McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship (MMOC)
Look, Look, Look! Pics. Pics. Final Pics...
Peachy! Just peachy - which is why everything from keelboats to Diamonds, Etchells and even all the way through to rubber ducks and ice cream sticks were out on Saturday for nice litte jaunt. Time to go for a yacht! For the keelboats though, it was all in the lead up to the 2009 Melbourne to Stanley (M2S) - the race that marks the start of the McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship.
Many thanks to Steb Fisher for the pics featured here. You can view more of Steb's work HERE or contact him via either of these -
Now I am told there are some out there who have been having caption anxiety since the last race of the MWS, the well-loved M2G. So. As the late Heath Ledger's Joker said - "Here. We. Go."
The boat leading 'Under Capricorn' is 'Remedy', who you may remember were a feature in the article about the inaugural M2G, which you can read HERE and again in a different article HERE. This time, 'Remedy' was sailing fully crewed. 'Under Capricorn' were a regular feature during Winter and below, we have them setting up for the Bag approaching the top mark.
We have another potential Michael Stephens here on the far right. Read about the original Michael Stephens HERE. Of course, if you know who this is, then let's see what was the verdict...
Enough breeze to get a start in, sun and everything was orderly. What happened? Who's responsible for that?
Not so in the end - far too early to speak as it turns out. OK. It is showtime...
Here comes the gatecrasher...
No real room there... The Port start is awesome when it works and you get a hole, but as you can see from the sequence below 'Smooth Criminal' got rolled for their effort by the S8640, who had pace on...
Pink Floyd moment. Blue Diamond and that is just the water talking... Don't know who you are, but you know the deal on that by now...
Go MARVIN!!!!! Yeeee Ha or what. Didn't know Martians were into jewels though... Anyway. Whatever...
"I am Bowman. I wear Larracas harness and can conquer anything. Just ask me.
I am complete warrior class 'Shogun' and wield a 2m black Katana."
And because we are in to equality and are truly PC here at the ORCV - this is the Sisters version.
This is Sim - Simone Hoey from 'Horizon Sprint' and yes Lisa (Hammond), she does look like a statue...
This reminded me about herding cats. Theoretically it is possible, but in practice it proves to be a bit a lot more difficult...
Surprising how few people get to see this image, which we take pretty much for granted...
Sm178 - you get the Gold Star award for the PFDs
Go Scotch!
"Prodder time" and I now have MC Hammer going off in my head about "You can't touch this!" Still. It is not a bad riff of Rick James' that he "sampled". So superfreakin here in the Div Zero start had to be 'Rush' with clear air and what looks to be the most boat speed as the gun went. Nice. 'Goldie' looked to not have the prodder in enough fresh wind and fell out the back accordingly.
No wonder I chose this image as the hero pic for the story - just peachy! It's enough to make you want to take up sailing. 'Calm' leads 'CougarII' and 'Scarlet Runner', all with the biggest Bags they own out on display.
Yep. I've got to take this sport up. Looks too good. Hey - Captain Raw - it's brochure weather!!!
Adam 'Hugo' Manders flies the kite aboard 'Audi Centre Melbourne'.
We can see you Nick McGuigan. Can you see us? We're thanking you for all your good work over the year.
Above is 'Surprise' - we got you Parts One, Two, Three, which could either be Stevie Wright or Ian Durie and the Blockheads...
We haven't seen these guys before. Perhaps 'Avanti' will get set to stick their nose out in it and be part of the next Melbourne Latitude Series, which you can see the NOR for HERE. (Editor: finally a French boat without a French name - just Italian...)
This is H1010. The commodore of HBYC, who is a daily reader of the site, should be able to tell me who it is....
This is a 'Reckless' fashion statement! Knee pads are good though...
This could be a reckless glance if it went on for too long
With his colouring, this could be very reckless if he has not swum in a pond of sunscreen before going out...
No. No. Look forward - please. This could be reckless. One word - Chinese.
Would only be reckless if they ran over the brace, but as you can see from the right, that did not happen...
You've just gotta love it when it looks good and the sun is in the right spot. 'First Musketeer' here.
'Calm' out in front of 'Scarlet Runner' after rounding (and I only have a lo-res image, so cannot make out the sail number of the third boat. Reckon it is 'Goldfinger' though with the long wand and dark hull) in the morning Div Zero race. Anyway, 'Scarlet Runner' is just back from a good hit out up North, where the weather was a lot like this, so must have brought it back with them. Nice one team. Yeah I know, by Sunday afternoon it was all forgotten as yet another tempest blew in...
This is Sam 'Garden Girl' Chandler (she's very proud to be a Botanist and her official title is Environmental Project Manager for Fulton Hogan - thanks for letting us know Sam), fixing the second tack line most likely...
Now Sam does not weigh much at all, but there is a very good reason why she can spend so much time out on SR's prodder. 'Scarlett Runner' was built tough, as you can see from the construction pic from inside Steve Campbell's Composites Constructions facility. (Hope the shoulder is coming along well Steve...)
'Veloce' have repaired the bowsprit since Geelong, as you can see in these three pics and it all looks calm on Audi Centre Brighton, I mean 'Calm'. Why head North when you've got this?
Looking for all the world like the TP52 Worlds that were going on in the Balearics at the same time (yeah, yeah, I know - what about the prodders, but work with me here - next Gen of TPs has prodders anyway)... Alas it was just Port Phillip, with 'CougarII' in the foreground and 'Calm' on the right.
So there you have it. Thank you Steb. Good stuff as always. I hope plenty of souls view more of your work on your website HERE or contact you via either of these -
By John Curnow
