2021 Cock of the Bay, Berthing, Meals and How to Add Crew

Berthing at Blairgowrie (BYS) marina for competing boats in 2021 ORCV Cock of the Bay has been kindly made available at no charge for the night by BYS.  We ask, where possible you try and use the clubhouse for food and drinks and acknowledge BYS members, volunteers and staff, for the amazing effort they go to host us so we can enjoy the beautiful clubhouse and Mornington Peninsula.

It is a condition of entry that boats must berth in accordance with the directions of the BYS Marina Master and into the pens allocated below.  Do not berth in unallocate empty pens as this may cause an inconvenience to BYS members returning home.   Those boats not participating in the Petersville Regatta will need to vacate by 10am on December 27th.  Provision and come boats may need to move to allow for the Offshore fleet space to depart.

Please ensure all crew have their vaccination certificates ready and everyone QR codes in to the marina and clubhouse.

Some late entries for the Race have been placed onto a waitlist for a place as indicated below.  You can try your luck on the day (by calling in) to see if any places have come free, otherwise, we do suggest you make alternative arrangements.

Boats having any questions regarding their allocated berth should contact us immediately at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.prior to the race.

Adding Crew & POB Information

The ORCV office and Incident Management Team check your crew information on Thursday 23 December and Friday 24 December so please help us out by making sure you add in your crew today or tomorrow at the latest.

Click here details about the information we need, how to add/drop crew and remember you need to tick the "on board" box next to each POB.  If you need any assistance with your crew lists, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the office mobile (during office hours) 0493 102 744.

Updated Meals at Blairgowrie

All the below is Subject to Density Limits.

Over the weekend BYS have found some more places and will be allowing you up to enjoy a drink after the race, irrespective of having a dinner booking.

Dinner bookings for the 7pm Buffet meal close at 3pm on Thursday the 23rd and can be booked  here.  Due to capacity limits, participants that have not booked and paid for the buffet meal will need to move off the deck at 6pm to allow space for those who are having dinner at the club. A can bar will be operating out of the downstairs canteen from 5pm until 8pm. There is limited space still, so we do strongly recommend you book your buffet dinner now. Take away beer is available for enjoyment on your boat.

 Presentation

The Race Director will SMS skippers if the presentation is to be earlier than 7 pm and will be held on the clubhouse balcony.

 Berthing at BYS

• Once you're in the pen allocated below, your boats welcome packs and dinner tickets (if applicable) will be picked up at the end of the pier.  In these packs you will find your regatta passes give you access to

The marina 24/7
Showers and toilets located in the Junior Lounge (ground floor of the main Club building) 7am - 11pm only
Showers and toilets located on the first floor in the building behind Scotts’ Shed 24/7
Please ensure you only berth in your nominated pen as defined below.  
Marina WIFI  Password = BYSM2018

• Access cards are to be returned before departure to the silver box marked "marina cards drop box" located on each marina arm.

BYS Covid Rules

• • All regatta participants must check in using the QR Code at the Marina Gates.  Please do so when entering/exiting the Marina gates.
  • All persons visiting the club will be required to show proof of their vaccination status and check in.

Blairgowrie Marina Map click here 

Berthing has been arranged by BYS based on the following:  Offshore Boats given berths to allow for rest and power for fridges and food storage and then the balance have been allocated based on availability and date of booking.  Some boats are on a waitlist and can call as you get closer to see if any places have come free. BYS Marina Office number is 03 - 5925 9611 for those waitlisted

Sailing Instructions and Notice to Competitors are out for both races and can be found here 

Enjoy the races and feel free to share photos of the day with us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and thank you BYS.  

Xpresso takes Cock of the Bay hat-trick on a perfect Boxing Day in Melbourne

Under clear blue skies and with Melbourne’s Port Phillip bathed in sunshine, a record fleet of 112 yachts, carrying 618 crew, set sail on Boxing Day in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s annual Cock of the Bay race.

