History

Welcome on Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Race!

The idea of holding a yacht race across the Tasman sea to Mooloolaba originated in the 1960s. New Plymouth Yacht Club members involved were Howard Vosper, Dennis Lobb and Phillip Goodsell.

Howard proposed it at an annual meeting and a committee was formed in 1968. The only other solo race in the world, at the time, was one from Plymouth (UK) to Newport in the US, and it was attracting large numbers of people. It still does. The NPYC contacted Royal Western Yacht Club and still use basically the same rules.

Mooloolaba in Queensland was chosen as the finishing point, on the advice of the Royal Queensland Cruising Club. This was because it has easy access with sheltering breakwaters and is well clear of shoals in shallow in Moreton Bay and Brisbane.

Also, it was hoped to attract yachts doing circumnavigations of the world, the idea being that they could enter and compete in the NZ and Australia leg of their journey.

The first race attracted five entries, 3 from NZ, one from Australia and one from USA - an international race. So began an event unique to New Plymouth and of endless interest to the yachting fraternity of Taranaki. Eight races have been run with the next one being held in 2002.

A look at the previous Solo Trans-Tasman Race Results, gives a good record of those involved to date, and the crossing times achieved. It tells of shipwrecks, dismastings, and an abandonment. The Tropical Cyclone "Hal" in 1978 gave the yachts a "hard time" but while 2 yachts were lost (Josephine hit Middleton's Reef, Easterly One was rolled over and dismasted and abandoned at sea, it later drifted to the coast and was salvaged) no lives have been lost, then, or in any other of the solo series. Anti-biotics taken for appendicitis by the veterinarian Ian McBride - "Unique" in 1974 probably saved his life. "Red Shift" - Graeme Francis hit a whale in 1986 and probably gave a good fright to both ship and fish.

Only in three of the races has it been possible to pick the probable winner, in the other races there have been a few meritorious suprises.

Bill Belcher, in the little Raha, in 1974 cleaned up the fleet to everyone's suprise. Pat Costello drove Cubasco hard in 1978 and won in an excellent time with a dozen very experienced yachtsmen laying in his wake. In 1982 John Sayer in a fast ferro-cement sloop also headed of other yachts that should have beaten him. He won, but only by one hour, 28 minutes.

The fastest time ever for the crossing is held by Ian Johnston, who in the 1986 race, covered the 1280 odd miles in 6 days, 8hrs 50mins, an average speed of just over 8 knots.

Alby Burgin's win in Alstar in 1990 was another great performance by a very experienced Australian. Contending with strong headwinds and rough seas, his crossing time of 7 days 18 hrs was a great and memorable effort for someone around 74 years of age. "Well done Alby".

The Solo Trans-Tasman Race has been enthusiastically supported by the Short Handed Sailing Association of Australia. In some of the past races, notably 1986, Australian skippers predominated with the first nine yachts to finish. Beginning in 1982, a two-handed race from Sydney to New Plymouth (then called the Transfield Race) has provided a feeder race for the solo race. Some of these yachts have then raced back to Mooloolaba solo.

Sailing from New Plymouth, and once clear fo the coastline, yachts have a clear passage until near Lord Howe Island and the Elizabeth and Middleton's Reefs area. These reefs have been the last resting place for many vessels - large and small, and due care should be taken when in the vicinity. However with the pin-point accuracy of modern navigational systems, the danger they present is much reduced allowing that they are chared in the correct position. Bill Belcher was unfortunate to go ashore there largely due to the rough weather and state of the sea, due to cyclone "Hal", making the sighting of the reef difficult. John Jury's Easterly I, would not have been abandoned, had he know his position. When found, he was fairly close to the coast and didn't know it. His navigation sextant and tables were ruined in the capsize. The language difficulties on a Japanese crewed ship prevented him from finding out where he was until well agter being taken off his yacht. Easterly I, came ashore at Fraser Island, above Mooloolaba, and was later salvaged.

A survey of yacht types and numbers entered, covers the whole range of sailing craft - monohulls, catamaran and trimarans.

Trimarans "Rebel" (in 1970) and "Bullfrog Sunblock" (in 1986) have won the race, along with catamaran "Yentracam" (in 1978). "Yentracam" being MacArtney spelt backwards.

In the monohulls, the smallest yacht to compete was "Roc" made of ferro cement. "Ketiga", a small hard china yacht, sailed by Gerry Clark, made an excellent crossing for a boat not much larger than a trailer sailer. She was later sailed around New Zealand and out to the Chatham Islands to raise funds for the Keri Keri stone store restoration projects. Another notable entry was Roger Taylor in tiny "Roc" who took 35 days to make the crossing. He did much better on the return journey having constant favourable westerly winds back. To sail a small yacht in the race is not recommended as the finishing times between the fast and the slower yachts is too great and small craft often finish outside the race duration time allowed. They do however get the satisfaction of having competed and accomplish a little bit of adventure in a busy world.

The race committee favour competitive yachts entering. This can result in a fast race with most of them arriving in time for the prize giving in Mooloolaba.

Yachts entering the Solo Races have to make two crossings of the Tasman Sea. Those leaving from NP have to come back again and there are numerous interesting incidents recorded on these voyages. Tony Allen in the trimaran "Rebel II" was completely capsized up-side-down (in good weather) by an unexplained phenomen 2 days after leaving Mooloolaba on the return voyage, in December 1974. He spent many days adrift in his life-raft before being rescued and taken to Melbourne on a freighter. "Unique", skippered by Ian McBride hit a submerged object and sunk off the coast of Southern Queensland and also had to take to the life-raft and was rescued.

"Ketiga" sailed through five gales on a very stormy mid-winter passage back to Keri Keri.

Bob Millard from Melbourne sailing "Witchetty" was caught by the cyclone and duly made port under a jury rig within the time period.

The big question in 1978 was where was Bill Belcher and "Josephine". The yacht was eventually found submerged inside the reef on Middleton Reef by the Royal Australian Navy. There was no sign of the skipper, but his life-raft was missing and not located. Weeks later he was found at sea by a merchand ship on route to Naura Island. Bilss story was later well portrayed in a film.

While the drama unfolded there was much anxiety for race officials both in New Plymouth and Mooloolaba.

The 1982 and 1986 race were routine, smoothly run affairs by comparison. Notable events were Peter Mounsey sailing "Breakaway/Quicksilver" who had competed in the race three times. Australians filled the first eight placed in 1986. The 1978 and 1986 races both had 15 entries and they have been the largest fleets to depart New Plymouth.

Strong westerly winds blowing straight from Mooloolaba made for a rough mid-Tasman crossing in 1990. The big waves just threw the yachts off course time and time again and the wind never let up. The conditions soon weeded out the good windward performers. "Prospector" (Owen Stuart) and the trimaran "Whakatere" became casualties and returned to New Zealand.

The back markers struggled on and arrived eventually in a frustrated calm. Such is yacht racing. You just never know what's ahead of you.

The Solo Trans-Tasman race is a chance for the adventurous to face a challenge, make new friends and visit far away places.