hunter 100 yacht race

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Hunter 100 - Our Bluewater Classic

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Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club Hunter 100 – a Bluewater Classic

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club will introduce a new overnight race to the offshore circuit later this year – the Hunter 100!

The 100 nautical mile race offers crews the opportunity to experience Bluewater sailing at its best with almost 24hrs of exploration along the hunter coastline between the Central Coast and Port Stephens Marine Park.

The club’s CEO Paul O’Rourke states that  “the Hunter 100 presents an opportunity for crews to get some practice in before Hobart. It’s offshore, it’s overnight, and it will involve some planning and navigating in order to remain safe and competitive in this fleet.”

Paul continues  “Entries opened today and we’re anticipating a full range of entrants from 30ft Catalinas and Hanse cruisers through to Mick Martin’s TP52 Frantic.”

The race will start in Newcastle Harbour at 6:30pm on Friday, 2nd December and competitors are expected to finish throughout the following day.

Starting at Newcastle, the race will commence with a quick dash south to Bird Island after work on Friday night before turning north up to Cabbage Tree Island at Port Stephens and then returning to Newcastle to finish.

Bird Island is a protected nature reserve visible from Norah Head lighthouse on the Central Coast. The island reaches a height of around twenty meters above sea level and is a breeding hub for some twenty species of birds.

Cabbage Tree Island is a rugged island, about a kilometre long and over a hundred meters tall located just off the entrance to Port Stephens. The island is part of the Port Stephens and Great Lakes Marine Park and is understood to be one of the only remaining breeding sites for the Gould’s petrel seabird.

Robert Logan is an active member of the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and owns a cruising Catalina 355. Rob explains that  “this is the kind of race that appeals to cruising yachts like us. It’s just the right length that ensures we’ll get to experience a night at sea and be home for dinner the next day.”

Club Commodore Steve Rae welcomes visitors to join the new event, particularly from Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie, where “competitors can participate in an overnight race to Cabbage Tree Island without needing to travel to Sydney to do so. Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club members are looking forward to meeting the CYCA Bluewater Pointscore fleet somewhere off the Central Coast where both fleets will then proceed north together.”

The race leaders are expected to finish on Saturday morning while the cruisers may finish later in the day around sunset.

In preparing to race at night, Sailing Manager Jack Buchan suggests that  “preparation plays a major role in any offshore endeavour – especially when sailing after dark.”  He goes on to suggest  “Crews will benefit from scheduling a short training session one night to build awareness of the different challenges of sailing and navigating at night safely.”

The organisational team at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club brings a wealth of experience and capable race management personnel and combines it with the support of Asahi as the major sponsor to deliver the Hunter 100 – a Bluewater Classic.

The club will also host a ‘Sailing at Night’ masterclass from 6:00pm Monday 10 th  October to help crews and yacht owners prepare for their first overnight race.

Click here for online entry and race documents

Photos by Jack Buchan, NCYC

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Hunter 100 – a Bluewater Classic

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New and familiar faces from the Hunter taking on Sydney to Hobart

A 67-year-old Newcastle owner-skipper making his debut and two familiar boats back after a break will be among the Hunter contingent tackling the Sydney to Hobart this year.

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Six boats from Hunter clubs are set to take on the 630-nautical mile race on Boxing Day.

Among them is Verite, a J99 out of Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) that debutant Paul Beath will race two-handed with Richard Hooper.

Beath, a retiree, is an experienced dinghy sailor but has branched into yacht racing over the past three years. He bought Verite about a year ago with a view to competing in the Sydney to Hobart.

He took second place on handicap in last weekend's Hunter 100, a race starting and finishing in Newcastle which took in Bird and Cabbage Tree Islands.

NCYC chief executive Paul O'Rourke tipped Verite to do well in the two-handed division.

"They will be very competitive, they will have a fair crack at it," O'Rourke said.

"They race at the club regularly and the boat is a good boat. It will rate well and they are quite a good chance in their division."

O'Rourke will again race Mako, a yacht he part-owns and skippers. The Sydney 40 design was second in the PHS division last year and 49 th on line honours.

He said his crew will this year feature debutants Ethan Ortlipp and Simon Glover.

Hasta La Vista, sailed by Lake Macquarie's Richard Grimes and his family, are also back after success last year. They were second among the Sydney 38 yachts in 2022 but return this year in the two-handed category.

Race regulars Frantic and She's The Culprit are back after an absence.

Mick Martin's TP52 Donovan, Frantic, will compete in the race for the first time since 2019.

The NCYC boat won the Hunter 100 on line honours, IRC handicap and PHS and also claimed the inaugural 1250-nautical mile Sydney to Auckland in October on handicap.

She's The Culprit, an Inglis/Jones 39 part-owned and skippered by Glen Picasso out of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie clubs, is a regular contender in its division but missed the race last year.

Rounding out the Hunter contingent is newcomer Millennium Falcon, Sparkman and Stephens 39 design owned and skippered by Lake Macquarie Yacht Club's Robert Griffits, who is an ophthalmologist in Warners Bay.

Joe De Kock's KD4 and Andrew Miller's Uprising Brightside Marine, both from NCYC, competed in the two-handed division last year but are not returning.

Craig Kerry

Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.

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Practical Boat Owner

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Best British cruiser-racer boats: Our pick of the secondhand market

• Peter Poland
• November 11, 2022

Cruising sailors who avoid racing designs could be missing out on the extra pleasure that comes from a boat that sails superbly in light or heavy winds, with or without a full crew…

Many sailors tend to steer clear of yachts dubbed as cruiser-racers when they’re browsing classified ads or brokerage lists in search of their first (or next) cruising yacht. I often wonder if they’re missing out on enhanced sailing fun by following this route.

Much of my early sailing experience was based on cruiser-racers such as the Nicholson-designed South Coast One Design (SCOD) and Nicholson 26, a Holman-designed Elizabethan 29, a French Samouraï quarter tonner and an Oliver Lee-designed Hunter 19 and Hunter 701.

In their different ways all these yachts mixed cruising (admittedly cramped in the Hunter 19!) with above average performance and handling.

And then there’s the social side of the sailing clubs that are at the heart of our sport. Whether you enjoy a cruise in company, a social get-together, occasional sessions at the bar, low key club racing or high-octane regatta weeks, sailing clubs come up with the goods.

Without these clubs and the volunteers who help administer them, our sport would have less to offer and provide fewer opportunities to get together with like-minded sailors.

Article continues below…

Best 30 foot boats: Seaworthy British cruisers available for under £30k

You might think £30,000 sounds like a lot of money for a ‘starter boat’. But tracking down a comfortable and…

Best 30ft French boats: Our pick of the best options for cruising sailors

Sailors who look around 21st century boat shows won’t come across a single big volume British yacht builder. The occasional…

Over a lengthy sailing career I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy countless happy hours – mainly pulling sheets – on all sorts of club races. And in the process I’ve made many friends. That’s the joy of cruiser racing.

Whether it’s as up-market as Cowes Week , as huge as the Round the Island Race , as muddy as Burnham Week, as chilly as a winter or spring series or as low key as mid-week summer evening racing, it guarantees splendid sociable sport.

And you don’t need to own an expensive modern yacht to join in the fun. Cruiser racing can encompass anything from a modest 22-footer up to a sumptuous Swan. Splitting the fleet into separate divisions takes care of size variations and the results are calculated using a variety of handicap systems.

When assessing a yacht’s likely performance, motion and behaviour at sea it’s important to take account of its displacement, ballast ratio, DLR (displacement to waterline length ratio), SA/disp (foretriangle and mainsail area to displacement ratio) and Ted Brewer’s Comfort Ratio (a complex formula that assesses a yacht’s motion at sea based on waterline beam and weight etc).

The crew of this Hunter Impala seem to be enjoying their Round The Island Race in The Solent. Photo: Peter Brogden / Alamy

Lower DLR and Comfort Ratio and higher SA/Disp indicate faster sailing.

The day I asked David Thomas to design a new Hunter cruiser-racer was – with the benefit of hindsight – the day that Hunter Boats’ fortunes took a dramatic turn for the better.

It was also the day that David embarked on his career as the leading British designer of One Design cruiser-racers: although One Design racing was not part of my initial brief.

I simply asked for a boat of around 22ft that would have more beam and offer better accommodation than other cruisers of its size, look attractive, handle nicely, take strong wind in its stride and win races under its IOR handicap. Looking back, it was a request that bordered on mission impossible.

Hunter Sonata

When the wood hull plug for the Hunter Sonata (Displacement 2,460lb, ballast ratio 41%, DLR 175, SA/disp 17.3, CR 11.1) arrived at Hunter’s Essex factory, we made a mould and then tackled the deck plug.

