A slow moving high pressure system continues to provide unusual weather including fog, high 91% humidity, shifty light winds and calm seas, which means the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week fleet is likely to experience a repeat of yesterday.

There’s been a change in the program for the Audi IRC Australian championship fleet vying for a brand new North Sails Code 2 spinnaker emblazoned with the Audi IRC Australian Championship logo for each divisional winner.

Rather than an islands course, regatta director Denis Thompson and his team have posted a change of schedule with the IRC classes now racing windward/leewards starting on the eastern course area.

‘It’s all about fair racing and given today’s going to be light and shifty we feel we have more control over a windward/leeward course. We can decide where and when to start them.’ 

Regatta forecaster Kenn Batt warns of another trying day and explains how a sea fog develops: ‘Expect low cloud cover over the islands this morning and possible sea fog areas caused by the dew point temperature at the airport being virtually the same as the sea water temperature.

‘The fog bank may delay the wind speed increasing to an acceptable speed range to race in and may also delay any left trend,’ said Batt.

‘Again the three biggest questions today will be 1. Will there be enough wind to race? 2. If enough wind, how far will the direction trend east during your race period? And 3. If so how quickly will this occur?

‘The ACCESS model is essentially telling us that today should be very similar to yesterday,’ adds Batt.

A peak gust of 11 knots and a temperature of 20.7 degrees recorded at the Hamilton Island airport overnight suggest there is little chance of a cool change and stronger winds.

Luxury carmaker, Audi, returns as the title sponsor of Hamilton Island Race Week in 2012. The German premium brand will host a range of special events on the island for yacht owners and guests to enjoy during the week.

By Lisa Ratcliff/AHIRW media

See Hamilton Island Race Week images

Last Updated ( Friday, 24 August 2012 )