Over the years, the 320 nautical mile Montague Island Race has been widely recognised as one of the great east coast offshore races.
It was originally introduced by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) back in 1947 and had been run with the support of the CYCA over the October long weekend up until 1986.
With a traditional start time of 1700hrs, the race down NSW’s south coast departed Sydney Harbour, headed south to Montague Island, 9nm off Narooma, before returning home.
It was created to provide solid training for crews and navigators ahead of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The vernal equinox and course south consistently delivered an array of challenging weather conditions for all involved.
Winner of the inaugural race in 1947 was Brian Penton’s William Fife-designed 47-footer, Josephine. The following year, the fleet was featured on the front page of Sydney newspapers with Merv Davey’s cutter Trade Winds taking victory in a race of attrition that was subjected to 55kt winds.
The Solo Trophy was awarded to Vic Meyer’s famous 57-foot cutter for her success in the race in the 1950s. This was donated to the CYCA on behalf of Vic following his passing.
Solo had won and taken line honours in the Montague Island Race four times from five starts. She won 80 races in total, including the Sydney Hobart in both 1956 and ‘62, with fastest time in 1958 and ‘59.
She was victorious in all other significant local ocean races in her seven years competing. Other famous yachts to have won the Montague Race include Freya, Cadence, Lass O’ Luss, Janzoon and Margaret Rintoul II.
In 2014, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia looked at the possibility to revive the race as part of its multi-race Blue Water Pointscore but it was not added to the calendar at the time.
The current race record was set in 1981 by Tony Fisher and Fred Williams in Helsal II of Our Town Newcastle in a time of 30 hours, 46 mins and 15 seconds. It is the third longest standing record in the CYCA’s record books behind the discontinued Broken Bay-Flinders Islet Race and the Two Islands Race.
Holding the event in March should present more benign conditions than for the traditional October date.
The Montague Island Race is the third and final race in the 2022 Summer Offshore Series and will start on Sydney Harbour at 1855hrs on Friday 18 March. Casual entries are welcome.
