Tuna caught, Kissed and let go

by Ian Grant on 15 Apr 2001 Gladstone yacht race 'Old Salt' Bill Wither's has a reputation of combining serious fishing with not so serious ocean racing.

He is personally passionate about the salt-water environment and values the recreation it has provided over many years including outpacing the more modern multihulls to win the fastest handicap trophy last year.

However skipper Bill Withers and his crew are different they never start a Brisbane-Gladstone ocean race without a full fishing kit aboard.

The extra weight with lures and lines, sinkers and assorted fish cleaning gear are always one of the first items stowed.

'You just never know when you are likely to sail close to a school of fish and it's a natural instinct to tempt them into a feeding frenzy'. He said.

Fishing is part of the Maripi's race programme however the veteran skipper always makes sure he and crew on the race weary and old Prout Snowgoose catamaran have a lot of fun while the heavy cruiser sets a compass course for Gladstone.

Maripi sailed one of her fastest times under the wind load provided by the strong wind warning trade winds to complete the 308n-m/l course in just less than 40 hours that included five stops to haul in a catch of Tuna.

Normally the fish would have been cleaned and filleted and stowed on ice for the usual post race party in the Gladstone marina.

But on this occasion the icebox was full so sailor Bill Withers turned into a conservationist by first kissing the Tuna and then letting them go.