"Gavin will be safe on the water. But I'll be down in Napier for four nights so Gavin can take me to dinner on each of those nights at four of the most expensive restaurants down there ... I haven't decided which four yet," he replied.
"Gavin was lucky it was me and not one of the other skippers who could have been slightly more heated," Clarke added.
Despite that collision Bloodline went on to finish second in the round and Earle will aim for a podium finish again this week. Bloodline finished fifth at last year's Wellington-hosted nationals for the trailer yacht class.
"This is only our second year in the class. Basically Craig is always the man to beat and then between the rest of us it is all really close," Earle said referring to Aucklander Craig Satterthwaite who has skippered Rough and Ready to title honours in the last three nationals.
Satterthwaite boasts America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race experience on his racing CV.
A multiple national champion in the Javelin class as well as a 2018 national champion in the Ross 780 class with a crew which also included Fenwick and Howard, Earle, 56 is grateful for the work Howard has put into Bloodline.
"We picked up the boat a few years ago from Tauranga. It was sitting out in the weather and needed a lot of work. The hull had to be rebuilt and it also needed a new keel and new sails and Gareth did all that ... he's a relief teacher so he's got plenty of time on his hands," Earle, a veteran of 45 years of sailing, explained.
"Obviously we'll be wanting more breeze for the championship. But this time of the year winds can be more fickle here in the Bay," Earle said.
NZCU Baywide chief executive Earle pointed out Napier is hosting the championship in an attempt to boost numbers in the fleet.
"We were hoping for more than 14 starters. We've got nine boats from Auckland, one from Whangarei, one from Wellington and our three."
The Tony Clifford-skippered Magpie and David Plowman-skippered Shock Treatment are the other Napier boats in the championship.
"We seem to be getting better and are getting a little bit quicker. Like I said Craig has got the edge but outside of him it is pretty open. There is really close racing and one mistake can be the difference between first and last place ... the guys in Rough and Ready don't make mistakes."
"It pays to have young and fit crews but in saying that youngest in our crew [Fenwick] isn't the fittest," Earle quipped.
Bloodline finished sixth in last year's Traveller Series which involves regattas every six weeks during the winter.
"A couple of the regattas are up in the Bay of Island where we see some amazing scenery. Our mild winters are great. I reckon we will be in this class for a few years yet."
Four races will be staged during each of the three days this week. In addition to Satterthwaite, Earle believed Aucklanders Sam Edwards, Dave Cochran and Nathan Williams will also fancy their chances of a top three finish.
"All of the sailors in the class get on well ... there is great camaraderie," Earle added.
It will be interesting to see if he still has that opinion after Clarke tests his credit card limit this week.
