Hughie Lewis and Bellerive Yacht Club celebrate 21 years

by Pater Campbell on 28 Mar 2010 Bellerive Yacht Club and its prominent member Hughie Lewis last Wednesday evening celebrated the completion of the 21st year of Lewis' sponsorship of the club's popular twilight racing season. And Hughie ended the season with
a victory in the Division 1 twilight pennant - by just one point!

Bellerive vice-commodore Richard Gilbert believes this may be the longest-running sponsorship of a yachting event in Australia, rivalled only by Middle Harbour Yacht Club's short ocean racing championship regatta in Sydney.

The club introduced twilight race to Hobart more than a quarter of a century ago, with Lewis taking on the sponsorship 21 years ago through agencies carried by his Cambridge-based company, Lewis Marine.

'The first naming sponsor was Dorlon, then Club Marine and for many seasons now it has been Nautilus Marine,' Lewis said after Wednesday's twilight race with his Farr 40, Euro Central. 'Twilight racing is more relaxed social
sailing and it has introduced many people to the sport,' he added.

The race aboard Euro Central in the final race could hardly be described as 'relaxed'. From the start it turned into an America's Cup style match race around the course in perfect sailing conditions between Euro Central and arch rival Cyclone, Steven Keal's performance cruiser/racer.

Cyclone, steered by Brett Pritchard in the absence of owner Keal, who was on his way overseas, led narrowly from the start and in a tacking duel to the finish just held off Euro Central, helmed by Richard Gilbert, to cross the finish line 45 seconds in front.

Taspaints (Ian Stewart) won Division 1 on corrected time with Cyclone second and Euro Central seventh, but Hughie Lewis was able to celebrate a pennant victory by the narrowest of margins. Triumphantly, Lewis phoned Keal on
his mobile to tell him the result - Euro Central 33 points, Cyclone 34 points and Prion (Rod Viney) 41 points.

Lewis and fellow Farr 40 owner Wayne Banks-Smith will join forces with Keal in campaigning Cyclone in the Performance Cruising division at the Hamilton Island Race Week in August.