Club Marine Pittwater Coffs Race - Team Australia sets a new record
by Damian Devine on 3 Jan 2014
Record setting pace from the ORMA 60 Trimaran, Team Australia Andrea Francolini Photography
http://www.afrancolini.com/
Sean Langman's Orma 60 Team Australia with a crew of five steamed across the offshore finishing line in Coffs Harbour this morning at 0618hrs to create a new multihull race record in the Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs race with an official time of 17hrs 3mins 5secs.
'What a great way to start the New Year, really happy with the performance last year with the two world records so to get another course record is fantastic. I was wondering what 2014 was going to bring as 2013 was successful in a lot of ways in both business and yachting, so yeah a good way to start,' said Langman dockside at Coffs Harbour marina.
On the performance of the trimaran Langman offered, ' She did very well, we had to work hard through the night. The conditions were actually very testing, nothing like we were told in the weather briefing. There were a lot of coastal effects and with the Orma 60 you’re always on the edge and looking over your shoulder to see what’s coming next. We didn’t have any ugly hairy moments but we did hit 32 knots at one stage and decided to get the rag off and just play it safe. We shredded a halyard on the front sail so we got to work out a way of getting that down.
'The boys worked extremely hard for a race of 225 nautical miles, so really testing. We only reefed the main once but we did lots of headsail changes, so proud of the team and glad to be here in Coffs Harbour safe and sound.'
'The smaller trimaran behind us Morticia is the one that’s doing really well, he backed himself and went pretty wide so good luck to him, we’ve been watching him on the tracker,' continued Langman.
'For a premier club like the RPA to take up the initiative to include multihulls should be applauded and it’s a huge milestone for the sport in general. I heard at the briefing that the club is trying to embrace more competitors and at the end of the day it’s about the sailing and the competitors and the enjoyment and we’re loving racing this boat,' said Langman.
Langman said that he would like to have another crack at the race and believes he could get the record down to 10 hours.
Shaun Carroll’s trimaran Seacart 30 Morticia has just crossed the finish line 0932hrs.
The first monohull is Syd Fischer’s TP52 Ragamuffin who has just passed Nambucca Heads with 22 nautical miles to sail and is due in Coffs Harbour at 1130hrs to attain line honours.
They are also currently leading on handicap in all three divisions IRC, PHS and ORCi, a repeat of 2013 is on the cards.
However there is still a long way to go for the rest of the fleet who are making their way up the coast slowly this morning with little breeze and many sitting in the proverbial parking lot and spread 136 nautical miles back to Myall Lakes.
The Predictwind.com forecast is for a strong Nor’ Easter to hit the fleet this afternoon and continue into the evening.
Official regatta website: www.pitttwatertocoffs.com.au
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