Hunter 100 Trophy at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
by Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club 4 Dec 2022 20:08 AEDT
2-3 December 2022
The Hunter 100! © Jack Buchan
Congratulations to Chris Laughlin and the crew on "Trim" - claiming the Hunter 100 trophy for Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto!
Eight local yachts spent the night offshore on Friday as they contested NCYC's new "Hunter 100", a warm-up for the greatest race on the Australian sailing calendar - the Rolex Sydney to Hobart.
The race commenced from Newcastle at 6:30pm on Friday. The Hunter 100 is a 100 nautical mile, offshore overnight race drawing boats from Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, and Port Stephens.
On the start line, we had 51st Project from Port Stephens Yacht Club, Trim from Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto, along with Newcastle competitors Betty D, Frantic, Mako, Satisfaction II, Scuffy, and She's the Culprit.
Starting in Newcastle Harbour, the sailors turn south to make their way around Bird Island and then turn north to Cabbage Tree Island off Port Stephens before returning home.
Mick Martin's TP52 Frantic was the leader of the pack and came in to finish around 5am Saturday morning.
The tightest boat race on the water however was between the next three boats as 51st Project, Mako, and She's the Culprit tussled for the next three places throughout the entire thirteen hours until they all finished within 90seconds between 7.35am - 7.36am Saturday.
Scuffy and Betty D were affected by some lighter winds as they rounded Cabbage Tree Island, however two handed entry Satisfaction 2 (Paul Beath & Ken Semple) along with Trim managed to keep pace and came in to finish around 10.30am.
In the darkness of the night, our fleet mixed into the CYCA's Cabbage Tree Island race after we had rounded Bird Island and were racing north to Cabbage Tree Island with them.
Sailing Manager Jack Buchan explains "The quick overnight dash offers an opportunity for local crews to gain experience, and to prepare for and participate in an offshore overnight race before committing to a full Sydney to Hobart campaign."
"Many of the competitors have taken this opportunity to seek further training provided onsite here at the club including First Aid courses, Safety & Sea Survival courses, and Sailing at Night masterclasses - better preparing them for bigger offshore campaigns in the coming seasons."
Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will be represented by three vessels in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart:
Uprising Brightside Marine father and son Andrew and Harry Miller will be competing two-handed, with the race marking the achievement of a lifelong dream for 18-year-old Harry.
KD4 will be sailed by Joe de Kock, and Richard Hooper, who found success in their first two-handed adventure in the Noakes Sydney to Southport. Joe has skippered a circumnavigation of the globe, and raced across the Atlantic five times. This marks Joe's 14th Sydney to Hobart, and Richards's 5th.
Mako will be going for round three, with last year's race being cut short due to a blown mainsail. The crew on Mako will see two father and son duos - Tim and Hugh Dodds, and Greg and Marcus Busch - with Greg Busch skippering the race this year who said, "I'm looking forward to what is hopefully a quick, safe ride, and the celebration in Hobart with our other NCYC crews."
For more information visit event website: www.ncyc.net.au/offshore-racing/hunter-100.