King Island hospitality welcomes in fleet

As presentations were taking place, Grassy Harbour looked like a pane of glass glinting in the Sunday morning sun. The final results were in - finally. No thanks to the wind!

The Scarlet Runner crew looking happy after receiving their prize Photo: Mark Seager

This year's King Island race got off to a reasonably swift start, with crews reporting a quick trip out of past the heads. 

That was where the winds pretty much gave way to a consistent wave of calm. Scarlet Runner had the speed to catch the initial wind, but the rest of the fleet missed out and had no chance of catching up. 

The race committee had a long wait, but reported everyone safe and well, either in Grassy or motoring their way back to Melbourne, eXtasea the only boat to have any problems - what appears to be a seizing engine.

As for those docked at the King Island Boat Club, Mark Seager says the locals outdid themselves with the reception they have provided our crews.

"The King Island Boat Club Official have informed me that the crews/horses have been well watered and fed to the point of eating them out of house and home," he said.  

Congratulations to our place getters for line honours: First place, Scarlet Runner - Emma Hardy, Brett Averay, Matt Fuller, Charles Hawes, Roert Date, Craig  Evans, Samantha Chandler, Damian Knightsbridge, Tim Kenner and Kevan Pearce. Second place, eXtasea - Tom Hasner, Damian Charlton, Jane Flowers, Fraser Rudland, John Richards,  Simon Hunter, Paul Anderson, Stephane Howarth, Dale Laurie, Bill Marchbank, Grant Moore and James Anderson. Third Place, Primitive Cool - Robert Pollack, Terence Robertson, Tim Bardon, John Newbold, Tony  Duckmanton, Matt Fahey and Fletcher Johnson .

Congratulations to our place getters in AMS: First place, Scarlet Runner crew as above Second place, Addiction - David Gordon, Ian Lyall, Peter Davison, Richard McGarvie, Anthony Barbour, Stephen  Smith, Belinda Callander, Jurgen Pfeiffer, Jeremy Spradbery and Christian Sandner. Third place, Wicked - David Richardson, Lex O'Connor, Mark Welsh, Mike Welsh, Aaron Ghattas, Michah Shuwalow,  Tim Bilham and Michael Reinehr.

Congratulations to our place getters in IRC: First place, Scarlet Runner, crew as above. Second place, Wicked, crew as above. Third place, Halcyon - Bowie Grayson, Ryan Epstein, Chris Tucker, Leeton Hulley, Robyn Curry, Blake Anderson and Bretly Brown.

Congratulations to our place getters in PHS: First place, Addiction, crew as above. Second place, Halcyon, crew as above. Third place, Wicked, crew as above.

A huge congratulations to everyone who competed in the tough conditions. 

Keep your eyes open for more photos coming soon... 

Update 11/3/13 1am

No wind to help boats over the line

It was tough to catch a break throughout Saturday afternoon and evening for all remaining boats in the M2KI.

Expected to be over the line in time for dinner, competitors were held back by lack of wind, with a number of crews – Biddy Hu II, Magazan 53, Dell Era, and Geomatic - making the tough decision to pull out of the race. Weekend Option begain its traipse home to Melbourne late in the night.

Magazan 53 will be disappointed that lack of wind forced them to head home Photo: Magazan 53

The shore crew, waiting for a faith restoring glimpse of a sail on the horizon, began talk of naps and energy drinks - the expected influx of hungry sailors coming very much later than they had planned for.  

With almost no wind to speak of it took until midnight for frustrated crews to start arriving. 

eXtasea snuck in just before the clock ticked over to Sunday before Primitive Cool just missed out on a Saturday finish. Wicked was next, the first in a torrent of six boats – Chikara Outlaw, Jazz Player, Halcyon, Addiction and Tevake II – to arrive within an hour of each other.

Finally the race committee jumped to attention after, as Mark Seager reported, “whittling all available sticks” for more than twelve hours after Scarlet Runner arrived. 

Hats off to Alien and Matrix, who stuck it out until the early hours of this morning to come in within a minute of each other.

A couple of boats remain stuck out in the Bass Strait east of King Island, and we await their arrival to start looking over official results.

Another Biddy Hu II report gives those of us back on land an indication of how quiet it was out on the water yesterday evening. 

E

Updated 10/3/2013 at 7.30am

Fleet almost in to Grassy Harbour

It's going to be a tight one right to the end for the remaining boats in this year's M2KI.

eXtasea is nine and a half nautical miles from the finish line, with a pack racing behind her to the finish.

Jazz Player and Primitive Cool are tussling it out, spitting distance from each other, while Alien, Geomatic and Bacardi are fighting it out about 20 NM away from Grassy.

