ABW March 2024

022924 p1-39 ABW March 2024.indd 29 3/3/2024 11:23:07 AM
The traditional post-Christmas ‘blow out the
cobwebs’ regatta was held over two days, December
29th and 30th. Four local stalwarts entered, namely
John Quirk with COLUMBUS, Rick Mcgonegal on
NEPTUNUS, Alan Burrell with RAGS and Peter Stevens on
IRRESISTIBLE.
COLUMBUS led the way out of the Manila Channel in a fresh
breeze, followed shortly by NEPTUNUS, then IRRESISTIBLE
and finally RAGS. All (sort of) headed out to a GPS position
(virtual) mark near the northern tip of Verde Island, round to
another VM near Chicken Feather Island (Malajibomanok)
and back across to the traditional finish off Haligi Beach, a
round trip of around 15nm.
While COLUMBUS, NEPTUNUS and RAGS took the high
road and sailed way above the rhumb line (trivia : also
known as the loxodrome) IRRESISTIBLE sailed a more direct
course and had made up ground at the first mark. The
breeze had picked up to a steady 15+kts at this point but
the first 3 boats fancied their big Code 0’s or cruising chutes.
IRRESISTIBLE had been out the day before and applied the
lessons learnt to continue with a reefed main and full jib.
While the others struggled to control their big sexy sails
(and RAGS went to White Beach!) IRRESISTIBLE sailed the
direct line to the finish to take the honours, with Columbus
2nd, Neptunis 3rd and Rags bringing up the rear.
Day 2 started with similar winds and the same boats, out to
the traditional Small Tabinay rounding mark. This involves
a beat up the Verde Island Passage, a reach down past
Escarceo lighthouse, a beat back up to a point and then
a dead run past Sabang to finish at Haligi Beach again,
12nm in straight lines.
COLUMBUS streaked ahead to get to the Tabinay mark
first, well in front of IRRESISTIBLE, RAGS and NEPTUNUS,
a position that they held to the finish. IRRESISTIBLE was
ahead of RAGS rounding the lighthouse to run back and
then decided that the big yellow spinnaker was the way to
go. Apparently not. After several spectacular (unfortunately
not recorded on video) full-on broaches they finally got rid
of it in favour of a rig more suited to the brisk breeze. In
the meantime, Alan hoisted his baby spinnaker and sneaked
along the coast. IRRESISTIBLE wasn’t going to let them get
away so easily and reached back down to the course and
was a couple of boat-lengths behind at the Long Beach
headland. They jousted nose-to-tail towards the finish but
the wily old salt that is Alan Burrell was not about to let
anybody sneak past him to windward. They crossed the line
less than a boat length ahead.
COLUMBUS took the win, with RAGS 2nd, IRRESISTIBLE
3rd and NEPTUNUS following on. That gave COLUMBUS
1ST OVERALL, IRRESISTIBLE 2ND, RAGS 3RD AND
NEPTUNUS 3rd runner up!
A fun two days with thanks to Stuart Downes for putting it
all together.
Irresistible
They jousted nose-to-tail towards
the finish but the wily old salt
that is Alan Burrell was not about
to let anybody sneak past him to
windward. They crossed the line less
than a boat length ahead.
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