Paul Buchholz’s Cookson 50 Extasea took line honours, ahead of Gerry Cantwell’s Marten 49 Carrera S, which led the fleet across the start line off Port Melbourne at 10.30am. Extasea took the gun at the Mornington Yacht Club on Mornington Peninsula four hours and two minutes later.

In the handicap divisions, Ari Abrahams’ Xpresso did a rare treble, winning Division 2 on IRC, AMS and PHF. Abrahams and his crew also recorded the fastest corrected time across all divisions in both AMS and IRC.

Peter Jackson’s Niche, in Division 1, managed IRC and AMS but did not contest PHS. Paul Dynes Himalayan Women won Division 3 AMS and PHS.

For full results, go to https://www.orcv.org.au/results/2020-21/2020COB/series.htm?ty=10237.

Expresso follows Wicked by takes the win Photo Michael Currie

Michael Ebeling, owner and skipper of La Mer, a 36ft Dufour, echoed the sentiments of the whole fleet when he spoke by phone from the middle of the racecourse. “We’re absolutely loving the race. Sailing in 10-12 knots of breeze close to shoreline with nine crew on board, including son Charlie and daughter Georgie. There’s nothing better than, after being with family and friends on Christmas day, getting out on the Bay, enjoying a great sail on Boxing Day. After the finish we will continue sailing to Sorrento to enjoy our summer holidays."

With a light northerly blowing during the morning, most of the fleet hoisted spinnakers, creating a spectacular picture for residents and visitors on the Bayside shoreline.

Media boats and news helicopters followed the fleet as they enjoyed the benign conditions, but Mother Nature decided it was time for the crews to work off some Christmas lunch. As the sun passed over the proverbial yard arm, a moderate southerly filled in, causing the spinnakers to be dropped and mainsheets to be tightened.

However, as most of the fleet had anticipated the change and had hugged the eastern shoreline, they were able to sail along the rhumbline, rather than tacking continuously into the wind.

Carera S leads the 2020 ORCV Cock of the Bay fleet. Photo Michael Currie.

Tomorrow morning, 22 of the yachts will again be under starter’s orders as they set off on the ORCV Rudder Cup Race from Portsea to Devonport, in Tasmania. Once again, the forecast is favourable, with northerlies in the morning to propel the yachts out of Port Phillip before a south-westerly change should allow the leading yachts to beam-reach all the way across Bass Strait, putting the race record under threat.

All calm on Ragna during the 2020 ORCV Cock of the Bay. Photo Steb Fisher

However, the back-markers will be hoping a severe weather warning, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, is ultimately downgraded. Winds of over 40 knots are expected to hit elevated areas of Western Victoria before moving across Melbourne on Sunday night.

Further information: Tim Boucaut This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mobile 0488 667787

Extasea is Cock of the Bay line honours winner on a perfect Boxing Day in Melbourne

Under clear blue skies and with Melbourne’s Port Phillip bathed in sunshine, a record fleet of 112 yachts, carrying 618 crew, set sail on Boxing Day in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s annual Cock of the Bay race.

Paul Buchholz’s Cookson 50 Extasea took line honours, ahead of Gerry Cantwell’s Marten 49 Carrera S, which led the fleet across the start line off Port Melbourne at 10.30am. Extasea took the gun at the Morning Yacht Club on Mornington Peninsula four hours and two minutes later.

Michael Ebeling, owner and skipper of La Mer, a 36ft Dufour, echoed the sentiments of the whole fleet when he spoke by phone from the middle of the racecourse. “We’re absolutely loving the race. Sailing in 10-12 knots of breeze close to shoreline with nine crew on board, including son Charlie and daughter Georgie. There’s nothing better than, after being with family and friends on Christmas day, getting out on the Bay, enjoying a great sail on Boxing Day. After the finish we will continue sailing to Sorrento to enjoy our summer holidays."

With a light northerly blowing during the morning, most of the fleet hoisted spinnakers, creating a spectacular picture for residents and visitors on the Bayside shoreline.

