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Tuesday 9 February 2010
By John Easton
The Huntingfield Cup, the most prestigious trophy in the Jubilee world,
has been won again by club member David Bray sailing 'Wata Worrie' in
the 7 race series at Sorrento Victoria.
In 1946 Lord Huntingfield presented the Huntingfield cup, to be awarded to the winner of the NSW vs Victoria annual regatta. The Huntingfield has been run 58 times with NSW successful just 13 times.
The Jubilee class is resurgent on Pittwater with 10 boats half are owned by RPAYC members !
Established in 1935 this sturdy one design displacement open yacht was popular on Port Phillip Bay, Lake Wendouree in Ballarat, Sydney Harbour and Pittwater.
J47, Penelope now sailing (ex-Noela) was one of several Goddard built (Palm Beach) boats built in 1938 which was in the first Jubilee races on the harbour and the first RPAYC races on Pittwater. These first RPAYC races on Pittwater were Jubilee races.
When David won The Huntingfield last year at RPAYC the Victorians would not release the cup as they claimed the deeds demanded that it reside in Victoria. The Jubilee committee ( NSW), all RPAYC members, looked into the matter and found that the trophy should be held by the winning club and asked for it back but the Vics would not play ball. David’s brief this year was that if he won it again, retain possession after the presentation and bring it back, which he duly did.
'Wata Worrie' - J121 racing from the front - photos by Steb Fisher
In January 2010, the regatta was to be competed at Sorrento Sail and Couta Boat Club, a strong hold of Jubilees (and Couta boats).
Having won on Pittwater in 2009, David Bray packed up J121 ‘Wata Worrie’, collected Sandringham Yacht Club crew Andy Freese and rigged up at SSCBC looking for a third crew member.
Local Couta boat identity Geoff “Gado” Gadsden was found at the bar and after a suitable bribe, he joined the Wataworrie crew for his first Jubilee adventure.
With a good fleet of 17 (same as the J24 Nationals at Sandringham!) 9 boats were from Sorrento including ’05 Cup winner Michael Cook, with 3 boats each from Brighton and Ballarat, plus ‘Wataworrie’ from Pittwater.
Day 1 saw good moderate breezes with Sorrento boats J131 ‘Mudlark’ (Michael Cook) and J106, ‘Selene’ (Andrew Skinner) showing best speed but both scoring an OCS each, J121 ‘Wataworrie’, hung in for 2,2,3 on the day.
Day 2 Nice breeze but forecast to die, lots of tide and the FD’s hogged the start line for 4 attempted starts and the best of the breeze. With a dying breeze J121 Wataworrie progressed to 1st at the last mark then watched J131 Mudlark sail past in zero breeze and very steady tide. The latter swept J121 ‘Wataworrie’ onto the finishing buoy after finishing second!
Day 3 No breeze, then after a 2 hour postponement, bang 20-22 knots and J121 ‘Wataworrie’ (2 points down on J106 ‘Selene’ going into the day) reeled off 3 hard fought bullets for take back to back Huntingfield Cups.
J106 ‘Selene’ finished 2nd overall with 2,3,3, on Day 3. The always consistent J101 ‘Scorpion’ (Charles Weatherly, Ballarat) with 2 final day 2nds came 3rd, J131 ‘Mudlark’ won 4th on count back from J116 ‘Jemima’ (Stephen Wright, Ballarat)
Wata Worrie had 3 bullets on the final day to take out the championship.
A great competitive series, with the top boats just “boat lengths apart”. Plus excellent organization off and on shore by SSCBC.
The Jubilee Class was the foundation Class of RPAYC in the late 30s with large fleet of over 20 boats. People like life member and past Commodore Rex Hunt originally sailed a Jubilee.
There are 9 Jubilees racing on Pittwater, half of them owned by RPAYC members.
They are a strict one design class of classic lines 18 ft long with a steel center plate, internal lead ballast, and weigh in at one tonne all up, and a delight to sail in winds up to 25 knotts.
The 2011 Huntingfield Cup is to be hosted by RPAYC in January on Pittwater.
For detailed results go to www.jubileeyacht.org.au
The NSW committee ( all PRAYC members) are keen to promote the Jubes on Pittwater and at “The Alfreds” so if you are interested in getting involved or simply want to go for a sail on a Jube speak to club members Ian Richie on 0429 997 163 or John Easton on 0412 404 570.
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