Scarlet Runner to threaten Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race Record

Scarlet Runner is shaping up as the glamour boat for the 52nd Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race with the Carkeek 43 tipped to smash the race record set by the TP52, Shortwave (Matthew Short) in 2008.

The distinctive Scarlet Runner is the hot favourite Photo Michael Currie

Current modelling predicts a fast downwind race with 15 to 25 knot westerly winds gusting to 30 knots, with a sea state that will be tough but manageable.

The forecast conditions will suit Scarlet Runner and will be just the news skipper Rob Date wants to hear three days out from the start of the race.

While slightly shorter in length than Shortwave, Scarlet Runner is an excellent downwind boat, and there is consensus across the fleet that the forecast conditions will suit the light-weight, sleek, black-hulled racer which is fully primed to give this race a red hot crack.

Current routing for a Sydney 38 is showing an expected finish time of 2 days and 4 hours, but Scarlet Runner is a much quicker, lighter boat, and is guaranteed to be finish well inside this time, all going well.

Shortwave heading off to set a new record 2008

Shortwave won the race in a time of 1 day, 17 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds but if things go to plan and the weather forecast holds true, Scarlet Runner could smash the record and take all handicap honours.

Scarlet Runner is not the only boat looking for a race record.

Peccadillo, one of three multihulls on the start line and skippered by experienced multihull campaigner Charles Meredith, will also do well in the westerly breeze and will threaten the current race record which she set in 2023 in a time of 2 days, 18 hours, 4 minutes and 1 second.

“We’ve been watching the weather closely, and while you never know exactly what the weather will do until the day, especially in Bass Strait, now that it’s settled down a bit, we are looking forward to a fantastic race,” said Meredith. 

Multihull entrant Peccadillo looking to break again the record Photo Michael Currie

Justin Brenan, a steely ocean racer with 14 Westcoasters, including four wins, under his belt, will sail to Hobart with the same crew as last year and has told them he “expects the same result.”  

While still early days, the current forecast will make it tough for the double-handers but the consistent westerly breeze will make for a more even playing field for the fleet, according to Brenan

“In prior years, the bigger boats have gone through with the breeze with the back end [of the fleet] left in light conditions, but this year, it’s going to be a fair and more balanced race. 

"We normally lose a bit going to windward crossing Bass Strait, so if I'm in the top third of the fleet as we head through the gap around King Island, and as long as it's not absolutely on the beam or too far forward, we should do quite well,” said Brenan. 

Paul Neilson on the helm of Alien taking on the West Coast aiming for another win Photo Glen Cowan

Other monohulls tipped for a handicap win include the Archambault 40, Arcadia, skippered by Peter Davison from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, and Vertigo, the Summit 35 co-skippered by Tim Olding from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.

Davison won the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) Offshore Sailor of the Year in 2020 and knows the way to Hobart but is playing down his chances knowing the boat prefers on the nose conditions.  

“We are sailing shorter-handed this year (from 10 down to 8 onboard) and have been focused on getting our watch schedule and catering right.

“While our boat is fully prepared, I see this year’s race as more of a drag race to Hobart with the most critical decision that needs to be made is whether to reef the main or not,” said Davison.

Maverick well setup for double handed sailing Photo Michael Currie

With the forecast currently predicting an exhilarating beam reach and four metre swell, the experienced double-handed duo of Alex Toomey (double-handed winner in 2022) and Rod Smallman are excited about the race and are backing themselves as handicap contenders.

“Maverick is well set up for double-handed sailing, and with the predicted conditions and the right sail combination, we will go well. 

“There’s some great experience on the boat and with Rod’s navigation prowess we will be pushing it as fast as our bodies will allow,” said Toomey. 

The monohull fleet is competing for the Heemskerk Trophy for first place on corrected time in the measurement handicap with the greatest number of entrants, which is AMS again in 2024.   

The race starts off Portsea Pier at 10am on Friday 27 December 2024.

Follow the 2024 race via Blue Water Tracks at: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-hobart-westcoaster

24th December 2024

Why does my toilet sparkle when we race?

Bioluminescence (“bio-lumin-essence”) are tiny organisms drifting  with the winds and currents that light up our coasts and shores like a Christmas tree! They glow blue when agitated - like when you flush your marine toilet! Read more in our species showcase!

This picture was taken not far from the Melbourne to Hobart finish line.  During the day it may look like oil slick - iconic orange pink slick and at night the blue glow is visible.

Why is it important?  well it’s sign of the changing ocean and believed to be part of the rise in ocean temperatures.  Read more here and join our ORCV beach clean up in Hobart too.

 Learn more about it here

We can all make small steps to make a difference to protecting our environment.  Join the Waterfront Clean up in Hobart and then enjoy a free coffee with your fellow clean up members.

and if you have sails that are no longer useful, drop them into Recolab in the Race Village for recycling.

Could a double-hander win the 52^nd Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race?

The countdown is on for the start of the 52nd Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race and it’s anyone’s guess who will lift the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy with a fleet of seasoned sailors, newcomers and double-handers all in the mix for handicap honours.