But once we’d framed up the coachroof and draped it with material to see what it looked like, my business partner Derek Chardin and I reckoned it could go higher, thus winning two more inches of headroom in the cabin.

So we took a unilateral punt and did precisely that. Once it was planked up we invited David Thomas to the factory and heaved a sigh of relief when he said it looked very elegant.

A Hunter Sonata from Scarborough Yacht Club racing on the North Sea in South Bay, North Yorkshire. The yacht in front is a Hunter 707 ‘sports boat’. If you plan to go racing you should inform your insurers to be sure that racing risks are covered. Photo: Damien Taylor / Alamy

The Sonata’s spacious interior was unusual for a mid-1970s design. The settees stretch under the cockpit to create quarter berths, and there’s enough width to incorporate another DT ‘special’ – simple pilot berths offered as an alternative option to fixed side shelves.

The galley butts against the main bulkhead while the forepeak accommodates twin V-berths and a heads. David and Derek also perfected a simple, light and strong ‘box girder’ system of plywood structures to provide the basis for the accommodation plus overall rigidity. This was jigged then bonded into the hull (while still in its mould) before the deck was attached.

As a result, finishing off the interior became a simple procedure; both for the Hunter workforce and – more relevantly – for clients who bought the boats as kits. This was an important part of the business as owners traded their way up the Hunter range; building, then sailing, then selling, then building bigger.

At the 1975 Earls Court Boat Show we handed out provisional leaflets showing our new but as yet unlaunched Sonata. DT’s reputation as a designer was invaluable and several sailors liked the look of her so much they put down deposits.

Things were on a roll before anyone saw, let alone sailed, a Sonata. We had another stroke of luck when Peter Hornbrook, an existing Hunter owner, ordered a Sonata and said he’d like to become class secretary and help set things up.

David Thomas also ordered his own Sonata and helped create Sonata One Design class rules. And the rest is history… Sonatas won races galore and became the first RYA-recognised National One Design cruiser class.

To this day, Sonatas are popular as speedy coastal cruisers as well as One Design or handicap racers. Back in 1979, Yachting World said: ‘She is fun to sail yet seaworthy enough for short cruises.

As the Sonata has already shown herself capable of out-sailing larger boats, she is worth racing in handicap events where there is no one-design class.’

Hunter Duette 23. Photo: SailingScenes.com

Hunter Duette 23

Later, we asked David Thomas to design sleek twin keels to go under the Sonata hull and rig and called this the Hunter Duette, followed by a stub keel and centreplate Sonata. Several were bought by RYA Sailability.

Then, as a final throw of the Sonata dice, we asked David Dyer to draw a completely new deck that could provide standing headroom, an aft heads compartment and an aft double berth.

The Hunter Horizon 23 (LOA 22ft 9in, Disp 2,745lb, Ballast ratio 52%, DLR 205, SA/Disp 17.6, CR 12.6) and 232 twin keelers showed how a successful Thomas racing hull could morph into an even more spacious fast cruiser.

Proof of this bionic cruiser’s ability was the 2021 Sailor of the Year Award won by 82-year-old Murdoch McGregor for his 1,900 mile 10-week single-handed sail around the UK in Artemis , his Hunter Horizon 232. At the same time he raised £10,000 for the charity Mental Health UK.

The previous year, 15-year-old Timothy Young had also set off to sail solo around the UK in a Hunter Impala 28 (LOA 28ft, disp 4,300lb, ballast ratio 44%, DLR 154, SA/disp 20.33, CR 14) showing that David Thomas’s second One Design for Hunters was as capable a cruiser as a racer.

Hunter Impala 28

The Impala 28 came into being after a group of sailing pundits decided to select three new offshore One Design classes. The OODC (Offshore One Design Council) invited proposals for a 28-footer, a 34-footer and something in between. So David Thomas showed me the plans of his new 28-footer and told me that Hunter should build it.

The Impala’s development and build processes were like the Sonata all over again; but bigger. One unusual feature was the pivoting outboard motor system located in a central stern locker. It was cheaper than an inboard, made life easy for kit builders and was simple to install.

The Impala’s interior was also unusual for its time. Settee berths extend under the cockpit seats and their backrests hinge up to create two comfortable pilot berths under the side decks, safely suspended by lines and lee-cloths and ideal for off-watch crew on night passages.

Hunter Duette 23. Photo – David Harding

The galley is forward to starboard and an ingenious full size chart table hinges down beside the main bulkhead opposite to port. The enclosed heads compartment is just ahead of this and the forepeak contains twin berths.

Overall, Thomas designed a simple and practical seagoing layout that was as good for cruising as it was for racing.

The Impala duly won the OODC’s 28ft slot. It excelled as a One Design, frequently beat top Half Tonners in IOR regattas and also made a great fast cruiser. As ever, Thomas was on hand to help the class he had created.

In later years an IOR rule change led to him add a 3in lead shoe to the keel base, then the association changed the rules to permit an inboard diesel. Otherwise little has changed.

Just like the Sonata, the Impala Class is still active and the boat remains a potent weapon in IRC club cruiser-racing. Thomas’s evergreen designs do as well under today’s IRC rules as they once did under IOR and CHS handicaps.

As was Hunter’s wont, the Impala hull (with an elegant new extended counter stern) was also used to create a new twin keeled cruising variant.

The Hunter Horizon 30 adds an extended, elegant counter stern to the Impala’s hull

Hunter Horizon 30

Named the Hunter Horizon 30 (LOA 30ft, disp 7,264lb, ballast ratio 43%, SA/disp 19.8, CR 22.5) this had a new deck design and interior layout featuring a twin berth forecabin, a conventional saloon with table, an aft chart table (port) and galley (starboard), an aft heads compartment and a separate aft double cabin.

It’s a tribute to Thomas’s original Impala 28 hull design that, with this elegant new deck, the Horizon 30 has ample headroom and space for an aft heads and double cabin without having to resort to an ugly fat stern. It all adds up to a great cruiser with race-boat genes.

Say the word ‘Sigma’ to many cruising sailors and they might reply that these are racing boats and they wouldn’t want anything so quick or demanding.

This would be a shame, because they could be missing out on the extra pleasure that comes from a boat that sails superbly; either in light or heavy winds, with or without a full crew.

The David Thomas-designed Sigma range – the 29 (1983), 33 (1979-1991), 36 (1979), 362 (1983), 38 (1988) and 41(1982) – first hit the scene back in the late 70s with the Sigma 33.

A Sigma 33 sailing at Cowes Week 2005. Photo: Gary Blake/DPPI Media/Alamy

This was marketed as a One Design cruiser-racer and to this day there are fleets of Sigma 33s racing around the cans along our coastline.

Many cruiser-racers spawned by the IOR rule in those distant days have a lot going for them. They are beamier than their RORC rule inspired predecessors, providing more initial stability and increased space down below.

Some had pinched narrow sterns but most were of medium displacement and their sterns were moderately wide.

Sigma 33 Workout under spinnaker during the 2015 Round the Island Race. Photo: Niall Ferguson/Alamy

The Sigmas remain balanced and well mannered, even when sailed overenthusiastically. The Sigma 33 (LOA 32ft 6in, disp 9200lb, ballast ratio 38%, DLR 227, SA/disp 17, CR 22) proved her seaworthiness when the prototype boat successfully weathered the worst of the infamous 1979 Fastnet storm.

Thirty years later 29-year-old Will Sayer sailed his Sigma 33c (a masthead rigged, shallower draught cruising version of the 33 OOD) to overall IRC victory in the single-handed OSTAR race from Plymouth to Rhode Island.

His 33c Elmareen was the smallest boat in the race and finished in 16th place on the water, winning her class (and overall) on IRC handicap.

In the same 2009 OSTAR, Marco Nannini’s Sigma 36 British Beagle (LOA 36ft, disp 12,350lb, ballast ratio 34%, DLR 232, SA/disp 18.2, CR 23.9) was first to finish and overall handicap winner in the IRC3 class. Whether sailed single-handed or fully crewed, these Sigmas are balanced and seaworthy yachts.

Since then, hundreds of Sigmas have sailed thousands of miles. And many are now owned by enlightened cruising sailors who have no intention of going anywhere near a race course. But such owners have the knowledge and experience to recognise a good thing when they see it.

They regard sailing upwind as a pleasure rather than a penance and they enjoy the sensation of sailing quickly and efficiently – as opposed to bouncing around in the same hole in the water or crabbing sideways towards their destination.

Back in 2001, Yachting Monthly ’s comment on the Sigma 36 could equally well apply to the entire range: ‘…. the Sigma 36 is beautiful to sail. There are not many yachts that can compare. She gives a huge feeling of security… backed up by fabulous handling.’

