It’s all in the timing as Clockwork readies for first Melbourne to Devonport Yacht Race

Clockwork under sail in 2024 / Photo by Salty Dingo

It would be hard to find two more enthusiastic and committed offshore sailors than South Australians, Mary Ann Harvey and Andrew Lloyd, co-owners and “equal skippers” of the Sydney 38, Clockwork, from the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia.

Harvey and Lloyd, relaxed and in the groove after a hectic eight-month sailing program last year which took in the major Australian regattas, will have Clockwork on the start line on Friday the 31^st of October for their first Melbourne to Devonport ‘Rudder Cup’ Yacht Race.

Harvey retrospectively described the Rudder Cup, run by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria, as a bucket list race now that they know the history of the event as the oldest yacht race in Australia, and are definitely “in it to win it.”

“We are going to race as hard as we can to make the boat go.

“Andrew is a weapon on the start line, we make sure we don’t hit anybody, but if there’s a spot on the start line that he wants to be, even if it’s a TP52, he will just push through until he gets there.

Andrew and Mary Ann embracing after completing their Hobart race in 2024 / Photo by Salty Dingo

In 2024, Clockwork won the Sydney 38 Division of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, a feat which they hope to repeat this year, and with the right weather, Harvey believes Clockwork might take home the win in the 2025 the Rudder Cup.

“A Sydney 38 is a bullet proof boat, a great all-rounder.

“We’ve never heard of a Sydney 38 ever losing its rig anywhere in the world, and while we know the boat is 25 years old, she’s fantastic upwind and downwind,” said Harvey.

Clockwork will be up against two other Sydney 38s from Victoria, Faster Forward, skippered by Matt Fahey, and Loch Sloidh 3, skippered by Peter McFarlane, which will make racing interesting.

Lloyd is hoping for a decent breeze for the sprint across Bass Strait to the finish line off the mouth of the Mersey River, the waterway of the Tasmanian coastal city of Devonport, and to the guaranteed warm welcome from the team at the Mersey Yacht Club.

“I haven’t done any weather modelling yet, but our preferred conditions would be reaching in 20 knots of breeze, or even right on the nose would suit us, while it’s not that comfortable, we know the boat will perform really well,” said Lloyd.

Talking with Harvey and Lloyd, it is easy to see why these great mates get on so well and are enjoying living what many would describe as their very best sailing life, competing successfully in some of Australia’s premier sailing regattas, while generously offering crewing opportunities to people from all walks of life through the ORCV’s Next Gen program and supporting community programs such as Orange Sky. 

“We both think it’s great to be supporting young sailors through the Next Gen program, giving them their first taste of ocean racing through a delivery, it’s a great time for training, they get time on the wheel,” said Harvey.

They each have enormous respect for the other’s strengths and personalities, and trip over themselves to heap praise on each other, while gently competing for bragging rights on boat speed.

“Andrew is amazing, he is so experienced in all areas of sailing.

“He does much more helming than I do, and he’s a terrific coach who runs the boat in fantastic condition,” said Harvey.

“Mary Ann is a legend, she’s an amazing person, a great sailor whose competence far exceeds her confidence.

“She’s able to find crew, which was tough in 2024 when we had 60 people on the boat in our eight-month campaign.

“But more than that, Mary Ann’s an inspiration to blokes and ladies alike, and she wants to sail with me!

“We completely trust her, we are just great mates,” said Lloyd.

Lloyd has been sailing all his life and has a special interest in sharing his knowledge with newcomers, and although Harvey came to yacht racing later in life, she has an innate understanding of the wind through 20 years as a windsurfer and prefers crewing ahead of steering.

“I was obsessive about the sailboarding, as a busy, working single mother, it was just a great way to get out and blow off the cobwebs.

“Andrew becomes my tactician when I’m steering which I think he finds a little bit frustrating at times, especially when I remind him that I have the Clockwork boat speed record of 20.7 knots,” said Harvey teasingly.

2025 has been a good year for Harvey, who recently won the 2025 Female Sailor of the Year category in the Australian Sailing South Australia Awards, recognising her achievements in ocean racing, her commitment to gender inclusivity, equality and opportunity, and her leadership in sailing as Chair of the South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta Committee.

Female Clockwork crew during the 2025 Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta. Mary Ann 3^rd from right / Photo provided by Clockwork team

Earlier in the year, Harvey also took her boat to Melbourne in June to compete in the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta at Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, racing with her all-female crew. A regular interstate competitor, Harvey continues to show her strong dedication to building connections and supporting the broader women’s keelboat community across Australia — strengthening ties between the South Australian and Melbourne chapters through shared experience, teamwork, and passion for the sport.

