Photos from the 2024 Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta will be up soon and when they are I will put a link to them here, so keep an eye on the page.
First photos are in! You can find the photos from the 2024 ICWDR here:
2024 Inverloch Classic Wooden Dinghy Regatta Photos
The weather gods were very kind to us this year, with comfortable temperatures and light to moderate winds all weekend, although that run out tide on Sunday morning was a beast, but more about that later.
As usual, many of us, Australian Sailfish and others, arrived on the Friday afternoon to give plenty of time to unload the boats and settle in to our accommodation. Friday this year was NOT like last year when it was stinking hot, so unloading and sorting gear out was much easier and more comfortable.
Saturday arrived, as it often does, just after Friday and to the delight of all of us there was a dropping tide and plenty of beach. The morning was all about registering, arranging lunch and dinner and setting boats up for the afternoon’s two races. Wind was very light before lunch and we were wondering if there would be enough to sail in the afternoon. Fortunately the wind kicked in nicely at around 6 to 8 knots, perfect conditions for those of us with a lighter disposition :-). Low tide was around 1.30 to 2 pm, so that meant we had a slight runout tide for the first race and pretty well still water for the second.
The Sailfish were the first division away and to the surprise of many of us, Bentley Conn on 874 Lucy led the fleet away. He then spent the rest of the race defending against Jim French on 1806 Hustler and managed to hold him off right until the end, when Jim snuck past to grab the win with Warren Jones on 2182 Goofy Footed in third and Ian Milton on 2188 Gooney Bird in fourth.
In Race 2 Bentley had to contend with an old hull that decided that it had had enough excitement for one day and took in quite a bit of the Inlet, leaving Jim to break free for a clear win from Brian Carroll on 3461 Jack’s Toy and Ian Milton on 2188 Gooney Bird in third. Fourth was Warren on Goofy and fifth was Dale Watson on 3365 Super Trooper.
Sunday dawned with a good steady breeze of around 6 to 8 knots, which held pretty steady for the rest of the day. But the earlier race start, Race 3 was run before lunch, meant that the runout tide was a major factor. The locals reckoned it was running at about 7 to 8 knots over in the far channel and we were warned that the lay line was not an option. I think the phrasing was something like “sail out to the left until you know you will make it around the top mark, then go further”. They were right!
More than one of us was caught out. The two most popular (?) options were either not carrying the tack far enough and having to loose a lot of time fighting back to the mark against a current running stronger than the breeze or to simply run into the rounding buoy, sometimes more than once. Words were spoken, none of them repeatable in polite company. Away from the rounding mark over at the actual race Warren on Goofy showed us all how it was done, winning from Jim on Hustler with Ian on Gooney third just ahead of Dale on Super Trooper in fourth.
Frayed nerves were revived over lunch before we headed out again for the fourth and final race of the regatta. By now the current had slowed right down and the Inlet was behaving much more than it had earlier in the day. But with the dropping tide came our old friends the shallows and the sandbars and around the starting line there was not a lot of clear water. As a result the line felt more crowded than it had in the earlier races but everyone made a clean start and once again Jim led the way home with Brian second, Warren third and Ian fourth.
Not surprisingly, with three firsts and a second, the winner of the Jack Carroll Memorial Trophy for 2024 was Jim French on 1806 Hustler. Winner of the Best Presented Australian Sailfish was 3461 Jack’s Toy, skippered by Brian Carroll.
Best boat overall was Allie, a really lovely little clinker hulled boat, built by a member of the Victorian Wooden Boat Association.
Maybe next year we could sail up the Inlet further and have an explore up there, that would be interesting (or is that just me that thinks so?).
Once again we had an event run spectacularly well on shore and on the water. The South Gippsland Yacht Club really go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and to look after us while we are there. Thanks to all the volunteers and the organising committee for a job well done, again. See you in 2025!
Who was there?
534 Slippery Sam – John Fairfax
874 Lucy – Bentley Conn
875 Jaguar – Paul Murphy
1806 Hustler – Jim French
2182 Goofy Footed – Warren Jones
2188 Gooney Bird – Ian Milton
3313 Sally – David Thomas (Sunday only)
3330 Stanley Crocodile – Greg Barwick
3334 Gonzo the Great – Ken Maynard
3365 Supper Trooper – Dale Watson
3461 Jack’s Toy – Brian Carroll
Havachat About Sailfish 