Sigma 38s enjoy close racing at Cowes Week. Photo: Johnathan Smith/Alamy

The larger Sigma 38 OOD (LOA 38ft, disp 13,750lb, ballast ratio 42%, DLR 206, SA/disp 19.33, CR 23) and Sigma 41 (LOA 41ft, disp 19,000lb, DLR 229, SA/disp 16, CR 29.5) are equally popular as capable offshore cruisers.

My most memorable Sigma experiences were on a Sigma 362 (LOA 36ft, disp 12,400lb, ballast ratio 41.6%, DLR 252, SA/disp 17.8, CR 24.4). This successful model sold in large numbers from the early 1980s to the early 1990s and was the first Sigma hull of its size to adopt the contemporary accommodation layout.

Unlike the 33 and 36 (from whose hull she evolved), the 362 has an aft stern cabin with a double berth and a sizable aft heads compartment with shower. The boat is long enough to accommodate these features while still retaining a graceful and moderate stern.

Amidships, the hull features a touch of tumblehome. This not only looks beautiful, it also creates extra buoyancy in the right place as the yacht begins to heel and puts the maximum beam where it’s most useful from an ‘inside space’ point of view.

So why don’t modern cruisers have tumblehome? Tumblehome means the builder has to make a split, as opposed to one piece, mould to get the hull out and this puts up the price.

And the extra labour needed to lay up the hull in a two part mould and then polish out the flash marks where the mould is joined means extra time. And time is money.

The 362’s hull lines are the same as those of the sportier 36. Her well-proportioned new coachroof design is nicely styled and provides ample space and headroom below without looking too high or sacrificing the wide side decks.

The 362’s rig, however, makes concessions to family cruising. Instead of the racier (and taller) fractional rig on her Sigma 36 sister designer Thomas gave the 362 a slightly shorter mast featuring a masthead rig.

Thus the genoa becomes a bit larger and lives on a headsail roller, while the mainsail becomes smaller and is easily tamed by efficient slab reefing and a system of lazyjacks.

The owner of the 362 I sailed said the only drawback was that the repositioning of the mast changes the boat’s trim slightly, so small puddles can remain on the side deck right aft.

My first experience of the Sigma 362 was on a race. Alastair Chilston and his co-owners had entered Thembi in the Round the Island Race. When I came aboard, I discovered (to my relief) that Alastair had enlisted one crew who was an experienced racing helmsman.

Thembi ’s forward facing nav station. Photo: Peter Poland

The boat also had a nice new fully battened mainsail and a fancy looking light No1 genoa. Alastair’s youngest son looked as though he had all the makings of a nimble foredeck hand, so things looked promising.

The skilled guest helmsman made an impeccable start and kept us clear of the close tacking tangle. When sailing in such a big fleet clear air is essential. Then, from the Needles on, the powerful masthead spinnaker pulled like a train.

On the final long beat the genoa set beautifully and Thembi continued to climb through the fleet. I’ll never forget the delightful feel on the wheel (with one finger on one spoke) as she ate up the miles to windward with effortless ease and sailed past larger and racier yachts in the process.

Interior of the Sigma 362 Thembi that Peter Poland raced on in the Round the Island Race then later cruised in the Ionian… four male crew can tend to be untidy!

We knew, as we crossed the finish line, that Thembi had done us proud. But a first in Class and Division came as a complete surprise. If we’d gone easier on the refreshments off Ventnor we could probably have saved another one-and-a-half minutes and carried off the top prize.

My second, and considerably longer, sail on Thembi could not have been more different. I was part of a motley crew of four for a week’s fun on a ‘boy’s outing’ in the Ionian. Alastair had had enough of spiralling Hamble mooring costs and decided to sail Thembi to warmer and cheaper climes.

He’d already visited Ireland and Brittany on long summer cruises and enjoyed a trip across Biscay and back to visit some rias in Northern Spain.

Some might think that four large chaps would find living aboard a 36ft cruiser-racer for a week a bit of a squeeze, but that wasn’t the case. The 362’s interior provides the ideal compromise between seagoing efficiency and harbour comfort. That’s the benefit of using a designer who is also an experienced seaman.

Starting in the bow, the 362 has a generous sized forecabin. Despite being 6ft 2in tall, I happily shared this with a spare sail or two. With an infill in place the berth is wide and long enough to qualify as a genuine ‘double’.

Sigma 362 Thembi cruising in the Ionian. Photo: Peter Poland

There are also full-length under-deck lockers either side, plus a hanging locker (starboard) and a washbasin (port). So stowage and ablutions are well catered for.

In the spacious main saloon, the U-shaped settee to port converts into a double berth. Outboard of the starboard settee, this 362 featured an option derived from the 362’s racing pedigree – a pilot berth.

In heavy sailing conditions this makes a snug and secluded corner for an off-watch crew. When in cruising mode, it becomes a stowage area into which untidy crew can dump bulky objects.

The navigation and galley areas are located aft, at the foot of the companionway steps. Both are large for the size of boat and work well.

The chart table faces forward and is surrounded by useful lockers and drawers while the galley has a substantial work surface and usable lockers – when the doors are slid open the contents don’t fall out in a jumble.

The deep ice-box and double sink are big and work well. It’s hard to believe that this functional and user-friendly layout was designed so long ago.

The spacious aft heads compartment is also a surprise in such a sleek hull. Indeed, it’s big enough not to look out of place in a modern wide-stern cruiser. And much the same can be said of the aft double cabin on the other side of the boat. The bed is big, yet there’s still space for hanging lockers and shelves.

Perhaps the clearance beneath the cockpit sole is slightly less than one might find on a modern, high freeboard cruiser, but it’s still ample to do the job. And it’s a small price to pay for owning a thoroughbred, proper looking yacht.

Despite her age, Thembi ’s rig and equipment were mostly original – which speaks volumes for her solid build. The Kemp (now Seldén) spars looked in excellent condition, though the standing rigging had sensibly been replaced as a matter of course.

The original Volvo inboard thumps along happily. “It’s serviced regularly. They say the first part of these engines likely to give trouble is the gearbox”, said the owner. “But, so far so good.”

The only thing that caused a brief worry was the DeepSea stern gland. But this was only because a service engineer had removed an extra jubilee clip that the owner had wisely clamped onto the prop shaft immediately ahead of the seal to stop it slipping.

A new stainless steel fuel tank lived under the aft double berth. This was a Spanish replacement for the original mild steel tank that rusted through then dumped its smelly contents into the bilge. Access to the tank and stern gland is achieved by lifting the bunk boards.

The interior fit out will be familiar to any Moody owner. This is because, like production Moodys of that era, all Sigmas were built by Marine Projects. The finish in teak-faced ply and solid teak trim is sound and functional.

The interior tray moulding supporting bulkheads and bunk structures is neat and unobtrusive. Moulded side linings inside the roof are nicely matched in colour and texture to the vinyl material glued to the headlining panels.

In places the vinyl had come unstuck, but this is easily rectified. The cushions throughout the boat were also original, and in excellent condition. What’s more they are comfortable to sleep on – even in the sticky heat of Greek nights after overindulging in Greek tavernas.

Since it was hot, we saw a lot of the cockpit. It’s typical of a Thomas design and is spacious yet not too wide. With the helmsman aft behind his wheel, there’s comfortable room for three or four more ahead. Sheet winches are sensibly positioned and the mainsheet track spans the cockpit. So it’s easy to adjust sheets.

A cockpit table folds neatly away against the wheel pedestal when not in use – which was not often the case on our Ionian cruise. And to prevent crew from tumbling down the companionway, solid and seamanlike grab rails surround the opening and come easily to hand.

About the only sign of age in the cockpit was the condition of the teak decking panels (made of ply) set into the seats. But that’s par for the course on many production boats of this era.

And how did she sail? Being in the Ionian in June, the answer was not very often. Many a mile was covered under engine, with the original trusty Autohelm connected up to the wheel. But when the wind did blow, Thembi was a joy to sail.

One evening we enjoyed an unforgettable and long spinnaker run in a rising breeze as we approached Paxos. With the wind initially on the beam and the spinnaker set shy, the boat charged along at 7+ knots.

What’s more she was so well balanced when the wind went further aft that she let the Autohelm steer her – without collapsing the spinnaker. “The Autohelm’s steering the boat better than I did,” muttered one crew member.

But that’s the sign of a sweet and balanced hull – if you set the sails properly, it should rarely leave its groove.

On another memorable occasion we had a stomping beat back towards Levkas. With a couple of rolls in the genoa Thembi reeled in fat charter boat after fat charter boat as they sagged off to leeward while she climbed effortlessly up to windward.

