2016 Surf to City Yacht Race – Toughest upwind duel ever

by Peter Hackett on 29 Jan 2016 Now that the bodies and keels have recovered from the 2016 Surf to City Yacht Race, it is safe to talk about one of the toughest upwind duels ever. On my little trimaran, we managed 163 tacks and only one soft muddy grounding in the drains of southern Moreton Bay, but many boats managed more tacks and more groundings in a day that northerly swinging winds successfully kept the pretty sails locked up down below.

The little monohulls enjoyed the conditions with Midnight Madness, the Noosa 650 showing that a little light boat with hard chines can hold off bigger boats when the going gets tough, to win division one. The faster division two boats were beaten easily by Bad Grandpa.

In spite of a promised showing from the sports boats this year, the gun sailors in the class decided that upwind was too hard so they stayed in bed and only two boats sailed for More Dough to get the gold.

The inshore multihulls were again beaten by Frequent Flyer on OMR, with PHRF taken by the gorgeous green Barefoot.

On the outside course, there was more water to sail in, but the double whammy came with wind that shifted on the nose all day, and waves that smashed as well. Many a diehard sailor pulled the pin, so any crews that finished either course deserve a pat on the bruises.

On Runaway the skipper report on social media went like this:

'163 tacks, rough bouncy sea, 22 hours, wind change at Cape Moreton to nw so still a beat to ne2, wind change at ne2 to south so beat into bay, wind change in bay so final beat to finish, then sore arse from sitting on a bouncy little mono for a day. Good racing though.'

The winner in the IRC and PHRF division one was Kerumba using all of her 50 feet to get through the chop. ORCi and PHRF division two went to a venerable Young 88 Redjam, and plenty of smaller boats followed in the morning hours for 24 hour plus elapsed times.

The offshore multihull crews were grumbling, but on OMR and PHRF winner Mojo, happy crew log reads:

'Mmm thought we had it tough but obviously not so. Just over 14 hours. 28 tacks outside, four gybes down the bay then two tacks to the finish line which we had a little trouble locating. Then a bottle of red at midnight was very pleasant accompanied by a nice stir fry cooked by the skipper. Civilized sailing. That's what happens when you have length and grunt as well as a very well prepared boat.'

Luckily these races are once a year, and like childbirth (so they tell me) we forget the last one when it comes to nomination time.....