Line honours battle Heemskirk Melbourne - Hobart

by ORCV on 29 Dec 2007 The 54 strong fleet of entrants in the Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart race are continuing across the top of Tasmania. The first phase of the race is over but now they face the navigational and tactical challenges of the east coast course they have been set

Matt Hannaford from Dekadence commented on last night's weather, ‘incredibly frustrating. We were parked up most of the night with no breeze. Some of the smaller boats hugged the coast and got past us during the night but the current was holding us out and we couldn't get in.'

This morning's sked was disrupted with H.F. radio problems, Independent Endeavour then acted as a radio relay vessel to the fleet.

As the boats neared Waterhouse Island three were in a line, Laurie Ford in his downwind flyer Varta-Spirit of Downunder, Tony Fowler in his Inglis 47 Ocean Skins and the Hobart based Corelink Creative In Tension skippered by David Rees

The front of the fleet are now enjoying north north westerlies of 20 knots whereas the back of the fleet are still wallowing in slight, less than 5 knot, southerlies

The Bookmaker has retired due to radio problems