I sat on the lee side of the cockpit with a finger looped around one spoke of the wheel, just watching the woollies on the genoa luff and helping her on her easy and speedy way.

That’s the joy of steering a well-designed yacht. Who would swap such a splendid sensation for a larger stern cabin? Maybe a charter company, but not me.

The Sigma 362 achieves an admirable balance between creature comforts, sailing performance and good looks, which is all that I’d ask for in my ideal cruiser. A well-maintained and re-engined 362 would do nicely.

Sigma 38 Beefeater racing at Cowes Week back in 2007. Photo: Gerry Walden/Alamy

The Sigma 38 also makes a great cruising yacht. An owner once summed up the 38’s appeal well when he told me: “It is interesting how, as classes wax and wane, the Sigma 38 still hangs in there.

Sigma 38s win in RORC, JOG and, when organisers take them out of One Design, they win under IRC inshore as well. Much of this is down to an enthusiastic bunch who run the Sigma 38 class association website , which is gradually being improved as a resource to help keep these boats going.

“One problem is that the 38 makes a seriously good cruising boat as well, which might dilute the racing. But most folk are attracted to them because they want to do both – and it would be difficult to find another boat that covers both these roles without spending more than double the money. But then I am probably biased!” He is, but then again he’s right.

When considering buying any well-used yacht, including a Sigma, it pays to employ a reputable surveyor. Hugo Morgan-Harris of surveyors Saunders Morgan Harris sails a Sigma 38 so knows what to look for on this and other models.

The Sigma 38 Association also offers useful advice about buying a Sigma (see their website). My own Sigma 362 experiences suggest that if they’re still there, any original mild steel fuel or water tanks will need replacing!

Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson crosses the Sydney Harbour finish line of her unassisted solo voyage around the world in her S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady . Photo: Christophe Launay/DPPI Media/Alamy

The S&S 34 (LOA 33ft 6in, disp 9,195lb, ballast ratio 58%, DLR 290, SA/disp 16.5, CR 24.3) is another all time great cruiser-racer that has many fans.

It was built in the UK from 1968 and also in the USA and Australia. From the day Edward Heath became an owner, the S&S 34’s fame spread. Heath won pots galore, including the Sydney Hobart Race in his first S&S-designed 34 Morning Cloud .

Many S&S 34s built in Australia have circled the globe, including the remarkable Jessica Watson and her S&S 34 Ella’s Pink Lady . When she finished her non-stop 23,000 mile solo circumnavigation via the Roaring Forties in 210 days, Jessica was still only 16. You can read about it in her book True Spirit .

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

S&S 34. Photo: Sailingscenes.com

When I asked her ‘why a 34?’ she explained: “The S&S 34 was the obvious choice for the voyage. I just couldn’t ignore its amazing track record. I would have struggled sailing a bigger boat and I needed a boat that would comfortably handle multiple knockdowns.

“Also it was really important to have a boat that could sail into +30-knot wind and huge seas. Very few modern boats could do that.”

Experienced delivery skipper David Thompson was another owner to sing the S&S 34’s praises, saying: “The owner before me did four transatlantics in her, including the OSTAR.

“She’s what I call an offshore boat… very stiff, seaworthy and goes like a train to windward if it’s blowing hard. The raised sheer at the bow makes her a dry boat for her size. She has a big skeg rudder that’s unbalanced, as on many boats of that era.

“The pinched stern makes her a bit of a handful going downwind at speed, but the big rudder would always haul her back. With the powerful keel and strong construction one could hang onto lots of sail if the wind got up a bit.”

Anyone looking for a more modern cruiser-racer also has plenty of choice. Most of the many boats designed by Rob Humphreys make versatile cruiser-racers. The 32ft 9in Elan 333 (1999) is a good example.

A high SA/disp ratio of 20.72 and low DLR of 166.35 add up to speed; while a ballast ratio of 38% (with a CG-lowering bulbed keel) promises stability.

As an added bonus, the modern interior layout is well thought through and she’s also a pretty boat. If her size does not suit, the Elan 31 (2002) and 340 (2006) are worth a look.

The J109 (2004; LOA 35ft 3in) cruiser-racer has also been successful. Its 10,900lb displacement, SA/disp ratio of 21.3, DLR of 171.51, and bulbed lead keel (ballast ratio 35.78%) explain why this yacht really shifts, while its Comfort Ratio of 20.4 suggests an easy motion.

And note that J boats go for lead keels. These cost much more than cast iron, but are so much better in so many ways. The J109’s bowsprit and asymmetric downwind chute is suited to cruising as well as being potent around a racecourse.

The interior has a modern layout with a heads compartment and double cabin just aft of the L-shaped galley and forward-facing chart table. Forward are two saloon settee/berths, two hanging lockers and double forepeak berth.

Leading European builders such as Jeanneau, Beneteau and Dehler have also offered successful cruiser-racers down the years. However these days they tend to concentrate on larger yachts that also appeal to the charter markets.

If a brokerage cruiser-racer appeals, it’s still important to use an experienced surveyor and study any relevant owners’ class association facebook pages or websites.

Any boat that appears to have been raced hard needs careful scrutiny. But find the right one and you should get a lot of fun for your money. And if you plan to go racing, be sure to tell your insurers first.

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Winners declared in 114th Chicago Mackinac Race

July 25, 2023 - Chicago and Mackinac Island, MI, USA -   Another successful Race to Mackinac is in the books, with today’s award ceremony taking place on the great lawn of Mission Point Resort. The race known as ‘America’s Offshore Challenge,’ delivered in spectacular fashion yet again with its mix of squalls, calms and most of all, new memories for the 240 teams competing.

For the Mackinac Cup , awarded this year to the large racing boats' overall winner, first-timer FINAL FINAL won Section 2 and the Cup. Owner Jon Desmond of Cohasset, Mass. , admitted they had more than a few moments of angst when early on in the race they made a tactical decision to split from the fleet.

“We had this moment where it was like, ‘you realize we have just separated from the teams that have how many Macs under their belt’?” he said. 

The decision paid off, and the East-coast based Mills 41 is already planning its return to defend the victory.

In the Cruising Division winner ALBATROSS , a Solaris One 42 owned by Fernando Assens of Miami, Fla., edged out EAGLE ONE by three minutes on corrected time to earn his name on the inaugural Whitehawk Trophy , donated by Marjorie and Peter Thornton . The Thorntons own the trophy’s namesake and have added the overall trophy to Chicago Yacht Club’s prestigious collection in recognition of the burgeoning Cruising Division.

Thornton’s WHITEHAWK , the 104-foot ketch earned the Royono Trophy as the first boat to finish this year’s race, but thanks to the handicap netted out in sixth place. WHITEHAWK and EAGLE ONE battled it out in the Mackinac Straits, a 10-mile stretch infamous for where the 289-nautical mile (333 statute mile) race is won or lost.

In the smaller-boat racing division, LIQUID LOUNGE II , a J/109 out of Chicago owned by Jim Caesar earned the Mackinac Trophy.

Presenting sponsor Wintrust entered a race team for the second time, with the crew eager to defend their 2022 Section win. Sailing in Section 3 the team emerged victorious again, this time on board SIC PARVIS MAGNUS, a J/145.

Doublehanded division winner MCQUEEN , owned by Justin Acker of Leland, Mich. and teammate Ted Lockwood of Traverse City, sailed the J/88 to victory in the four-boat fleet.

While Meghan and Christina O’Rourke may not have made the podium on their respective boats, the two sisters celebrated their family’s legacy on the 100th anniversary of their great-grandfather’s 1923 race. John O’Rourke sailed his boat to victory that year but was later disqualified due to a failure to supply the boat’s measurement certificate.

The sisters said their love for sailing and the Mac Race runs deep. 

“Every Christmas, every holiday, we would hear these magical stories of being on the water and all these great events that our family has participated in,” said Meghan. “So it definitely drew us to the sport a little closer.

With Meghan on the Farr 40 HOT LIPS and Christine on board Nelson Marek 46 SKYE , both in the Section 3, they relished the competition. The way the race played out this year, the two boats were within yelling distance to each other in the Straits.

“I think our great grandfather would definitely be proud … and especially because we both got all of our certificates in,” Meghan said laughing.

The 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust is scheduled for July 13, 2024. 

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Hunter 30: Still the Affordable Fantasy

Production coastal cruiser offers a lot of boat for not a lot of bucks..

Hunter Marine began building auxiliary sailboats in 1974, largely as the result of the first oil embargo and the new energy consciousness that followed. Founded by Warren Luhrs, Hunter began as a division of the powerboat-maker Silverton Yachts, which was interested in expanding its offerings and taking advantage of the new interest in saving fuel.

