Hosted by Hillarys Yacht Club as part of the Beneteau by Mansfield Marine Pot of Gold weekend the inshore Dash for Cash attracted 27 entries from the river and ocean based yacht clubs for the 20 nautical mile race from Fremantle to Hillarys on Saturday January 20. Spread across Divisions 2, 3 and sports boats the fleet complemented the premier offshore race the Pot of Gold which took their fleet around Rottnest before heading for the coast and Hillarys. It was the first time the seven sports boats (very quick planing hulls) from Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club and Nedlands YC had their own division included.

Once the POG fleet was away in a light breeze, the southerly began to fill in for the Dashers and after rounding the Day Buoy headed for the shipping channel marker, accompanied by the pilot escorting a container ship exiting Fremantle. With parallel courses, there was no cause for concern, however it was a wise move on the part of the Keel Captain to forewarn the Fremantle Port Authority of the race and course.

Starting 10 minutes after the division three yachts, the sports boats, flying asymmetric spinnakers, quickly made up ground however on the downwind leg had to zig-zag often, ending up alongside yachts they had passed previously. The sea breeze strengthened to around 17 knots making for an exciting spinnaker run to Sorrento only to receive a drenching on the beat back to the Scarborough Beach mark. The crew went from sun-baking on the deck to being soaked on the rail.

The first of the Pot of Gold entrants who, having rounded Rottnest, were sighted, also heading for the same Scarborough mark. The premier offshore racers under spinnaker, reaching speeds upwards of 15 knots, presented a hazard to be avoided by the smaller Dash for Cash yachts beating into the choppy sea aiming to get to the same mark. The final leg for both races was the downwind leg back to Sorrento and the finish line off HYC, another opportunity to launch the spinnaker.

Results
Having the highest handicap of the sports boats didn’t worry Ray Martin on his trimaran Beatrix to record first and fastest ahead of Rees Howells on Octopussy and Jeremy Leitch’s Bull Bar from ORSSC in third place.

Having a year off from the Offshore Racing WA scene, Wayne Pitcher took part in Division three, Lithium recording fastest time but no booty for it was Peter Hibberd’s Hard Evidence, sailing two up in first place. Ian James and Taurus from ORSSC was second ahead of Marc Carpenter on Intuition.

Sporting a new rig on Surfer Rosa for trialling before re-entering the offshore scene, Roric Smith overcame an auto-pilot malfunction which kicked in unexpectedly when trying to gybe Surfer Rosa to still record fastest time in Division two but finished well back on corrected time. Adding to previous wins this season Ray Murphy’s Pinta was well ahead of Perle and Scott Forrest’s etchell, Whim A Way from ORSSC.

A great night of celebrating with wonderful HYC hospitality followed presentations of a bag of goodies including the gold booty to the victors by Tom Blaxell of Mansfield Marine.



Thank You

Sponsors: Mansfield Marine (Tom Blaxell); GHEMS (Greg Hill); Western Projects (Jos Colvin)

Start Management: ORWA (Trevor Milton, Cherry Callcott); HYC (Steve Childs, Brian Mead, Sue Carter)

RIB Drivers: Jason and Emily Tutty, Warwick and Will Bagnall, Ian McCall and Steve Lee

Finish Management: Rob Gouldsmith and team

Welcome Hospitality: Laraine Brindle, Louise Harvey and team.

HYC: Main organiser Louise Jennings, Marshall Fox, Jos Colvin