ORCV Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

White Swan.

You may remember a wonderful sight glided through the Division Two and Three fleet during the recent Club Marine Series, Day Six. (See HERE for a reminder.) Anyway, it turns out she is one, White Swan, S349 out of RMYS. All pics of White Swan in this article are © Steb Fisher.

Here is the shot of White Swan again and it got us thinking about how she's obviously capable and no doubt seen a lot of things in her life as a Swan 50 (or thereabouts...) from, we think, the late 70's.

Anyway, we thought it would be cool for her to come out and play with her Big Sister, Independent Endeavour, (pictured above and below) for things like the impending Melbourne to Port Fairy or later in the year, Stanley and the Christmas time stuff. So, if you own White Swan and would like to do some of these events, call Sally or Dennis in the office on 9689 1622 and they'll help you arrange it.

Pictured below are some additional images of White Swan.

The Spinnaker Sock.

Has obviously been near a race track...

So you know us and we know what you look like now...

A truly delightful way to get around.

By John Curnow

After the M2PF race, the standings in this year's Offshore Championship are really close. There is just the one race left, the M2AB (Melbourne to Apollo Bay), so you can expect the fierce competition to continue all the way to this lovely fishing port on Victoria's fantastic Surfcoast. Any one of four yachts could win the AMS Division, based on their result in M2AB - 'Extasea', 'Addiction', 'Spirit of Downunder' and 'Alien' are all within four points of each other, so expect that to be watched very closely. The IRC Division is a bit less open, with Extasea well in front now. However, in the PHC Division either 'Mirrabooka' or 'Spirit of Downunder' are the likely winners. It's been a while since the MOC was this close, and as such, shows the value of a boat and crew's consistent performances. Doing well in a series is all about avoiding poor results, rather than the odd individual highlight. Click here to see the series scores

Will 'Addiction' do well in M2AB and get up for the AMS prize in MOC?	'Mirrabooka' - Great result in M2PF has them in the running for PHC in the MOC..

'Extasea' have consistently done well and now own IRC - will they get AMS as well?	Laurie Ford, Dee, Neil and crew on 'Spirit of Downunder' were 2007 MOC winners. 2009 in PHC is up for grabs...

By Dennis Livingston and John Curnow

Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

On a slow boat to...

...Port Fairy, actually.

Winners are grinners all right!

You know we all get a bit guilty of focussing on records, so it came as a surprise when we could not find a record of the slowest M2PF. This one would have had to come close, however. First boat home took around 26 hours and the last in around 41 hours for the 135nm journey. Trainspotters need not run for the calculator, it's like an average of 5.2kn and 3.3kn, respectively. Just say slow.

The new PF rescue Boat and the PFYC Clubhouse - simply idyllic.

So with the last boats, ‘Yoko', ‘Rogue Trader' and then finally ‘Pretty Woman' making port at 1731hrs, we're all squared away and there'll be some drinks, before a rest and then the march home for most of the fleet. I bet a few will leave pretty early tomorrow, in order to get a glimpse of the 12 Apostles as dawn breaks. It's magnificently warm and charming as ever in Port Fairy presently, so well done to all crews in persisting and reaching your goal. I'm sure that sun and the PFYC's hospitality will make everything better.

Seems the new ORCV 'If you're not there no prize" rule is working for presentation time...

Final standings in the 2009 M2PF are: IRC 1st ‘Extasea', 2nd ‘Isuzu Marine' and 3rd ‘Bacardi'. AMS 1st ‘Isuzu Marine', 2nd ‘Extasea' and 3rd ‘The Secretary' and finally PHC 1st ‘Mirrabooka', 2nd ‘Affrayed Knot' and 3rd ‘Running Wild'. Also, well done on an excellent tally for the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal - that's definitely a winner - year in, year out.

Doug Abbott from 'Afrayed Knot' collects the handicap trophy for a local boat, for the fourth time in a row. Well done. He says it's his last as the boat is for sale. is that like the wet weather gear for sale in Hobart around NYE???

David Bingham from 'Mirrabooka' collects his 1st in PHC prize from ORCV Race Director Don Fraser.

And so to the lucky winner of the Gill Atlantic Jacket was Hamish MacAdie from ‘Isuzu Marine'. What clean sweep it is for them then. I'm sure that takes away a lot of the frustration in getting to Port Fairy this year and will no doubt serve him well in his Mediterranean foray. Well done and again, many, many thanks to Gill Australia for making this great prize available.

Nice jacket Hamish - Ill just borrow it for a minute. Be right back...

The ORCV and the happy band of blue water sailors will be back for the Melbourne to Apollo Bay (M2AB) very soon...

Here's a very happy bunch of sailors. ORCV Commodore George Shaw and crew from 'The Secretary' take in the warmth...

By John Curnow

Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

It's not all hard yards and beer at the end.

By John Curnow