ORCV Melbourne to Port Fairy

Oi!!! Yes. You.

Yes. You. And No. It doesn't matter whether you're a skipper or a sailor.

If you have a boat, but not enough crew or your usual ride is not going and you want to boat tart it for the Easter break (just like He of the Countdown Timer), then we can help you!!! Yes. You.

He of the Countdown Timer is going to Port Fairy on the Dry White. You'll have to win on Handicap if want to collect more of these, pal!

So far, these boats are going and usually, it's about 20 that make the journey:

1. OR1 - yes, the Big Cheese is bringing the Dry White (couldn't help it...)
2. Pretty Woman - Roger and Michelle Wale looking to fill the Master SeaChef hat, now that Ingénue and The Secretary are on limited duties
3. Slinky Malinky - it's all upside for this mob...
4. Chikara Outlaw - she's for sale and you can see about that, HERE.

Right then. It's the penultimate gig for the season and one of the best, most scenic places you'll ever see. It's one hell of a race, too.

If you're in with a shot for a prize in the Offshore Championship (you can see where you're at HERE), then you really do need to get organised, then don't you? That means you, Alien, Escapade, Addiction, eXtasea and Magazan 53. Capiche... Matrix, White Noise and others are not forgotten, either.

It may have been as early as 1810 when a Whaler named, The Fairy, found the place and it then had a stint as, Belfast, when a town was drawn up to make use of its environs, but today, it is just plain nice. Forget the sordid past, where they killed all the whales and seals. It's now about a wonderful boardwalk, interesting cafes and quaint restaurants.

It's a visual feast and you cannot help but relax in the place.

True, the port is a bit shallow (still gets Chikara Outlaw in, however), but we've even got that issue covered now for super deep drafters. The Dash Backs mean they can just high tail it back to the Heads and the bosses ashore, mow the lawns, do the right thing, have had a yacht and still look like they never left the place. Cool or what?!

So. That's all bases covered. Call Sally or Tanya now to see how we can get you going and sticking your nose in it (Bass Strait you naughty things). Demtel shoppers, the number is 9689 1622. That number again, 9689 1622. OK! Yep. 9689 1622 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NoR and all the usual bits are available from HERE.

And yes, there will be more, just let me think it up first....

 

PS. There are a few Sea Biscuits still available for trial - read about them HERE and then call the office.

 

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

	This is one hell of a tourist destination! Bring the shore crew - they'll love you for it and you'll get leave passes whenever you want from then on. No. Really. Promise.

ORCV Melbourne to Port Fairy

(M2PF as part of the MMOC)

Moment in the Spotlight.

OK. Moment in the Sun then. So as part of the whole celebrity theme for M2PF this year, it would seem Mother Nature decided to join in and shine a little sun on the Port Fairy act. Here's the proof.

Port Fairy's millionairre's row.

Great time and place to have lunch.

Otis Redding!

The view from the supposed "cheap seats" for lunch.

Turning things to a nautical flavour, George and Robyn tie their boat back up after letting the inner boat leave, to which that they were rafted up to previously.

It was an array of masts, rigging, sails - and a McConaghy sticker. Bonus points!!!

Tony Warren and the Beyond Outrageous guys and girls were surveying the view.

Group shot. They were on their boat, just chillaxing and tidying up etc. Nothing stressful....

This is the kind of thing that Beyond Outrageous were taking in.

More boats n stuff

French or low country estuary type feel - if you did not know where you were...

Colours, colours - everywhere colours. Lovely Autumn sun...

Double bonus points - Ingenue displays their Entire Group sticker and Pretty Woman their McConaghy one. WooHoo.

Port Fairy has a strong maritime heritage born out of it's early days in whaling and sealing, then later for the goldrush and western districts pastoral development.

Here the historical society brings out the rescue boat their ancestors once used.

And surfboat rowers think they have it tough. Actually it is usually an eight oared vessel, but is still heavy. She has a small sail, as well, hence the rudder and sweep combination.

That very famous boardwalk. I hadn't seen it for around 15 years or so and even then, Tim Crespin and I had been in the cockpit of Bacardi soaking it all in and I was pretty soaked myself, so not sure how much I really saw anyway...

