Veteran has new bearing on Gladstone Race

by Ian Gladstone on 8 Apr 2009
Caloundra’s Bob Robertson has spent little time at home in recent days missing an important personal opportunity to study the weather to contest the 61st Brisbane Gladstone Race on Good Friday morning.

The colourful ocean racing skipper known around the Australian waterfront for his endurance and determination to fly his ‘Battle flag’ in all major races including the Sydney-Hobart and Queensland’s premier blue water classic faced the possibility of reluctantly spending Easter onshore.

His personal drama started at sea in late March during a voyage from Hamilton Island when his Gladstone Race challenger Cracklin Rosie started to take water through a leak surrounding the bearing in the rudder post.

Cracklin Rosie originally suffered keel and rudder damage when several yachts including the 2008 Rolex Sydney Hobart race winner Quest struck an uncharted ‘bombie’ on the edge of Surprise Rock during the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week series.

Unfortunately skipper Bob Robertson became stressed when the leak jeopardised the seaworthiness of Cracklin Rosie and his chance to protect his reputation and opportunity to add another Gladstone Race trophy to his impressive collection of major ocean race results.

'There was just too much seawater sloshing around in the bilge to continue, forcing a stopover in Yeppoon to repair the problem' he said.

However the problem compounded when Yeppoon boat builder and former Brisbane to Gladstone Race winner Mal White discovered that the rudder bearing needed to be replaced.

'We had our back to the wall and time became crucial when we finally located a replacement in Nowra with the start less than 8 days away'.

'The person on the other end of the phone was surprised when I said pack it and I will pick it up tomorrow' Robertson said.

He booked a flight to Sydney took a hire car to Nowra and the rest is now history with Cracklin Rosie now seaworthy to allow Bob Robertson the deserved chance to possibly add another Gladstone Race win to his previous success 22 years ago with Sellars Witchcraft II and Corrobboree in 1992.

Cracklin Rosie will have former Gladstone Race winner Andrew Wicklund assisting skipper Bob Robertson in the her helming team while long term sailing mate Tasmanian Jack Wells will man the navigator’s nook.

They along with experienced Brisbane sailor Robert Bridge and Mooloolaba’s Trevor Gourlay have the collective experience to claim a major result.

But the weather forecast of 20 to 25 knot South East winds will test their collective spinnaker sailing skills over the 308 nautical mile course.

However Bob Robertson has never been known to back down from a fight to protect his reputation and the confidence he has placed with the traditional ‘rum bets’ against a selected group of rivals suggests the Cracklin Rosie crew who faced making other arrangements for Easter are ready to become engaged in 308 n/ml match race against class rivals Bribie Star, Night Nurse and Elleven.

This clash will be one of the highlights when the 49 yacht fleet representing Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland begin the challenge with a spinnaker start on Moreton Bay at 11 am on Good Friday.