After three weeks of rather benign weather conditions the long-awaited summer pattern of the Fremantle Doctor coming to the rescue of sailors with a healthy sea breeze returned in time for the first ocean race of the season: the Marmion Reef Race.

On Sunday, October 27, 20 HYC keelboats faced the starter in the forecasted light E/ESE breeze and headed offshore with kites up to the first mark, Little. The next hour of fluctuating breezes in both strength and direction saw the cream of boats and crews rise to the top as they beat down the coast to North Beach. A tight reach to the turning mark of Centaur to head north to Ocean Reef meant at last, big colourful spinnakers could power up the craft as the Fremantle Doctor built to 20 knots. Running perilously close to the reef and dodging cray pots, it was time for lunch, kites away, reef the main and to don wet weather gear for the beat down the coast, past the Club and on to the turning mark, Anchor, then a quick run to the finish line.

In a close race between Lithium (Wayne Pitcher), Whispering Jack (Bruce Bradford) and Mulberry (Mark Pitt), the three racers cleared out from the rest of the division one fleet (of 10) to finish in that order in an elapsed time of 3hr 25 min 10 sec for Lithium. On handicap Mulberry continued their good form with another win, Circa (Martin Eyer) was second and Whispering Jack third.

In division two, in a complete turn-around from the first consistency race Farrouk (Des and Gail Riley) meant business right from the start with the kite flying and even carried it from Anchor on the last leg when most chose not to. It paid dividends with a five-minute win over the fastest of the day, with Blue Chip (Keith and Deborah Fisk) and Volant (Frank Hagemann, Emille Janssen, John Ball, Kevin Meta) in third place.

The three boats in division three were assured of a pennant, provided they finished the course, and La Premiere (Ken and Des Luplau) did that best with a first and fastest ahead of Hard Evidence (Peter Hibberd) and Kind of Blue (Boyd Timler).

Across all three divisions, the points for the Club Champion, based on best corrected time were Farrouk (first or 1), Blue Chip, Mulberry, Circa, Volant and La Premiere sixth (6), so one or more from each division. Points go right down to 20 as there were 20 boats.

Pausing midst rehydration, the winners were presented with the Alan Carter Memorial Marmion Reef Race Trophy by Sue Carter and daughter Vicky.

John Bird