This year’s 20-boat fleet includes seven entries sailing the 435 nautical mile race to Hobart short-handed, with five using the challenging and tactical race as a qualifier for the Melbourne to Osaka Cup (M2O) which starts in March next year.

Maverick, the Jeanneau Sunfast 3600, has a reputation for excellent performance in all conditions and in the hands of the enormously experienced and previous double-handed division winners of Rod Smallman and Alex Toomey, will be a boat to watch and an outside chance of a handicap win.

Maverick sailing double handed Photo Michael Currrie

Quest, skippered by self-described “geriatric sailors” Peter Tardrew and Rod Gunther, are also prepping for the M2O, but this duo certainly knows what it takes to achieve a podium position with a second place in the recent Melbourne to King Island race evidence of the skills and expertise onboard.

After a couple of frustrating years, Rob Date’s Carkeek 43, Scarlet Runner, has hit a purple patch and is all set for a solid crack at line honours and a handicap win in this year’s race, fondly referred to as the Westcoaster. 

Commissioned specifically for the 50th anniversary of the Melbourne to Hobart, the Sandringham Yacht Club entry has been back to the shop for some tweaks to improve performance and following a win in this year’s Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) Winter Series, Date will be driving this black-hulled beauty hard for the win.

Standing between Scarlet Runner and a handicap victory could be the highly fancied boat, Cadibarra, skippered by ORCV Vice Commodore, Paul Roberts. Roberts took out line honours and the handicap win in 2016 on his previous boat, Cadibarra 8, and with Scarlet Runner giving the Sydney 41 time on handicap, Roberts will be pushing his experienced crew hard to get the best out of the boat in the race to Hobart.

Scarlet Runner hot favourite for Line honours Photo Steb Fisher

Kioni, skippered by Dennis Ward from the Royal Melbourne Yacht club, is a newcomer to the Melbourne to Hobart fleet with Ward sailing the Beneteau 47.7.

Ward sees this year’s race as a fast delivery to Hobart before the team spends some time cruising in Tasmania.

“We have a relatively inexperienced crew, so I see ocean racing as a way to gain experience, practice seamanship in controlled conditions and, with the support of the ORCV, getting us through our safety processes,” said Ward.

“We are hoping for 20 knots on the nose all the way to race our best race,” said Ward.

Peccadillo is the leading multihull entered in this year’s race with skipper Charles Meredith back to beat his own line honours race record of 2 days, 18 hours, 4 minutes and 1 second, which was set in 2023, despite incurring a time penalty.

Multihull entrant Peccadillo looking to break again the record Photo Michael Currie

Joining Peccadillo on the start line will be Rushour, the Drew 15 skippered by Drew Carruthers from the Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland, and Resolute II, skippered by Kenneth Gibson from the Greenwich Flying Squadron in New South Wales. 

Resolute II, a family-focused cruising catamaran with a history of trans-Atlantic cruising and circumnavigations rather than racing through the Southern Ocean, will be sailing a cautious race.

“We aren’t used to Southern Ocean sailing and sailing down south like Charles [Meredith], so we will be conservative and know our limitations,” said Gibson.

Gibson and Carruthers have reserved the ‘right’ to peel off and go East if the conditions on the West Coast aren’t to their liking in their first race.

The skippers are united in their support for a multihull division in this challenging but stunningly beautiful ocean race, an option not offered in the other big race to Hobart.

The 2024 Melbourne to Hobart has drawn entries from four states with Tasmania well-represented within the fleet.

Colin Bailey is skippering the modified Adams 11.9, Force Eleven, in what will be the first race down the West Coast for the experienced Tasmanian skipper.

Bailey, from the Bellerive Yacht Club (BYC), and his crew are keen to tick this race off their bucket lists and are looking forward to the challenges of the Westcoaster. 

“We are all pretty excited about the race. We have gone over the boat from one end to the other, servicing it and replacing gear where we needed to.

“We are looking forward to the challenge of sailing down the West Coast, particularly the self-sufficiency that you need to have when you can’t just pull easily into a place when things get tough like you can when sailing down the East Coast,” said Bailey.  

The experienced Cadibarra crew will be hard to beat Photo Michael Currie

Father and daughter combination, Megan and Richard Grant will be sailing Magellan in the double-handed division in their preparation for the M2O race.

Magellan, a Knoop 39 yacht was the last of the 70+ boats built by designer Wally Knoop and was bought by the Grant family, also BYC members, back in 2013.

Megan has sailed several offshore races with her father as skipper and is thrilled to be competing in this year’s race as preparation for the M2O.

The BYC affiliations continue in this race with club member and Tasmanian marine scientist Lillian Stewart co-skipper on White Spirit, a Beneteau First 50, with ORCV Commodore, Cyrus Allen.

Lillian Stewart Co Skipper of White Spirit Photo Cyrus Allen

Stewart and Allen are sailing this year’s race as a qualifier for the M2O with Stewart a former crew member on Magellan.