The companys aim was high-volume production, keeping prices low by standardizing design, making as few tooling changes as possible, and offering its boats fully equipped-while other companies were selling things like bow pulpits and lifelines as options on a 30-foot boat. The original Hunter boats were marketed as the affordable fantasy and came with sails, dock lines, fenders, life jackets, and fire extinguishers, in what Hunter called the Cruise Pak of standard features. About the only option available on the early Hunters was a choice of shoal- or deep-draft keel.

Photo by CeCe Stoldt

In 2012, Hunter Marine was sold to David Marlow, the builder of Marlow Yachts. With this change of ownership came a change in corporate goals and product offerings. Hunter Marine began-like its chief competitor, Catalina Yachts-with a small group of standardized models. From 1974 through 1977, it offered only the Hunter 25, 27, and 30 models, and from 1977 through 1979, the builder added only the 33 and 37. Today, Hunter-Marlow makes nine production models ranging from trailerable daysailors (15 to 22 feet) to mid-size (27 to 37 feet) and large (40 to 50 feet) keelboats.

Also, Hunters high-volume-production business model has been replaced with the Marlow ethos, which is more focused on yacht-level quality than production volume. Marlow-Hunter produces about 100 boats each year, including trailerable and cruising sailboats, as well as Mainship powerboats, according to Greg Emerson, Marlow-Hunters director of sales.

The Hunter 30

Designed by John Cherubini and built from 1974 to 1983, the Hunter 30 is a coastal cruiser that was designed to offer a lot of boat for little money. With a focus on streamlining construction to boost production volume, Hunter aimed to offer an affordable coastal racer-cruiser. More than 1,000 Hunter 30s were built over the nine-year production run; however, a number of them were sold as Quest 30s, which was essentially a sail-away, bare-hull kit boat, and the purchaser completed the interior and the fitting out.

For this report, we checked out a 1980 Hunter 30 (hull #934) and a 1978 model (hull #568). In contrast to later Hunters, the early Cherubini-designed models were conservative and conventional in design. The longer sister models-the 33 and 37-were, in our opinion, good-looking boats, moderately styled, with an attractive bow line and sheer, and a pleasing coachroof. The smaller boats, the 25 and 27, instead traded in some styling characteristics in order to pack a lot of room into a short waterline, which left them with higher-sided with boxier cabinhouses.

The 30 lies somewhere in between-handsome from some angles but a bit too flat in the sheer and high in the cabintop to impress traditionalists. Still, most of those traditionalists would consider it a much more attractive boat than the modern Euro-styled Hunters.

The 30s hull is very full-to maximize interior space-but otherwise, its quite typical of the racer-cruisers of the 1970s. Overall, the boat is 29 feet, 11 inches long-the maximum allowable length under the then-popular Midget Ocean Racing Club (MORC) rule. The short overhangs result in a long waterline, fundamental for sailing speed. The beam, at just a hair over 10 feet, is moderate by 1970s standards, but narrow in comparison to the big 30-footers that have appeared since. The Catalina 30, for example, is nine inches wider, and many current boats carry a foot more beam (and carry it further aft) than the Hunter 30.

A conventional fin keel, drawing 5 feet, 3 inches, was standard, with a 4-foot shoal keel as an option. We test-sailed the deep-keel version, and suspect it is much to be preferred, unless you absolutely need the shallower draft. Company literature lists the displacement and ballast as identical on both models. That would make the shallow-keel version more tender, requiring crew to reef early as the wind pipes up.

The foredeck is on the smaller side for anchor work and sail handling because the cabinhouse extends quite far forward. The 1978 and later models have an anchor well built into the foredeck that is self-contained and large enough to hold over 400 feet of rode, or enough for two anchors. The test boat we sailed had a furling jib, a desirable option in view of the smallish foredeck.

A significant shortcoming of the boats design is the narrow sidedecks. The wide cabinhouse makes it clear that the designers top priority was interior room, with deck work being a distant consideration. Its near impossible to get past the chainplates, especially on the leeward side when under a press of canvas, without climbing atop the cabinhouse.

The boat has a good cockpit, a bit smaller than some other 30-footers (again, a result of maximizing cabin space). A wheel was standard on the boat; its small, which is good for moving around the cockpit, but less than ideal for helming, in our opinion

A T cockpit became standard following the 1980 models, and some people preferred that arrangement; however, you could lie down on the older bench seats, and you can’t with the T. The bench seats would benefit from some sort of drain arrangement since they trap water. A deep lazarette behind the cockpit offers additional on-deck storage.

A peculiarity of the decks on the early Hunters is that the nonskid pattern was not molded in as is customary on fiberglass decks. Instead, a nonskid aggregate was painted on. Given the age of the Hunter 30, the original aggregate is likely long gone, and owners have had to apply fresh nonskid paint or nonskid mat. Fortunately, such a repair is straightforward and an easy (although time-consuming), do-it-yourself project (see PS August 2008 and November 2013 online).

On the boats we examined, there was minimal sail-handling equipment on deck-one pair of jib-sheet winches, a small halyard winch for the jib, no winch for the main halyard, no Cunningham or vang, no control lines on the traveler, no flattening reef, a single jiffy reef block, two jib lead blocks out on the toerail, and no backstay adjuster. However, most H30 owners have added deck gear over the years, including a running backstay, so what youll find on Hunter 30s today will run the gamut. A large number of Hunter 30 owners who responded to our survey reported that their boat was rigged for singlehanding, making it easy to sail with a short- or single-handed crew.

The original Hunter 30 owners manual was a great example of a good, clear, simple manual. It has always amazed us how many other boat builders provide the buyer with little or no printed information. If you happen to own or buy a Hunter 30 (or pretty much any older Hunter model) thats missing its manual, simply download the PDF of the original from the Hunter-Marlow website.

courtesy of Kasi McCain

The 30s interior was a strong selling point for the Hunter 30. Almost every owner that responded to our survey commented on the size of the boats interior-often relative to low price-when talking about their reasons for buying the 30.

The interior is well laid out, but plain. Theres a lot here for the money, however. Some of the original details could use changing-the alcohol stove, lack of vents, and small water tank-and many owners have upgraded or modified these systems.

The Hunter 30s layout is conventional, with a good V-berth forward, then a head with small hanging locker opposite, settee berths on each side of the saloon with a double, a drop-leaf table in the middle, an L-shaped galley, with the sink underneath the companionway, and a quarter berth, with a small chart table at its head. The berths are of good size, and on some boats, the port settee can convert to a double berth.

The head area is roomy with enough space for comfortable showering and a door for privacy. The interior also offers lots of storage for a boat this size: The hanging locker can accommodate plenty of clothes and has an overhead shelf; and there are three large storage lockers in the V-berth, plus a host of drawers and under-seat storage in the saloon.

The icebox on the boat we looked at had minimal insulation and would benefit from several more inches all around. Many owners reported having upgraded with icebox conversion kits.

The deckhouse is high and wide, and this gives a look of spaciousness below. The white hull liner overhead helps offset the extensive teak veneer on the bulkheads, ceilings, sole, and furniture.

There are adequate ports and hatches to allow in enough light. The opening portlights-Hunter was one of the first production boats to offer numerous opening ports as standard-offer good ventilation. If youre considering buying a Hunter 30 that has not had any ventilation upgrades, you will probably want to add some Dorades or solar vents to keep the air moving when the ports and hatches must be closed.

The finish downbelow is typical of low-cost production boats, which depend on pre-fab components that can be rapidly installed in the hull. In our owner surveys, there were a great many complaints about the original joinerwork, door hinges, and hardware. The original cabin sole was made of teak veneer, so in instances of water damage, it often cannot be repaired but must be replaced.

For the first four years of the Hunter 30s production, a 12-horsepower Yanmar diesel was standard. After 1978, standard power was a 15-horsepower Yanmar, followed by an 18-horsepower Yanmar.

The 12 was a particularly noisy engine; the later models were less so. Most of the owners who completed our survey thought the engines were minimal for powering the boat, especially in any kind of head seas; however, by traditional standards, even the 12-horsepower model should be adequate for the weight and length of the boat. Although the 12 is highly praised for its reliability, many people will find the later Hunter 30s to be more desirable because of their larger, smoother-running engines.

Engine accessibility was criticized by almost all of the owners who completed our survey. Access is awful, said one. You must be a left-handed midget to work on this engine.

We thought accessibility was far from ideal, but not excessively bad for this size boat. With a big interior and a small cockpit, its hard to stuff an engine under the cockpit sole without cramping.

