The recent Brisbane to Gladstone race featured a highly competitive group of 30'ers all vying for line honours including two of our members boats APC Max (Tony Considine) and Raw to the Core (Martyn Riley). These two boats proved to be the fastest yachts in the Race, however unfortunately one of them failed to make it to the finish line, while the other took line honours.
Conditions were ideal for small boat sailing with a light start building to 15-20 knots downwind for most of the Race. The two boats from MYCV came together lightly in the final minute of prestart putting Raw to the Core on the backfoot after having completed a 720° penalty. Meanwhile APC Max got off to a flyer, but had a tough competition with Wilparina II and the Raider One Designs across Moreton Bay.
By the time the boats passed the fairway bouy APC Max led the fleet from Raw to the Core about 2½ nm astern; the leading monohulls were still ahead of the multihulls at that stage, but in sight. The race up the coast was exciting for the crews with boats sailing at speeds in the low 20s, sometimes too tight to hold course, other times sailing at downwind angles.
The leading boats passed Indian Head at about 23:00 and about 23:30 Raw to the Core, sailing downind comfortably under her largest spinnaker at around 20 knots, sailed a few hundred metres below APC Max, who was sailing several knots slower under her screacher (No.2 spinnaker). APC Max responded by changing up and shortly after unluckily caugth the tack of the spinnaker in the water after dropping down a particularly steep wave; this led to the boat pitchpoling. Raw to the Core noticed that APC Max's lights had dissapeared and notified race control. The following boats were coordinated by Race Control and Wilparina II picked up the stricken crew successfully.
Martyn Riley went on to take line honours about 2½ hours ahead of AYS Raider One Design and about ½ hour ahead of Ichi Ban (monohull), however Wilparina II was awarded the second fastest time after recieving redress for rescueing the crew of APC Max.
For more details and a chance to ask questions, come to our next general meeting on May 20th.
