Report on the Hunter 707 class from the
Carl Dyson Regatta
hosted at Port Edgar 28th/29th September 2002
This report was originally written for Yachts and Yachting.
The growing and enthusiastic interest in racing Hunter 707's persuaded the organisers of the
Carl Dyson Regatta to include a separate class for the 707's. A total of 12 boats entered the
class made up of all the Port Edgar based 707's plus the visitors Eh! and Pond Life. Five races
scheduled over two days. The forecasted high pressure brought warm weather and steady force
2-3 winds. The expectations for good racing were high as we followed the committee boat up
river to the start area for the first race.
The southerly wind dictated that the trapezoidal course be laid across the river. The wind was
stronger at the leeward mark/start area and got slightly lighter with more shifts at the
windward mark. In the end local knowledge counted for nothing as visitor Tony Wright in 'Eh!' took
the honours.
With the wind unchanged, the race committee quickly started the next race on the same course.
This time the strengthening flood tide was running across the course caused all the boats to bunch
up at the committee boat end. Picking you way up the beat was the key to getting a good position
and this time Jock Blair's local knowledge paid off as he sailed 'For Sale' first over the line.
Similar weather conditions for Sunday and the race committee opted to vary the course by setting
a windward-leeward course. Hero of the first race 'Eh!' managed to snag the anchor line of the
windward mark and then proceeded to wrap it around the keel. By the time he was free most of the
rest of the fleet had sailed passed. Added interest in this race as a container ship came through
the course. The leading boats were clear, but further back boats had to sail through its wind
shadow and go round the stern. James Urquhart in 'Code Z' took the win.
Race 4 was another windward-leeward race. Most of the fleet went left up the first beat, but
'Baltika' and 'Whippersnapper' spotted some stronger wind on the right and broke ranks. It paid
off and these two led the fleet around the first mark. These two exchanged places around the
rest of the race and successfully held off a strong challenge from 'Tomboy'. Terry Kirchin in
'Baltika' took the win by a few boat lengths.
For race 5 the race committee added another buoy and converted the course into an Olympic
triangle. The eventual winner was Calum Smeaton sailing 'Tomboy'.
Five races and five different winners meant everybody had something to fight for. Races lasted
about 90 minutes and there was never more than 10 minutes between first and last place confirming
how close the racing was. Missing a wind shift, or doing a poor tack really did cost you a
place. Wherever you were in the fleet you were racing against someone. The closeness of the
racing, excellent race management and the good weather contributed to an excellent weekend's
racing.
Overall results: 1st Code Z (James Urquhart) 10pts, 2nd For Sale (Jock Blair) 12pts, 3rd Tomboy
(Calum Smeaton) 14pts, 4th Eh! (Tony Wright) 15pts, 5th Blue Funk (Neil McLure) 18pts, 6th Pond
Life (Colin Holden) 20pts, 7th Baltika (Terry Kirchin) 21pts, 8th Whippersnapper (Phil Walter)
22pts, 9th Scooter (Robert Yates) 25pts, 10th Suzie Q (Geoff Bowerman) 35pts, 11th Soon Fung
(Simon Rennie) 41pts, 12th Sixty Four (David Chalmers) 42pts.
Phil Walter
Hunter 707 - Whippersnapper
