Crunching start to 83rd Bruny Island Yacht Race

3:40 AM Sat 7 Feb 2009 GMT

'Bruny Island Race start 2009 - Crunching start to 83rd Bruny Island Race' Peter Campbell &copy Click Here to view large photo

The smallest boat in the fleet, Robert Gourlay's 9m sports boat Tas Marine Constructions, has taken an early lead in the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania's Juicy Isle 83rd Bruny Island Race, which started off Hobart's Castray Esplanade this morning.

Gybing downwind in the freshening northerly breeze, Gourlay and his crew outpaced the bigger boats as they dashed down the Derwent River towards the Iron Pot under the boat's huge asymmetric spinnaker.

In hot pursuit were the Sydney Hobart racers Helsal III, skippered by Rob Fisher, and Valheru (Anthony Lyall), with the red-hulled, canting keel 40-footer Mr Kite (Andrew Hunn) sailing back through the fleet after losing ground by taking a long gybe across the river out of the better breeze.

Race officer Roger Martin has sent the 19 boat fleet on a course that will taken them down the seaward side of Bruny Island, with the return leg up the winding reaches of the d'Entrecasteaux Channel back to the Derwent.

It was a crunching start to the race when the two Bellerive Yacht Club boats, Creese Property, skippered by David Creese, and She's the Culprit (Todd Leary) collided as they manoeuvred on the starting line.

Creese Property suffered minor damage to the aft portside, and later took a 360 degrees penalty turn, while She's the Culprit damaged her bow in the collision. Both boats continued racing, with the crew of Creese Property taping the damaged bow.

The fleet is expected to have a fast run down the ocean side of Bruny Island and may then get another spinnaker run back up the Channel on the seabreeze early this evening for a first boat finish of the 89 nautical mile race later tonight.

Tasmanian Marine Construction - Bruny Island Race 2009 - Crunching start to 83rd Bruny Island Race - Peter Campbell &copy Click Here to view large photo

by Peter Campbell

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