With a peaceful bar crossing, winds hovering around the 15 knot mark and easy seas, skippers and crew, considered they had found the ultimate in sailing bliss, and could only marvel that five yachts alone faced the starter for Sunday’s long ocean north event.

Third Man’s skipper Frank Lagudi was eagerly anticipating the sail, having just relaunched Third Man, after an extensive service, hull clean and antifoul. As the day panned out he was not disappointed, with Third Man showing amazing gains in performance.

Although starts are often marked by tensions during the prestart, little tension was evident in the manoeuvrings, with Third Man jumping out of the blocks first. Four yachts sailed the division one course, while Zig Zag was left without a division two companion as she soon took the overall course lead.

Third Man led the division one fleet, while behind her Katherine with former commodore Jim Bignell helping out was engaging in the main to and fro of the day with Cool Change. The unlucky Mimosa however, which had done well at the start, had some sail issues, and found herself in chains for some time, it being difficult to break free due to it’s long keel design. Once getting underway again, after giving the rest of the fleet a head start, she gradually reduced the deficit with the rest of the fleet.

It was not only the works on Third Man that contributed to that yacht’s improved performance with the tactic of staying mostly inshore on the outbound leg proving a masterstroke. On the return leg, most yachts elected to remain in “two sail” format, with the mark rounding order remaining unchanged until the finish.

In the event, Zig Zag sailed the longer course and soon parted company with the division one boats, completing her course with a second over the line behind the greatly improved Third Man which took line honours line on the day. Division one boats Cool Change, Katherine and Mimosa followed across the line in that order, while after handicaps were applied only Cool Change and Katherine exchanged places.