Yachting Australia

“The situation will continue to be monitored.  However, no further bulletins will be issued for this event unless the threat level changes.”

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) in Hawaii detected an undersea earthquake earlier today near the Solomon Islands. The earthquake was also detected by Geoscience Australia.

A short time ago, David James and Rosie Colahan reported from their race entry Ingenue, positioned near Caloundra on the Queensland coast:  “We are clear of any Tsunami waves...will only be a slight swell increase anyway.”

This news is sure to put family and friends minds at ease.  In Sydney too, beaches have re-opened and life resumes as normal.

In the latest news, RYU-JIN – fgi and Alex are at this stage making for Gladstone to assess their individual damage, and Melbourne yacht Runaway is headed that way too.

James Ryssenbeek and Andrew McCole reported to Race Director Kevin Wilson they were making 6 knots under motor and reduced mainsail to steady the boat.  Expected ETA is 35 – 40 hours to Gladstone.

Wilson said: “Runaway (a Sayer 11), has suffered keel problems and her co-skippers will not be able to inspect the keel and access the extent of the damage until the boat has been lifted from the water.  AusSAR has been notified and we are receiving regular updates on there progress.”

All aboard the three entries are well.

Esoterica’s Campbell Reynolds/David Best (Qld) look likely pull into Southport to repair their main.

Conditions are reportedly 30-35 knots with squalls and at the latest sked, the Japanese entry COCORIN interland, a double-masted Elliott16m co-skippered by Itaru Matsunaga/John Bankart, had taken the race lead, sailing 4 nautical miles to the east of second placed Victorian entry Gusto (Patrick Giudice/Brian Pattinson). Both are sailing off the famous ‘Great Barrier Reef’ closing in on Mackay in Northern Queensland.

Tamagomalu (Makoto Hisamatsu/Jimmi Doherty, JPN), Dekadence (Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh, Vic) and Hullabaloo (Jim and Joe O’Keeffe, NSW) are the next best placed boats in third, fourth and fifth place on line.

The three are almost side-by-side in a line from north to east, Tamagomalu the most northerly and Dekadence, the mostly easterly, sailing virtually same track as COCORIN, but some 200nm behind.  Next comes Assadori and Ingenue, sailing in close company with Wild Boar and Pippin approximately 100nm behind.

From his DK46 Dekadence today, Phil Coombs gave a good picture of what was happening in the race: “We are in and have been in the strongest South Easterly air stream I have ever seen and have been in it for three days.  It will last another seven - absolutely incredible with 20 to 30 knots every day and gusting to 35 in squalls at night ... you're right, not a lot of fun at times.

“We are going well - being conservative within reason – it’s dangerous at night, lots of opportunity for damage, with rain and wind squalls often. Seaway is confused with large swells at times that catch you out in the dark.

“Crews will be very tired by now; no let up for over eight days with wind and swell.  A tough gig - certainly wasn't in the brochure.

“We are heading north at good speed, with over 400 miles done over last 24 hours - that's an average over 48 hours of between 9 and 10 knots, which is amazing.

“The wind doesn't let up and is not going to until we get near Solomons in a few days time.  Looking forward to a break from the wind. Fancy a sailor saying that!

“We are now almost adjacent to Fraser Island so going north quickly.”

Assadori has well and truly left behind their ‘last on line’ tag and skipper Shinsuke Nishi reported, "The weather is now back to summer with summer clouds and scenery.  We are dressed in summer uniform: short pants and T-shirts!!"

While Jun Kanda, co-skipper of Wild Boar explains their decision to sail a more easterly course:  “We are headed offshore because we want to catch up the boats ahead.”

Southern Light and her shipwright crew of Tom Crabb/Trent Justice from South Australia, have a bit of catching up to do following a stop at Ulladulla to repair their damaged rudder.  They are currently sailing an easterly course abeam of Kiama on the NSW South Coast, 349nm behind Pippin. 

About The Race:
Staged every four years, the Organising Authority for the Melbourne-Osaka Yacht Race is made up of City of Melbourne, City of Osaka Promotional Council, Osaka Hokko Yacht Club, Sandringham Yacht Club and in association with Yachting Australia.

The event was first held in 1987 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Osaka and celebrates the sister city relationship between Melbourne and Osaka.

Race Record:  Grant Wharington and Scott Gilbert on the 50ft Wild Thing in 1995, in the time of 26 days 20 hours 47 minutes 6 seconds, with an average boat speed of 8.5 knots.

Argos tracker positions at UTC 0.6.00.00 (4pm AEST & 3pm JPN Sunday):         

COCORIN interland (Itaru Matsunaga/John Bankart), Gusto (Patrick Giudice/Brian Pattinson), Tamagomalu (Makoto Hisamatsu/Jimmi Doherty), Dekadence (Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh), Hullabaloo (Jim and son Joe O’Keeffe), Asadori (Shinsuke Nishi/Kyojun Fujita), Ingenue (David James and wife Rosie Colahan), Esoterica (Campbell Reynolds/David Best, heading to port with sail damage), Wild Boar (Shozi Yuneda/Jun Kanda), Pippin (Roger Sayers/Anthony Brown) Southern Light (Tom Crabb/Trent Justice – back racing),  RYU-JIN (Murray Bucknall/Jon Sayer – heading Gladstone to  assess rudder damage), Alex (Jock and son Hamish MacAdie, heading Gladstone to assess boom damage), Runaway (James Ryssenbeek/Andrew McCole – heading Gladstone with keel damage), Cadi (John and son David Netherton, retired), Wasabi (Ken Down/Shane Gaddes – retired).

Other Links
	Event Website