NEW BOAT NEAR RECORD PACE IN CARNARVON RACE - 27thApril 2008.

By John Roberson.
 
Trevor Taylor's brand new Optimus Prime has maintained a good lead since Friday's start of the Fremantle to Carnarvon race, and is close to the pace needed to set a race record.

Late this afternoon the Rockingham skipper and his crew were approaching the southern end of Dirk Hartog Island, however forecasts show the wind dropping to as little as 5 knots, and then filling in from the north.

This will make for a slow finish to the race, with the leader not likely to cross the finishing line in Carnarvon until Monday afternoon.

The satellite race tracker shows Optimus Prime to have a lead of nearly 30 nautical miles over second placed Steel de Breeze, in the hands of Brian de Vries., with Brett Young's Hi-Flyer third.

The fleet has had downwind conditions all the way, with spinnakers flying continuously since they left the Perth beaches, which although a fast sail, is tough on the nerves.

Reports from the leading boat indicate they maintained an average speed of about 10 knots for the first 24 hours of the race, but during last night hit a top speed of 18.2 knots, they also reported a lot of cray pots in the water as they passed the Abrolhos Islands.

Trailing the fleet, and only just past Geraldton, is Andrew Dawson's 34 foot Unicorn.