Please select your home edition
Edition
Stoneways Marine 2021 - LEADERBOARD

Cock of the Huon at Derwent Sailing Squadron and Huon Yacht Club

by Peter Campbell 21 Sep 2013 14:00 BST 21 September 2013

Take 5 takes all

Derwent Sailing Squadron and the Huon Yacht Club's 45th annual Pipe Opener, which includes the prestigious Cock of the Huon race, is southern Tasmania's traditional pre-season regatta.

Appropriately, the Cock of the Huon race on the Huon River today went to a Tradition 30 class yacht, Take One, skippered by Ian Gannon from the DSS.

This was Take One's second success as overall winner of the Cock of the Huon and the third year in succession that the winner has come from Division 3.

The Pipe Opener comprises three races, a night race from Hobart to Gordon in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel on Friday evening, the Cock of the Huon on Saturday, and a race back from Port Huon to Gordon on Sunday. Once again it attracted a quality fleet including 2013 Sydney Hobart contenders Cougar II and Martela.

The Friday night race began with a bang – a spectacular fireworks display in Sullivans Cove, not for the Pipe Opener fleet but to welcome visiting vessels for Hobart's Tall Ships Festival. Nevertheless, it livened up the first half hour of the race in a light breeze.

The night race down the Derwent to Gordon in the D'Entrecasteaux Channel ranged from 0 to 22 knots from the south-west and "a lot more in between" according to Mike Denney, DSS sailing manager who skippered his own yacht Wild West. "The wind seldom offered a chance to hoist a kite; we had ours up for literally one minute; Cougar II's crew used one briefly to ghost along," he added.

Tony Lyall's TP52 Cougar II, arguably the fastest offshore racing yacht in Tasmania, led home the fleet in the night race but had elected not to the Cock of the Huon.

The night race was a bonanza for Jeff Cordell's Mumm 36, Host Plus Executive from Bellerive Yacht Club, which won PHS Division 1 and also AMS overall.

Under AMS scoring, Host Plus Executuve won from Whistler (David Rees) and Pisces (David Taylor)

In PHS Division 1, Host Plus Executive won the Huon Yacht Club entry, Bellandean, Andrew Scott's Jarkan 38, third place going the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania entry, Whistler (David Rees)

First place in PHS Division 2 went to Jeffrey Sharp's Femme Fatale from HYC entry Off She Goes (Robert Cleary) and Stewart Geeves' Footloose.

Camlet Way (Steve Mannering) took out Division 3 from Take 5 (Ian Gannon) and Huon Yacht Club entry Kharis (Terry Dalby).

With a number of boats heading back to Hobart after the Friday night race, a smaller fleet of 25 boats raced in the Cock of Huon, sailed over a course with the broader reaches of the Huon River, starting and finishing off Shipwrights Point at Port Huon.

After an fast reaching start in a moderate south-westerly breeze, followed bt a hard beat to windward and a broad reach to the leeward mark, the wind died away midway through the race.

On corrected times, these conditions favouring the Division 3 boats with their lower ratings in the overall results for the traditional Cock of the Huon. Take 5 sailed a consistent race in the varying conditions, winning Division 3 and also first place overall in fleet to win its second Cock of the Derwent.

With Take 5 elevated to Cock of the Huon, the first place trophy in Division 3 went to Myfanwy (Adrian Marsh), second to Kaiulani (Malcolm Cooper), third to Lock on Wood (Ron Akhurst).

Division 1 winner was Planet X (Mike Rowley), second place going to Bombora, skippered by Commodore John Mills of Bellerive Yacht. Back in 1993, Bombora won the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, then named MIcropay Cuckoos Nest. Third place in Division 1 went to TasPaints (Ian Stewart).

Femme Fatale (Jeffrey Sharp) followed up her Friday night race win by taking out Division 2 of the Cock of Huon race from Footloose (Stewart Geeves) and Granny Apple (David Leake).

Related Articles

2024 Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race start
Challenging weather conditions delayed the scheduled 11am start The 2024 Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race began with a measured approach as the Race Committee navigated challenging weather conditions, delaying the scheduled 11 am start. Posted on 27 Dec 2024
Footloose triumphs in Two Capes Race
A great 18-hour contest full of tactical battles hosted by the Derwent Sailing Squadron The Two Capes Race, hosted by the Derwent Sailing Squadron, lived up to its reputation, delivering a great 18-hour contest full of tactical battles. Posted on 24 Nov 2024
Pressure builds for Two Capes Race
16 Tasmanian yachts ready to tackle the 82-nautical-mile offshore course Excitement is mounting for this year's Two Capes Race, with a cracker weather forecast and a competitive lineup of 16 Tasmanian yachts ready to tackle the 82-nautical-mile offshore course. Posted on 22 Nov 2024
Combined Clubs Long Race Series Race 2 Preview
Excitement is building in Hobart as 37 boats prepare to hit the water this Saturday Excitement is building in Hobart as 37 boats prepare to hit the water this Saturday for the second race in the Combined Clubs Long Race Series. Posted on 18 Oct 2024
Derwent Sailing Squadron Winter Series preview
Hobart yachts gear up for Australian Yachting Championships amidst Winter Series As anticipation builds for the prestigious Australian Yachting Championships set for January 2025, Hobart yachts are starting their preparations. Posted on 12 Jul 2024
Combined Clubs Long Race Pennant finale preview
Final race of the series taking place this Saturday There is a full line-up for Saturday's fifth and final installment of the Combined Clubs Long Race Pennant Series. Racing kicks off with a mid-river start at 10am and will finish at Castray Box in Battery Point in the mid to late afternoon. Posted on 15 Mar 2024
Combined Clubs Harbour Pennant Races 5 & 6
Another 'Perfect' day on the water How was the racing? "Oh, you know, we went around some cans, we broke a few things... including our spirits," reports Arunga bowman Charlie Donnelly. But beyond they dry and the deadpan he continues, "It really was a beautiful day, can't complain!" Posted on 19 Feb 2024
Combined Clubs Harbour Pennant preview
Race 4 at Derwent Sailing Squadron is coming up The Combined Clubs Harbour Pennant returns this Saturday for a 1:30pm start. The Derwent Sailing Squadron will be hosting the "short and sharp" style racing that keeps crews on their toes. Posted on 16 Feb 2024
2023-24 Combined Club Long Race 4 Preview
Kicking off a busy month of Summer yacht racing in Tasmania This Saturday's Combined Clubs Long Race kicks off a busy month of Summer yacht racing. Crews racing in the 4th round of the series hosted by the RYCT will be preparing for the club's Bruny Island Race as well as the BYC's Crown Series. Posted on 2 Feb 2024
23-24 Combined Club Harbour Series Race 4 Preview
Young Guns and Old Salts Teams will be shifting gears from long ocean races over the holidays to the short sprints offered this Saturday by the Combined Clubs Harbour racing series. Posted on 19 Jan 2024