As they focus on the 2025 Rudder Cup, Lloyd and Harvey admit that neither of them has raced out of Port Phillip through The Rip, a narrow entrance at Port Phillip Heads where underwater reefs limit the navigable entrance to 0.6 of a nautical mile, and which can offer some difficult and precarious conditions to sailors.

“We will be very mindful of the conditions we are in, but we will also try to remind ourselves that it’s just another passage of water,” said Harvey.

There will certainly be plenty of guidance available from other fleet members and the ORCV.

Harvey and Lloyd note that the previous owner of the boat named her Clockwork as a nod to his work as a jeweller / watchmaker, and for those watching the race, Clockwork has a bright orange spinnaker and wheel, which features heavily in their marketing material and crew shirts.

Harvey and Lloyd will be sailing alongside Brendon Savage, Harvey’s nephew Rowan Edwards, Sam Wilksch, Michael Burvill, Laoise O’Beirn, Matt Stephens and Paul Hicks.

The 195 nautical mile 2025 Melbourne to Devonport ‘Rudder Cup’ starts at 2:30pm (AEDT) on Friday the 31st of October off Queenscliff, in Port Phillip.

The longstanding race record is 19 hours, 32 minutes and 56 seconds which was set in 1998 by Prowler, skippered by Joe Westerlo.

The Rudder Cup is part of the ORCV Offshore Championship and is open to yachts fully crewed, 4+autohelm, and double-handed.

Final entries closing on Monday the 20^th of October 2025.

For further details about the 2025 Melbourne to Devonport Yacht Race and to enter, go to: https://www.orcv.org.au/devonport

By Jane Austin/ORCV Media

Spirit of Downunder joins Double-Handed Entries in 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

Spirit of Downunder / Photo by Steb Fisher

Spirit of Downunder has a strong pedigree in ocean racing which skipper Rick Whitehouse will be keen to take advantage of when he races his Cameron Delange designed and built 12 metre yacht across Bass Strait and down the West Coast of Tasmania in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (M2H).

Whitehouse, a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, bought the custom-built racing skiff from owner Laurie Ford in 2022 and will be sailing his first M2H, double-handed, alongside fellow Victorian, Marty Bennett.

Spirit of Downunder is already racing against the clock as the boat is readied for the Melbourne to Devonport ‘Rudder Cup’ qualifying race.

“The last time we sailed the boat was in the Melbourne to Devonport in 2023.

“It could be that I just end up doing the Melbourne to Hobart double-handed with Marty Bennett, as well as some other of the ORCV Coastal races.

“Marty and I did a few races together in 2023 before the boat stopped us doing anymore for a while, so after that, we decided to put in an electric motor and do a big upgrade of the electronics which has taken much longer than I thought it would,” said Whitehouse.

While Whitehouse is keen to avoid too much of the spotlight this early in his campaign in case things don’t come together, he is certainly enthusiastic about ocean racing since completing a circumnavigation in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race on the Chinese entry, Visit Sanya.

There’s no doubt that the Clipper open ocean racing experience coupled with intense training the program provides in advanced sea safety, planning for changing weather conditions, tides and strong currents will benefit Whitehouse when he tackles the challenges that the West Coast and the Southern Ocean can present.

Spirit of Downunder is an instantly recognisable boat with its distinctive graphics which Whitehouse believes is a combination of Indigenous and Aztec artwork. 

The boat, with its fractional rig, is a custom-built, full-size replica of an international one metre radio-controlled yacht designed by Gary Cameron in 1995. She was built in Mornington by Peter Delange and launched in 1997.

While the team’s goals are simple at this stage, “make it to the start line, finish and have fun,” Whitehouse is hoping for the perfect conditions to maximise the boat’s design in this year’s Westcoaster.

“The boat is designed to be very fast down wind and is perfect for this type of racing, although it’s not as quick upwind for me yet, but we’ll be looking for a moderately strong breeze from the north west of 15-20 knots in the race.

Whitehouse has chosen the double-handed option for his first Westcoaster to minimise the hassle of organising a big crew and for the sense of achievement you get from sailing short-handed.

“The advantage of double-handed sailing is that you don’t have to find a full crew, you get to sail periods of the race on your own, and you only have one other person to get along with.

“It certainly got pretty crowded on the Clipper Race with 20 crew.