Stewart is enthusiastic about the upcoming race and thrives on the challenge and adrenaline of offshore racing.

“Double-handed sailing differs from fully crewed sailing as just two crew take on the roles which are typically spread across eight or ten people – it’s a vibrant and growing discipline that combines strategy, physical endurance and seamless teamwork.

“For the most part you are essentially solo sailing as you play tag team with your co-skipper, and you try and maximise every single minute of rest that you can get when you are off watch.

“The challenges are certainly intense balancing sleep schedules and managing the boat’s performance but it’s also what makes it so rich and rewarding.

“White Spirit is certainly a handful at times, and she really thrives in those heavier conditions.

“I really enjoy battling through the rough of it, including the physical aspect and the strength and capability that goes with it,” said Stewart.

Stewart recently accepted the Australian Sailing National Sustainability Award as the leader of the ORCV team dedicated to sustainability, delivering various campaigns and educating others on the impact of sailing on marine life and the environment.

The 2024 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race, organised by the ORCV with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron, is a race of four parts starting with the race across Bass Strait, the tactical choices about the route around King Island, rounding Maatsuyker Island and running across the bottom of Tasmania and then tackling the often fickle winds of the River Derwent.

The fleet is competing for the Heemskerk Trophy for first place on corrected time in the measurement handicap with the greatest number of entrants, which is AMS again in 2024.   

The race starts off Portsea Pier at 10am on Friday 27 December 2024.

The 2008 race record is held by TP52 Shortwave, skippered by Matthew Short, in a time of 1 day, 17 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds.

Follow the 2024 race via Blue Water Tracks at: https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-hobart-westcoaster

Pin End Strategy Leads Ginan to Victory in DYSC Marine Supplies Winter Series Race 1

The fleet of 36 boats battling it across the start line / Photo by Michael Currie

Melbourne, VIC – Under crisp winter skies and a solid northerly breeze, the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) DYSC Marine Supplies Winter Series Race 1 delivered spectacular racing this weekend. With 36 boats lining up for the start, competitors were treated to classic Port Phillip conditions – shifting winds between 10 to 20 knots, flat seas, and plenty of tactical opportunities.

Enjoying the flare drill / Photo by Michael Currie

The day began with a rare and expertly coordinated on water practice distress flare drill session on the waters off Royal Brighton Yacht Club, offering sailors the chance to deploy a range of different types of flares under the supervision of CASA, Victoria Police, and the Port of Melbourne. It was a unique and valuable exercise in offshore safety training, reinforcing the ORCV’s commitment to both racing and safety preparedness.

Following the flare drill, race management set a dynamic course with a beat to the north of the bay, a long spinnaker run to Sandringham mark 5, and spinnaker finish to the finish line. With conditions varying across the course, smart navigation and tight teamwork were the keys to success.

The Botin Carkeek Gp 42 ‘Ambition’, skippered by Chris Dare, put on a commanding display from the outset and succeeded with an impressive line honours victory.

AMS Div 1 and overall AMS DYSC race 1 winner, Ginan crossing paths with Salt / Photo by Michael Currie

While competing in the Newport to Bermuda race this time last year, the J111 ‘Ginan’ Skippers Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie missed out on taking part in the annual flare drill. This year, they achieved remarkable success, winning overall top honours (based on AMS). "Nigel gave us a nice start to the day, starting us off down the pin end, sitting behind Ambition and Salt we felt good about our position," McKenzie explained. "Later in the race we made a tactical call to stay out, and it paid off."

Meanwhile, Joel Matthews skippered Godzilla to 1st Place in Division 2 AMS, returning to the racecourse after a full hull respray and refit – and straight into the winner's circle. "None of the crew had sailed together before, or sailed on this boat," Matthews said. "While Godzilla prefers sub-8 knot conditions, the boat handled the brisk breeze...We were overpowered early, but made up serious ground on the downwind and final upwind legs," Matthews added.

Crew on board Ginan / Photo by David 'Doc' Sturge

Also putting in a strong performance was the Beneteau First 44.7 ‘Another Chapter’ skippered by Greg Clinnick, who missed AMS victory by a mere 14 seconds (based on corrected time) behind Ginan. The crew showed consistency, speed, and smart handling throughout, cementing their place as another boat to follow throughout the development of the DYSC winter series.

In the double handed category, veteran sailor Jock MacAdie skippered Alex-Team MacAdie to victory in the PHS division, making the most of the light start and building breeze. "It was one of those days where everything aligned," said MacAdie. "Flat water, a good working breeze, and a solid teammate who did most of the heavy lifting!" Jock's pedigree in short-handed sailing is well known – having won the 2007 Melbourne–Osaka race with his son Hamish. "We've been sailing this way for a long time. The boat's set up for it, but it takes time to get it right. Not just technically – you've got to race well, too."

Attention now turns to the popular Winter Series destination races to Geelong which is up next on July 5th where opportunities are given to Novice crews on July 6. Entries are open here.

Full race results can be found here.