The Hunter 30 we sailed (with a Yanmar 12) was well behaved under power; it backed nicely, turned crisply, and drove through strong winds (in protected water) with no problem. Our impression was that the engines vibration and noise were more of a concern than its power. Anyone buying the boat with the Yanmar 12 will probably want to spend the time to get perfect alignment. Wed also look closely at the engine mounts and the shaft-strut mounting.

Some owners have re-powered their boats, usually opting for a Yanmar 2QM15 or Yanmar 2GM20F diesel with good results. A two-blade solid prop was standard, but a number of owners refitted the boat with a three-blade solid prop to improve powering. We doubt if the gain would offset the loss in sailing ability.

Theres a full skeg ahead of the rudder. If you have to remove the propeller shaft for some reason, youll have to remove the engine first, or tear the skeg off. On the shoal-draft version, the skeg also is something of a grounding vulnerability as the rudder is about as deep as the foot of the keel.

We were pleasantly surprised by the sailing performance of the Hunter 30. We sailed one in a long, triangular race-two triangles, then windward-leeward-windward legs-in heavy air, a little over 20 knots at the start.

Considering that the test boat had almost no sail controls and old sails, and that the underbody was rough and a bit weedy, the boat moved very well, going to weather respectably in a serious racing fleet, and reaching and running competitively.

The jib we used was the 130-percent genoa on roller furling, and this was about right for the boat in those conditions. When the wind faded near the end of race, the boat was clearly under-canvassed.

The boat is slightly under-rigged with its short mast. To sail well in light air, especially with the solid prop that most 30s have, a sizeable genoa is required. One Florida Panhandle-based owner reports that she sails with a 155 or 170 genoa, both of which are ideal in light winds and can be reefed with furling if the wind picks up. This boat sails nicely and does better in higher winds than light wind. …. It responds very quickly when tacking and can almost sail itself in steady winds, she explained.

We agree: The 30 is a good sailing boat, responsive and easy to steer. Its PHRF rating of 186 (New England fleet) would probably be very favorable. If the boat were rigged with a full complement of sail-handling gear and modern sails, it should be able to stay with other 30-footers of the same era, such as the Pearson 30, Catalina 30 (not the tall rig), and ODay 30. Since sailing is what sailing is all about, our opinion of the Hunter 30 was improved dramatically when we took a first in the races main-and-jib class.

Conclusions

The Hunter 30 was a boat built to a price point-to appeal to the sailor who wanted a lot of boat at an affordable price.

As long as a buyer understands that, not expecting custom quality at barnyard prices, the Hunter 30 can be a good value in a used boat. Many on the used market today have been repowered and had systems upgrades added like refrigeration. Be sure to look for delamination issues, check the nonskid, and examine the cabinhouse around the mast for sagging, as many of these Hunters have had compression post issues.

Its easy to pay too much for a used boat these days, but for a good-condition, roomy coastal cruiser that can make a good showing around the buoys, the Hunter 30 can be had at a decent price-a lot of cruisability for minimal investment. Youll find Hunter 30s on the used-boat market to be priced about the same as comparable boats (Catalina 30 and Pearson 30), with an average pricetag of about $13,500.

Pros -Many have been re-rigged for easy singlehanding from the cockpit -Roomy cockpit for a 30-footer -Minimal topside brightwork -Sizeable anchor well on deck -Many have been upgraded to furling headsails -Handholds run the full length of cabin

Cons -Limited foredeck space -Very narrow sidedecks -Standard, original ventilation was lacking, needs upgrades -Pre-1980 bench seats trap water, need drain added

Hunter Marine built the 30 with an aim to maximize interior space. 1. The galley came standard with an alcohol stove, a deep ice box, and a small sink; many owners have updated the cooktop and added some type of refrigeration. The sink is too small to effectively wash dishes. 2. The settees offer full-length berths. 3. The H30 fits a fair bit of interior storage in a small space, including drawers behind and under the settees. 4. The V-berth has additional storage under the bed, which is large enough to comfortably sleep two (friendly) adults. 5. A very small nav desk and a full-length quarter berth are situated to port of the companionway. Electronics can be mounted inside the companionway.

In construction, the Hunter 30 is very conventional—an economical, solid-glass layup in the hull and a balsa-cored deck with plywood for backing under cleats. A conventional flange, with a through-bolted aluminum toerail joins the hull and deck together. The basic construction is quite a contrast to that of present-day Hunters, which can generally be described as highly engineered and Euro-styled, at the opposite end of the spectrum from the early Hunters like the 30.

Testers’ opinion of the fiberglass work was that it was good but a little light—marginal for offshore sailing but strong enough for typical coastal cruising.

On one of the Hunter 30s we looked at, there was extensive delamination of the cockpit sole and the bench seats. There also were signs of sloppy glass work—ragged edges and un-resinated glass—in compartments and other out-of-sight places.

Quality-control problems also were cited by a surprisingly high number of the Hunter 30 owners we surveyed for this article. The problems often mentioned included improperly hooked-up fuel-return lines, chafed hoses, leaking ports, poorly fitted hatch boards and lazarette covers, improperly installed exhaust systems, and so on.

The Hunter 30 compares favorably, in price and performance, to other production boats in the same size range and of similar vintage.

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Great review and enlightening! Thanks for your knowledge!

Great coverage on the 30! I owned a Hunter 30 1994-2000. Live aboard at Harbor Island San Diego. Very nice experience. Yes, the Yanmar 15 was a bit noisy. I thought For a while there was mechanical issues but Found out it was it’s nature.

Good article. I bought a 1977 Hunter 30, and it does sail surprisingly well for a older production boat. The engine works okay but is a bit noisy. It will soon be for sail as my daughter is the sailor and moved overseas for college.

Almost 40 years in my 1978 27 ft. Your comments were all on the mark. The original 8 hp gave out after 30 years and repowered with the 15 hp and replace the packing stuffing box with seal. Replaced the ports in the head and vee. For the time available I had to sail it worked out well. Fifteen years on Great Lakes and 22 plus in FL.

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Trail Running 100

Embrace the journey, endurance hunter 100 race report.

In 2021, the first year of the race, I paced for a friend of mine, John Cremer.  We navigated through the last 45 miles, and I saw John to a strong finish. While it was an inaugural event and I could see a few things that could be improved upon, it did not stop me from wanting to sign up for the race almost as soon as registration opened. Running this race would complete the Pinhoti Slam for me, having already run Double Top 100 and Pinhoti 100 in other years. The point-to-point race starts in Blue Ridge, Georgia and ends in Chatsworth.  I immediately lined up Brad Goodridge as my trusted crew and Alex Anaya to pace me. I really didn’t give the race too much thought until much closer to the race.

Another fun fact about this race, my friend Ana Robbins was also going to run the race with me.  Well, the plan was to stay together if possible and I worked on trying to line up pacers for her in case we had to “break up”.  Getting additional pacers didn’t work out but more on that later.  We would plan to stay together if possible.

The race started at 7am on Saturday morning which is nice for not a crazy early wake up call.  Ana invited us to stay at her cabin in Suches the night before the race which helped us to make last minute plans for Brad to crew for us both. Although it was probably the least prepared I’d been before a race in a long time, I felt excited and confident going into it.

Let me first give you some details on the challenges of this race because compared to most 100 milers I’ve run in the past; this one had some unique challenges.  First off, the weather, which might ordinarily not be a challenge, but April in Georgia is unpredictable.  It called for cool temps during the day and freezing overnight. If you know me at all, you know cold is my least favorite temperature, but I’ve learned to bring the right gear and suck it up for the most part (minus a little complaining that is). The race director had already required that each runner carry a space blanket in their packs for emergency purposes.

Another huge challenge is there are only 9 aid stations in 100 miles and except for one, they are all between 8 and 15 miles apart. On a flatter or faster course, that might not be so bad but in the mountains with lots of climbing and obstacles to navigate, that can be a long time between aid, your crew and support. This meant carrying a little extra gear, water, and food.  The race was not that huge, but it did have 100 milers and 100K runners on the course, otherwise without the company of Ana, it would have been a long time between seeing anyone else.

One of the rather big challenges that can be devastating for some runners, is lots and lots of water crossings.  The first one was at mile 8 in the race.  They were sometimes deep and extremely cold and while your feet would warm up within 50 yards or so, your socks and shoes did not dry out.  The first aid station that would give you a longer reprieve from the water crossings where you could put on dry shoes and socks was at mile 65.  Lest we be fooled into thinking they would stay dry the rest of the race; one final deep crossing would be around mile 96.