The harbour looks marvellous with our fleet adding to the colour of it all.

One of Chikara's crew heads back to the boat. They'd had a great tussle with Ninety Seven and Bill said "It was just great fun, the boat was doing 12 to 13 knots easily and all we had to do was steer and trim - a lot!"

 

So that concludes Port Fairy's 15 minutes for this year and the next event on the calendar is the last (but then Winter Series pops up). The Melbourne to Apollo Bay is on 15/5/10 and for the first time it is Cat 3 only - no +. Tell your club mates and let's get those who want to go and stick their nose in it out there in the blue!

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to Port Fairy

(M2PF as part of the MMOC)

Awards.

Following on with our celebrity theme, it's time to look at the awards.

On the left is the Port Fairy Yacht Club Commodore, Bill Morgan, who managed to get through all the wonderful team and participants that had helped to make it the 2010 M2PF the marvellous success it was. On the right is ORCV Commodore, George Shaw, who gave thanks to the only one forgotten by Bill - the PFYC itself.

This very splendiferous plaque is for the first local boat home in the M2PF. It is being awarded to Barry Levinson, who is keen to one day also be the first home, overall!!!

George Shaw and Robyn Brooke won AMS and did it all two-handed in preparation for that other really cool event - the 2010 M2V. Yes. Two-handed all the way to Vanuatu!

"Sometimes the weather just suits us - not tacks and cracked sheets!" Robin Hewitt was thrilled to get the win and the flag. One race to go and no-one still has more than one of these forestay flags, which is a plug for the upcoming M2AB - get it? (15/05/10 is all you need to know and for the first time ever, it is Cat3 only!!!!!!!! - see Bananarama HERE.)

Robin Hewitt and the Yoko crew, who won the Performance Handicap Class.

My award for  the recognition of pioneering on, even when it was getting tough, is to our wooden spooners - Spirit of Freya. This is Brian Slater and Sally Williams. Never let it be said that we do not know who is at the back of the fleet. Well done to Joanne Harpur for getting her crew and boat to Port Fairy in her very first ever ORCV race as the boss. She completed the last Latitude Series (MLS) and is now her very own certified Skipper. Coolio. BTW - no picture of her as Dr Rosie was getting a fishing hook out of her toe at the time... Don't ask! OK.

As Rosie herself said, "I should have held it over for suturing class on Tuesday" - April, 13. See HERE.

Extasea, who had already returned home won Line Honours and IRC, as well. Click HERE for the full results.

 

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to Port Fairy

(M2PF as part of the MMOC)

Snapperazzi.

Here's some pics of our winner, Extasea, who were just seven minutes outside the old, old, old record of Quasimodo set in the early 80's. 14:26:20 was the time to beat and they were 14:33:04. Dooh!

Extasea approaches the line under kite. Must have been doing 11knots or so...

It was getting quite artsy out there...

And the kite came down for the quick hitch up to port to put the nose over the line and take the prize. May have done enough to get the IRC prize too.

The next pair in were Ninety Seven, on the left and Chikara Outlaw on the right, who ended up just one minute and some 15 seconds behind their opposition. In ocean racing, this is like the photo finish at Flemington! Please excuse the graininess - this was shot in the dark...

Now the Artsy word came out just a couple of shots ago and so that sounds like a marvellous segue into the next series of shots, taken as the light sunk very low indeed. It last had its first outing at the inaugural M2G last year in Artsy Fartsy and then popped up in Rear Window from the recent M2KI - see HERE for the reminder on that.

Extasea had finished and was just waiting for the very helpful PF Rescue vessel to take a couple of souls off, before returning back to Geelong. The other vessel is Ocean Safari, who have been with us to Geelong last year at the end of the MWS.

Open up.

A little more shazam.

Beaming in to the finish. Litterally.

As we go to air, at 2145hrs, 2/4/10, the finishing order is Extasea, Ninety Seven, Chikara Outlaw, Running Wild, Addiction, Beyond Outrageous, The Secretary, Geomatic Joker, Yoko, Bacardi and finally Alien at 21:33:36.

To see where the boats are, please click HERE and to see the standings, click HERE.

 

By John Curnow