Breeze, Bags and Wipeouts for M2H and M2L fleets

10:08 AM Sat 27 Dec 2008 GMT

'Shortwave also got a ’bag’ up early - Port Phillip Sea Pilots' Trophy. M2H and M2L' John Curnow

In golf you drive for show and putt for dough. The three fleets that make up the ORCV's Summer racing trifecta have a similar, short-course game on hand. It is known as the Port Phillip Sea Pilots' Trophy and it is awarded to the first boat out of The Heads after the Portsea Pier start, which this year was at 12noon, December 27.

Today it was a relatively brief, high energy thirty odd minutes before the regimen of ocean racing settles in; - an action packed blast, as you scamper away from the line, on a very shy reach over towards Queenscliffe, before gybing back and making for the narrow 1.5nm gap between Pt Lonsdale and Pt Nepean that is Melbourne's infamous Heads. Next thing you'll have to do is get some more clothes on. It is amazing how different it is outside compared to inside.

A sheer delight! That's the only way to describe the morning; both as weather and as a jaunt down the Mornington Peninsula from Blairgowrie, through Sorrento and to the start line at Portsea Pier aboard the ORCV's official starting vessel 'Enterprize'. Somewhat fittingly, she was built in Tasmania and then took John Batman up the Yarra to find and create what we now know as Melbourne. And we were not the only ones who were impressed with the day. A massive spectator fleet on anything from paddleboards to 60' motor yachts also drawn by the spectacular day, all came out to see the 3 fleets off.

Dennis Livingstone the ORCV's Official Starter for M2L and M2H called for a breeze at midday and he got exactly what he wanted. So just as Jim Mitchell from Heemskirk Consolidated (incidentally he is Kate Mitchell's husband, the co-owner of the Farr 52 'Goldfinger') fired the starting flare in unison with the ship's cannon the breeze not only appeared, but lifted to at least 15kn before making 20kn from South South East as the fleet exited The Heads. So that is the 'Breeze' part.

'Bags' or spinnakers to most people were on deck and aloft quickly as first it was on the nose, then sprung and finally as all the fleet bunched up in behind the pier to open their angle it went to shy kite. 1stBag Honours go to 'Godzilla', the little Hick flyer. She was quickly joined by 'Shamrock' who could not get it to settle easily and then 'Isuzu Marine' and 'Shortwave' - both of which took off like school kids at the final bell! The magnificent TP's pace was a feast to all around, including the non-sailors. Many smaller powerboats found they simply did not have the grunt to accelerate away with her and fell into the pool of wash that the large mass of all sorts of vessels had created.

Not everbody managed to keep the ’bag’ under control... - Port Phillip Sea Pilots' Trophy. M2H and M2L - John Curnow

And that just leaves 'Wipeouts'. Yes there were a quite few. When it is this shy and a little bit blustery too, there is always going to be some boats rounding up and making a bit of mess - halyard that should not have been eased, a brace that was held on too long. The more modern boats with bowsprits and asymmetrical kites can fly them shyer, but like most things that push the envelope, it just means when it goes, it goes louder! No-one likes to name names, but when you see it unfold before you and you knew it was coming, there just has to be a wee story in it. Such was the case with 'Ninety Seven' today. Three times they rolled under it and finally on the fourth they were upright. You can always hear the helmer and the sailing master in your head as you see this sort of event unfold. Thankfully there was no damage to human or hull and they pushed on, a little more circumspect perhaps.

For those interested in the result, the Short family's TP52 'Shortwave' got through the 'Dash for Cash' in just 37 minutes. Not the record and no real dough either, but an impressive effort and certainly bar bragging rights on the top of their Cock of the Bay win yesterday. Good luck to them for the Westcoaster. I hope they can go after 'Futures Shock's record of 1 day 23hrs and some change. Those that have tried, well know how hard it is to beat!

Tonight we are also happy that fellow yachtsmen from S2H entrant 'Georgia' are safe and well and hope they can salvage her soon. I'm sure we all appreciate what 'Merit' has done in order to go and get her crew. Thank you.