News

The summer has been a busy one with both boats – GEORGIA, the 52, and GEORGIA ONE, the 43 – taking part in major regattas and the usual Wednesday night racing with the Squadron and with Richmond.

First big regatta was the Bay of Islands Race Week in January – a terrific event in beautiful conditions and surroundings and an enthusiastic and efficient organising team led by Ray and Lesley Hasler.  GEORGIA ONE, helmed by Rhonda McCrea, with Dave McGlashan (“Daisy”) calling the shots, some young strong guys on the business end of the boat and long-term Georgia Racing members Sabra and Bryan Davies and Diane Dodson also contributing, raced in Division A of Island Racing.  Against strong competition, their performance was outstanding, being top boat over 3 lengthy races on line.  Regrettably the boat’s PHRF rating saw it well down in the results.

GEORGIA had mixed results.  On the first two days, in light breezes she was off the pace and struggled against local TP52 KIA KAHA and against the well-performed WIRED and V5. However, on the third day the breeze kicked in and in strong winds GEORGIA won all 3 races, but as it turned out too late and KIA KAHA deservedly won the Regatta.

Next up was the New Zealand IRC and PHRF Championships in Wellington, hosted by the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club.  GEORGIA had won this event shortly after being constructed in February 2010 and so the decision was made to send her on the long and difficult delivery down the East Coast.  KIA KAHA, no doubt buoyed by her success in the Bay of Islands made the even longer trip and so the stage was set for what promised to be a great contest.

So it was! In medium to strong breezes, GEORGIA managed to stay ahead of their determined opponents on line in all 11 races and, conceding a rating advantage to KIA KAHA, also beat her on corrected time in most of them.  She won both the IRC and PHRF National Championships as well as taking out General Handicap.  At the prize giving ceremony, GEORGIA was also awarded the much coveted Ross Telford Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding yacht and team of the regatta.  Special mention was made by the Commodore of the fine sportsmanship on and off the water of the GEORGIA team, with a special accolade coming from the Bar men and women in the Club.

Back to Auckland in time for the March 3 day Auckland Regatta (previously the BMW Regatta) conducted by the Squadron.  This time – and for the first time – GEORGIA ONE and GEORGIA lined up against each other in Division A in what proved to be a full event with 9 windward leewards and 3 harbour races. The wind was light throughout the regatta and KIA KAHA won on line and in IRC comfortably.  While GEORGIA struggled, GEORGIA ONE shone winning General Handicap on a countback against EQUILIBRIUM, a near new Botin and Carkeek 53 and ahead of the other “small boat” in the Division ICE BREAKER. A great performance by the crew, headed by Rhonda McCrea on helm and Mark Rogers (“Seagull”) on tactics. The fact that the helmsman of GEORGIA had his butt kicked by his wife on GEORGIA ONE was not lost on the many who pointed that fact out to the former.

Easter saw some GEORGIA RACING crew taking part in a regatta in much more exotic surroundings on a much larger GEORGIA – the 160 foot superyacht built by Alloy Yachts in Auckland originally for an American owner from the State of Georgia but now owned by Jack Hutchins, a fascinating industrialist from Florida, 75 years old and blind and who formed friendships with some of the Georgia Racing crew when he was in Auckland last year. The regatta was the famous Bucket Regatta at St Barths in the Caribbean and it comprised 40 superyachts racing for each of 3 days around the Island.  On the GEORGIA were Chris Dickson, George and Jackie Hendy, Shaun Mason (“Geeza”), Dennis Kendall , Rhonda McCrea and Jim Farmer – all of whom have sailed for Georgia Racing.

The Regatta was a wonderful and spectacular event.  With strong winds up to 20 knots the big boats performed surprisingly well.  A great outcome was achieved by GEORGIA which was the overall winner in her Division (of 3 Divisions). Different from the 52 and the 43 for sure but in the breeze just as exhilarating.

At this point, the winter programme is for the 52 to take part in the Squadron’s winter series while the 43 will have maintenance and other work undertaken.  A full review of the 52’s disappointing light air performance has been undertaken and measures identified that will hopefully rectify the situation for next summer, including (as would be expected) a new light jib.

A final note.  Keryn McMaster has just won the National Women's Keelboat Championship, which, together our Wellington IRC and PHRF Championships, makes her a triple National Champion for 2013!

Jim Farmer

Bay of Islands Race Week

Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club – National IRC and PHRF Championships

Georgia

Jim Farmer
Chris Dickson
George Hendy
Jackie Hendy
Rick Royden
Chris Funnell
Emma Hendy
Keryn McMaster
Andrew Cooke
Tom Kearney
Aaron Thompson
Richard Bearda
Andrew Wills
Dennis Kendall
Terence Arnold
Luke O’Connell

Auckland Regatta

Georgia One

Rhonda McCrea
Diane Dodson
Sabra Davies
Bryan Davies
Tomo Terakawa
Tom Peet
Aaron Thompson
Mark Rogers
John Parker
Ross McKee
Russell Macefield
Jo Ivory

Georgia

Jim Farmer
George Hendy
Rick Royden
Keryn McMaster
Emma Hendy
Chris Funnell
Tom Kearney
Shaun Mason
Andrew Cooke
Ash Hammond
Shaun Kirkman
Rafael Trujillo Villar
Luke O’Connell
Miles Addy