Ocean Racing Club of Victoria
Steb Fisher

Smiles all round on Coastal Sprint

For many, the West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint is a Category 3 race for the more seasoned skipper to test their crew and boat or for a newer skipper to build their confidence before taking that next longer passage. What a perfect day it turned out to be for race 2.

With light winds at the scheduled start, ORCV Race Directors shortened the course and moved the start line for the fifteen yachts outside the entrance of Port Phillip near to the ex HMAS Canberra wreck. Competitors included seasoned ORCV offshore racing yachts Alien, Blue Water Tracks, Archie, Carrera S, Vagabond, Summer’s Lease, Ca bouge Wingara, Vertigo, Maverick and new competitors Foggy Dew, Pegasus, Hot Chipps, Smooth Operator and Rozinante II.
 

vertigo crew Photo Paulina H

All smiles onboard Vertigo,  Photo Paulina Hryniewiecka

Delighted by the day and the result was Andrew Middleton skipper of Rozinante II (R548 a Cavalier 350 SI) taking 1st on AMS, and 3rd on PHS. After completing the 2019 ORCV Beyond the Bay program, today’s race was Andrew’s first ocean going race as the skipper and without a mentor onboard. “I was a little hesitant to begin with and on speaking to Justin Brenan the ORCV Sail Captain, he convinced me to give it a go and that I could follow him through the heads. The conditions were just perfect; I couldn’t have hoped for a better transition from bay to ocean. I’m now looking to move onto to some longer passages where we need to do some crew watches and I’m looking towards joining the ORCV King Island Rally where we have a support boat to assist and can use our motor when needed.”

Rozinante ii

Andrew Middleton and crew on Rozinante II

For John Hall on Wingara (MY47, Zeston 40), “This was our first ocean race since coming out of lockdown. With light winds and our boat being a comfortable cruising yacht, we knew that we needed to keep clear of the racing boats, especially at the start. We planned to be a couple of minutes late to the line allowing the racing boats to clear and providing clean air for us. It was tough up until the second mark and we worked hard concentrating on just keeping the boat moving in such light conditions.”

John added “The boat performs well under 10 knots of breeze and over 18 knots so today’s conditions were just perfect for Wingara ( 1st on IRC and PHS and 3rd AMS.) “I do love ocean racing with today’s race reminding me of sailing off Southport, with a swell and winds shifting S- SE"

Wingara crew

Wingara crew

Jeff Sloan skipper of Archie (SM35 a Archambault A35) 2nd on AMS, IRC and PHS which they were delighted with as “our first ocean race since King Island last year. After such a long lockdown, it was a great day out and good practice for us before the ORCV King Island Race on March 6.

 

Archie Crew

Archie skippered by Jeff Sloan, hard at work

The ORCV invites you to join the next West Offshore Coastal Sprint on April 24, (entries will be open soon) or to come and join us for the King Island Rally (more details here)

Full race results can be found here https://www.orcv.org.au/results/2020-21/CoastaR1/series.htm?ty=299823

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change in Date - West Offshore Coastal Sprint 3 to 18th April 2020

Thank you everyone for your feedback, taking the time to let us know firstly what improvements could be made on the original date for Coastal Sprint 3 and to everyone responding quickly to yesterday's survey.

Based on this, the ORCV will be supporting a change in date for West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint 3 to a week later, 18th April and also a daylight start of 8.45 am.

The Notice of Race and Top Yacht entry has now been adjusted.  Please help us in supporting this change by entering early and spreading the word.   Entries are open now here

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Short and Sweet to Test and Try

“A great initiative” was the astounding feedback from both the seasoned ocean racer Peter Davison of Arcadia and the newcomer Aaron Marlow and crew onboard Ca Bouge as they reflect after completing the first ORCV Coastal Sprint to Western Port and return.

