westcoaster yacht race 2023

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ORCV Melbourne to Hobart: Westcoaster debutantes all set

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3 January 2023

CONGRATULATIONS Pit8008 !!! GRATULACJE WRmirekd !! CONGRATULATIONS SlideRule !

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A mere twenty-three hours after 191 SOLers departed from Sydney for Hobart, a further 164 reported on the virtual line off Melbourne's Portsea Pier for a buddy-up with the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's annual race to Hobart - the "Westcoaster". Like that "other" race, this year's "Westcoaster" was a downhill flyer, well, at least as far as Maatsuyker Island, after which sheets had to be hauled in a bit for the fetch along Tasmania's south coast and the beat into Hobart. By then though, the race was pretty much run, and it was serial SOL winner Pit8008 who had vanquished. But WRmirekd, who had already arrived first into Hobart via the east coast route, took second, for a very successful start to his Sailonline year, and with SlideRule back on form, the podium looked for all the world like a hotdog, but with a Kielbasa rather than a Frankfurter sandwiched in the middle. Tasty racing, and for more details as to what went on, be sure to click on the buttons with Tazzie's top left for two excellent reports!

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Westcoaster line-up

Interest and variety are the flavour of the 2023 melbourne to hobart yacht race..

22 December 2023

Following the successful 50th anniversary race, Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race skippers and crews are finalising preparations for this year’s event which will once again see several boats in contention for line honours, and the return of the first multihull in 30 years.

While the 15-boat fleet is somewhat smaller than last year’s 50th anniversary race, the competition will be no less intense with a diverse fleet and both new and experienced skippers testing their sailing prowess in this tactical, exhilarating and challenging race.

The race is organised by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) which has the enviable reputation as the pioneer of short-handed racing in Australia, and this year’s fleet will see some stiff competition across these and the fully crewed divisions.

Early predictions for line honours have focused on Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie’s J111, Ginan , from the Mornington Yacht Club, who will co-skipper the boat on the journey south to Hobart. Purchased in 2022 for the 50th-anniversary race, this boat has unfinished business after finishing second on AMS last year.

The boat has been campaigned successfully over the last 12 months, winning several ORCV races and took out the ORCV Coastal Championship last season. Ginan boasts a very experienced crew and with favourable conditions, could see the team take line honours and a handicap win.

Ginan’s quest for AMS victory after last year’s near miss. Photo by Michael Currie

But pressing Ginan all the way to Hobart will be Alex Toomey’s Sayer 12, Ryujin , from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron. Ryujin will also be fully crewed in the 2023 race and will be seeking another podium finish after winning the double-handed division with co-skipper Andrew Hibbert, in the 50th anniversary race.

Toomey and his team are also in sharp sailing form, winning the ORCV Offshore Championship for 2022/23. Toomey will be hoping for moderate to stronger breezes to give Ryujin the opportunity to spread her wings in conditions that she relishes and fly to Hobart for a line honours win.

“The 50th was a flagship event. It’s nice to be part of something that only happens once. This year, with a full crew of experienced sailors, I have got my eye on line honours and think we can do it,” said Toomey. And if things go the way of Ginan , a handicap win is also on the cards.

Ryujin sets sights on Melbourne to Hobart victory. Photo by Steb Fisher

Other monohulls in contention for line honours include ORCV Sail Captain Paul Roberts’ Sydney 41, Cadibarra , from Sandringham Yacht Club. Roberts is an experienced ‘Westcoaster’ skipper with eight races under his belt including two races in the double-handed division.

Cadibarra will certainly be a threat with Roberts hoping to repeat his 2016 success in the previous Cadibarra 8 which won line honours and all handicap divisions.

Joker x2 , a J133 design and the bigger brother of Ginan, is highly fancied to take out line honours in the double-handed division. Co-skippers Grant Chipperfield and Peter Dowdney from the Martha Cove Yacht Squadron purchased the boat this year to prepare and campaign it for the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka and are getting to know her more and more each race.

Dowdney, Australasian Sales Manager for Ronstan, and Chipperfield are great advocates for double-handed sailing, always looking for innovative ways to get the boat moving quicker, and are passionate ambassadors for the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race.

“We’ve done the Melbourne to Devonport and Sydney Hobart races two up. Grant and I have done enough miles to work our systems out and throw the boat around in any conditions.”

“We enjoy each other’s company and sail well together, and there’s plenty of Ronstan on the boat for whacky ideas during the race.”

“The other reason we’re doing it is the magnificent and dramatic scenery. It feels like there is no more isolated place in the world,” said Dowdney.

The 2023 race will see only the first multihull to contest the event in the last 30 years.

Peccadillo , a Chris White 46 Mk li multihull will be skippered by Charles Meredith, past commodore of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron. Meredith, sailing his first Westcoaster, is a very experienced multihull sailor who has been racing with the ORCV for about ten years, completing four Melbourne to Devonport and several Apollo Bay races. Meredith is highly regarded in sailing circles for his work in improving the standards and suitability of catamarans for offshore races.

