Port Fairy - ORCV

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria

Steb Fisher

Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

Julius Sumner Miller

"Why is it so? - I'll tell you."

If you're old enough to remember the late physics Professor's ads for Cadbury Dairy Milk (and his TV show ‘The Lab'), then you're old enough to have been around when ‘Quasimodo' set the M2PF race record of 14hours, 26minutes and 20seconds. This equates to a 9.35knot average by the way.

Look closely - there's a Foredeckie coping a pasting. Yee Ha! Adventure Island. Giddyup hey Nifty?

However, it must have been some sight at the finish in 1984. Here you had a 60footer parked on the bar at the entrance for so long that the boats she had just demolished during the race, went around her on both sides as they entered the Moyne River, while she sat there waiting for a full high tide!

‘Quasimodo' was campaigned heavily up and down the Eastern Seaboard by her Owner/skipper Gary Graham with Sailing Master John Garner, during that time. She actually held three records back then, with this one the only one still standing... Actually, Gary was so disappointed with the mast during the 1983 S2H that she had a brand new, taller stick fitted just prior to the 1984 M2PF race - sound familiar to any owners out there? Both men are still on the water. Gary has a 52foot cruiser out of Geelong and John had ‘The Bookmaker' until recently.

So just why is it so then? It certainly was a long time ago and the technology has definitely changed - just look at the kite. She was an IOR boat after all, designed by Terry Inges from WA - LOA 60', LWL a typically much shorter 49'6", Beam 15', Draught a fairly shallow 9'2" and a truly amazing VYC Handicap of just 880!!! Interestingly, her waterline is only a few feet longer than this year's two Line Honours contenders, Paul Buchholz's DK46 ‘Extasea' and ‘Ninety Seven', the Farr47. Angle and amount of breeze are the answers. According to Gary, they had the breeze off the port quarter for most of the trip and even though she was an IOR period hull, she was lighter than her nearest competitors and simply skipped away. It must have been a fun time indeed. John recalls that there was a strong Norwesterly as well, so there must have been a bit of two-sail reaching in there too.

One of the rare times you: A - leave the Heads in daylight and B - do so under kite!!!

Going out on a limb here, it would seem that the record is likely to be safe this year, as the forecast doesn't seem to bode well for an attempt at this sort of prolonged pace.

Sadly, we learn that ‘Quasimodo' is now up in Gladstone with no mast, no keel and apparently under conversion to a cruiser. In the end though, we have to thank Gary and John for getting this information together and providing us with images etc. Only recently they had been thinking it was 25 years since these events and it was time to get the crew together. Hope this article helps with that reunion and it is great to see that the mates you make at sea are the strong and important ones!

'Quasimodo's' crew and the trophy for the Port Fairy race. From left at the back are Bob Allen, Gary Graham (skipper), Geoff Wolfe, John Garner (sail master), Paul Reeve, Geoff Newman and Ron Spence.

On the right in the front is Byron Kershaw and the two Gents on the left are not known, so if you recognise them, please let us know!!!

Geoff Wolfe's boat now has the G77 Sail # - just to keep it in the club...

By John Curnow

m2pf-pf

Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

So what do Barry White, Lou Rawls, Isaac Hayes

and the Moyne River entrance at Port Fairy

have in common?

They're all deep!

Now whilst the former three were born that way, the latter has just been dredged. You'll certainly want to follow the Port Fairy Yacht Club Pilot Boat on your way in however, as the hump in the entrance is tricky and the channel not very wide.

Conditions look set to be like this and the landscape never changes at Port Fairy.

Depending on their arrival time the deepest draught boats in the fleet may not even make it in at all and those that only just get through the entrance will be alongside the small National Park quay at the end of the boardwalk, just inside, where it is always that little bit deeper thankfully. The highest tides, which should provide something around 3metres, are at 12:37hrs on 10/4/09 and 13:22hrs on 11/4/09. Please stay in touch with the ORCV Race Control and follow your local guides!!!

I'm sure you'll say "idyllic" at least once during the trip...

All of which is a lovely segue into who will do well and why. It is a bit early to be talking definitive weather, but recent indications suggest it will be delightful and we may even see a kite start out of the heads and then down the coast. In the early morning this really is something to behold.

If it goes as predicted, it should be some light Northerlies and I would not mind betting that there'll be plenty of sail changes for the foredeck to master - and tell everyone how well they did it too! So that takes care of Adventure Island.

Back in Fantasy Land however, the Navi-guessers and Skippers will have to have the smoke and mirrors out as they look at tides, currents, seabreezes and land effects. And there's another segue - the right course... The last article talked about the Victoria's famous Surf Coast and dear old Moonlight Head. If you're unsure, perhaps another read of it now is in order, together with a copy to take onboard to go with the Smoking Jacket, pipe and slippers for those that drive the desk downstairs.

A star attraction of this voyage no matter whether land or sea...

