Bundaberg Festival of Sail Kicks Off To a Flying Start

by Di Pearson on 27 Jan 2003 Bundaberg Festival of Sail Kicks Off To a Flying Start

Once again, Royal Geelong Yacht Club’s Bundaberg Festival of Sail kicked of with a bang on Friday January 24; over 400 boats of various types and sizes took to the water in what has become a mammoth event, numbers growing for this annual historic regatta every year.

Apart from the excellent racing, the Bundaberg Festival of Sail is a big social event, with live bands, firework displays, the Roulettes fly-past, and much, much more.

Boats contesting the premier Scotchmans Hill Series, a Teams event, had two windward-leeward races in the IRC, IMS, VYC and AMS classes, yachts able to enter for more than one class.

Sydneysider, Ray Roberts’ Hollywood Boulevard, sailing for RGYC, (‘this was my chance to rub shoulders with royalty,’ he said), won both races under IRC from Geoff Boettcher’s Secret Mens Business, a South Australian yacht also sailing for RGYC, and Kevin Wood’s Ticket of Leave (SYC) in Race 1, and Gordon Mather’s Revenge (SYC-2), and Secret Mens Business in Race 2.

Under IMS, it was the well-raced Ticket of Leave 1st from Secret Mens Business and Lou Abrahams’ Another Challenge (SYC) in both races.

In AMS Division 1, Another Challenge finished with a 2-1 result from Paul Buchholz’s Extasea (RGYC-1) 2nd and Philip Coombs’ No Fearr (SYC) in Race 1, and Nigel Jones' Cadibarra (SYC-1) winning Race 2, with Bruce Taylor’s Chutzpah (RYCV) in 3rd.

In AMS Division 2, Revenge came home 1st from Rob Davis’ Owls & Pussycats (SYC-2) in both races, with Justin Brenan’s Western Morning ((RYCV-2) and Garry Russell’s Whitehorse Bindaroo (RGYC-2) 3rd in Races 1 and 2 respectively.

In VYC Division 1, Archie Burns’ Galaxy (RYCY-1) won both races. Extasea finished 2nd in Race 1 from New Zealander Brian Petersen’s Maverick II (RNZYS) in 3rd. Len Kint’s Advantedge (RGYC-1) was 2nd in Race 2 from Aaron Smith’s Sportscar.

Division 2, VYC, Tim Little’s Lattitude (SYC-2) had a 1-4 result from Gerard Young’s Out of the Blue (SYC) 2-2 and Whitehorse Bindaroo, 3-1, in some close racing.

On the Classic Yacht course, one race was held, with Kent Bacon’s Renene (SYC) 1st from Douglas Jenkin’s Roama (RYCV) 2nd and Stuart Stubb’s Eleanor (RMYS) in 3rd. Many onlookers enjoyed the sight of these graceful old yachts as they went around the course.

The Cruising Yachts also enjoyed their racing with Peter Edgar’s Imogene (RGYC) finishing 1st from Douglas Lacey’s Tarawaki (RBYC) and Graeme Walker’s Tara (RGYC) 3rd in the PHC class.

Day 2 of the Bundaberg Festival of Sail promised to be a hot one, and it was, temperatures reaching the 40’s during the day, the wind northerly between 12 and reaching 25 knots for the boats contesting the Melbourne and Portarlington to Geelong races.

For those yachts that perform better in the honking beam-reach and sprung sheets conditions, life was perfect. A number of boats hoisted spinnakers, whilst others were content to pole out headsails, watching as quite a few with spinnakers broached, spearing out of control, Richard McGarvie’s Addiction (RMYS) having a number of goes. Swell and chop increased as the yachts rounded Fawkner Beacon, sailing with cracked sheets for the quick ride to Geelong.

Grant Wharington’s maxi, Australian Skandia Wild Thing (MYC) came home first, in the time of 2 hours 32 minutes and 13 seconds for the 40 nautical mile course, with the Farr 52, Hollywood Boulevard 2nd on line in 2.46.55 and the Elliot 14.10, Maverick II 3rd in 2.53.29.

For one multihull entry revelling in the conditions it was even faster – Martyn Riley’s 17.1m Raw Nerve (SYC) hitting the finish line in the extraordinary time of 1.46.12, her smaller counterpart, and only other multihull, Ken Endicott’s Birdman, finishing in 4.25.11.

Scotchmans Hill IRC Race 3 results for the Melbourne-Geelong race had downwind flyer, the Jones 42, Cadibarra coming home fast in 1st placed from all-rounder Hollywood Boulevard and Michael Smith’s Southern Sun (RYCV) 3rd.

