WAGS REPORT

DATE:  15/10/2025

WIND:   NE-12-18 KNOTS

TIDE: H@17:03-2.17M

COURSE: 17BR

NUMBER OF BOATS: 43

               It’s been more than a couple of years since we lost our good mate and Wags family member Geoff Anderson or Woompa (as he was affectionately known), but I always remember him saying “you’ll never win anything in the bay if you can’t read and use the tide”. I banged on last week about the tide against the wind and how it made the bay stand-up and be ugly. This week it was tide with the wind and it was still very difficult to take any advantage with given knowledge, if there was any! Advantage I mean. There’s always plenty of “knowledge”?

               The top mark of the course was the Sandhill’s Rec. Mark and it seemed a very long way from the start line which was set south west of the Green Island western cardinal. The journey between Green and St. Helena Islands, and all the way to the mark, was a true beat and against the tide. Watching the fleet on AIS, it was just before 15:00 before the first boats rounded the mark. A big struggle. Very concerning if you are a Race Officer with a race time cut off of 16:00. However the run back to the floating red and back between the islands was still on the flooding tide and would have come as welcome relief to skippers and crew. It also turned out to be very quick. I was pleased to finish everyone before 16:00. Challenging and rewarding at the same time. Woompa was right, it’s all about the tide!

Coming Up: Beneteau Cup-25/26 OCT.       The Goodwill Cup-15/16 NOV.

Results

Closest to the line: 00:01-JESTER-TONY
Lucky door prize: BOOM-PAUL/WARNER

Lucky Crew prize: JESTER-TONY

PB