Our second Bay to Bay Yacht Race 2017

Steve Millard and I enjoyed the Bay to Bay so much last year that we decided to do it again. What's the Bay to Bay you ask? An overnight trailer sailor race from Tin Can Bay all the way up the Great Sandy Strait to Urangan at Hervey Bay with an overnight stop/party at Garrys Anchorage. Little Dragon joined 120 others ranging from sports boats to classic yachts and everything in between.

Check out this video - spectacular.
https://www.facebook.com/181283989044601/videos/203311270175206/

Sunday Tin Can Bay to Garrys Anchorage

Yes, Little Dragon raced 417 reefed. It blew 15 - 17 knots SE with gusts to 20 knots. This was  far less than some forecasts of gusts up to 30 knots and 3 metre swell at Snout Point. 

Little Dragon apologises if her late finish held up your party!

Overnight at Garrys Anchorage
Then it was into Garrys Anchorage for the night. We sat sedately moored with just a quiet glass of red watching and listening to parties up and down the anchorage.

https://www.facebook.com/181283989044601/videos/203358236837176/

Sunday morning we were up early. Steve brewed cuppas while I got us ready to start. No reefing this time as the wind had dropped. We motored off in good time to be ready for the 7.30 am start.

Sunday Garrys Anchorage to Urangan
There was a light south easterly and a strong flood tide sweeping us northwards. A running start with the flood tide proved a tad tricky, but for once we nailed it and our good fortune continued all day. The wind increased during the day but never enough to make me wish we had reefed again. Although one boat did broach and lose a man overboard - who was fortunately picked up by a following boat.

We had to zigzag up the Great Sandy Strait to avoid sandbanks. This required frequent gybing. Steve had to go forward each time and goose wing us out on the other side.

We are catching up those pesky Careel 18s - our prime competition

See, Little Dragon caught up

At last we overtook a few of them but not for long. They are handicapped as slightly faster than a Farr 5000

 Quite a tussle between Nellie and Little Dragon

Time to catch up again but they aren't far ahead

Steve took us over the finish line

Weary but proud. We made it. It took 6 hours and we weren't the last.

The results are pretty complex and our overall results reflected our late finish on Saturday. So I will just boast about Sunday where we won our division (28 entrants) after the handicaps had been applied.   For more details about the event and results go to http://www.herveybaysailingclub.org.au/