RYTHMIC and HOT VINDALOO winners in Queensland big races.

In the main races on Queensland Multihull calendar, the Pescott cats of Phil Day’s Whitehaven RYTHMIC and Julian Griffith’s Firefly 850 HOT VINDALOO proved too quick for the opposition taking OMR honours in all events this year.  

Starting with the flood delayed Surf to City race, RYTHMIC handled the gusty conditions well to record a comfortable victory on OMR. With the Southport bar closed by strong winds and high seas, both fleets sailed the inside course in the narrow channels of southern Moreton Bay. RYTHMIC won on OMR in the Offshore fleet but also would have won on both OMR rating and PHRF handicap if the offshore and inshore fleets were combined.

The Brisbane to Gladstone race was challenging in the opposing manner with light winds for the first 24 hours. Sporting a new GM Sails square head main, Phil Day and his crew on RYTHMIC were able to stay close to the larger and higher rated boats in the early stages of the race by sailing a clever tactical race and maintaining good boat speed. When the breeze did fill in, they were able enjoy the run across “the paddock” and despite the winds easing and the tide turning against them up the harbour, enjoyed a victory by over an hour on OMR rating, proving that last years victory was no fluke.

The Bay to Bay Race is run in the narrow, shallow passage from Tin Can Bay to Harvey Bay between Fraser Island and the mainland, with an overnight stop at Garry anchorage. It attracts a large mixed fleet of both mono trailer-sailers and trailerable multihulls.  Conditions on the first day were moderate running with light running on the second day. Julian Griffiths HOT VINDALOO sported a new set of Ullman Sails and with sailmaker Yancy Smith onboard were able to finish close enough to the two much higher rated 10 metre cats MAD MAX and STIR FRY, both with very large rigs and far enough ahead of the smaller multihulls to record a comfortable win on OMR rating and a close second on PBH handicap.

Congratulations to both Phil Day and Julian Griffiths and their crew for their very well deserved wins in Queensland’s premier multihull races.

Special thanks to Julie Geldard from www.VidPicPro.com for the photos.