J/Teams Dominate the Surf to City Race

(Brisbane, Australia)- Recently, the J/122 JAVELIN and the J/130 RAGTIME competed in the Offshore division of the 26th Queensland Cruising YC Surf to City Race last weekend. The unique race starts at Southport Yacht Club and finishes just off Shorncliffe Pier in Brisbane.

Two fleets competed in the event, with the smaller boats took a 50.0nm route inshore of the Stradbroke Islands, while the bigger yachts took a 95.0nm Offshore course around the outside of the Stradbroke and Moreton Islands, then back across Moreton Bay to the finish. 101 boats participated in total, with 36 taking the offshore course and 65 on the inshore route.

After fifteen hours of racing, Chris Morgan’s J/130 RAGTIME won IRC Division 2 and James and Sally Crowley’s J/122 JAVELIN took 2nd in IRC Division 2 and 2nd in ORCi Overall.

Here is James and Sally’s report:

“The race started off the Gold Coast seaway at 10:00 hrs in 1-3 kts NNE. RAGTIME got an early break with some favorable pressure and their large #1 headsail giving significant advantage. JAVELIN was penned in by a Marten-49 and surrounded by other 40 footers.

As pressure built during the morning to 10-12 kts, the wind rotated to the north, and a tacking duel with a Sydney-39 and First-40 up the coast of Stradbroke island ensued. JAVELIN and the others went tack-for-tack into the surf zone in 5.0 meters of water with 1-2.0 meter swell, then back out to 20.0 meters of water.

As the wind built to 12-14kts and rotated more northerly, JAVELIN changed to #2 headsail and, slowly but surely, overtook the competition. By Point Lookout at the NE tip of Stradbroke Island, JAVELIN had established a small lead on their key competitors.

Going from Point Lookout to Cape Moreton, as the sun was setting over the islands, the wind continued to build to 15-18 kts and the leg was made on a single tack in the growing darkness.

Cape Moreton was made at 19:00 hrs and the 15 deg bear-away to a shy reach gave JAVELIN her legs and by NE2 at the entry to Moreton Bay JAVELIN had established a 30-minute lead on her competitors. By this stage, the wind had died to 8-10 kts due north, and the shallow water in the channel combined with the swell and dead-aft wind made for uncomfortable downwind sailing in the dark, requiring numerous gybes to keep pressure in the A2 kite for the 8.0nm leg.

Our saving grace was the incoming tide giving 1.5 kts assist. Past Tangalooma to the turn off at Cowan-Cowan, the seabreeze became extremely fluky and died before rotating around. As the wind became established off the shore in the NW, the A2 wasn’t able to hold at 90 deg AWA and 12 kts of breeze, so the Code-0 was deployed for the final run to the finish, crossing the line at 01:14 AM.” Add to Flipboard Magazine.


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