The cream of yachting will take on Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbor Yacht Race

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The cream of yachting will take on Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbor Yacht Race

by Di Pearson / RPAYC Mar 30 01:50 UTC
April 7-10, 2022

Black Jack propels south in the Rolex Sydney Hobart © Rolex / Andrea Francolini


One of the most formidable fleets on record is to line up in the race for line and overall honors at the Pittwater Marine Club Yacht Race at Coffs Harbor 2022, Peter Harburg’s super maxi Black Jack at the head of the crème de la crème of yachting for the Royal Prince Alfred. 226 nautical mile race of the Yacht Club (RPAYC), which will start on Friday April 8.

Black Jack, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco, took the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart honors and will take on Christian Beck’s super maxi LawConnect, who crossed the line in second place. When the tee shot is fired off Barrenjoey Headland at 1pm, the pair will push hard to the finish and a new record could be set if the weather is favorable.

“This race was a great opportunity as we were already heading north for the Brisbane Gladstone and it fits perfectly into our schedule,” said Black Jack skipper Mark Bradford.

Regarding LawConnect, Bradford said: “It will be a bit of a rematch of Sydney Hobart, but on a shorter course. The big difference is that this time it’s an inshore race, so it will be interesting to see if the ‘one of us can get away from the other.’

David Griffith’s JV62 Whisper is chasing overall honors at the 36th annual race. Whisper broke the Montague Island race record last weekend and Griffith is eager to get out there and have a shot at having a crack like reigning Sydney Hobart champion Ichi Ban (Matt Allen), LCE Old School Racing (Mark Griffith), Sail Exchange (Carl Crafoord) and Highly Sprung (Mark Spring).

Spring is also keen to take on the opposition. “We had a successful Hobart campaign winning our division in IRC and ORCi, but one of us tested positive for Covid on arrival in Tasmania so we couldn’t celebrate. So the crew is ready for the Coffs Harbor race. There’s a real buzz because we haven’t been on the boat since.”

“We’re looking forward to hopefully tackling the weather against the wind, that’s what we’re good at, that’s what makes us happy,” he concluded.

However, other competitors have a history in the race and know the course like the back of their hand. Wings (Ian Edwards), Pretty Woman (Richard Hudson), XS Moment BNMH (Ray Hudson) and Insomnia (Marcus Grimes) are ready to take on some of Australia’s best known Grand Prix racing yachts.

“I’ve done a few races Pittwater Coffs and the Pittwater to Paradise with my old boat, High Anxiety. We won PHS a year,” said Marcus Grimes. “I like to go fast so I bought a downwind performance (Insomnia). We were in Alfred’s SOPs race last weekend surfing at 25 knots – it was great fun – so we’re hoping for a race downwind.

“The race will be mainly upwind. TPs are good in all conditions, but a planing boat like Intiy or us could win if we have a straight wind. Pretty Woman, Highly Sprung or Sail Exchange could be there if it’s is against the wind,” he said.

Add to this concoction five great two-handed starters: Intiy (Marc Depret), Runaway (Tim Alexander), Transcendence (Martin Cross), Local Hero (Mark Ayto) and Rum Rebellion (Shane Connelly), the latter two also participated in the 2021 Sydney Hobart.

Roamance, Gordon Beath’s Chamberlin 14, is the only multihull entered at this stage, but Beath is hoping for company and RPAYC is accepting late entries.

On arrival in Coffs Harbour, crews will be met at the Coffs Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC) and the Club will be running the BBQ and bar over the weekend of 9th and 10th April.

CHYC offers a tender service for large yachts dropping off the crew. Those wishing to take advantage of this should contact the RPAYC sailing office in advance and use VHF channel 77 upon arrival in Coffs Harbour. Those needing to berth at Coffs Harbor Marina should contact the marina office in advance by calling 6651 4222.


Program:

  • Thursday April 7: Fever-Tree Crew Party and race briefing
  • Friday April 8: Start of the race at 1:00 p.m.
  • Saturday April 9: the race continues
  • Sunday April 10: Presentation, Coffs Harbor Yacht Club

Late entries for the Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbor Yacht Race are accepted, register today via the event website www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au.

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