By Ian Grant.
The design pedigree of the Kevin Fogarty skippered Idle Time has continued to allow the sloop designed by West Australian based Naval Architect Kim Swarbrick to remain as the star performer in Whitsunday Sailing Club events.
One of the major reasons behind Idle Time’s domination is the sloop spends very little time lying idle secured to her mooring.
In fact both skipper and crew seem to spend more time on the deck than most other crews which instinctively builds an understanding on which ‘rope to pull’ to sail the ‘old girl’ consistently above her handicap rating.
Sure the onset of the tropical summer has been wetter and warmer this year with record rain drenching the Whitsundays however the conditions while remaining challenging have not interfered with Idle Time’s sailing program.
Her skipper Kevin Fogarty has a passion for sailing and his crew are similarly addicted which has contributed to the success they have enjoyed during a full on program of events during the year.
They have been equally successful in the short course twilight racing and the longer distance passage racing where Idle Time has rarely finished out of a place.
While the Idle Time crew remain as the space setter they are constantly under ‘the pump’ to protect their sailing space against their Space Sailor and match racing rival Sandpiper skippered by Colin Pruden.
As their design suggests both crews possess an equal opportunity to win the ‘bragging rights’ as was the case in the recent Island passage race from Airlie Beach via the Double Cone Island to the finish in Dent Passage off Hamilton Island.
A light and tricky Northerly breeze which hardly presented the consistent velocity to ruffle the surface of the normally wind tormented Whitsunday Passage presented the fleet with an unusual light wind test of tactical strategy.
Colin Pruden’s Sandpiper crew sweated it out on deck to win the first stage of the Space Sailor match race and the progressive lead in the three race series for the Advanced Alarms Trophy.
Race two from Hamilton Island to Bowen presented the fleet with yet another test of light wind sailing which ultimately resulted in an important win for Idle Time to share the series lead with Sandpiper.
Thankfully a ‘brute breeze’ gusting to a recoded 30 knots presented the crews with a spray drenching ride on the weather rail for the trophy deciding race south from Bowen to Airlie Beach.
There were times when the entire fleet were hard pressed however it was the Idle Time crew who excelled winning the final by a convincing margin from the Hamilton Island Yacht Club sloop Nikon Spirit of The Maid (Bruce Absolon) who just edged out Sandpiper.
Idle Time’s two wins in the three race series added another trophy to the limited space on the mantelpiece while Sandpiper and the Jeff Brown skippered Northshore 38 007 filled the minor places.