Handicaps positions have been swapping around all race and that looks set to continue right to the end. 

Crews earlier today reported the wind gaining some strength, but it seems to have faded as the day continued.

The Biddy Hu II crew was left asking, "Where has the wind gone?" 

"Saturday afternoon on Biddy Hu II, where did the wind go?"

Video: cmttocs

Addiction loving the conditions

Addiction's David Gordon sent through an afternoon update, again describing the "champagne sailing" this year's race has put on offer: 

"Over night it was champagne sailing on Addiction alright, but ORCV King Island Brut Curvee vintage 2013 is truly a remarkable drop. An hour after leaving the heads all the bubbles went flat. The easterly wind enjoyed wind enjoyed at the start died abruptly without warning and we were left to ghost along in light and variable westerlies.

Addiction Photo: Addiction

Addiction shrewdly picked the right side of a big shift and in the space of half an hour, the masthead and running lights of the bulk of the fleet twinkled in the night sky way behind us. Navigator, Ian Lyall, said, 'That view is simply stunning!'. All crew agreed that even sans bubbles ORCV sparkling was tasting better than the flat Coke in the icebox. We ghosted along in the fickle and light airs, picking off competitors ahead one by one. By Daybreak Scarlet Runner was the only boat remaining ahead of us. Crikey, how good are we?!

Cometh the morning and cometh a honking northerly to blast us down the course. See - that's the magical thing with ORCV champers, the fizz comes back! We trucked down the course in 20 knots of breeze powered by our masthead spinnacker. Only seven boats remained in sight and all to our stern.

eXtasea Photo: eXtasea

Breeze eased in the afternoon, but the mood aboard remained all good. We were well amused when back marker, eXtasea, finally crept up and passed us. By now though we've had our fill of metaphorical champagne. 

Can't wait to pull into Grassy and get a taste of the real stuff!" 

- David Gordon, Addiction

Scarlet relaxing

The Scarlet Runner crew has settled in to post-race refreshments, thanking ORCV for a great race.

The Scarlet Runner crew starts their celebrations Photo: Craig Evans

Race directors Ray Shaw and Mark Seager spoke to the smiling team, who said they hadn't managed to get much sleep through the night as they were "feverishly" trying to make the record.

"Now that they are in port, they have had their fair share of King Island delicacies under blue skies and a light 10 knot northeaster," Mark said.

Time for a beer! Photo: Mark Seager

The rest of the fleet is no doubt eager to dig in on arrival and catch up to the Scarlet Crew.

Updated 9/3/13 7.30pm

Scarlet Runner takes line honours in M2KI

In a time of 11 hours 41 minutes 13 seconds, Robert Date and his crew arrived behind the race record that earlier this morning they had looked on pace to beat. 

The crew crossed the finish line in light breezes under Scarlet's bright red assy. 

The rest of the fleet remains locked in a tight bunch, the front runners in the chasing group 46 nautical miles from the finish.

The boats that took the east route have capitalised on the slightly favourable winds they caught to be just ahead of the rest of the field as they tack back towards the rhumb line.  

Addiction is just out front, sitting third in both AMS and PBH. eXtasea is on their tail just ahead of Wicked, in the second spot across AMS, IRC and PBH divisions.

But it's a tight contest, with a few tussles going on among the crowd. Weekend Option and Matrix are close enough to pass a cup of sugar, following the east route, and Tevake II is right behind Halcyon. 

With the wind looking slightly stronger further east, Chikara Outlaw has a good chance of swinging in fast from its position further out and catching the rest of the fleet by surprise.

Streetcar is the only boat sailing the west route after Jake tacked east towards the main group, Jeremy Waltan and Aidan Gaysen putting in a valiant effort as the only double-handed yacht.

Magic, holding on to first in PBH is following Biddy Hu II on their straight-and-true route. 

The Biddy Hu II crew enjoy their breakfast Photo: Scott McDonald

Scott McDonald reported from onboard Biddy that it was tough to get any speed up over night.

"After a good start out the heads, Biddy Hu II slowed to a drift until daybreak and we got the kite up," he said.

"This picture was taken while discussing a gybe, but it was decided to wait until we finished the egg and bacon rolls and coffee." 

While the going might be slow, the view from on deck looks like today is a perfect day for it.

Current predictions have most of the fleet into King Island for a steak dinner. 

Congratulations to Robert and the Scarlet Runner crew:
Fletcher Johnson, Emma Hardy, Brett Averay, Matt Fuller, Charles Hawes, Craig Evans, Samantha Chandler, Damian Knightsbridge, Tim Kenner and Kevan Pearce.