NCYC Inner Spring fleet put through their paces in 20-30 knots breeze

9:14 PM Sun 21 Aug 2011 GMT

'Downwind - Sydney Seaplanes NCYC Inner Spring Regatta' Richard Howard Click Here to view large photo

Sydney Seaplanes NCYC Inner Spring regatta final day saw the fleet confined to racing on Newcastle habour as a result of 'washing machine' like conditions offshore whipped up by the East Coast low off the NSW coast.

Phil Arnall's Corby 43 Anger Management dominated the first race stretching out an insurmountable lead to win line honours, IRC and division one on PHS. PHS division two was won by Blue Notte skippered by Steven Mackay.

Race two saw the fleet once again drag race from a tightly contested start to a rounding mark just inside the breakwater heads where onlookers watched the yacht racing and also some surfers getting some wild tubes down the inside of the harbour break wall, a break which only works a couple of times each year in big Easterly swells.

The fleet headed back up the North Arm of the Hunter River with spinnakers up before rounding a mark and beating back towards Queens Wharf Brewery.

Alfred the Gnome stacked in the rail of Farr Truck. - Sydney Seaplanes NCYC Inner Spring Regatta - Richard Howard Click Here to view large photo

Anthony 'Pato' Paterson skippering Farr 40 Farr Truck managed to stave off a late charge by Anger Management by being the first to set a spinnaker on the tight reach back to the finish. When asked what was the ingredient to Farr Truck's success today Pato quickly responded that it was Alfred the gnome who really stepped up and gave the team an edge (spot Alfred in the photos)..

Blue Notte loving the windy conditions. - Sydney Seaplanes NCYC Inner Spring Regatta - Richard Howard Click Here to view large photo

Rob Howard's Beneteau 40.7 Schouten Passage won the second race on IRC despite the added complication of blowing out a spinnaker within a minute of the finish line. First and second in IRC divisions one and two went to Farr Truck and She's The Culprit and Summersalt and Blue Notte, respectively.

Back in the NCYC clubhouse post racing both competitors and volunteers alike gave the inaugural Inner Spring regatta the thumbs up.

Given its success this year the Inner Spring regatta is expected to become a regular event on the NCYC sailing calendar and hopefully yachts returning from the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race will drop in and join the fleet for the regatta in 2012 which is likely to be run as a four race series over a single weekend.