Inaugural Event Closes
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
The last few sailors and yachts departed Great Keppel Island today (Tues 7/8/07) after an adventurous inaugural event.
The crew from Battleship Gray are safe and well and back in Brisbane after colliding with reef on Sunday night. John Gray and his crew were assisted by the power vessel The Curtis Ambassador who took them aboard and ensured they were healthy before towing them to Roslyn Bay Marina.
The successful event has ensured a second year with management and staff of the island welcoming sailors back for what will be a new improved establishment.
Congratulations to all competitors who supported the inaugural event, and best of luck at the both Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island Race Weeks for those travelling further north.
Mayday for Battleship Gray
Monday, August 6th, 2007
At 2135 hours 5/8/07 a ‘mayday’ call was received from the smallest boat in the fleet Battleship Gray.
John Gray’s Battleship Gray struck trouble when they collided with Polmaise Reef near Heron Island.
The five crew onboard, including owner and skipper John, are safe and well and are making their way back to the mainland alongside an assisting vessel.
The family of those crew involved have been advised of the situation and are standing by waiting for their loved ones to come ashore.
In the early hours of Monday morning Ray Sweeney’s Mondo crossed the finish line in 13th position ending the 2007 Inaugural Brisbane to Great Keppel Island Tropical Yacht.
Asylum Years, Mondo and Battleship Gray in close range
Sunday, August 5th, 2007
As the majority of the fleet in the Inaugural Brisbane to Great Keppel Island Tropical Yacht Race enjoy the party onshore, three boats are still racing and are due to finish in the early hours of Monday morning.
Asylum Years has decided to anchor 12 miles from the finish line to have their own party and it seems they are now waiting for Mondo to approach them.
Battleship Gray is set to finish at approximately 0200 hours but chances are they will raft up with Asylum Years and Mondo and enjoy their celebrations at sea.
The battle between Overdraft and Too Impetuous is over with Overdraft finishing 40 minute ahead of their friendly rival.
More updates to follow when the race is finally over!
Getaway-Sailing fastest to Great Keppel Island
Sunday, August 5th, 2007
By Ian Grant
Getaway-Sailing won the inaugural Brisbane to Great Keppel Island yacht race line honours trophy when she completed the testing 348 n/ml coastal passage classic shortly after 1-18 am today ending a cold night at sea with a good reason to enjoy the warm welcome from an enthusiastic group of guests management and race officials
When Getaway-Sailing crossed the finish line off Monkey Point her crew completed a special entry in Australian offshore sailing history as the first to finish in a race which promises to become a major blue water event.
The 2001 Volvo Globe Race champion averaged 9.06 knots in what proved to be a testing offshore race sailed in winds which varied between 5 and 21 knots to finally finish 1 hour 30 seconds ahead of the smaller Bill Wild skippered Brisbane sloop Wedgetail while Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Vice Commodore Russell McCart helming Night Nurse filled third place another six hours astern.
Wedgetail further confirmed her ranking as Australia’s fastest 12.9m blue water racing yacht when she tracked the wake of the 18.5m Getaway-Sailing for the entire race eventually powering home in freshening winds to complete the final 98 n/mls with an average speed of 10.6 knots.
Skipper Bill Wild was impressed by the performance “I’m fortunate to have a very good crew who understand how to sail Wedgetail to her ultimate speed”.
“We used the race to try a number of recent modifications which worked very well” He Said.
Sailing Master Kevin Costin supported his skipper’s comments “All of the new chutes added another dimension to the speed performance of the boat she was always lively performer in moderate to fresh downwind sailing but that has now reached another level”.
“We had a good ride from Cape Capricorn peaking 17 knots in no more than 21 knots of breeze which had a very nice feel about it and confirmed that the sprit fixed spinnakers had produced the desired results” Costin said.
The performance of Wedgetail to beat the slightly smaller Farr 40 OD Night Nurse by 1.06 minutes per mile in the 348 n/ml race has allowed the Wedgetail crew including former World champion Vanessa Dudley to stake a strong claim on the overall handicap trophy when the results are officially announced after all of the fleet have either finished or run out of time to beat the popular Bill Wild and deny him the opportunity to win his first major ocean race trophy.
