This year, the ORCV Melbourne to Devonport Race also known as The Rudder Cup, is Australia’s oldest ocean race with one of the oldest trophies in Australia. With a start off Queenscliff, the fleet will race to Devonport to be greeted and kindly hosted by the Mersey Yacht Club.
The Devonport race is a qualifying event for the 2024 Melbourne to Hobart “Westcoaster” and attracted another large and very competitive fleet of 38 boats. Devonport has always been a popular destination for ORCV and is a great place to visit.
The 195nm Devonport race starts off Queenscliff and proceeds across the Bass Strait to the finish line at the entrance of the Mersey River. Finishing yachts may proceed up the Mersey to the marina at the Mersey Yacht Club.
The Rudder Cup is part of the ORCV Offshore Championship and is open to yachts fully crewed, 4+autohelm, and double-handed.
Two Jeanneau Sun Fast’s entered the race and ended up taking home a number of trophies including:
Sun Fast 3600 ‘Maverick’ sailed double handed by Tony Hammond and Rod Smallman (photo above)
1st Double Handed
1st ORC Division 2
3rd ORC Overall
Sun Fast 3300 ‘Street Car’ skipper by Aidan Geysen in the 4+ autopilot division (photo below)
3rd AMS Overall
2nd AMS Division 2
2nd ORC Div 2
3rd PHS Overall
3rd PHS Div 2
Aidan also commented after the race…
“The wind dropped out about 1.5 hours from the finish. A few sail changes to keep the boat going as it went light so we feel like we worked hard for the result. The first 10 hours was light and on the nose and then the wind swung round to the ENE for some great reaching conditions through the day Saturday. We swapped positions with Maverick throughout the race and finished just astern of the 3600. The J0 earned its keep getting us going in the light stuff in the early hours of Saturday morning.”
Sun Fast 3300 ‘Street Car’. Photo by Al Dillion