Raw Nerve wins line honours-Enchantress wins Race

by Ian Grant on 28 Mar 2005 Martyn Riley’s record breaking Raw Nerve won the prestigious line honours trophy in the 2005 Brisbane to Gladstone race while the comfortable Brisbane cruising catamaran Enchantress won the Allyacht Spars trophy with the fastest corrected handicap time.

Skipper Martyn Riley was happy with his result and will now return to Sydney to prepare Raw Nerve for an assault on the Sydney to Hobart record.

'Sure the race was a little slower but this was compensated by giving us more time at sea to have a longer look around to enjoy the view and the lovely sailing environment'.

Raw Nerve which power sailed to a remarkable 18 hour 55 minute 19 second race time for the 308n/ml coastal classic on Easter Saturday 2004 were almost 15 hours slower this year however skipper Riley and his crew are the official record holders for the inaugural race over the slightly longer 310n/ml course.

'Raw Nerve will be back next year to hopefully record a faster time' Riley said.

Australia’s fastest offshore sailing catamaran was restricted for power in a weather system that presented the fleet with a tactically testing race where the wind played tricks for the first 150n/mls before blowing in for a fast finish.

Shortly before the wind gusted in Raw Nerve was under threat from the smaller catamarans Flat Chat (Gary Martin) and the 2004 handicap winner AYS Raider (Joel Berg) when they closed within hailing distance along Breaksea Spit.

'Raw Nerve was glued to the water and it was pleasing for us when the new breeze blew in giving us a fast ride to the finish'. Riley said.

However the high handicapped Raw Nerve failed to feature in the overall handicap, which was dominated by the Brisbane catamarans Enchantress, Nudgee Budgee and Rhythmic.

The win by Enchantress allowed her part owner and skipper Ross Perrins to create race history when he became the first skipper to win the major trophy in both classes first with Scampi A in the mono hull class in1984, 1988, 2000 and this years popular multihull class victory with Enchantress.