“Short and sweet is what our skippers had been asking for allowing them to test and train crew in the close confines of the coast”. said Justin Brenan ORCV Sail Captain as he explained the concept and reasoning behind the launch of Coastal Sprint format last weekend. “With the Coastal Sprints the ORCV now offers a genuine Category 3 Coastal Championship open to a broad range of skippers whose boats and crew are not yet ready for competition in our longer Category 2 events. “

“These races, being 1 day and 50nm allow you to setup your crew and run your boat like you would any longer race. It allows you to test and check your crew have the right clothing and gear to keep them dry and warm. You don’t get that opportunity on a longer race and if you’re not prepared correctly a longer race can just be miserable”. said Aaron Marlow on his Inglis 38, Ca Bouge “We setup watch and shifts based on 3 on and 3 off, just like a longer race to once again give that overall experience.

“My crew are largely new to the ocean, so these shorter races are a great way to give them that experience, giving them a taste for the ocean and yes I’m planning to do all the coastal sprints then hopefully some longer races too. I’m happy to be an advocate for what the ORCV is going here and I hope we can get 50 boats on the start line over time.”said Aaron.

“With my main crew onboard and a few newcomers, the Coastal Sprints gave the opportunity to further train and practice, plus an opportunity to try some new crew. If ocean racing isn’t your thing, you don’t often know until you’ve experienced it. Fifty nautical miles means your only 3 hours from somewhere and better than finding it to be not your thing and suffering for two to three days” said Peter Davison a seasoned ocean racer on the Archambault 40 R C, Arcadia. “We still found a lot of variety especially up near the Western Port end.” Peter ended by saying, “I’ve done a lot of ocean passages and for those who wish to give ocean sailing a go will find these races perfect for just doing that. One day racing means you have time also to do more on a weekend and yes I even fitted in another race today here on the bay”.

Ca Bouge Photo Dave Hewison

We congratulate Peter Davison on Arcadia 1st on IRC and PHS, 2nd on AMS. Justin Brenan 1st on AMS and 2nd on IRC and PHS, Aaron Marlow on Ca Bouge 3rd on PHS, Mersea 3rd on AMS and Maverick 3rd on IRC and 1st on Double Handed. Full race results for the West Offshore Coastal Sprint – Western Port and return can be found here 

Next West Offshore Coastal Sprint is 15th February 2020 and 10th April 2020. Entries will open soon

Coastal Sprint

Results from Coastal Sprints and Latitude Ocean Races

Results are in for yesterday’s two Category 3 races, the Inaugural West Offshore Coastal Sprint to Western Port and return and the 2019 ORCV Latitude Ocean Race .  The Latitude race runs each year although in this race, was the final stage for the Beyond the Bay participants who ventured into Bass Strait under the guidance of an ORCV Mentor.

2019 West Offshore Coastal Sprints Race 1

Line Honors

ARCADIA - Skippered by Peter Davison with an elapsed time of 13:14:04

AMS
?ALIEN (Justin Brenan)
?ARCADIA (Peter Davison)
?MERSEA (Neil Sargeant)

IRC
?ARCADIA (Peter Davison)
?ALIEN (Justin Brenan)
?MAVERICK (Rod Smallman)

PHS
?ARCADIA (Peter Davison)
?ALIEN (Justin Brenan)
?CA BOUGE (Aaron Marlow)

For full results click here: 

To revisit their passage on the tracker click here 
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2019 Latitude Race

Line Honours
? TRUE COLOURS - Skippered by John Strahan with an elapsed time of 16:26:40

PHS
?TRUE COLOURS (John Strahan)
?ROZINANTE II (Andrew Middleton)
?SUMMER’S LEASE (Glenn Fitzgerald)

True Colours also took out the Ian McKenzie Perpetual Trophy with Ron Parker from Jessebbe taking the Novice Skippers "Geoff Bascombe" award.

Thank you to all competitors, volunteers, and clubs!

To see a full list of results visit here 

To revisit their passage click here 

? Frances McNulty

 

orcv logo reversed

3 Aquatic Drive, Albert Park VIC 3206 Ph. 0493 102 744 E. orcv@orcv.org.au