2021 Queensland State Titles

NEWS

2021 QUEENSLAND JUBILEE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

11th/12th September 2021

Following on from their successful running of the inaugural State Titles last year, Tingira Boat Club on Macleay Island in southern Moreton Bay, generously provided the venue and officials for the 2021 championships over the weekend 11th and 12th September.

Once again, this little all-volunteer club did a magnificent job of conducting a six heat series within a very tight (tide dictated) time frame. All participating Jubilee sailors are most grateful for their efforts.

Three heats were conducted on Saturday and three on Sunday, over a windward and return “sausage” course, with all crews required to pass through the mid-course starting line “gate” on both upwind and downwind legs. Winds remained northerly for the duration of the event, providing a true windward beat on the roughly N/S course. The requirement to pass through the starting line introduced a slight dogleg at that point, necessitating a gibe on the downwind leg.

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By Heat 2, the breeze had settled into a steady 8-12kt northerly, which remained consistent for the rest of the day. Although once again the lead changed often, “Stella” was able to get to the front at the crucial stage, to finish ahead of “Isabel” and “Andiamo” in a repeat of the Heat 1 placings.

This was also the case in Heat 3, although at times throughout the windward legs, Bill Morley’s J126 “Tawarri” and Rob Harcourt’s J117 “Sarina Lea” crossed well ahead of the eventual placegetters.

Following the racing on Day one, the wind steadily increased to 25-30kts, from the NW, peaking at about 35kts near the high tide around midnight. With all the Jubilees on temporary moorings (anchors really) off what had now become a lee shore there was some anxiety about the safety of the boats. This was not unfounded as at about midnight, both “Sarina Lea” and Mike King’s “Nereid” dragged up onto the beach. “Nereid” dragged between the piles of a demolished jetty without hitting any of them, while the newly refurbished “Sarina Lea” was saved from impact with a rock retaining wall by her mast and rigging tangling in an overhanging tree. Apart from “Sarina Lea” leaving her windex in the trees, both boats were undamaged, and a team of about 20 volunteers were able to lift/drag both boats down to a point where they would float off in time for the start of Heat 4. However, as “Nereid’s” centerboard was down when she went ashore and seemed to be jammed in the case, Mike decided to withdraw from the remainder of the competition and motored “Nereid” home to her permanent mooring a kilometer or so from the course. Happily, by the time he reached there, the case had freed itself  of mud and sand etc and the board(apparently unbent) appeared to be operating normally.

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JA Linacre Memorial Trophy
Victorian State Titles 

Heat 4 started on schedule at 11.00am with a steady 8-12kt northerly which held throughout the afternoon. Again the lead changed several times, but this time with the refloated “Sarina Lee”  a clear winner ahead of “Stella” and with “ Bill Morley’s ”Tawarri” skippered by Lee Duffield in third place, pushed hard by “Andiamo”.  “Sarina Lea” has only recently been purchased by Rob Harcourt who has done a magnificent job of refurbishing her. She was sailed by three generations of Harcourts, with Rob’s grandson Ethan on the tiller, son Andrew on sheet and Rob foreward. Lee Duffield’s (some of us will remember him as an ABC foreign correspondent)  last sail on a Jubilee was on his father’s Jube in Townsville in the 1950’s, aged about 5.

In heat 5, “Andiamo” led from the start, finishing well ahead of “Stella”, who just managed to hold off “Isabel”, with “Tawarri” in 4th place.

Very close racing returned for the final heat with the usual excitement at mark roundings etc. “Stella” returned to winning form, finishing ahead of “Isabel”, and with “Tawarri” in third place ahead of “Andiamo”.

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Australian Jubilee Championship Huntingfield Cup Regatta 

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