ORCV Official Business
AVW Day Three - Classic Melbourne.
Dear old Melbourne lived up to its reputation yesterday - four seasons in a day. The race for 335 vessels got underway in a dark and grey mode with the breeze out of the SW at around 12 knots and little bit of slop from the overnight action. It closed in soon after the start with rain and hey, wouldn't you know it, after that it got bright. By the time the leaders hit Corio Bay, it was sunny and there was 25knots for them to use, which they did in a lovely reach. The leader and ultimate winner, 'Living Doll', was doing 15's in those conditions. As usual, it did get tighter as they got further into the channel.
Second after the Doll was the RP51, 'SMB 3.5' (rack another one up for me with Jim Pugh, eh), then the TP pair of 'Calm' and 'Shogun', with 'Scarlet Runner' and 'Audi Centre Melbourne'. The RP46 'Shamrock' did really well and was 8th.
It is very sad about the loss of the Adams 10 'Ten Too' in the collision with the Cavalier 350 'Magic Bullet'. The ORCV's own Bob Tanner with his 'Alegria II' was the first on the scene and assisted with the process. Thankfully, all onboard are OK, although Bob did not get to complete the race. Mercifully, the two boats in question are of similar size... Please note that the pic of the Adams 10 is not the boat in question, but one of her sisterships.
Steb Fisher did the pics and he can be found at his website HERE, email is
Straight to the Pool Room with this one - our hero shot for the piece. Don't know who LV709 is, but I DO know you're getting wet!
It was a tough call over this one, however. Just love it. David, who is it please??? H90.
The Doyen, Lou Abrahams, occupies the usual position right up in the quarter. I love this as it shows the grey day off beautifully. Unfortunately for them, 'Challenge' was one of the ones pinged OCS (out of the millions) and by the time they had worked their way back and gone through again, their race was virtually over...
Steb really wants one of these. Like yeah! Think Scotts' will at least give us a spin after this plug Steb?
So on with the start, where apparently heaps were over, far more than those called, but that's what happens with an all-in start.
Might is right (I think I would have liked to be made of Newcastle Pine not carbon for this move though) - or gutsy, which is the way Steb described it - you can make your own call
'Sue Sea' of Freo (who we saw in depth HERE yesterday), going the wrong way here - big call that. Huge!
The Sills with 'INSX' (Sm5985) right in there and Sm4 sails on B220 just in front of SMB3.5 there on the right.
'Challenge', Sm2 is the fifth mast from the left got pinged.
'Shogun' bolts off the line. Well, once the sail filled anyway.
Interesting.
Drag race at the front. See.
R25 'Surprise' would need to watch out or may well get one herself, as her main is smaller than their headies and they make one hell of a wind shadow!!!
Front row - Bugels out - it's a charge!
This is the 2nd line - "...no wonder you can't call a general recall on the front line", was Steb's remark. Quite so.
Now Hush here is also a Cavalier and they did a good job with the Rudder Cup Series at Xmas time.
Everybody in that back corner. it's the IRC way... No more stacked around the keel, even for uphill work.
Gee Whiz! The Oceanburo Girls found Steb again, even with another 334 boats around. Well done team! How do they do it?
I think it's an Archambault, but I just love it because of 'Enterprize' in the background.
This is B26, which is 'Reverie'.
'Rush' with 'XLR8' behind them.
Nice one of the 'Rush' Team, who always have their boat placed well.
Our friends "The Cappers".
These two shots are 'Second to None', which is Nola Walch's brand new Beneteau First 40 - her first big day out, it seems. John Spencer, RBYC Commodore (gee, he gets around), amongst those on the rail. She was only metres behind virtual sistership, Two True', Steb tells me. Looks like she borrowed sails from 'Wicked', who doesn't need them right this second unfortunately (article on that is HERE). Apparently her own got lost in the post before Christmas - how do they do that?! Good Question Steb...
Nola was ticlked pink apparently, just like in the WISC late last year and I'm told if you were there, you'd understand that reference.
Another Beneteau and my perennial go-to boat, Crackerjack - Wally at the front of the rail there.
David Currie's Simonis-Voogt designed IY60. First out the Heads at Xmas, but not enough squirt across the Paddock to get her into Launceston first, unfortunately. Would have relished the conditions for this passage race, however.
'Enterprize' in Corio Bay.
On the right is 'Jazz Player', who won M2HW this year.
Nice. Must take up this sport sometime soon, you know...
'Second to None' with her 'borrowed' Sm4 sails was only metres behind 'Two True'. Great effort for your first big outing.
Looking the other way, it's easy to make out Geelong, once you're this close in.
OK. Time for the boats from the host club, RGYC.
'Ocean Skins' would have relished the reach down the Bay...
G621, nice pic of you. The guy in blue really stands out.
'Extasea', who won M2L, with 'Chutzpah' in behind them, which is another boat that would have moved along in the big reach.
'Cinquante', who I'm pretty sure won the 38s battle on the day.
Golden Oldie - Kooka 1.
'Wild Goat' out of Mornington, looks to be a Sydney 32/36CR to me...
Another Mornington boat, 'Shamrock', and that definitely IS Andy Keep on the wheel - so that would have something to do with their 8th place on the day...
Sponsors are just going to love this one. All cheques received graciously BTW... Steb and I will take demos for the weekend as in-kind payment, or will we???
I made an Executive Decision, Steb. Cash!!!
I'm pretty sure R25 is 'Surprise'. Almost as wet as the hero pic. Almost.
'Living Doll' with that high freeboard isn't going to get wet as quickly...
Giddy Up!!!!
Now there's definitely a bit of Larry in that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bang! We have a winner.
Just a little further back down the line - R67
Pretty sure that's going to be 'Mercedes III'... Would have liked the stiff breeze at her weight.
Small and wet - just had to be grouped together...
Just six months ago they pulled out of the inaugural M2G with gear failure, but came for the bash. Looks like they made it as a racer this time. Cool.
'Beyond Outrageous' did well in the Sovereign Series this year.
A modern sled, so all packed at the back of the rail. Not quite smile #5 there Rob, however...
These guys were all smiles though. 'Terra Firma' won Div 2 at Docklands. Crew had Andy Telford, Ian 'Barney' Walker, Lex O'Connor and Dean van Teylingen amongst them. Well done in the testing conditions.
And yet more smiles - with 'Frequent Flyer'.
'XLR8' were third to Hobart down the East Coast in 2009.
'Veloce' were second into Hobart.
Chris has a reservation for 'Audi Centre Melbourne' in the Vanuatu race in July.
'Willow' driving their Farr, Gen4, TP52, 'Calm'.
'Goldfinger' did not caught with too big a sail up this time.
We'll come back to multihulls.
'Two True' were just in front of the other Farr designed First 40 from RBYC that was out there.
Second over the line was 'Secret Mens Business 3.5', the RP51, that really does look a bit like Alfa Jnr... (the latter was built and modified by McConaghy China)
Passage Race and a half pics soon enough, so come back now, ya' all.
By John Curnow
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