So will inshore be favoured or is out to sea the go? Will it be dead around Cape Otway and will Fantasy Land remember that there is a completely different wind as you approach the finish line and that the angles can change dramatically and somewhat quickly too? Perhaps one of the three the local Port Fairy Yacht Club boats will nail it here... The Northshore 38 ‘Afrayed Knot', Adams/Radford12 ‘Tevake' and the Sydney 40 ‘Running Wild' are part of a bigger fleet than last year, which is great to see. 18 boats will set off this Friday morning at 01:00hrs.

The venerable Farr ‘Ninety Seven' may do well if it does end up in a blow on the nose. Her crew could well be fired up, ‘Ninety Seven' thought they must have had the IRC Division of the MOC for 2008/9 in the bag with just two races to go. This is probably why ‘Extasea' were a late entrant, when they worked out they were not far enough ahead to be a no show this time. At the top of the table these two are locked in a classic battle and that alone should provide plenty of further impetus to do well. I'm told the owner, Paul Buchholz, is even onboard this time to ensure he can be there when they take line honours. Is that putting the hex on them or what?!

Yep. Sure is a nice place.

‘Isuzu Marine' may get up for Line Honours in what is possibly their last two-handed foray before Hamish heads to Europe and see what adventures he can have on the Mediterranean IRC Circuit. These two won AMS in M2KI recently, but it wasn't enough to lift them up the standings. ‘Addiction', ‘Extasea', ‘Magazan53' and ‘Alien' all have a chance here to build a little more separation from their rivals.

If Jo and Bill on ‘Chikara Outlaw' choose the right route, then they could shake the PHS division up. Presently ‘Mirrabooka', ‘Addiction', ‘Magazan53' and ORCV Commodore George Shaw's ‘The Secretary' are in for the bragging rights in this class, so two good results in M2PF and M2AB will settle the bets.

Sea crew or land crew - Who'll have the better time? Who'll get there first?

All is yet to be revealed, but at this stage I would not mind betting that being off with fairies will be an awesome time, but it just may be the land crew may have the better run of it this year, given the weather outlook. Let's drop the top in the convertible and see how we go.

Enjoy it! Happy sailing (and driving) and watch this space for more updates.

Also. Remember to be there at the Presentation on Saturday at the PFYC Club House. Gill Australia have very kindly put up an Atlantic Offshore Jacket (valued at $800). In keeping with ORCV policy, this sensational prize will be drawn from of all competitors present at the time only. So if you have to turn around and go home because you cannot get in, drive back! It will be worth it.

It never matters who gets there first - as long as the cold cans are waiting!!!

Stick around for presentations -

new wets on offer and as Foxy used to say - "Yahoo Baby!"

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By John Curnow

m2pf-pf

pf_boardwalk

2009 Melbourne to Port Fairy Race Race documents including Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

2009 M2PF Sailing Instructions

2009 M2PF Notice of Race

m2pf-pf

Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)

As the inimitable Foxy would say - "Yahoo Baby!"

alt

Once again, all entrants in an ORCV race have an equal chance to be winners. Gill Australia is sponsoring a prize for this year's M2PF!

That's right. Every Skipper can absolutely look the biz in a brand new Atlantic Offshore Jacket. Thank you very much Gill. So Foxy (Mark Fox), if you're reading this from parts unknown, it is time for a really big "YAHOO BABY!"

It is a truly fantastic prize and all a Skipper has to do is ensure a crewmember from their boat is at the Port Fairy Yacht Club during presentations, when the winner will be drawn. There are 18 entrants n the race, so minus the ORCV Commodore's boat, that means you have a one in 17 chance to walk away with a great new Atlantic Offshore Jacket with an RRP of around $800. Cool.

gill_os4j_red_lrg

Layer: Outer
Sizes: S - XL
Colours: Red/Storm Grey
Product Features:
• 5 dot waterptoof & breathable 3-layer fabric
• Fully taped seams for a waterproof seal
• Rollaway High-Vis hood with volume adjustment for improved fit
• Ocean height collar with fitted face guard for excellent protection
• Adjustable cuffs with PU inner seals for watertight comfort
• Double storm flap for full weather protection
• Zippered internal security pocket
• Fleece lined hand warmer pockets
• Large capacity angled cargo pockets for ease of access
• Life jacket attachment facility
• High Visibility Reflexite reflectives
• Dry weight 1.45kg

You could be on deck for long durations in offshore racing, so you're going to need full storm protection. Gill's Atlantic suit is the perfect solution. It is unlined, offering high breathability and great durability, with minimum weight. It features a fully adjustable Ocean style hood with fleece lined collar and chin flap, covering the ears, thereby exposing only your eyes and nose.

"It is so great to have Gill Australia support the ORCV in this fashion and so regularly. In times like these we need every bit of help we can get, so all thanks to Gill for supply such a marvellous product as the prize in this year's M2PF", ORCV Race Director, Donald Fraser said as he prepared the necessary equipment for the ORCV's Race Van, a converted ex-Ambulance.

"We will have a jacket at Port Fairy for the presentation and will endeavour to arrange an alternative size and colour if requested", he went on to add. I'll take an XL in any colour combo thanks Don...

So if you're racing to Port Fairy this year, there's now an added incentive to get there - as if the PFYC's hospitality, the view and ambience weren't enough.

By John Curnow

Port Fairy 2008 race update No1

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