Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race

by Damian Devine on 2 Jan 2008 At this mornng's 8am mandatory Competitor's Weather Briefing, The Commodores of The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Angus Gordon and Coffs Harbour Yacht Club, Darren Digney confirmed that for the first time in the 27 year history of the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Ocean race, the yachts entered in the race won't be going to Coffs but opting for the alternate course pre-empted last night.

Reinforcing last night's announcement for the potential alternate race, RPAYC Commodore Angus Gordon confirmed this morning that, 'The information we have from authorities including the Bureau of Meteorology, Water Police and NSW Maritime over the last few days and reinforced again earlier today means that we have reluctantly decided to advise that the alternate race to the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Ocean Race will now go ahead due to potential severe weather conditions on the mid North Coast.

If anything, conditions will deteriorate sooner than expected and it would be reckless for us to start the race and send the boats to Coffs harbour with the information we have to hand, predicting breaking waves across the entrance to Coffs Harbour, making it extremely dangerous to enter. Additionally, there will be no port to enter north of Newcastle in case boats need to retire. The decision has now been to to go with the alternate race. '

Commodore Gordon added, 'The low pressure system that has formed off the South East Queensland Coast is predicted to intensify on Thursday evening and Friday morning with conditions deteriorating sooner than expected with swells predicted to peak at 5m plus with the wind out of the South East building to 30-35 knots with gusts up to 50 knots. This is precisely when the majority of the fleet, particularly the smaller boats would have completed their journey to Coffs. The safety of competitors is our priority and the advice we have to date is such that we believe an alternate race is our only option to avoid the severe weather conditions predicted for the northern NSW coast later in the week.'

'This has never happened in the 27 year history of the race. We are disappointed, Coffs Harbour are disappointed and am sure you as competitors are disappointed but am sure you will all agree with this decision. ' Commodore Gordon added.

Darren Digney, Coffs Harbour Yacht Club Commodore addressed the packed Pittwater room adding that 'There is no-one more disappointed than us in Coffs Harbour as we look forward to you all coming up every year. However, safety is paramount and there's nothing you can do about the weather. Thanks for your support and it's great to see so many boats intending to come to Coffs this year. We look forward to seeing you back next year.'

John Rice from AusSar - the Australian Search and Rescue Authority had this to say at his morning's weather briefing, ' I have been in serach and rescue for many, many years and am delighted to to hear the news today that club officials have used foresight rather than hindsight with this decision.' The room of skippers and crew then applauded this comment showing full support of the decision.

Michael Logan, from BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) gave a detailed overview of the weather forecasts and reinforced Angus Gordon's comments and was in full support of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's decision. He said, 'With the constant tightening of the Easterly trade winds targeting South East Qld combined with the high pressure system in Tasman Sea , the potential for a secondary cell developing is and the system moving south to the mid North Coast is extremely high with gale force winds predicted to reach 35 knots out of the South East by Friday and rough seas with swell exceeding 5m and waves up to 10m on a long wave fetch, meaning the swell and waves will be extremely powerful. With these Easterly troughs, they produce the most severe weather to the East Coast and can be unpredictable and hence why this difficult decision has been made today.'

Unfortunately for Coffs Harbour it means the welcoming Coffs locals, the many local businesses, the army of volunteers and the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club is going to be disappointing and a much quieter start to 2008 in Coffs Harbour than in the past 27 years. The Pittwater to Coffs Race has never not gone ahead in the races 27 year history, but this prudent decision takes into account the safety of the yachts and the competitors, seen as paramount by the Race Committee, Directors and Management of the RPAYC and the Commodores of both yacht clubs .

The alternate race starting at 12 noon today, the 2nd of January 2008 will be a start in Broken Bay between Lion Island and Barrenjoey Headland, then north to Boondelbah Island (off Port Stephens) then south from Boondelbah Island to Botany Bay (the port hand mark inside the entrance of Botany Bay), with the fleet then heading North for a finish back just inside the entrance Pittwater. This course is an approximate distance of 210nm, only 16 nautical miles shy of the Pittwater to Coffs race. Ted Anderson, Principal Race Officer overseeing the start of the race then welcomed everyone' to the inaugural Pittwater to Pittwater Race,' and drew everyone's attention to the sailing Instructions.

It will still be a spectacular start for the first ocean race of 2008 as at least 64 boats are expected to assemble at the start line in Broken Bay at 12 noon. Bill Ebsary, skipper of race entrant and leadrr of the IRC series after three races said, ' A prudent decision has been made and the good thing about ocean racing is there's always next year.'

Further updates will be available after the start of the race, later today.