One final big challenge was a section of the course that had a significant number of blown down trees. This long section required you to go under, over, around, and sometimes climbing through these trees.  All of which took a significant amount of time, and you could not get into a good running rhythm with the constant stops to navigate. If you can imagine, being tall makes having to go under very hard, or if you are shorter, going over a little more difficult. Either way, it sucked a lot of time this course required from you.

Promptly at 7am we started our race from Downtown Blue Ridge where we ran out of town on paved roads and then followed the railroad tracks before we hit more roads to the first aid station at mile 8. I felt we had a very comfortable middle of the pack pace, although admittedly for Ana it was a bit faster than she would have liked.

 After the first aid station we immediately hit our first deep water crossing and the trails quickly dropped us into a more reasonable pace for both of us. Not too long after we hit the trails, it also began to snow and covered the ground in beautiful white. This section was on the BMT (Benton MacKaye Trail), a section I had never been on.  At first there were a few runners around us but soon we hardly saw anyone as the race had spread out.  While the weather was pretty chilly and my fingers started to hurt from the cold, it was an extremely beautiful part of the course.  Nearly 13.6 miles later we cruised into the second aid station and our crew of Brad and Alex.

I was able to get some warmer mittens for my hands along with some hand warmers, eat some food and head out for the next section.  This was one of the shorter sections at 8.4 miles that would put us onto the Pinhoti trail and where we would encounter at least 6 miles of navigating the downed trees.  Again, a beautiful section following the river, and we shared some of those miles with another runner, Todd, before he sped ahead of us.  Our race continued with us seeing our crew after long stretches and we kept up a steady pace. Alex took a break to get some sleep before jumping in to pace at mile 54 and Brad met us at mile 40 just before our long push for the next 15 miles. Ana and I had discussed breaking up before getting to Brad and I let Brad know that the new plan might be for Alex to pace only Ana starting at 54 if I went on ahead of her. It would get dark before we got to Alex to pace so we got our headlamps and hoped we would stay together. I had moments where I felt strong and wanted to move faster but I didn’t really want to be alone or leave Ana alone for this long stretch. We stayed together and got to Alex more than ready for him to pace.

Leaving the Mulberry Gap Aid Station at mile 54 and it’s always a nice feeling when you know you are over halfway.  Not to get too comfortable though because this course really starts here.  Well, the climbing does anyway. It feels like a long grind to the top of the first climb right after leaving the aid station with plenty more to come. We didn’t discuss it, but Ana slowed down and I knew she was struggling with feet or leg pain. It was time for me to get moving at my own pace, and as Alex and I were together slightly ahead of Ana, I told him that he should stay with her, and I was going to keep going at my pace. I headed down the trail at a late-night jogging pace and it seemed like it only took a few miles before I began seeing headlamps ahead and began to pass one runner after another. By the time I’d gotten to the next aid station, I had passed about 7 runners. It’s a large climb from this aid station and into Fort Mountain Park. More headlamps and eventually I passed a few more runners though this tough climbing and technical section before catching up to our earlier friend, Todd and finishing that Gahuti trail loop with him.

It was light out when I got to the aid station at mile 75, and I was well taken care of by Brad and the aid station crew as they fed me spaghetti. Now that I think of it, that might be my first ever spaghetti breakfast, but I needed food and it sounded so good.  Todd’s family had greeted him, and he indicated that he might like a nap.  Brad informed me that Ana had dropped from the race, and he was leaving to get her and bring Alex to pace me to the finish.  I tried to finish up and head right back out where I met Alex about a mile down the trail.  This was the long 301 loop in Fort Mountain Park that Alex and I knew so well and had been on way too many times together.  We stopped briefly so I could take off all my warm layers from the cold night as it had started to warm up in the morning sun.  We had just gotten to the bottom of the powerline switch backs when Alex told me he saw a carrot! If you’ve paced me in a race, you know I like to chase carrots late in a race.  My goal is always to try and take care of myself the first 2/3 of the race so I can finish strong the final third.  That’s when I like chasing people down. So, Alex thinks I’ll catch this person on the climb up the powerlines when I’m sure I’m almost on my last gasp of doing anything. Then just as Alex suggested, I’m easily able to pass and finish the huge powerline climb with Alex’s encouragement the whole way. After the climb we hit the aid station in the park one last time where I dumped everything from my pack, got more food to eat and headed out for the final stretch of the race. This time Erin Barbely joined Alex and me to pace the final miles.  Erin had come up last minute as we thought we’d want an additional pacer to help Ana.

Brad met us one last time at the next aid station and then it was downhill to the finish.  NO IT WASN’T!  But it wasn’t all uphill either. Erin led the way and kept me running when we weren’t climbing, we all got our feet wet at the last big water crossing and made our way to the final miles that were finally downhill.  Now Alex sees more carrots and I try to tell him I’m not vegetarian, but it was the motivation as I ran every bit of the final few miles passing at least 2 runners before crossing the finish line.  It was an amazing feeling having such a strong final 40 miles on this tough course!

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Rio 100 An iconic race yacht in the 100ft Super Maxi class designed by Brett Bakewell White. Launched as Lahana out of the Hakes Marine in New Zealand. Rio 100 has a long race history and track record under her current ownership and in the past as former Zana and Konica Minolta. In 2014, under her new ownership, Rio 100 went through an extensive refit to essentially rebuild her at Cookson Boats in New Zealand. The rebuild involved a new hull aft of the rig, new rudders, and a new lifting keel to allow access to smaller marinas. Various other upgrades were done to the interior with the major upgrades being a new electronics package and a new engine. The total upgrades to Rio were in the region of USD 250 000. Rio 100 emerged a new modern Race Yacht but still retained the essence of offshore racing by maintaining the use of manual power and not opting for the full hydraulic winch systems of the newer Maxis. Rio 100 has had some great success after relaunching: 2014 • Yates Cup Line Honours • Sydney to Hobart 4th finisher 2015 • Carbo Race Line Honours • Transpac Barn Door trophy (Line Honours) 2016 • PV Race Line Honours and Course Record • Pacific Cup Line Honours and Course Record 2017 • Transpac Barn Door trophy (Line Honours) 2019 • Transpac The Merlin trophy (Manually powered line honours) Please contact Performance Yacht Brokerage for more information about this fantastic opportunity to race at the front of the fleet. Download the brochure for a further detail about Rio 100.

For further details about the yacht and her inventory, please contact Performance Yacht Brokerage or alternatively download the brochure. Performance Yacht Brokerage offers the details of this yacht in good faith and the details are intended to give a fair description of the vessel, but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed, and they do not constitute part of any contract. Performance Yacht Brokerage strongly advises an interest buyer to check the particulars of the vessel and to have the vessel surveyed by a qualified marine surveyor. The vessel is offered subject to a prior sale being concluded or negotiated and subject to a price change or the vessel being withdrawn without notice. Performance Yacht Brokerage is not the primary listing agent for this vessel, but should you wish for Performance Yacht Brokerage to represent you in further enquiries about this vessel and or in negotiations for the purchase of this vessel in capacity as a buyers broker, then please contact us.

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Pacific 1000 powerboat race 1979 ~ Hainesy's Hunter wins

Copied from one of my old slides dated 1979.   the pacific 1000 power boat race started in cairns and finished at southport on the gold coast, a distance of approximately 1000 miles. the 1979 race was won by john haines in his boat hainesy's hunter. john haines was the founder of haines hunter, the pleasure and race boat manufacturer. the race finished on a fully overcast day with some light rain falling at times..

Record 334 boats lined up for 100th Bayview Mackinac race; 'All out war' on the water

Some things endure. In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Great Gatsby" and Mount Rushmore was dedicated. Here in Michigan, Bayview Yacht Club launched its first sailboat race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.

Yep, 100 continuous years of racing with sailors from all over the world — despite war, economic crisis or pandemic.

A record-setting 334 boats have registered for the July 20 event, shattering the record of 316 in 1985 and a huge contrast compared with the 200 boats that raced last year, data confirmed by David Stoyka, Bayview Yacht Club spokesman.

The course will follow the original 1925 route and span 204 nautical miles. From its traditional start in southern Lake Huron, the boats will head north along the Michigan shoreline, passing south of Bois Blanc Island, sailing west to east at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island, organizers said.

'Everybody will be fighting for every last inch'

Sailors describe excitement and slight trepidation, as part of the course involves shallow water filled with shoals and challenging wind patterns.

In recent years, sailors chose one of two courses, the longer Cove Island course or shorter Shore Course. Only the Shore Course is running this year, but the ending has an unusual twist, coming into the Straits of Mackinac from the opposite direction as usual, and sailing the narrow passage between the Michigan shoreline and Bois Blanc Island.

The finish line is expected to include some chaos, competitors predicted.

