From the archives – Mooloolaba to Airlie race 2002

By Rob Stevenson

The yacht Hot Tub was an Aitkinson 41′, strip plank cedar. The owner/skippers were myself and Shayne Farnell.

The Mooloolaba to Airlie Beach Race was regarded in the MYC as the best ocean race in Australia. That’s right folks, above the Sydney to Hobart. The race had a bit of everything. Ocean to Gladstone. Lots of islands to navigate through, currents and a distance of some 505 nautical miles.

The race start saw some 15 yachts on the line with all vying for a good start. The breeze was 15 knots south-east so conditions were favourable with the breeze to increase into the night.

The crew consisted of the above skippers, Tony Woodcock, Murray Wiggins and Johnno, Chris Warnes and Michael Leitch

Hot Tub was making good time being north of Indian Head at 21.30. All was normal with the shifts started and being rotated. Four on and four off. Hot Tub had no happy hour as there would be enough party time when we reached Airlie.

Then it happened! An almighty thud! Lifting the stern of the boat a metre out of the water and throwing myself and Woody out of our bunks downstairs.

I poked my head out of the companionway and yelled, ‘what was that?’.

The reply was that they thought it was a whale as they saw the tail end disappear into the water. The whale hit the rudder. The rudder was jammed in a position that only allowed the boat to steer straight.

The crew worked feverously and freed the rudder. On inspection later, the top of the rudder was broken off and the solid 50mm stainless stock was bent some 20 degrees.

A decision was made to inspect the damage and then consider our options. Nobody was prepared to jump in the water as north Fraser Island is noted for sharks. Shayne inspected the stern while I inspected the forward area.

Alarm bells rang up the front as there was a large amount of water.

There is no faster way of emptying a boat of water than eight people on a bucket brigade.

It was at this time when I said to Murray, the navigator, what are you doing as he was sitting at the chart table. He said plotting a course to Bundaberg. I said if we are sinking, we are going straight to the beach over there. Now get on the buckets.

After umpteen buckets full of water emptied, the water was discovered to be coming in the front hatch as we were running downhill and the swell was big enough that when we were at the bottom of the wave, the nose of the Tub would bury itself to the front hatch. Problem solved and fixed.

Next event was Shayne and I over the stern of the Tub heaving away as we had had our heads upside down in the bilges.

With that over it was time to make a decision as to continue the race or not.

The rudder seemed to be fine even though it favoured a starboard side. No leaks were found around the point of impact, only the rudder itself was damaged and the front of the Tub resealed. It was decided to continue the race as we were in a good position well up the field.

Upon entering the Whitsunday Passage, another yacht came at us on starboard. By this time the wind had eased and when the yacht slowly crossed excitement ran throughout the Tub!! It was Storm, the sponsor’s 55′ boat which was the one to beat. Surprisingly, Storm went to the western side of the channel while we elected to stay east to avoid the currents. Well that paid off coming home some 30 minutes ahead of Storm.

Funnily enough, rounding Pioneer Rocks and the final leg to Airlie Beach, Hot Tub seemed to want to keep climbing to starboard, so pressure had to be placed on the tiller arm to avoid rounding up. After inspection the rudder had indeed been broken off at the top and bent the solid SS stock some 20 degrees.

Next day, Woody and I were at the hardstand in Airlie Beach and a couple of fellas were polishing a Farr 40 ‘s rudder and bottom. One of the blokes asked if were alright. Woody immediately said, ‘yeah mate’. Then he asked; ‘you haven’t got a spare one of those have you?’. The bloke said yes. We were both flabbergasted and upon discussion the rudder was off a Bull 40 called Latitude, that was built for a Melbourne to Osaka race. Apparently, the boat had its problems and didn’t make Osaka, sailed around Airlie Beach and caught on fire with the rudder floating out from under the boat and onto a nearby beach where it was salvaged.

Hot Tub was sailed back to Mooloolaba with the new rudder stowed downstairs.

On arrival, the Tub was fitted with the new rudder by Craig Saint. It was a far superior rudder than the barn door before. On a reach before the old rudder nearly required two persons to steer. Now everything was handled by a mere finger. And the cost of the rudder.

A bottle of rum??