“Marty and I have the same attitude towards safety, and we have the same attitude to getting things done and sailing the boat.

“I tend to do most of the navigation planning, and even though we haven’t sailed many times together, we are on the same page, with Marty really keen to do more short-handed sailing,” said Whitehouse.

Foggy Dew in the 2022 Winter Series Race 4 / Photo by Dave Hewison

Other double-handed entries received so far include Foggy Dew, sailed by Robert Darcy and Janet Wilks from Sandringham Yacht Club and Alex-Team Macadie skippered by Jock Macadie from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.

Magellan during the 2024 Melbourne to Hobart / Photo by Michael Currie

Tasmanian sailor Richard Grant co-skippered Magellan to victory with his daughter Megan in the double-handed division in last year’s Westcoaster, and earlier this year finished second on AMS and third on PHS in the Melbourne to Osaka Race.

[Richard] Grant, from Bellerive Yacht Club is keen to see all of the double-handed entries do well in the race down the West Coast and offered some thoughts on things that they find helpful sailing two-up.

“Being familiar with your boat is so important, as is having clear reefing systems that can be handled by one person, to make things as quick and easy as possible and to avoid getting over-powered.

“What has worked for us in the past is to plan our race strategy before the start and set our waypoints conservatively so that we could safely sail the course without having to spend a lot of time at the chart table.

“Safety is always a priority, so we always make sure we do lots of training in our man-overboard recovery techniques and other emergency procedures.

“The ORCV and other sailors in the race offer lots of support to everyone competing which is one of the highlights of ORCV ocean races like the Westcoaster,” said Grant. 

And Grant’s final thoughts about the race?

“Make sure you get as much sleep as possible when off watch, drink lots of water and juices, but most of all, make sure you have fun.”

The M2H starts off Portsea at 1:30pm on Saturday the 27^th of December 2025 with the race taking the fleet through Port Phillip Heads, across Bass Strait, down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island before heading east to Storm Bay to the finish at Battery Point in the River Derwent in Hobart.

The Westcoaster is part of the ORCV Offshore and Double Handed Championship and is open to monohull boats racing fully crewed or 4+autohelm or double handed, and multihull boats racing fully crewed or 4+autohelm.

Early bird entries close on Monday the 10th of November with final entries closing on Monday the 24th of November 2025.

Enter the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race here.

By Jane Austin/ORCV Media

Fuelling Offshore Adventure: On Track Meals & the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria

When your hundreds of nautical miles offshore, the wind roaring and waves surging, the last thing you want to worry about is whether you’ve got a decent meal lined up. Offshore racing is about endurance, focus, and resilience, and the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) knows just how much the right fuel matters when the pressure is on.

That’s where On Track Meals comes in.

Offshore Racing: More Than Just Sailing

The ORCV has long championed the spirit of bluewater adventure, running some of Australia’s most iconic offshore races, from the Melbourne to Devonport to the mighty Melbourne to Hobart. Competitors in these events face more than just rival yachts; they face the unpredictable power of Bass Strait, the ever-changing Southern Ocean, and the sheer fatigue that sets in after hours or days at sea.

Food on board isn’t just about calories. It’s about morale, keeping the crew sharp, and ensuring every sailor can dig deep when conditions get tough. The right meal can be the difference between fading on watch or pushing through to trim that sail one more time.

Why Offshore Racers Choose On Track Meals

Photo provided by On Track Meals

On Track Meals were born out of years spent leading expeditions through the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Out there, in hot, humid, and unforgiving terrain, we learned first-hand what it means to rely on food that fuels performance without slowing you down. Meals had to be lightweight, nourishing, and easy to eat even when conditions and stomachs weren’t ideal.

That same philosophy carries into our meals today, perfect for offshore sailors who need nutrition that keeps them sharp without leaving them sluggish, and meals that are palatable even when the sea state is working against you.

Here’s why they’ve become a staple for many sailors:

• Ready in Minutes – Just slip the pouch into hot water or use the flameless heater bag. No waiting around for meals to rehydrate, no juggling pots in the galley.
• Lightweight and Packable – Space is always at a premium on racing yachts. Pouches fit neatly into crew bags and dry lockers.
• Built for Endurance – With a three-year shelf life and high-quality ingredients, they’re designed for extended adventures.
• Variety That Matters – From Slow Cooked Steak & Mash to Coconut Ginger Chicken, meals keep crews satisfied without meal fatigue.