"Imagine it's 3 a.m., a cloudy and moonless night and the wind is blowing 25 knots per hour out of the northwest," said champion sailor Tim Prophit , 65, of St. Clair Shores, past commodore of Bayview Yacht Club and owner of Fast Tango, a North American 40 sailboat. "Everybody will be fighting for every last inch. It's dark, choppy."

He expects to finish in 32 to 36 hours this year, studying weather patterns and running wind simulations since January to prep for the competition. A lot of boats have spent thousands of dollars on new sails. All skippers want to carry as little as possible in gear, food and crew to be competitive. All skill levels have entered the race, and the highly skilled racers know they will cross the bow of competitors within inches. Still, there's always risk of a crash with the slightest miscalculation.

"Everybody recognizes this is super intense," Prophit said. "Do we hug the Michigan shoreline ... you don't want to get stuck where the air just goes away. It's death. The secret is to find that little ribbon of wind and stay in it but don't run aground. Everybody is going to be compressed together."

Two lessons a veteran sailor knows: Cockiness will kill you and never let up when you've got your foot on the throat of a competitor, especially seasoned sailors who have picked up secret intel along the way, Prophit said.

Charlie Trost, of Grosse Pointe Woods, this year's race chairman, said this event will have a little bit of everything and a lot of surprises.

More: Sailors overcome emergency at 2 a.m. in rough waters to win Bayview Mackinac race

"People are coming out of the woodwork, whether it's the weekend warrior or a professional racer," Trost told the Free Press. "A lot of people are interested, whether the accomplishment is getting from Point A to Point B or the goal is doing whatever it takes to win first place."

Trost, 35, will sail his 22nd race to Mackinac on the J-130 sailboat known as Pendragon. He follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, hoping one day his 1- and 3-year-old sons will race. The whole family will be on the island, which is mostly sold out for this event.

His mother, Barb Trost, of Grosse Pointe Woods, oversees race registration. And his sister, Ali Augsburger, 37, of Grosse Pointe Park, will be helping coordinate logistics.

Mike Hendrie, 47, of Chicago, follows in the sails of grandfather George Hendrie Sr., of Grosse Pointe Farms, who raced from Port Huron to Mackinac Island in 1926 for the second race ever held. The starting line has always been within view of the family waterfront cottage between Krafft and Keewahdin in Fort Gratiot — a Hendrie hangout since the early 1900s.

"George Hendrie Sr. was also famous for being ice boating world champion for 10 years," Mike Hendrie said. "That boat was named Ferdinand the Bull."

In fact, a Hendrie has raced the Mackinac for 98 of the 100 years running, Mike Hendrie said. And family members still, to this day, watch racers from the cottage. Mike Hendrie, who grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, will skipper the J-109 Bull with eight crew members, including his father and cousins.

HIs uncle, George Hendrie Jr., sailed his first Mackinac race in 1947 and raced 68 times, Mike Hendrie said. "He sailed his last one at 90 years old six years ago. He passed away in January, and we'll be sailing in his honor. And that makes it really special."

Because the race is so significant to so many, the level of competition is elevated significantly.

"Everyone is going to be sailing harder and sailing smarter," Prophit said. "With a race that's expected to last less than two days for most boats, people will be getting less rest because they'll be more focused on pushing the boat as hard as possible ... every second is going to count. It's going to be an all-out war, fighting for every inch."

More: 'Peanuts' characters Snoopy, Woodstock on shirts for Bayview Mackinac sailboat race

More: Hoffmanns of Naples acquire Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Co.

Editor's Note: Phoebe Wall Howard covers sailing for the Detroit Free Press, and she had been going to Mackinac Island to meet her father at the finish line since age 12. Robert Wall, of Algonac, won his last Port Huron to Mackinac race on Chippewa, a Tartan 34C, in 2014 at age 85.

Contact  Phoebe Wall Howard :  313-618-1034  or  [email protected] . Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter  @phoebesaid .

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The Jawaharlal Nehru connection to Kerala’s famous snake-boat races

The boats involved are typically between 100 and 138 feet long with their rear parts rising to around 20 feet and a long, tapering front portion..

They glide swiftly through the murky backwaters of Alappuzha, resembling the way snakes move – the reason why traditional country boats that navigate the waterbodies of the region are called snake boats.

Considered the largest sports vessels in the world, these boats have a rich history and are submerged in popular myths.

One popular myth traces the origin of snake boat races to an old Hindu joint family named Katoor Mana and their faith in Krishna because of which they began to deliver food to a local temple using snake-shaped boats.

Locally, it is believed that snake boats first appeared in the backwaters of Alappuzha in the 14th century, under the orders of King Devanarayana of Chembakassery. These boats, which were 100 to 120 feet long, were used to transport people and war equipment. They were constructed using a local wood called Anjili, known for its durability because the main objective was to carry the maximum weight.

The Nehru connection

Although the snake boat races in Alappuzha have now become annual events that attract fans worldwide, the competitive races and the excitement surrounding them are a more recent development, dating back to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

In 1952, Nehru visited Kerala and travelled on a highly decorated snake boat between Kottayam and Alappuzha. The friendly welcome from the locals in Alappuzha impressed him. To honour his visit, a friendly snake boat competition was organised in the nearby backwaters.

Upon his return to Delhi, Nehru gifted the winners of the race a silver trophy, which came to be known as the "Prime Minister's Trophy." From the following year onwards, the Prime Minister's Trophy boat race became an annual event, attracting participants from within and outside Kerala.

Upon Nehru's passing, the event was renamed the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, heralding the onset of the tourism season in Kerala. The Nehru Trophy Race is conducted every year in Alappuzha. Both foreign and domestic tourists flock to this unique sporting event to experience its excitement.

Other popular snake boat races in the area include the Champions Snake Boat League, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Payippad Jalotsavam, and Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali.

The 2024 races disrupted

The boats involved are typically between 100 and 138 feet long, with their rear parts rising to around 20 feet and a long, tapering front portion.

Boat clubs in Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta typically start preparing for competitions in July, spending an average of ₹ 80 lakh on boat preparation and rigorous training.

However, their plans were disrupted this year. On August 1, shortly after devastating landslides hit Wayanad, the state government cancelled the 70th Nehru Trophy Boat Race and the entire Champions Boat League. This decision poured water on the participating clubs' weeks of preparation, expenses, and hopes.

A joint meeting was held in Alappuzha earlier this week, comprising the Snakeboat Owners Association, Kerala Boat Club Association, and the Kerala Race Boat Owners Association to discuss the situation.

During the meeting, these associations urged the government to reschedule the race to September and reconsider its decision to cancel the league.

The meeting proposed moving the Nehru Trophy from the second Saturday of August to the second Saturday of September starting next year due to the increasing risk of bad weather in August.

"We initially supported the government's decision to postpone the races in light of the Wayanad tragedy. However, we now urge the government to announce a new schedule for the events. We plan to meet with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan soon. If the government does not fulfil our requests, we will organise a separate boat race on Punnamada Lake in October," said a member of a boat club who attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, a tourism department official has stated that the decision to suspend the races this year was made considering the significant human tragedy in Wayanad, and currently, there is no plan to reverse the decision.

According to K. Mithun, president of Kumarakom Town Boat Club and a leading player, the financial strain on clubs, if the races are not held, would be hard; for example, the Kumarakom club has already spent ₹ 58 lakh on training and preparation.

Normally, participating clubs repay the loans using cash prizes, payments from the tourism department upon completion of the races, and voluntary donations from supporters. They also expect sponsorship from corporate companies.

As many as 81 boats, including 25 snake boats and 56 small boats, participated in last year's event. This year, the clubs were hoping for a recovery from the losses caused by the massive floods of 2018 and the subsequent pandemic period.

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The Republican Plan to Challenge a Harris Victory

How a right-wing takeover of an obscure, unelected board in georgia could swing the election..

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At the Democratic National Convention, party officials are celebrating polls showing that Kamala Harris is now competitive with Donald Trump in every major swing state across the country.

But in one of those swing states, Republicans have laid the groundwork to challenge a potential Harris victory this fall, by taking over an obscure, unelected board.

Nick Corasaniti, a Times reporter who focuses on voting and elections, explains.

On today’s episode

Nick Corasaniti , a reporter covering national politics for The New York Times.

Background reading

The unelected body that shapes voting rules in Georgia has a new conservative majority, whose members question the state’s 2020 results. They now have new power to influence the results in 2024 .

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in close races across Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina , crucial swing states that Mr. Trump had seemed poised to run away with.

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Nick Corasaniti is a Times reporter covering national politics, with a focus on voting and elections. More about Nick Corasaniti

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