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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
98 A lot went on behind the scenes – Jan had a few stalwarts as crew but often it was not until the eleventh hour that she had the committee boat,chase boat and extra manpower.There were always some entertaining moments. Kids on board the committee boat getting really excited during the starting sequence because someone caught a fish, flags getting tangled around feet, a semi naked helmsman going through the start, those skippers that persistently started from the committee boat end and threatened life and limb.Sometimes helpful gestures got out of hand.John Beck offered to put the chase boat on her trailer and deliver both car and trailer back to the club. Jan went out later to find the boat securely tied down but it was someone else’s car and trailer! Thankfully a quick trip back to the launching ramp saw the boat relaunched and car and trailer swapped for the correct one.As John said it was a white commodore with a trailer and the key fitted! Each year brought a few new contestants and gradually these new owners would overcome the daunting prospect of tangling with the likes of Pioneer and Playbuoy in the pre-start and in turn would be challenging others and protecting their rights. Jan looks back to the Stewart 34 racing days with pleasure. It was not the easiest job but a challenging one and she knows her efforts were appreciated by all skippers – those who made a point of thanking her on the water to those who just continued to come out and enjoy the racing. 6 - Teams Racing Inearly1988itwasbecomingapparentthateventuallyafleetof purposebuiltone-designyachtswouldbebuiltforNewZealand- hosted match racing events. The ageing, privately-owned Stewart 34 fleet would no longer be needed by the R.N.Z.Y.S., who wished to have more control over the match race fleet. Accordingly Bryce Sommerville, the enthusiastic owner of Phantasy suggested that the class should look at the possibility of getting involved in“teams racing” The Stewart owners were of course very supportive and six teams of three boats were formed to participate in the first series. Essentially, in team racing, the group of yachts, usually three, forming the team endeavour to help each other to attain the best possible result for the entire team as opposed to sailing an“every man for himself ” race. Points are scored based on the place finished, excepting first, which scores ½ point, eliminating the possibility of a tie. A team who’s boats finished 1st , 4th and 6th would score 10-1/2 points and would lose a race to a team who’s boats finished 2nd , 3rd and 5th , scoring 10 points, as the team with the fewest points or highest average finish ranking wins. On the race course, team members employ various tactical manoeuvres and knowledge of the yacht racing rules to hamper other team’s performance, while at the same time attempting to improve that of their own team. If normal yacht racing is akin to a game of chess, a team race turns the board into a three- dimensional game. The skipper and/or tactician must always be aware of where all the boats are situated on the water, which teams they represent, how the team is placed in the race and what he can do for his part to positively affect the outcome for his team. In some cases it may mean slowing one’s boat down to“pass back” and cover or impede a boat behind them in order to allow a team mate even further behind to improve his position. The very first regatta was very successful and a similar contest was held later in that year.The extra skills necessary for successful team racing made it a very enjoyable challenge. A further Stewart Series, again with eighteen boats was sailed on ANZAC Day 1989. Bryce Sommerville and Bill Miller were on the Squadron Match Race Committee in 1988/1989 and they convinced the Squadron to dispense with the pre Citizen Personality Race and organise aTeams Race Day amongst the invited Citizen Class Skippers on a country versus country basis. This took place on Wednesday 12 April 1989. Teams representing USA,Australia, New Zealand and The Rest of the World were organised as follows: Australia-Chris Packer,A. Pratt and Rob Wilmot New Zealand- Russell Coutts, Chris Dickson and Roy Dickson, USA-Tom Blackaller, Rod Davis and Peter Isler Planet Earth – V. Bandolowski, David Bedford and Kiwi Rick Royden.