Eventful first race of Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore Series

10:01 AM Wed 30 Dec 2009 GMT

'Perpetual Mocean - Line Honours Winner of the Pittwater Trophy Offshore Race - 29th Pittwater and Coffs Harbour Offshore Series' Tom Spithill Click Here to view large photo

An eventful day in the Pittwater Trophy Offshore Race, the first of four races in the 29th Pittwater & Coffs Harbour Offshore Series, hosted by the RPAYC which got off to a great start off Barrenjoey in a solid 15-20 knot Southerly before easing to a light easterly at the end of the day.

An upwind start, the 19 strong fleet got away cleanly, and on time, under the orders of Race Director Ted Anderson. Anderson set a 28 nautical mile course that took the fleet on a beat up to a mark off Long Reef before a spinnaker run to a mark off Maitland Reef before finishing inside Barrenjoey Headland.

Line honours went to Bruce Hogan's Marten 49 'Perpetual Mocean' in a time of 3 hours 50 minutes 31 seconds following on from his Line Honours victory in the 2009 Pittwater to Coffs race. 'Pretty Woman', the Farr 45 was second with Secret Men's Business #1 in third.

On corrected time, IRC handicap honours belonged to a familiar face Bill Ebsary's Beneteau 44.7 'Le Billet' who returned to the winner's circle ahead of 'Perpetual Mocean' by a mere 36 seconds and friendly rival and defending IRC series champion Julian Farren-Price's Cookson 12 'About Time'.

Le Billet - IRC Handicap winner on her way to the top mark at Long Reef - 29th Pittwater and Coffs Harbour Offshore Series - Tom Spithill Click Here to view large photo

In PHS Division it was a case of David v Goliath with the spoils awarded to the smallest boat in the fleet, the J35 'Jayhawk' owned and skippered by RPAYC's Robert Alder by some 20 minutes from the biggest in the fleet 'Moksha' a Hanse 54 owned by RPAYC's Richard Rowe. In third spot were the crew from Coffs Harbour aboard 'B52', a Sydney 41 representing CHYC.

On a bumpy 1-2m swell defending IRC series champion Julian Farren-Price 'About Time' got away one of the best opting to start from the pin end along with the Elan 37 'Orion Blue' whilst 'Perpetual Mocean', 'Le Billet', and 'Pretty Woman', the next best coming off the middle of the start line.

At the boat end, 'Secret Men's Business #1' owned by the Curtis/Trembath/Snedden syndicate took a sneaky alley all alone toward Barrenjoey Headland before tacking under the heads and out of Broken Bay.

'Perpetual Mocean' led the fleet at the Long Reef mark from 'Pretty Woman' by 4 minutes and 'Secret Men's Business #1' before launching their kites for the downhill run to Maitland Reef. 'Pretty Woman' had some issues mounting their kite as they rounded the top mark which at one stage had more twists than a Tom Clancy novel.

However, it was the bottom mark at Maitland Reef that caused some controversy amongst competitor's after Mother Nature moved the mark a considerable distance in an outgoing tide and Southerly breeze and had the protest room open for business following the completion of the race.

With the mark not where it was meant to be, front runner 'Perpetual Mocean' sighted it approximately a half nautical mile further north. They chased it and turned the mark where it lay. With the mark with a mind of its own drifting even further north, the rest of the fleet opted to use their GPS and round where the mark should have been. With the drama unfolding, one of the race committee boats in the vicinity went to the marks location and signalled it was replacing the mark. The remainder of the fleet then rounded the substituted mark. 'Perpetual Mocean' as a result lost its lead and crossed the line in second position having travelled an extra 1.1 nautical miles.

The good news is that with some of the best rules advisors and jurors in the country at hand including David Tallis, Richard Slater and Steven Hatch, they brought a wealth of knowledge to the room and managed to process all the information and come up with a decision to reduce the elapsed time of Perpetual Mocean by twenty minutes overall and adjust the scores accordingly. This meant Perpetual Mocean were awarded line honours and on corrected time second overall.

'Justice was done and sailing was the winner on the day,' commented co-owner of Pretty Woman Michael Lockley. ' 'It's all part of yacht racing but the good news is some level heads prevailed and we achieved a result, which is the best news.'

IRC Handicap winner Bill Ebsary commented on his victory, 'We sailed well today, the boats going nicely and we managed to get the 'Land Rover' motoring, so really happy. The crew work was great and we had some good competition with Eleven, About Time and Secret Men's Business. It was a good course in the conditions and what a great way to warm up for the Pittwater to Coffs race in two days time.'

PHS winner Robert Alder offered this after the race, 'It was perfect for us today, we were the only boat with a Number One at the start so we were a little over powered but managed to only tack twice to the top mark and stay with some with some of the bigger boats. We managed to get past Moksha on the run back which was pleasing and then Blunderbuss on the final reach. A great day in all.'

The smallest boat in the fleet, the J35 Jayhawk PHS Division winner today - 29th Pittwater and Coffs Harbour Offshore Series - Tom Spithill Click Here to view large photo

At the series briefing at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club this morning, RPAYC Commodore Russell Murphy welcomed all competitors saying 'the conditions are looking favourable and we're looking forward to a great series, some competitive racing and a good time in Coffs.'

On today's racing aboard Pretty Woman Commodore Murphy stated, 'it was fabulous to see so many different boats from so many different yacht clubs out there today which bodes well for the passage race. We had a scratch crew on deck today, a few electrical gremlins to sort out and our regular helmsman Richard Hudson missing after a slow race to Hobart (aboard Evolution Racing), so we're looking forward to his return and getting set for the big one on Saturday.'

RQYS Farr 40 Eleven enjoyed a great battle with Le Billet today on the course off the Northern Beaches of Sydney - 29th Pittwater and Coffs Harbour Offshore Series - Tom Spithill Click Here to view large photo

Final results today were:
Line Honours -
1. Perpetual Mocean
2. Pretty Woman
3. Secret Men's Business #1

IRC Overall
1 Le Billet - Bill Ebsary
2 Perpetual Mocean - Bruce Hogan
3 About Time - Julian Farren-Price

PHS Overall
1 Jayhawk - Robert Alder
2 Moksha - Richard Rowe
3 B52 - Paul D'Olier

With a two day break ahead, the attention now turns to the 226nm 'warm water' classic, the 2010 Pittwater to Coffs Harbour passage race which starts on Saturday at 1pm off Barrenjoey Headland.

For the event website go to www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au

For complete results in today's first race of the Series go to www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&;task=view&id=41&Itemid=66

by Damian Devine