Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race - No multihull records this year

by Peter Hackett on 18 Apr 2014 Final preparations and movements to the northern end of the bay are the chores for crews in both fleets of the APC Logistics MYCQ 50th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race.

Yesterday Jim Fern and the boys were underneath the recently purchased Hasta La Vista trimaran and she looked like a fine way to challenge the condomarans in the expected light winds up the coast. I have it on good authority that their rig has been retuned, and multihull godfather Geoff Cruse was in there fibreglassing around the slippery looking stern area, while at his house a repair to one of Renaissance’s depth sounding centreboards was curing in the Queensland sun.

Last night’s briefing at MYCQ HQ provided a good insight into the likely winners with the traditional Calcutta bidding going feverish on the hottest boats with the hottest crews. At the top of the list are Rhythmic, Renaissance, BOQ Team Australia, Morticia and Fantasia. This just shows that good handicapping on the OMR measurement rule or on Performance Handicap predicts that even in light winds, the most comfortable big catamarans have as much chance of winning as the lean and mean Division One carbon rockets. Phil Day on Rhythmic has told his crew to be limbered up for hard work as they take their usual inshore track looking for breeze without southerly setting tide in the breakers, and hopefully staying out of the lifeguard flagged area this time. Meanwhile on the racer cruisers like my ride McMoggy, we have a superb new roast recipe utilising crystalised garlic and chilli to tantalise the campers' nostrils on the beach of Fraser Island. If the wind is coming from behind, we hope the odours travel to the guys up front chomping on muesli bars.

At the briefing our Bureau of Meterology forecaster Pradeep Singh had no good news except for sunbaking tourists, so it is likely we will be doing a slower time than the monohull Endeavour managed in the unratified race a few years back (if you haven't read Rob Mundle's book, get it now, a fantastic read).

Whatever the result, it is a great race with a high quality racing and cruising fleet just glad to be off the roads and out on the blue water heading north. Another bonus this year is the striking of a commemorative plaque by the Gladstone Council for the 50th year of the event, plenty of motivation to be involved.