Gecko cruises to Hahn Premium Trophy win at Hamilton Island

by Ian Grant on 26 Aug 2002 Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron owner skipper Trevor Bailey and his crew of good mates celebrated a week of sailing in the warm Whitsunday winter sun by winning the Hahn Premium Race Week Cruising class title with Gecko.

Gecko a Northshore 370 justified her place in the sun when skipper Bailey and crew piloted her through maize of sails and a huge tally of tacks to record the title winning score of 11-3-9-3-6-2.

The tacks to sail close to her 267.0 handicap rating was a necessary priority to avoid being buried in the pack presented by a fleet of 83 yachts with crews who were mostly experiencing their first Race Week.

Dodging the unintentional wind shadow became an art form for not only the Gecko crew but also all of the skippers who were sailing in the Whitsundays for the principal reason to have a good time.

Bailey has knocked about in boats almost since he could swim first sailing in Sabots then a range of classes including 18ft skiffs.

This high action experience proved invaluable and contributed to his confidence in starting from the limited sea room that was available on the starting lines.

Despite sailing smart in the available clear wind and limited sea room the Gecko crew never appeared to have a title winning chance when the majestic Camper and Nicholson 60 Magnolia skippered by Peter Higgins of Sydney became the early leader when she won two of the first three races.

Ken Pryor's meticulously restored 1951 Sydney-Hobart race winner Struen Marie also measured her boat speed against the more modern designs in what proved to be perhaps the more difficult class title to win in the prestigious Hahn Premium Race Week.

The class contest raced around some of the most beautiful passages in the Whitsundays including Long Island Sound not only offers a supreme test of sailing but also provides the crews with the lasting experience of enjoying a fellowship with a group who have fun as they slowly tack and run trough one of the worlds most pristine cruising environments.

Gecko sailed into title winning contention when skipper Bailey and crew mastered the challenge of sailing close to their handicap rating when the winds became light and variable before scoring a popular win over Magnolia and Tim Lewis at the helm of the Beneteau 411 What A Relief from Melbourne.

RESULTS: 2002 Hahn Premium Race Week Cruising Class: Gecko (Trevor Bailey, Qld) 11-3-9-3-6-2 477 pts 1, Magnolia (Peter Higgins, NSW) 1-14-1-10-30-3 473pts 2, What A Relief (Tim Lewis, Vic) 2-1-21-12-10-4 3, Struen Marie (Kenneth Pryor, NSW) 17-2-6-8-7-5 472pts 4, Risqué (Joanne Hughes, NSW) 5-6-4-47-13-6 466pts 5, Four Bells (David Bell, NSW) 6-16-5-15-9-1 465pts 6.