EXTASEA: Line honours winner Extasea with the Melbourne skyline in the background during the 2020 ORCV Cock of the Bay Race. Photo Michael Currie.

Media boats and news helicopters followed the fleet as they enjoyed the benign conditions, but Mother Nature decided it was time for the crews to work off some Christmas lunch. As the sun passed over the proverbial yard arm, a moderate southerly filled in, causing the spinnakers to be dropped and mainsheets to be tightened.

However, as most of the fleet had anticipated the change and had hugged the eastern shoreline, they were able to sail along the rhumbline (a straight line to their destination), rather than tacking continuously into the wind.

With most of the fleet still on the water at 4pm, it was too early to call handicap winners in the various divisions.

Tomorrow morning, 22 of the yachts will again be under starter’s orders as they set off on the ORCV Rudder Cup Race from Portsea to Devonport, in Tasmania. Once again, the forecast is favourable, with northerlies in the morning to propel the yachts out of Port Phillip before a south-westerly change should allow the leading yachts to beam-reach all the way across Bass Strait, putting the race record under threat.

However, the back-markers will be hoping a severe weather warning, issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, is ultimately downgraded. Winds of over 40 knots are expected to hit elevated areas of Western Victoria before moving across Melbourne on Sunday night.

- ORCV media

Back in Black smashes ORCV Cock of the Bay record

A massive fleet of 70 boats, carrying more than 425 crew, set off from the Port of Melbourne into strong headwinds on Boxing Day in the annual ORCV Cock of the Bay Race to Blairgowrie.

Despite conditions that were unfavourable to a multihull, the Extreme 40 Back in Black smashed the race record, completing the 34 nautical miles in 3 hours 36 minutes. The previous multihull record had stood at 4 hours 10 minutes, set by Bare Essentials in 2016.

ORCV Cock of Bay record holder Back in Black

Skipper Michael Van Der Zwaard said the wind strength had varied throughout the race. “We were doing 18 to 19 knots upwind, which is pretty good, but at times that dropped down to 13 knots.

“We also had a little problem when a block controlling the mast rotation exploded. That slowed us down for a minute or so.

“It was a bit wet for the crew at times,” Van Der Zwaart laughed. “But not for me, steering at the back of the boat.”

“It was a great race, though,” he said. “We were on one tack all the way from Brighton to Mornington.”

The Extreme 40s were once at the cutting edge of sailing technology, with former Olympic champions among the sailors who competed on them in a world-wide stadium racing circuit. There are three Extreme 40s in Australia, with rumours that a fourth may be joining the group soon.

Monohull Line Honours

First monohull across the line was Bryan Dorman’s 68ft Journey. Dorman described it as “a perfect sail”.

“Everything went according to plan,” he reported after the race. “We started cleanly and clearly, we were first around the first mark and first around the rest. It was a terrific sail.”

Journey takes monohull line honours.  Photo credit Bruno Cocozza

Solo sailor and adventurer Lisa Blair had a fun day on d’Albora Climate Action Now. She will sail the ORCV’s Melbourne to Hobart West Coaster two-handed with crew Jackie Parry but for the Cock of the Bay she had seven supporters on board. They were to the back of the field, but in essence it was a delivery trip to the West Coaster start line.

It was a long day for some of the back-markers, who were still finishing at 6pm. But the sun was out and the noise level grew in the bar.

d'Albora Climate Action Now Photo credit:  Bruno Cocozza

When handicaps were compared, the overall ORCV Cock of Bay trophy winner was Philip Cormie’s Sydney 36CR CoCo, by just 29 seconds over Peter Jackson’s Beneteau First 40 Niche.

Niche won AMS 1 and IRC 1, while CoCo won AMS 2 and Ari Abraham’s X Yacht Xpresso won IRC 2. PHS winners were CoCo (Div 2) and Mathew Powell’s J111 Playlist (Div 1).

In the double-handed division, David and Julianne Gibson’s Beneteau 375 Karina took the honours.

Full results are available at www.orcv.org.au.