Meredith’s ocean racing pedigree is well-established with the skipper competing in five Australian Three Peaks Races, winning it once and holding race records for several legs. Meredith and his seasoned crew will be on the hunt to break Lindsay Cumming’s race record set on Bagatelle in 1988 in a time of 3d 03h 35m 32sec.

Peccadillo, the 1st multihull in 30 years, aims for Westcoaster record. Photo by Steph McDonald

This year’s race welcomes back father and daughter co-skippers, Tim and Clare Olding sailing Vertigo , their Summit 35, while newcomer Tobias Swanson, will be skippering Dark & Stormy , a Murray- Burns-Dovell 37 on the trip to Hobart.

Vertigo will again be in contention for handicap honours with this race missing from the family’s extensive trophy cabinet, while Andrew Neeson’s Runnalls 39, Jaffa , has been refitted with the crew quietly confident for this year’s race.

Justin Brenan and his Lidgard 36, Alien , will also be one to watch with the skipper having notched 14 Westcoaster races on his belt, winning the Heemskirk Trophy for overall winner [on AMS] of the Westcoaster three times and featuring on the race podium in several more races.

The race leaves Portsea on the outgoing tide on Wednesday at 12 noon with the fleet making the dash to Port Philip Heads before taking on the 125 nautical mile Bass Strait crossing.

There are lots of gains to be made from the right call around King Island with the tidal flows between the top of King Island and Northwest Tasmania always a challenge for new and top-notch navigators alike.

The fleet will carry trackers enabling race followers to track the action from start to finish. Follow the fleet here .

The race record of 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008, winning the race with an average speed over the course of 10.49 knots.

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron .

Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries available online .

orcv.org.au facebook.com/OceanRacingClub

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3 January 2023

CONGRATULATIONS Pit8008 !!! GRATULACJE WRmirekd !! CONGRATULATIONS SlideRule !

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Getting started
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Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB !

3 January 2023

CONGRATULATIONS Pit8008 !!! GRATULACJE WRmirekd !! CONGRATULATIONS SlideRule !

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Comments are closed.

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Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

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2024 SUPerSOLer
2023 SUPerSOLer
2022 Tall Ships
2022 SUPerSOLer
2021 Tall Ships
2021 SUPerSOLer
2021 Shetland
2020 Tasman Double
2020 SUPerSOLer
2020 Shetland
2020 Odyssey
2019 Tasman Double
2019 Tall Ships
2019 SUPerSOLer
2019 Shetland
2019 Round New Zealand
2018 Tasman Double
2018 Tall Ships
2018 SUPSOL
2018 SSANZ Triple
2018 Shetland
2018 Shackleton Challenge
2017 TS RDV
2017 Tasman Double
2017 Tall Ships
2017 SUPSOL
2017 SSANZ Triple
2017 SSANZ RNI
2017 Red Dot
2017 40CQ3&4
2017 40CQ1&2
2016 Tasman Double
2016 Tall Ships
2016 SUPSOL
2016 SSANZ Triple
2016 Corporate Open Gold
2015 Tasman Double
2015 Tall Ships
2015 SUPSOL
2015 SSANZ Triple
2015 Aegean Rally
2014 Timed Races Championship
2014 Tasman Double
2014 Tall Ships
2014 SYC Championship
2014 SSANZ Trio
2014 SSANZ RNI
2014 Sprints Championship
2014 Scandinavian Tour
2014 Round The World Race
2014 Ocean Championship
2014-2015 Sailonline World Race
2013 Tall Ships
2013 SYC Championship
2013 SSANZ B&G Simrad
2013 Capt Anderson
2012 W Australia Regatta
2012 Tall Ships
2012 SSANZ B&G Simrad
2012 RNZ Two Handed
2012 Global Challenge
2012 Ecker Cup
2012 Black Sea
2011 Vancouver Island
2011 Tasman Double
2011 SSANZ B&G Simrad
2011 SOL Global Challenge
2011 SJORA Series
2011 Scandinavian Tour
2011 Round North Island
2011 Asian Sprints
2011-2012 SOL World Race
2010 Tasman Double
2010 Ouzo Rally
2010 Iberian Tour
2010 Auckland Regional
2009 French SOLo
2009 Bosphore - Bretagne
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2008 -2013 SYC Week-End Race Championship
2008 -2013 SYC Ocean Race Championship
2008-2009 Sailonline Ocean Race

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Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

Thick sea fog hits the 2023 melbourne to hobart yacht race.

The 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race started in sunny conditions on Port Philip Bay today with competitors set for a quick race to Hobart.

The fleet started the 51st race in a steady 13 knot southerly breeze under blue skies but an eerie sea fog rolling over Point Nepean enveloped the boats soon after the start, reducing visibility for competitors and crews alike, as they made their way to the first turning mark near Shortland Bluff.

