CYCA director Graeme Wood’s TP52 Wot Yot has taken line honours and third place overall on IRC handicap in the Bird Island Race, the second event in the prestigious Blue Water Pointscore for 2007/8.

In a closely fought race up Sydney Harbour at the end of the 85 nautical mile overnight course along the New South Wales Central Coast, Wot Yot held off a late challenge for line honours from the 79-footer Andrew Short Marine Brindabella (Andrew Short) and Syd Fischer’s latest Ragamuffin, also a TP52.

Wot Yot crossed the line in Rushcutters Bay just 33 seconds in front of ASM Brindabella, with 1 minute 38 seconds to Ragamuffin, having its first race in Australia for Syd Fischer.  The race also marks the start of Fischer’s 45th season in ocean yacht racing.

Provisional first place on IRC handicaps for the Blue Water Pointscore has gone to CYCA member David Beaks with his consistent Beneteau 44.7 Mr Beaks Ribs, while winner of the Tasman Series PHS division is the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club entry, Secret Mens Business #1.

A syndicate of three Alfred’s members, Ross Trembath, Rob Curtis and Doug Sneddon, own the now 11-year-old Murray 42, originally from Adelaide and then owned in Melbourne.

They entered Secret Mens Business #1 in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race yesterday, only hours before the start of the overnight Bird Island Race.

Mr Beak’s Ribs finished just after midday, some three hours after Wot Yot, but on its IRC rating displaced Secret Mens Business #1, Wot Yot and Ragamuffin, which until then had been the three top placed yachts on IRC corrected time.

In the Tasman Series PHS division,  Secret Mens Business is the provisional winner from two Middle Harbour yachts Pla Loma (Rob Reynolds) and Impeccable, skippered by 85-year-old John Walker.

Wot Yot led the fleet north to round Bird Island late night ahead of Ragamuffin which drew level on the spinnaker run down the coast in a freshening north-westerly breeze. 

At the 0700hrs sked this morning the two TP52s were abeam of each other, but Wot Yot drew away to lead through the Heads, crossing the finish line in Rushcutters Bay just 32 seconds ahead of ASM Brindabella, with Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin 1 minute 38 seconds further astern.

“It was quite a challenging night, with the wind shifting in direction and up and down in strength,” sail trimmer Genevieve White said later this morning. “Ragamuffin was close to us around the island and came up almost abeam on the spinnaker run back down the coast.  You had to be right on the ball with positioning and sail changes.

“Then it was a new ball game when we got into the harbour, with the breeze lightening and ASM Brindabella and Rags coming up fast astern.”

White said prominent Queensland sailor Adrian Finglas had joined the crew for last night’s race.  “It was bit like old times as Adrian and I sailed 420s when we were 16-year-olds.”

As they sailed back to Pittwater after finishing, an elated Ross Trembath said it was the boat’s best performance since he and his partners, Rob Curtis and Doug Sneddon bought it from a Victorian owner just on a year ago.

“It is a very pleasing result for our first Blue Water Pointscore race,  particularly as we entered the boat yesterday for the Rolex Sydney Hobart,” Trembath said.

“We went out with a game plan to treat the 85-miler as a sprint race; we parked off Newport for about half an hour last night but then we got into the right wind pattern and stayed in phase all night.”

Trembath said all the crew were from Royal Prince Alfred and Avalon Sailing Club.  “We have an excellent nucleus of crew as each of the owners has extended family who are good sailors; in the crew of 11 there are at least seven who are good steerers, and five or six who can go up the bow if needed.”

All 24 starters in the 85 nautical mile Bird Island Race completed the course,  the last finisher being Kevin O’Shea’s classic former one tonner Stormy Petrel, which crossed the line at 1640hrs. – Peter Campbell