailing Federation (JPN)
Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (NOR)
Clube Naval de Cascais (POR)
Royal Cape Yacht Club (RSA)
Eastern Yacht Club (USA)
Annapolis Yacht Club (USA)
Newport Harbor Yacht Club (USA)
New York Yacht Club (USA)
The NYYC 2011 Invitational Cup will be raced in completely identical boats chartered from NYYC, the Swan 42s, and the skills of the competing teams will determine the result.
For the 2011 challenge, the best available sailors were chosen from the RHKYC, featuring many members who were part of the successful 2010 Rolex Commodore’s Cup event in Cowes, England, where the Hong Kong team placed second to the Irish team. One requirement of the event is that all the sailors have to be non-professional Hong Kong residents, who have been club members for some considerable time. The RHKYC team comprises
Name Position
Nick Burns Skipper
Patrick Pender Helm
Tiger Mok Tactician
Peter Backe Trimmer
Anthony Day Trimmer
Lauren Mead Trimmer
Tim Storey Pit
Joachim Isler Mast
Peter Austin Bow
Maureen Mueller Reserve
The RHKYC team is very much looking forward to this year’s event and, of course, bettering their 11th place finish at the inaugural event in 2009. If memories of the 2009 event are anything to go by, they will have an enjoyable time - “The racing was close and demanding, the setting was splendid, and a week of fantastic social events capped off a perfect regatta”.
The team arrived at the beautiful old NYYC clubhouse at Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday and are busy with two days of familiarisation and practice on the chartered boat Mutiny before the event starts, then look forward to two fleet races per day from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 September.
Speaking from New York, Nick Burns shared his outlook “The current procession of hurricanes is luckily avoiding New York and the forecast looks good for excellent sailing. Hopefully Hong Kong, with a very strong team, will be able to bring back the Trophy.”