And they're off

Melbourne-Osaka doublehanded race sets sail

The four yearly Melbourne Osaka double handed yacht race got away on time at 1.00pm today on Port Phillip of Station Pier in beautiful Melbourne autumn conditions.

City of Melbourne Lord Mayor John So had the privilege of firing the start cannon from the deck of HMAS Melbourne which returned to her home port especially to undertake this special duty, stationed just off the Port Melbourne start line.

In a nice 10-15 knot southerly breeze, Gusto, a bright canary yellow Open 60 co-skippered by Patrick Giudice and Brian Pattinson from Melbourne, got the best of the start. Missing from the fleet was Alex (Jock and Hamish MacAdie, Vic), late leaving Sandringham YC, they eventually made the line.

Moments later, Queensland entry RYU-JIN – fgi, a brand new Sayer 12m co-skippered by Murray Bucknall and Jon Sayer, the yacht’s designer and builder, overtook the larger Gusto. However, disaster struck when Bucknall and Sayer were recalled for crossing the start line early and lost time as they made their way back to re-start.

While some seemed keen to get off the start well, as if on a short yacht race, others were leisurely and more careful in their approach. Wild Boar (Shozi Yoneda/Jun Kanda, JPN) and Tamagomalu took their time, knowing full well there was 5,500 nautical miles to play catch up, while Runaway (James Ryssenbeek/Andrew McCole, Vic), Pippin (Roger Sayers/Anthony Brown, Qld) and Hullabaloo (Jim and Joe O’Keeffe) worked the headwinds and tide as they tacked up the Bay towards the Heads.



Ken Down and Shaun Geddes at the helm of their wasabi-coloured Sayer 12m Wasabi

Earlier in the morning, all 16 crews were running around doing their last minute chores, none more so than Japanese entry Tamagomalu skippered by Makoto Hisamatsu with co-skipper Jimmi ‘The Magician’ Doherty from Manly in Queensland.

The two only arrived at the Waterfront City Docklands location, where competing yachts have been moored for the past week, this morning. They still had a large list of jobs to do, including filling out final paper work, after losing their mast on the sail to Melbourne just over a week ago.

Doherty said: "We’re as ready as we can be – but we’re still bolting and screwing things on." Melbourne yachting identity Barney Walker was aboard the yacht checking the mast and rigging after its replacement following a dismasting just over a week ago.

Working all night against the clock, they made it, but again came close to disaster when leaving the Docklands this morning, a big gust of wind nearly drove Tamagomalu into a neighbouring yacht, then the dock itself, but Hisamatsu brought his charger under control as the rest of us held our collective breaths.

Phil Coombs, aboard his yacht Dekadence, held onto his nine week old son Chris, knowing he would not see his only child again for a least a month, probably more. Co-skipper Peter Walsh had a big smile: "We’ll be eating better than a lot of others - we’ve got a fridge, so we have lots of nice food - there’ll be a roast or two along the way and a nice drink at our 4.00pm happy hour each day. I’ve got a bellyful of nerves right now though - I’ll settle down when we get sailing."

Co-hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club and the Osaka Hokko Yacht Club, the race's Principal Race Officer Kevin Wilson came down to help out and provide crews with the latest weather information which showed fine 10-15 knot conditions for the next 48 hours.

As Pippin’s Roger Sayers (Qld) said: "All our preparations are over now and now comes the easy bit – the race! It’s a pity I have to leave my wife behind on the dock, but we will be in communication all throughout the race."

Melbourne sailor David James, who is doing the race aboard Ingenue with his wife Rosie concurred: "We are ready to push off - I only hope we survive the spectator fleet!"

On board Wild Board, Jun Kanda was telling skipper Shozi Yoneda: "make sure it is clean below decks," and this while Yoneda was up the mast putting extra tape around the cap shrouds! However, Kanda has done the race before so knows what he is talking about.

The name Wild Boar comes from the Chinese calendar and on 19 April, during the race, Yoneda, who was born under the sign of the Boar, turns 60 - a big deal in Japan. "I might make him a little cake or something for his birthday," Kanda quipped.

On the South Australian entry, Tom Crabb heaved a sigh of relief. "We’re ready now, but we were still putting our rudder on the boat at 7.00pm last night."

Cadi’s skipper John Netherton spent some time making sure his hydraulic backstay was working. He asked his rigger: "It’s a bit stiff, is it okay?" It was, but better to check before leaving the dock.

Many families came down to bid their sailors farewell before heading onto the water to wave of the fleet, knowing they would not see their loved ones for some time.

Prior to this morning’s departure, there was entertainment dockside to farewell the yachts, then Cr Rev David Wilson officially blessed the fleet, and all bowed their heads in prayer.

Organisers had asked all crews to provide their favourite piece of music, and as each yacht left the dock individually, their piece was played as each yacht did a lap of farewell before heading to the start line. The funniest tune came from the DK46 Dekadence crew from Melbourne. Coombs and Peter Walsh had selected the theme from ‘The Odd Couple’ and it was perfect, as they are dissimilar people in every respect excepting sailing!

Held every four years by the City of Melbourne and the City of Osaka, the race is expected to take upwards of 28 days and as much as 65 days. Melburnians Grant Wharington and Scott hold the race record of 26 days 20 hours 47 minutes 6 seconds, with an average boat speed of 8.5 knots, set in 1995.