Scarlet Runner on record pace

Eight hours in to this year’s Melbourne to King Island Race and Scarlet Runner has stamped itself firmly in the lead.

Robert Date’s Rp-52 is streaking ahead at speeds of 11 knots, 37NM ahead of the rest of the fleet. With around 45 nautical miles left to go, they might just be on pace to get in to Grassy Harbour ahead of Cadibarra 8’s 2002 race record of 10 hours 8 minutes.

Scarlet Runner could make it to King Island with a new race record Photo supplied: Scarlet Runner

The rest of the fleet is bunched up within 10NM of each other, tacking back and forth to find the most favourable winds. Wicked and Primitive Cool are in each other’s pockets at the head of the group, the two forty-footers keeping pace to fill out the podium for line honours as well as IRC handicap division behind the lead boat.

At the front of another group taking the easterly route is Chikara Outlaw, in tight competition with eXtasea and Jazz Player.

These wind chasers are gaining a slight advantage in speed, all travelling seven knots or faster.

Chikara Outlaw has taken the eastern route Photo supplied: Chikara Outlaw

Addiction is racing up behind the leaders of the main group, only 2NM keeping Richard McGarvie from pushing his boat into second on the AMS scoreboard behind Wicked.

Winds have picked up further to the east of the course, reaching closer to 20 knots, but they might be just out of reach of the group sailing the east route. Further west, winds remain at about 15 knots.

But who knows what the savvy navigators on board will be able to find out on the water.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the front of the fleet to see if Scarlet Runner can make it in time to grab the record.

Updated 9/3/2013 8.10am

What will the Weather God's provide this weekend?

For those of you like your ocean race "20:20" - below 20 knots, above 20 degrees - this might be your race!
The general pattern indicates light northerlies moving to the east, so once again positioning yourself east or west is going to be the key to success. It looks like crew catering might need to be increased as Saturday night dinner is not going to be a King Island steak sandwiches for most of the fleet.

It looks like everyone is in for a comfortable cruise down the bay and a pleasant sail to King Island. If you want to be in the money I would be doing a lot of study and making the boat as light as possible.

The models below are from our good friends at Predictwind. As you can see there's no agreement between the two models, so anything could happen. One model has you finishing so you could have lunch and dinner in Grassy on Saturday but I doubt it!!!

Happy Sailing

Final King Island preparations underway

This year's King Island race is almost upon us, with less than a week until crews head out from near Queenscliff.

Race director, Ray Shaw, has predicted that the race record set by Cadibarra in 2002 could fall if weather conditions stay favourable.

Scarlett Runner, one of the largest boats in the fleet, is expected to be one of those to pose a serious threat to the record and among the frontrunners arriving into Grassy Harbour.

The 21 confirmed entrants will begin their journey at 11.30 on Friday night.

Despite this being one of ORCV's shorter races, at 114 nautical miles, it is definitely one of the more difficult.

As usual Bass Strait can be relied on to throw up any number of challenges, but it is the currents around King Island, particularly on entry into Grassy harbour, that can see the race won or lost by savvy navigators.

Tevake II, Bacardi and Chikara Outlaw are some of the boats expected to be at the head of the field, with a special mention for Chikara as this will be the honeymoon race for Bill Trueman and his "sailing partner" Joanne Norbury who married recently. Bill has is also notching up his 21st year of ocean racing this year.

Tevake II is looking good to be at the head of the fleet on the way to King Island

Competition is expected to be fierce among the 40 footers between Halcyon, Wicked, Primitive Cool and Jazz Player.

This year's total fleet comprises more than 150 individual crew members, many of whom have experienced the hospitality of the King Island Boat Club in previous years.

Ray Shaw says the King Island welcome is again being eagerly anticipated.

"The fabulous steak sandwiches are a favourite for the yachties after the 114 nautical mile journey across Bass Strait," he said.

The boat club kitchen and bar will be open from the afternoon on Saturday, giving King Islanders a chance to meet competitors as they get post-race refreshments.

There will also be a breakfast held on Sunday morning to coincide with presentations.

King Island –Here we come!

Streetcar takes the honours for the first entry into the 2013 King Island Race and no doubt the skipper has his eyes on some honours at the finish line!

Aidan Geysen has successfully campaigned his Jeanneau Sunfast 3200 in recent ORCV events. He was 3^rd in the 2012 HH Winter Cruising  series, has had “back to back” wins in the Latitude Offshore race and competed in the 2012 Apollo Bay Race.

 Aidan ventured into ocean racing with ORCV member and mentor, Jeremy Walton. Perhaps an Osaka Cup is on his bucket list as he and Jeremy have entered the Double Handed division.

To join them, click HERE to enter.

For the link to the Notice of Race click the link at the top of the page