Double-handed entrant Joker x2, co-skippered by Peter Dowdney and Grant Chipperfield, representing the Mornington and Sandringham Yacht Clubs (MYC/SYC), had a fantastic start choosing the committee boat end of the start line and relished the benefits of the clear air.

An errie sea fog sweeps through the Heads at the start of the Melbourne to Hobart. Peccadillo first boat to exit the Heads - 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race - photo © Steb Fisher

The multihull Peccadillo, skippered by experienced campaigner Charles Meredith from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, opted for the middle of the line but despite being way back on the start gun, soon found the front of the fleet.

Alien, skippered by Justin Brenan from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV), was the first boat to hoist a kite, with the yellow spinnaker adding some colour to the fleet, but they struggled to carry it at times on the shy reach while other crews opted for code zeros and were able to make a higher course.

As the boats approached Quarantine Station at Point Nepean, Peccadillo maintained her lead and was revelling in the reaching conditions, but an intense battle was under way behind her between last year’s runner-up and handicap favourite for this year’s event, Ginan, co-skippered by Cam McKenzie and Nigel Jones from MYC, Alex Toomey’s Sayer 12, Ryujin and Joker x2, with Ryujin in front at the end of Point Nepean.

Ryujin racing for Westcoaster victory are the first monohull through the heads - 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race - photo © Michael Currie

Peccadillo was the first boat out of Port Philip Bay Heads followed by the monohulls, Ryujin, Ginan, Joker x2 and Andrew Neeson’s Runnalls 39, Jaffa, from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.

ORCV Race Director David Schuller was happy with the clear race start and anticipates an exciting race ahead.

“The weather is going to throw a little bit of everything at our competitors in this race which promises to be very exciting with possibilities for a fast race,” said Schuller.

Assistant Race Director, Ray Shaw, also predicts solid sailing conditions across Bass Strait to King Island and a quick trip south to Hobart.

“All weather models indicate that east of King Island is the preferred path for the fleet.

“The fleet can expect a 15 to 20 knot southerly breeze as they cross Bass Strait.

“The winds will pick up on Friday evening as a strong low compresses below Tasmania which will provide more challenging conditions for the crews with strong west to south westerly winds of 30 knots, gusting to 40 knots,” said Shaw.

Cyrus Allen, skipper of White Spirit and Commodore of the ORCV, broadcasting from onboard his boat in amongst the thick pea soup that descended over the fleet, expects the wind to build overnight.

“Tonight, as we go down towards King Island, we expect the conditions to freshen a little bit before we face some pretty decently lumpy winds on the South West Coast [of Tasmania],” said Allen.

Several boats are in contention for line honours with monohulls Ginan, Ryujin, Joker x2 and Lord Jiminy, skippered by Jimmy Oosterweghel from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, the boats to watch.

The prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy will go to the handicap winner on AMS.

Handicap predictions for the 2023 race include Ginan, Jaffa, Alien and Vertigo, skippered by father and daughter combination Tim and Clare Olding from the RYCV.

Other prizes on offer include the Zeehan Trophy for the Navigator of the Heemskirk Trophy winner, the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy for the winner on line honours, and the City of Melbourne Perpetual Trophy for first on corrected time on the performance handicap.

The Westcoaster, as the race is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Philip Bay to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.

The race starts with a 125 nm passage across Bass Strait before the fleet sails 200 nm south down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island, east to South East Cape then turning northeast towards the more sheltered, but equally challenging waters of Storm Bay and the River Derwent.

Line honours contenders are expected to arrive in Hobart in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The fleet is carrying trackers enabling race followers to track the action from start to finish. To follow the fleet, go to race.bluewatertracks.com/2023-melbourne-to-hobart-westcoaster

The monohull race record of 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008, winning the race with an average speed over the course of 10.49 knots.

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

For Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries, please visit: www.orcv.org.au/hobart

by Jane Austin/ORCV media

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An errie sea fog sweeps through the Heads at the start of the Melbourne to Hobart. Peccadillo first boat to exit the Heads. Photo Steb Fisher

Ryujin racing for Westcoaster victory are the first monohull through the heads Photo Michael Currie

Melbourne to Hobart Fleet Photo Michael Currie

Thick sea fog hits the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

The 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race started in sunny conditions on Port Philip Bay today with competitors set for a quick race to Hobart.

The fleet started the 51 st race in a steady 13 knot southerly breeze under blue skies but an eerie sea fog rolling over Point Nepean enveloped the boats soon after the start, reducing visibility for competitors and crews alike, as they made their way to the first turning mark near Shortland Bluff.

As the boats approached Quarantine Station at Point Nepean, Peccadillo maintained her lead and was revelling in the reaching conditions, but an intense battle was underway behind her between last year’s runner-up and handicap favourite for this year’s event, Ginan, co-skippered by Cam McKenzie and Nigel Jones from MYC, Alex Toomey’s Sayer 12, Ryujin and Joker x2, with Ryujin in front at the end of Point Nepean.