An interview with Paul Roberts & Martin Vaughan

We are pleased to announce the first in a series of interviews with past competitors of the Melbourne to Osaka Double Handed yacht race. 私たちは メルボルン~大阪ダブルハンドレース(以後M2Oと表記) 出場経験者へのインタビュー動画をシリーズでお送りします。

These video clips are designed to give an insight in to the race for potential competitors and to assist those preparing for the next race in 2018. We'll cover such things as 2 handed boat preparation, partnering & teamwork, navigation, food & creature comforts, the Osaka welcome and cruising back home. We will present a mix of styles, from outright racers, to cruisers and those questing adventure. Keep an eye out on the ORCV Melbourne to Osaka web page and our Facebook page for more in this series. Our first, is an interview with Paul Roberts and Martin Vaughan, who competed in the 2013 event aboard Cadibarra 8.

一連の動画は、潜在的出場希望者や2018年のレースに備えている競技者のためにレースに付いての見識を提供するように企画されています。私たちはこのシリーズでダブルハンドレースにおける、準備、パートナーとチームワーク、航海術、衣食住、更に大阪での歓迎の様子そして帰りの航海についてまでもカバーする予定です。どうぞ、ORCV M2O ウェブサイトとFacebookでこのシリーズをチェックしてください。最初の動画は 2013 M2O 出場チーム カディバラ8のクルー ポール ロバーツ氏とマーティン ヴォーン氏へのインタビューです。

日本語字幕付き。

2018 Melbourne to Osaka Race- Decision re Multihull Participation

The three organising clubs for the event met on the weekend to discuss preparations for the next race and make some key decisions. One big decision was about whether or not to include multi hulls.

After much discussion and consideration a vote was held and a decision made that multi hulls would not be included in the 2018 race but may be included in future races once the Australian ocean racing community becomes more experienced with them. The ORCV will welcome multi hull participation and hopes to learn more from the multi hull competitors.

Apologies to any multis who expressed an interest in the event.

2015 Osaka Hokko Yacht Club Visit- You are all welcome!

The Japanese delegation from the Osaka-Hokko Yacht Club will be visiting Melbourne in September.
The Organising Committee for the Melbourne-Osaka Double Handed Race and the Commodore of the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club would like to invite you to join them at a BBQ

DATE: Friday 2nd October 2015
TIME: 3pm
VENUE : Hobsons Bay Yacht Club, Nelson Place, Williamstown.

With the recent press release of the Preliminary Notice of Race, it’s time to kick off the 2018 campaign-polish up your party shoes, bring along your tall tales and help us celebrate! 

Volunteers,prrevious competitors and other interested parties have been invited and you are welcome to join them!

Cost: $20 per head for BBQ , drinks at bar prices.

 RSVP by 25/9/2015 .  Click  HERE to RSVP and pay.

Enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 03 9689 1622 

2018 Melbourne to Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race

Web site has moved, see www.melbourneosaka.com

Press Release (click here for Japanese translation)

The Organizing Committee for the 2018 Melbourne to Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race is pleased to announce the publishing of the Preliminary Notice of Race for the next race due to start in Port Philip Bay in March 2018.

We have already had a remarkable level of interest in the event, both from Australia and Japan so are confident of a fully subscribed fleet of 25 yachts at the race start. The race is a unique double-handed long distance ocean race, an epic journey of 5,500 nautical miles or around 10,000km, the equivalent of 8 back-to-back Sydney-to-Hobarts, during which yachts will encounter multiple weather systems and seasons as they cross the Pacific Ocean from south to north. The race record is held by “Wild Thing” who competed the race in a little under 26 days 21 hours in 1995.
First run in 1987 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Osaka the race will be run for the 8th time in 2018 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Melbourne Osaka Sister-City Relationship. The race is a challenging long-distance, short-handed racing event that provides a proving ground for true seamanship and encourages the development of suitably seaworthy yachts, appropriate gear, supplies, and techniques for short-handed passage under sail.
Timed to avoid both the end of the Cyclone season in the Southern Hemisphere and the beginning of the Typhoon season in the Northern Hemisphere the journey begins in autumn at the starting line in Melbourne. Yachts race first through Bass Strait and then turn north to pass between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea on their way to the equator. There they meet a tropical summer and face the challenges of The Doldrums where there is often little or no wind for many days at a time. On their final leg they complete their journey backwards through the seasons to meet the Japanese spring at the finishing line in Osaka.

The Organizing Authority for the event comprises three clubs. Sandringham Yacht Club in Melbourne donates berthing and slipping facilities to non-local competitors and hosts participants and overseas guests in the lead up to the race. Similarly, Osaka Hokko Yacht Club in Japan provides berthing and other assistance at the destination not to mention to the legendary welcome every finisher receives on arrival. The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria provides 24x7 race and risk management before, during and after the race through its network of ocean racing volunteers. Where possible it also offers support for each yacht’s return journey to ensure their safe passage home.

Cherry blossom viewing in the Japanese spring sounds romantic but spending three to five weeks on a 10-20m yacht with just one other person is no weekend cruise. With just under three years remaining before the starting gun, potential competitors are encouraged to start their preparations now and register their interest by visiting the event web site at www.melbourneosaka.com or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MelbourneOsaka.

2013 Presentation at Tenmangu Shrine

Yasu at the helm of Southern Cross in the 2013 Race

L-R Will Parbury and Ivan Macfadyen arriving in Osaka aboard Funnelweb

For further information please contact the ORCV office on (03) 9689 1622 or via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.