Kerikeri Cruising Club

Goodyear Autos and Appletons Rum Race 6

    Click here to see race results. 

Despite the cold 15 knot SE breeze and overcast conditions twenty yachts turned out for the start of the Goodyear Auto and Appleton’s Rum race 6 at the Kerikeri Cruising Club.

The forecast was for the breeze to build to 25 gusting 30 knots but this did not happen and full mains and big jibs were the order of the day.

In the B division Aalitta made a perfect start right on the button and led the fleet away on the beat out to the Brothers where it became a reach for the rest of the track.  That Girl took up her usual position at the head of the fleet chased by Wavelength and Coyote Blue and this was the order when they crossed the line with That Girl holding a three minute lead which was not enough to make her time for handicap honours.  Aalitta won the handicap prize from Wavelength and That Girl.

A division got away cleanly with Deep Throttle assuming her usual spot at the head of the fleet but this time chased closely by Black Pearl and Vim. Deep Throttle who has the nickname “Linda” held her lead all the way round to take line honours from the big 13 meter Young design Black Pearl by 3 minutes with Physical Favours another three minutes further back.  The handicap prize of a bottle of rum was taken out by the Farr 1020 Petty Cash from Physical Favours and Black Pearl.

It is interesting to note that in the A division only 27 seconds covered the first four boats on corrected time and three minutes covered the entire division.  In the B division just over three minutes covered the whole division. That’s very good handicapping for such a diverse fleet.