Melbourne to Osaka main start delayed
by John Curnow 24 Mar 2018 00:59 PDT
The Edge (left) and Bartolome started last Sunday - Sundance Marine Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race 2018 © Hiroshi Horiuchi
The main start of the two-handed odyssey that is the Melbourne to Osaka has been delayed due to weather. Indeed, all three starts to date have suffered this fate.
The first, the little S&S34 Morning Star was delayed a day due to no weather so to speak off, but later copped it further up the NSW coast. The next was a double barrelled affair, with Bartolome and The Edge, but this too was delayed a day, however now for too much wind.
The exact same fate has now caused the main start to be held over from Sunday 25/3/18 to what is likely to be Monday 26/3/18. At the expected start time, the wind was forecasted to be around 35 knots plus, but from a favourable NW quadrant. However, later that night as the fleet would be due to go around Wilsons Promontory and it was expected to be more like 50 knots. When we spoke with Race Organisers they were keen to let all that pass by, and were also reorganising the Tall Ship, Young Endeavour, and also the RAAF Roulettes stunt team that were due to be part of it all off the Pier at Portsea. A new start time to meet slack water at The Heads will be ratified shortly, and we will update that ASAP.