12:05 AM Sun 20 Sep 2009 GMT
The Cock of the Huon for 2009 is Stewart Geeves' Young 88 Footloose - after the first boat to finish today's pursuit race on the Huon River, south of Hobart, was penalised five minutes for starting 30 seconds ahead of its time signal.
Footloose sailed a fine race, following up on its fastest time in Division 3 in the overnight race from Hobart down the Derwent River and the d'Entrecasteaux Channel that started Friday evening.
Today, the Young 88 crossed the finish line a close second to another Division 3 boat, David Leake's Steelin' Time - but Huon Yacht Club race officials then penalised Steelin' Time for starting early and awarded the Cock of the Huon trophy to Footloose.
The Cock of the Huon was the second race in the Derwent Sailing Squadron/Huon Yacht Club's traditional Pipe Opener Series that marks the starting of summer sailing season for 2009-2010 in southern Tasmania.
A fleet of 38 boats from the Derwent Sailing Squadron, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Bellerive Yacht Club, Kettering Yacht Club and the Huon Yacht Club contested the Cock of the Huon in gusty westerly winds and rain squalls that saw some spectacular broaches and torn spinnakers.
Among the starters was prominent Sydney yachtsman Sean Langman with Maluka, his beautifully restored gaff-rigged cutter that contested the 2006 Sydney Hobart Race.
Huon Yacht Club race officials penalised five yachts for starting too early, including three which crossed the finish line among the first five boats, led home by Steelin' Time.
'I think they misread the sailing instructions about when they should start,' HYC official starter Tony Burgess said this evening. 'The five boats broke the start by between 20 and 30 seconds, but the penalty is a costly five minutes.'
Officially, the Cock of the Huon title and perpetual trophy went to Footloose, from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, to hold for the next 12 months, but under the rules she was not eligible for any Division 3 prizes.
Thus, Division 3 went to Searenity (Robert Watchorn) from Steelin' Time and Not Negotiable, both of which were penalised for starting early. Maluka placed fourth in Division 3 and 12th overall.
Division 1 saw Wings Three, Peter Haros' Northshore 38 from the Derwent Sailing Squadron follow-up her overnigh race handicap win with another victory, finishing ahead of Michael Denny's Wild West from the RYCT and local Huon Yacht Club boat Red Jacket, Ambrose Coad's recently acquired Radford 40.
Division 2 went to Anthony Ellis' Moonshadow from Patrick Hyman's Insatiable, third place going to Matt Westland's Shadowfax.
Crews had to react quickly as the gusty rainsqualls swept down from the mountains to the west, but several boats broached dramatically including the Thompson 9 sports boat Tas Marine Constructions, which was laid on its beam ends shortly after starting. Hummingbird also gave a display of masthead spinnaker flying.
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Sportsboat Tas Marine Constructions made a spectacular start to the Cock of the Huon race on the Huon River, south of Hobart - Peter Campbell ©
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The Pipe Opener Series was sponsors by Sargisons Jewellers, the Kermandie Hotel and Port Huon Marina.
by Pater Campbell
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