And let’s be honest: after a wet, cold night watch in 25 knots, sitting down to a warm serve of Bolognese instead of a soggy sandwich makes a world of difference.

Straight from the Cockpit: Feedback from the Melbourne–Osaka

One Melbourne–Osaka competitor summed up the value of On Track Meals perfectly:

“On Track Meals significantly reduced the workload during provisioning. Knowing that a large portion of the meals was already sorted meant we could focus our energy on other planning tasks. It simplified the shopping, packing, and storage process, and gave us confidence that we’d have reliable, nutritious meals ready to go.”

When asked about resource use on board, they added:

“While On Track Meals were comparable to other pre-packed hot meals in terms of cooking time and resource use, the simplicity of heating them helped reduce prep and clean-up time. This was especially helpful in conserving water used for washing up after meals. Heat bags were great when we had no gas on board. Flat packaging also made storing waste easy.”

And in terms of flavour and sustenance over a long passage:

“The portion sizes were spot-on and the meals held up well over the duration of the passage. Flavour-wise, the bolognese, chicken curry, and slow-cooked steak were standouts. 

Real-world feedback like this proves that when conditions get tough, On Track Meals delivers not just in convenience, but in taste, nutrition, and practicality.

Supporting Offshore Racing: Sponsoring the Wescoaster

This year, we’re proud to sponsor the Wescoaster, the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race. Known for its challenging conditions and stunning but unforgiving route down Tasmania’s rugged west coast, the Wescoaster is a true test of seamanship, preparation, and endurance.

It’s exactly the kind of event where reliable, nourishing meals can make a difference. By supporting the race, we’re backing the sailors who push themselves to the limit and making sure they’ve got the fuel to match their ambition.

By Erin Wyatt, Co-founder of On Track Meals

ORCV Next Gen Program for Ocean Racers

From Dinghy to Deep Blue — Your Offshore Journey Starts Here

Join us as we officially launch the ORCV Next Gen Program—a bold new initiative designed to help the next generation of sailors take the leap from inshore racing to offshore adventure.

Whether you’re a dinghy sailor, windsurfer, or a young club skipper, this program is your chance to gain the knowledge, confidence, and connections to go further.

To kick things off, we’re hosting a one-night-only event with offshore racing veteran Dr. David “Doc” Sturge—a sailor with over 36,000 nautical miles under his belt, including the Clipper Round the World Race and countless ocean classics.

Event Details

Date: 11 September 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (arrive from 5.30pm)
Location: Docklands Marina, Melbourne
Presented by: Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV)
Cost: Free – All welcome!

Please book here: https://www.trybooking.com/DERBV

Special Guest: David “Doc” Sturge

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore | Global Race Veteran | Mentorship Advocate

Doc didn’t grow up offshore sailing. He started at 28, delivering a friend’s boat—and that decision led to a global racing career. At this event, you’ll hear how he built skills, took chances, and made it all happen—plus the advice he wishes someone had given him earlier.

Expect stories from:

Scarlet Runner – Racing one of Victoria’s fastest offshore yachts

The Clipper Round the World Race – Ocean crossings, life at sea, and teamwork under pressure

His personal journey from late-starter to seasoned ocean racer

What YOU can do now to prepare for your first offshore opportunity

Who Should Attend?

• Dinghy sailors ready for a new challenge
• Windsurfers and skiff racers looking to go long-distance
• Young club sailors eager to explore life offshore
• Anyone curious about ocean racing but unsure how to get started

What Is the ORCV Next Gen Program?

The ORCV Next Gen Program is designed to bridge the gap between youth sailing and offshore racing—by getting young sailors out on the ocean through real, hands-on experience.

At the heart of the program are delivery opportunities: matching qualified, enthusiastic sailors under 30 with skippers and boats that need crew for relocations and return passages. These trips often involve long, scenic coastal routes—from races back to home ports, or boat moves between regions.

But they’re not just a ride—they’re an education.

Why It Matters

These deliveries offer something no classroom can:

• Real-world watchkeeping routines
• Passage planning and routing experience
• Navigation and night sailing
• Sail handling in varied offshore conditions
• Exposure to life at sea and the teamwork it demands

It’s a safe, supportive way for young sailors to build confidence, log miles, and make the leap from the harbour to the horizon.

Who’s It For?

Young sailors who want to go further—literally and figuratively

Skippers and owners looking to support the next generation while gaining capable, enthusiastic crew

If you’re ready to learn, we’ll help you find a boat. If you’ve got a boat, we’ll help you help us build the next generation of offshore sailors.