Elliott 5.9 – Burnsco Traveler Series #3 – Whitianga Preview

Elliott 5.9 – Burnsco Traveler Series #3 – Whitianga Preview – July 27-28

by Gareth Howard – Elliott 5.9 Association Jul 20 02:14 UTC
July 20, 2024

After an eventful and challenging Burnsco Traveller Series #2 in New Plymouth, the Elliott 5.9 fleet will be hosted by Mercury Bay Boating Club in Whitianga this week on the weekend of 27th and 28th July for Burnsco Traveller Series #3.

Burnsco Traveller Series #2 in New Plymouth was a great event for the class. Very big waves with strong winds were conditions that tested boat handling and skills to a high level. It was a good test but the boats coped well with the conditions.

Despite the challenging conditions the race was exciting again. Rounding marks of two or three boats wide in these conditions were not for the faint-hearted.

Revelry had another good regatta. After the first day of four races Revelry was just one peon behind R+R and consistently challenged R+R in some tight boat-to-boat racing. A real credit to both teams under the circumstances. Slam Dunk and Bloodline were also in the mix but lacked the consistency to really challenge the leading two boats.

A big thank you must go to the team at New Plymouth Yacht Club. The conditions on the committee and mark boats must have been challenging and uncomfortable, but they still managed to set good, fair courses and make the starts in quick succession.

Traveller Series #3 in Whitianga sees a number of boats return. Shapeshifter and Reggae Shark both had great seasons last year, finishing first and second in the 2023 Traveller Series. They will no doubt challenge R+R, Revelry and Slam Dunk for the top spots in Whitianga.

Usain Boat has also had some very useful recent results and will be making the journey from the Far North. They are also expected to challenge the leaders

Nevis and Dirty Circus complete the set of returning boats. With Bloodline and Zoot Allures currently in fourth and fifth place, these returning boats will also shake up the results.

Overall, Whitianga is likely to prove to be a decisive regatta. Halfway through the five regatta series, a good result will keep boats in contention for the overall podium. A poor result in a large competitive fleet will have a detrimental effect on each boat’s overall points.

The race will be extremely exciting. Any bad decision will quickly drop a boat out of the top ten. With this quality fleet it will be a challenge to work your way back through the fleet. As always, consistency will be key.

Youth Development

Lydia Boyd and team have now taken over the Youth Development boat, Class Act. It is great to see another young female skipper involved in the class. Lydia joins a number of female crew members currently competing in the class. She also follows in the footsteps of a number of high achieving female skippers who have previously honed their skills within the class.

Class Act will potentially be crewed by an all-female youth crew in the upcoming regatta. The Elliott 5.9 class continues to pride itself on supporting upcoming sailors and also providing a career path for female skippers and crew. The class offers a great stepping stone into competitive one-design racing and crewed boats that open many doors to further sailing opportunities.

The class is always grateful to the Elliott 5.9 class members whose generosity and time make Class Act available to youth crew at no cost. The sole purpose of the boat is to support youth development sailing. Full details of the Elliott 5.9 Youth Development boat opportunity are available on the website under the Development Crew Boat tab.

Once again the class would like to thank the Mercury Bay Yacht Club for hosting the fleet. The Elliott 5.9 class have built up a great relationship with the club. The class always look forward to this regatta. Despite the loss of club premises they continue to provide great hospitality, launch facilities etc.

Follow the results and photos online at www.facebook.com/elliott5.9 and for more information about the Elliott 5.9 Class Association, visit www.e59.org.nz

Previous results can be found here: elliott59.weebly.com/results.html

About the Elliott 5.9

The Elliott 5.9 originated in the early 1980s as a high performance trailer yacht and continues to deliver competitive one-design racing in a welcoming fleet of world class sailors and beginners. The boats started a revolution with their well balanced and cost effective design and quickly became the boat of choice for top club training programs and a breeding ground for the America’s Cup, Ocean Race and New Zealand Olympic champions. Sailed by a crew of three, the Elliott 5.9 remains a low maintenance sailboat with an efficient single spreader fractional rig, a well balanced sail plan and a practical deck layout. Whether cruising among mixed trailer yachts, sportboat fleets or in a one-design setting, the 5.9 is praised for its responsiveness and excellent value.