The Yachtsman 2017-2018 RPAYC Yachtsman 2016-2017 | Page 28

C L U B M A R I N E P I T T W AT E R T O S O U T H P O R T
SHAKTI SETS THE RECORD FOR THE FIRST EVER CLUB MARINE PITTWATER TO
SOUTHPORT YACHT RACE
D
oug Coulter’s Shakti from the Lake
Macquarie Yacht Club have steamed
their way up the New South Wales
coast to set the record for the Royal
Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s first ever
Club Marine Pittwater to Southport Yacht Race with an
official finish time of 0201 EDT on 4 January, 2017 gave
them an elapsed time of 36hrs, 46mins 07 seconds.
Sailing in consistent strong southerly breezes, Doug
Coulter’s Shakti, a Rogers 46 from Lake Macquarie
Yacht Club, not only claimed line honours in the Club
Marine Pittwater to Southport Yacht Race but also
collected the silverware for first place in both IRC and
ORCi divisions. Shakti is the Hindu Goddess of power
or force – and there was plenty of power in the boat’s
run up the coast riding the south to south-east breeze,
leading the fleet from the outset and setting a race record.
Shakti’s average speed ranged between 16 - 18 knots with
a top speed of 23 knots.
The pre-race forecast foretold a fast course time
from the 1pm start from Broken Bay with competitors
eager for a thrilling downhill run into Southport on
Queensland’s south east coast. With gusts reaching 30
knots, the downhill run came at a cost for some owners
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and sail makers can look forward to a flurry of orders for
replacement spinnakers.
Marcus Grimes, winner of the race’s social media
competition for best live update, commented in one of
his videos: “It’s been a pretty eventful race for us, we’ve
been having a lot of fun but I reckon we’ve gone through
every spinnaker in the bag.” Even with the added
challenge of spinnaker issues, Grimes’ Elliott 10.5 High
Anxiety claimed additional race prizes to go with their
social media awards - third PHS overall and third PHS
Division 2.
First on PHS was Jan Scholten and Stephen Parker’s
Panchax, aptly named the “giant killer” by RPAYC
Coach Tom Spithill due to their performance against the
larger fleet. The Stewart 34, one of the smallest boats in
the fleet, began the 370 nautical mile race strongly mid-
fleet and maintained boat speed all the way up the coast
to cross the line in 13th place and take victory in the PHS
overall results and also PHS Division 2.
Mark Tinworth and Mark Waterhouse’s Beneteau
First 44.7 Le Billet had a great mix of youth and experience
on board with five RPAYC Youth Development sailors
led by the owners and renowned yachtsman and tactician