ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (Inaugural M2V of 2006)

The Treasure Trove (Pt.II)

Following on from The Treasure Trove (Pt.I), here is TT2, which celebrates the inaugural M2V of 2006. It seemed very fitting that this is our next installment, as a lot of us would not have seen these pics at the time and the next race is literally, just around the corner. In addition to that, the images are commensurate with the scale of this epic race. Pics © Steb Fisher. Tim Phillips of the Wooden Boat Shop, took Steb off Gunamatta for this in one his magnificent wooden boats. Thank you.

This is Angus Fletcher's Tevake II off Point Nepean, where those standing waves can be very spectacular indeed. They must have had a good time, because they're going back again for the 2010 M2V. As of today, April 25, eight starters have confirmed and we know of a few trying the dark knight routine, as well. So far, we have the 51st Project, Mirrabooka, Samskara, Scarlet Runner, Slinky Malinky, Tevake II, The Secretary and Turbo. Should be a good fleet by the time all the others sign up. Interestingly, four boats are from Hobson's Bay (nice one David), three from Sandy and just the one from Brighton.

Here they are going up that wave...

... and then going down it.

This is Tevake II from back inside the Heads with Elektra, Outlaw, Runaway.

Speaking of the latter... Runaway, crewed by James Ryssenbeek and Andrew McCole went Two Handed.

The fleet just off Portsea.

Gusto was a former Open 60 (I think Russian) and they were also part of the Two Handed Division, which had the most starters.

Just the two souls... Brian Pattinson and Pat Giudice

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

Ole!

Buzz (To Infinity - and Beyond!)

Bring it on!

Possibly one of my favourites in the last 5 years.

Top floor, kids toys, play equipment and Santa's castle...

Plenty on here... Still it cannot have been too much of a blight on the memory, for Brian has just bought another former Open 60 and subsequently modified to 66, to do the 2010 M2V in. The boat most of us know as AAPT (Grundig), is apparently going to be on the start line. We hope so. Going fully crewed this time. Not that it matters, as Brian did get Gusto from PNG all the way to Osaka on his own, a little while back...

Here is AAPT surfing in I think the 2006 RSHYR.

And more importantly, here's that kite. Hey Doc. What do you think of that? Hope it get's a run!!!

Now will all of this be enough to get Matt Allen to drag the former VO70, designed by Don Jones and better known now as Ichi Ban, off the hardstand at Newcastle???? Who can tell. Come to think of it, will Matthew Short get Shortwave to the line?

Got stuck in one of those, as in the storm, in Bass Strait a zillion years ago. Nice... not. This particular one, crewed by

Tristan Gourlay and Phillippa Girling, finished fifth in the Two Handed Division.

He's now the Vice Commodore of the ORCV (and responsible for the Tracker and SMS device that let's the shore crew know where you are), but back then, Don Fraser put his Elektra on the start line as part of the IRC fleet.

Only 1880nm to go and most of them will be landless expanses, much like you're seeing here.

If you could see through water, you'd work out that this is the delightful Lady Godiva. Perhaps David Currie will be inspired enough to bring the beautiful Belle out for this race????!!!

See. Here she is.

She weighs a bit, the old girl, so when she came down, there was always going to be some water removed from the scene...

Peter Coleman had JAMHU1 out there.

Never my favourite time - just out the heads and take the rail...

Busy at work, back inside Port Phillip.

Bill Rawson gave ORCV Rear Commodore, Simon Dryden, his grand old girl for the voyage. What will he go on this time???

She's one boat that has done a lot of miles. Thanks for the ones I did with you, Captain Raw.

I spoke with Graham Radford a while ago and he was delighted that Bill had done so much to her and with her... Wonder how her conversion is going?

NOR 2 was born as Kvaerner, a VO60 for '96 VOR. Knut Frostad (now CEO of the VOR) then used her as the trial horse for his Djuice campaign. The late Andrew Short owned her in 2006 and they hurtled over to Vanuatu in 7:17:06:00. That's going to take some beating - it's an average of 10.2 knots. Thus far, the only one officially entered and really able to have a crack at that, will be the Runner.

Here he is on the helm. Yes. They are kite poles in there with the crew.

The aforementioned dragon.

Behind all this is the old Ocean Skins, which was an Inglis. I wouldn't mind betting Tony Fowler will have the Rodgers 46 out for the start of the 2010 race. They won M2HE in the new Ocean Skins in 2009. They also won the Red Wine Cup for first in from either coast... And boy can that boat reach!!!

Here she is popping out now...

Yep. Water everywhere....

And yet more water...

Clipping along inside the Heads.

Outlaw was another Two-Handed Division entrant, but retired with rudder damage. Funny how those bow stickers don't actually stick when there's detergent under them...

Mike Welsh (now owns Wicked with his Dad) and the crew took Alien to third in IRC.

Robin Hewitt and the Yokoites will no doubt be on the start line. Robin does so much for so many people and shares of his knowledge so easily. he is more that just a valuable member of the community. He wrote the book for a lot of it.

Warwick Hutchins' Moomba won the IRC Division in 2006.

David James and Rosie Collahan will no doubt be taking their Ingenue out again. These two, super-experienced sailors won the Two Handed division last time.

This is BOOTS.

Or By Order of the Secretary...

Robyn Brooke, who runs the Vanuatu Humanitarian Aid project you've seen me bang on about and ORCv Commodore, George Shaw, are going in the Two Handed Division again for 2010. They're taking George's new boat, the well-appointed J44, The Secretary.

If you've read these pages before, then you know that's my lighthouse in the background. George finishes his tenure as the Commodore of the ORCV this year. He has done and continues to do, so very much indeed. This race was a little idea in his head all that time ago and now look at it. Cheers Geo.

 

By John Curnow