Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race - Spectacular start

by Peter Campbell on 27 Dec 2010 Strong and gusty west to north-westerly winds of 18-20 knots this afternoon gave the 33 boat fleet in the Sargisons Jewellers & Natuzzi Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race a spectacular close reach down the Tamar River from Beauty Point to Low Head.

Out in the open waters of Bass Strait they were having an even more exciting spinnnaker run in Bass Strait in winds of 25 knots and rough seas.

However, the front that has battered they Sydney Hobart with gale force winds had passed before the Launceston to Hobart race started.

There has already been one retirement, Allan Warren’s Farr 1104 Granny Apple from Hobart, which had rigging problems while Rob and Sally Smith’s Beneteau 40.6 Helsal V reported losing a spinnaker overboard.

Oceantracker also indicated another yacht heading back to the Tamar, the syndicate-owned Easy Street, an Adams 10.5 sloop.

As the fleet roared out from the starting line off Inspection Head wharf this afternoon helmsmen struggled to keep their boats on course as the wake of bigger boats churned up the water, while trimmers were constantly flagging the mainsails as the wind gusted out of the Tamar’s West Arm.

However, it was a relatively long trip to the Farewell Beacons at Low Head as the fleet bucketed against a strong flood tide, with the leader, Andrew Hunn’s Cape/Barrett 40 Mr Kite from Hobart taking 52 minutes 27 seconds to cover the eight mile.

She cleared the Tamar 2 minutes 47 seconds ahead of three Tamar yachts, Richard Fisher’s new Beneteau 45 Believe – Sundance Marine, which was followed closely by Nick Edmunds’ veteran Radford 14 Haphazard and Andrew Jones’ Inglis 47 Advantedge. Then came two more Hobart boats, Justin Wells’ Dump Truck and Greg Prescott’s Melges 32 2 Unlimited.

Mr Kite, last year’s line honours winner, Haphazard and 2 Unlimited hit the line right on the gun, with the start delayed by18 minutes because of the late arrival at Low Head of a large ship bound for Bell Bay,

As the fleet sailed down the river, keeping well clear of notorious Shag Rock, 2 Unlimited was in the leading four boats, but waterline length took charge as the bigger boats plugged the tide and the Melges 32 dropped back to be sixth out of the river.

However, once spinnakers were hoisted, 2 Unlimited was back in the battle for line honours, and early this evening had joined Mr Kite, Advantedge and Dump Truck in the lead as they sailed well into Bass Strait.

This group had set a course to take them well to the north of Waterhouse Island while Haphazard, a veteran of many races in these waters, was sailing closer inshore, heading directly towards Waterhouse Island.