Results: Brisbane to Great Keppel Is Yacht Race Line Honours: Getaway-Sailing 38-38-15 1, Wedgetail 39-18-45 2, Night Nurse 44-26-12 3, Dream Lover 45-06-23 4, Quest 45-29-13 5, Cadi 47-00-16 6.
Finish Times So Far…
Sunday, August 5th, 2007
1. Getaway-Sailing.com > 01:18:15
2. Wedgetail > 02:18:45
3. Night Nurse > 08:26:12
4. Dream Lover > 09:06:23
5. Quest > 09:29:13
6. Cadi > 10:00:16
7. Sweethart > 10:46:07
8. This Way Up > 12:20:01
Getaway-Sailing.com & Wedgetail Finished
Saturday, August 4th, 2007
0430 > 5/8/08
Getaway-Sailing.com finished at 01:18:15 hours and Wedgetail was close behind finishing at 02:18:45. After 348 nautical miles Wedgy managed to finish and hour and 30 seconds behind the Volvo 60.
The next yacht due is the Farr 40 Night Nurse which is scheduled to arrive between 0700 and 0730.
The Getaway crew are now anchored to the north of the island having some much needed sleep, with the Wedgy guys and gals over at Roslyn Bay packing up and waiting for a duck to transfer them to the island.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Update from Wedgetail - 1730 4/8/07
Saturday, August 4th, 2007
Very pleasant days sailing today. We are slowly floating past Lady Musgrave Island with the Volvo 60 gapping us off into the distance (10 miles in front now).
A gentle 10 knot southery is pushing us towards the finish, still 90+ miles away. We have just enjoyed a chicken curry and hoping the breeze will hold through the night.
Vanessa (Dudley) is in trouble - she has us 2 metres off the rhumbline! Time for a new driver
Regards
Peter Elkington on Wedgetail
Update from Radio Relay Vessel “Navy Jacket”
Saturday, August 4th, 2007
“S/SwW 20 knots abeam of Sandy Cape. Quest, Dream Lover and Cadi in close company surfing under kites chasing Night Nurse about 2 miles ahead. Others visable around Indian Head. Making 12 knots to keep pace. Dolphins at play as well as whales. People pay thousands for a whale watch tour like this!”
Richard Matterson, with crew Bruce Kellerman, Geoff Bowden and Peter Cavill.
Wedgetail & Getaway-Sailing.com in the lead
Friday, August 3rd, 2007
The 30 knot southerly failed to approach the fleet of the Inaugural Brisbane to Great Keppel Island Tropical Yacht Race with all yachts battling into a 15-20 knot nor’ wester all night.
Bill Wild’s Wedgetail and Peter Goldsworthy’s Getaway-Sailing.com are currently leading the fleet of 14 yachts and at the 0705 sked this morning were positioned 5 miles south of Indian Head.
A report received from Wedgetail advised the crew were on the rail all night with no chance of rebuilding their energy as all were required to hike hard on the 42 foot Hugh Welbourne built by crew member Kevin Costin.
Battleship Gray and Mondo are at the tail end of the fleet some 60 miles south of the leaders but still with a chance of a result on PHS.
The first yacht is due to arrive at Great Keppel Island in the early hours of Sunday morning with the last boat sailing through the finish line Sunday afternoon just in time for the 1800 hour presentation.
Update from Wedgetail - 0630 4/8/07
Friday, August 3rd, 2007
Still trucking up the coast. 12 miles south of Indian Head with the Getaway-Sailing.com one mile back and one mile out to sea of us.
Wind just starting to free up but we will be back on the wind at Indian. 
Intersetly wait to see where the 40-46 footers ended up.
Eating situtation still poor - been on the rail all night (except for Hutch who is finally getting some shut eye now)
More later
Regards
Peter Elkington on Wedgetail