BIGGEST NEW YEAR RACE ATTENDANCE YET for Kip New Year Race

Fairlie Yacht Club's first race of the season got off to a great start with 10 yachts lining up for the 2nd of January New Year's Race. While the boats jostled for position close to the marina office awaiting their runners, New Year greetings were passed between skippers and crews. As the runners bearing Tunnocks teacakes approached, the yachts engines revved and lines were released. Boyd Tunnock's "Lemarac" and retired FYC Commodore Duncan Chalmers "Perfect Alibi" were to lead the fleet out of the marina. As the yachts passed the entrance channel sails were hoisted and the race began in earnest or nearly. Tangled, badly packed and caught in the rigging spinnakers became the order of the day and with 9 out of the 10 boats heading for the wrong first mark maybe not all the heads were clear from the Hogmanay revelling. "Perfect Alibi" was first to the Warden Bank buoy off Dunoon closely followed by "Lemarac" and Mark Allen's Elan 333 "Eland". The reach to the Skelmorlie North buoy saw the bigger faster yachts close up the fleet and it was "Lemarac" ahead of "Eland" and "Perfect Alibi" by the 2nd mark. Jim Hoey's J30 "Judicious" was going well on his first outing as he paced the Elan 333 "Good Craic" for the rest of the race. Clive Davis had sailed Aquasmart up from Largs to join in the fun with past Gourock sailor Glen Fairlie calling the shots and they eventually led the fleet home to the marina whereupon the Runners again headed off to the marina office to have their finishing times recorded. Most crews tidied off the boats quickly and returned for the Apres Sail at The Chartroom. The results were duly calculated and by a mere 7 seconds "Lemarac"retained the trophy from "Perfect Alibi" and "Judicious" 3rd. A very well attended prize giving then applauded "Tunnocks" for their kind support and sponsorship.

1 Lemarac B Tunnock 1.14.15 

2 Perfect Alibi D Chalmers 1.14.22

3 Judicious J Hoey 1.16.54 

4 Cara of Kip G Goudie 1.17.08 

5 Aquasmart C Davis 1.18.53 

6 Eland M Allen 1.19.02 

7 Hoo Ha R Denton 1.19.26 

8 Good Craic D Armstrong 1.19.46 

9 Sambucca S McIntyre 1.21.25 

10 Salaminor K Brown Rtd