Under IMS, two Sydney 38’s Chutzpah and Another Challenge came in 1st and 2nd, with Philip Coombs Farr 40, No Fearr in 3rd.

In VYC Division 1, Advantedge won from Maverick II and Wayne Hughes’ Elliot designed Sportscar (SYC) 3rd.

Division 2 of VYC had David Cartan’s The Luge (RYCV) 1st from Ian Jack’s Three Ring Circus (MYC) and Mark Buckley’s New Morning II (RMYS) 3rd.

AMS Division 1 had Cadibarra 1st from Peter Blake’s Kontrol (SYC-1) and Allsep Anderson’s Bullistic 3rd.

Division 2 of AMS, Owl & Pussycats outsailed Shane La Payne’s Vapour Trail (SYC-2) and Steven Biggs’ Mentor Magik 3rd.

For those not participating in the Scotchmans Hill Series, Division 1 VYC saw Dennis Clark’s 30’ Clubman (RYCV) in 1st from Les Clough’s Update (RMYS), and John Goy’s Alstar (RGYC) 3rd. It was interesting to note that Update, an oldish boat that started life as a Rocket 31, being modified to 37’, enjoying a ‘fun’ race, beat a number of bigger, new, grand prix yachts home on elapsed time, Les’ daughter Sarah doing much of the steering.

Race 1, Division 2, VYC, had Bernard Spooner’s Scary (GTYC) 1st from Greg Power’s Quicksilver (MMYC) and Jeff Otter’s Cousin It (RYCV).

In Division 3, VYC, it was Keith Torode’s Naima (RGYC) 1st, Walter Van Maanen’s Ironman 2nd and Robert Schilt’s Premonition (RGYC) 3rd.

The Coca Cola Trophy in PHC class for Cruising yachts Race 1, had Premonition 1st from Kevin Landman’s Autumn II (SYC) with Tara 3rd.

In the Thunderbirds Race 1, Darren Pickering’s Larriken II (RGYC) was 1st from James Tennant Hunter’s Scarecrow (RGYC) and Bill Newman’s Tambo II (RGYC) 3rd – a great result for Royal Geelong boats.

CBH results for trailable yachts had Maurice Deamley’s Elliot 7, Twister (RGYC) 1st from John Mole’s Trail 2 Vintage Red (GTYC) 2nd and Bruce Ewen’s Noelex 25 Free Spirit (AYC) 3rd.

For the Trailable Passage Port Arlington to Geelong Race 1, Bryan Kennett’s Timeout (PYC) came in 1st from Daryl Langdon’s This Way Up (CoYC) and Lynden Haskett’s Alouette (RGYC).

Day 3 of the Festival was in complete contrast to the previous, day, woollens and wet-weather gear coming out, as the day got colder on Corio Bay as it wore on. A sou-sou westerly kicked in, decreased then came back with a vengeance late in the afternoon. Winds were up and down from 4 knots to 25, with some major gusts hitting the big boats racing in their second race of the day.

Sailing on the edge, so many yachts broached a minute or so into rounding the windward mark, it was easier to keep track of those who did not, only the brave and bold continuing with spinnakers, the rest opting for a poled out headsail. Those on the only maxi entry, Australian Skandia Wild Thing kept their cool, winning line honours easily in both windward return races.

The first race of the day, Race 4, started with two general recalls, yachts finally getting away at 1.50pm, with the wind up and down throughout the race.

In the Scotchmans Hill Series, under IRC, Hollywood Boulevard, having a successful event, won both races. She won Race 4 by over 11 minutes from Another Challenge, with Ticket of Leave 3rd. Race 5 had Cadibarra 2nd from Owl & Pussycats 3rd.

Finishers in the IMS class had Ticket of Leave, continuing her winning ways from the Australian Offshore Keelboat Series, with a 1-2 result, Another Challenge with 2-1, and Chutzpah in 3rd spot for both races.

The Bundaberg Rum Sports boats had their first five races, exciting to watch as the flew around the windward/leeward course in 16 knot winds, Barry Walker’s Houdini (RGYC) getting away to a great start in Race 1, to lead around the course and win from last year’s series winner, Chris Williams’ Team G.U.E. (RPAYC) and Andrew Sayle’s Chicken Run (SYC).

Race 2, in 20 knots, and once more Houdini, displaying some great foredeck work in the increasing winds, outsailed Paul Heyes’ Max Power (MYC) and Team G.U.E, which had her first win of the ser