Tas Jeanneau Rally 2015
This year’s Jeanneau Rally in Hobart was much later than usual, but April weather is usually calm and sunny so we hoped for the best. The three days before and after the Saturday and Sunday were perfect but a blustery cold front hit the fleet just before the end of the Fun Race. The wind was predicted to rise again before dawn on Sunday and blow until afternoon, so the three Kettering boats had a headwind both ways.
Activities commenced with a gathering of Jeanneaus off Hinsby Beach, Taroona. Even sheltering there, it was too gusty for rafting up, so the first activity was abandoned. We had eight Jeanneaus ranging in age from two to nearly thirty years. The roll call was Helena K, Magnetron, Harmony, Saylavee, Sagres, Objectif Lune, Xantia and Ios, which was our only powerboat this year.
The Boat Sales Tasmania work boat distributed Gift Bags including the games to be completed before the dinner. Crews then ate lunch, made coffee and ignored the start of the Fun Race, effectively handicapping themselves and saving the judges that problem. The race was shortened to end at Wrest Point Casino when the cold front delivered 25 to 30 knot winds, definitely taking the fun out of it. The two oldest boats had a tacking duel over the line with Sagres just ripping off Objectif Lune by tacking over them. The protest committee had some work. Helena K, the biggest boat in the fleet, was catching them but their self-imposed eight minute delayed start, to finish their entertaining, was too much. Magnetron handicapped themselves as they had to finish coffee before they could pull their anchor. Every boat had a good excuse for not winning.
Above (left to right): The fleet anchored off Hinsby Beach, Taroona, Michael and Penny aboard 'Ios'
Above (left to right): 'Magnetron' racing, 'Helena K' crosses the finish line.
Anchoring in Cornelian Bay was going to be uncomfortable in those conditions, so the Hobart boats went back to their pens and the Kettering boats tied up in the free parking marina at the entrance to Constitution Dock. Where else in the world does a city provide that within the CBD? We were snug as a bug in a rug overnight, ignoring the three hour limit, and entertained the tourists, particularly some of the children. As forecast, the wind rose in the early hours, so we felt justified.
So, everyone went to the dinner at Cornelian Bay Boathouse by car and we didn’t have the dinghies on the lawn. We gathered in the picnic shelter nearby for pre-dinner drinks courtesy of Boat Sales Tasmania. Jeanneau owners always have plenty to talk about but it wasn’t too hard to get people to move to the warmth of the restaurant. This year’s theme was the 1980s British sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo and most people were at least partly in costume. It was hard to identify the real waiting staff with ten Renés stumbling around. The Boathouse provided a great meal which was even somewhat appropriate for wartime France, apart from the Bombe Alaska, which hadn’t been invented in 1943 - well not that version anyhow. That didn’t stop the total clearance of every plate.
Paul Nanscawen (aka. Herr Otto Flick) of Boat Sales Tasmania handed out the prizes, and every boat was on the winners list. Most importantly, the Golden Anchor award went to Roy and Jane Forbes, on Spirit, for replying to the invitation a week before anyone else, sailing down from Triabunna and threatening to have next year’s event on the east coast. Since many people think that is highly desirable the choice was easy. Best costumes went to Saylavee on a countback over Helena K. Best drawing of the “Missing Madonna with the Big Boobies” went to Objectif Lune, who also nearly wrote the best French letter, which went to Harmony. Ios won the powerboat division of the race owing to lack of competition. Magnetron, from Burnie, won the longest travelled award. The French Kiss award went to Jen Who - reluctant to participate until they realised there was a bottle of Veuve Clicquot at stake! Best French toast and best French knot were also awarded, so Helena K won plenty of prizes, deservedly, since they put in a huge effort in helping to organise the event.
This is the time to thank our sponsors, particularly Boat Sales Tasmania, who financed the dinner and provided much of the organisation. The prizes came from Peter Johnston Ship Chandlery, Doyle Frasers Sails Tasmania and Boatcrewgear.com with lots of Veuve Clicquot from Boat Sales Tasmania. PJ’s and Doyles are part of the Hobart boating scene and can get almost anything for your Jeanneau. Boatcrewgear are an amazing online shop and have Jeanneau labelled clothing ready to dispatch. A special thank you to them all.
The three Kettering boats left on Sunday for home, Objectif Lune in the morning into 25 to 30 knot winds. Helena K and Xantia waited until the afternoon, when the wind dropped to 10 to 15 knots, but, as usual, exactly on the nose after rounding every headland. Spirit departed on Monday morning, with a zephyr from the north and mirror seas. That’s Tasmanian boating in autumn.
Ian and Wendy Fletcher
Xantia
ABOVE (left to right): Pre-dinner drinks, 'Rene' enjoying his wine!
Above: Wendy and Ian Fletcher (left) present the 2015 Golden Anchor Award to Roy and Jane Forbes (seated).