Eat My Splash – A Beginners Guide to Hamilton Island Race Week

The Decision
It took awhile to figure out if we wanted to enter the race week. The pluses were that (1) people who we had met and who had experienced the race week said that it was a lot of fun (2) we were in the area and were not sure whether we would be back or not and (3) there was a Division for cruising boats without spinnakers. The minuses were that we had to do some work on the boat, and that insecure feeling you get when you think you might be in just a little over your head. But seeing that we had arrived here in one piece, the the decision to give it a go wasn’t that hard to make. So we left Sydney after our short break with a new storm jib, ropes, gas detector and sundry other items.

The Arrival
The race fees cover your berthing at Hamilton for 12 days. We decided to arrive on the Thursday afternoon in case the boat was given a safety inspection and found wanting. Registration was painless, and we received an orange bow number (No. 20) and comprehensive sailing instructions for the week that had all you needed to know about courses, start times and locations, racing divisions etc.

With the formalities out of the way we decided to sit and have a drink and watch the activity go on around us. One shout later, a 44ft Benneteau (Eagle Rock) arrived with about 8 blokes and promptly started to strip everything from the boat that wasn’t nailed down. Out came 10 doz wine, 5 cartons of beer, water containers, bulk food, anchors, chain, sail bags, the life raft…anything and everything that could lighten the boat went off it.

After some heated discussion The Captain decided to at least look as if we were getting in the spirit and so out came 50m of chain from the bow (that had to weigh heaps) and the front water tank was left empty (though getting rid of the life raft proved too hard). The bow moved about 2 inches out of the water. We were ready!

By Friday evening the place was packed, the weather was tropical, the bands were playing and The Crew was getting excited about what was ahead as we strolled to the Owners Cocktail Party, where we drank champagne and gobbled down whatever crossed our path. We met a group from Eden who had chartered a boat from Hamilton to compete, and the skipper and crew from (Supertramp) who we had met in Pittwater back in March. By evening’s end, it was agreed that we had made a great start in recouping our entrance fee, though the wisdom of achieving that on the eve of the first race may be questioned.


The Races
Race 1
Saturday morning and 200+ boats of all sizes in the channel off Hamilton Island was something to see…and keep out of the way of. We acted like a pedestrian crossing the main road in Ho Chi Min city…keep a steady pace, don’t change direction, let every vehicle miss you and you’ll reach safety. The start was spectacular and the Crew was thrilled to have emerged from the channel unscathed. Most of the boats passed us by the time we had crossed the Whitsunday Passage and rounded South Molle Island, and by the time we had turned to head back to home at North Molle, we were stone motherless. With a good run into wind, we managed to pass about 10 boats, which boosted our confidence. The Crew was so excited, yelling “eat my splash” every time we passed someone.

Race 2
The Race Committee sent text messages for the course (based on forecast winds) we would sail during breakfast. This was the case for Races 2 - 5. We planned where we wanted to be at the start....and actually managed to achieve it, with heaps of boats behind us as we turned left to cross the Whitsunday Passage. Half way to Long Island, and keeping in touch with a few boats in our Division, The Crew pointed to the top of the mast and said "does the TV antenna normally bounce around like that". As I was just about to issue the command to go aloft and fix it, the white flying disc flashed past the boat into the water. It took us 20 minutes to retrieve it, by which time we were back to our now familiar position (The Crew was relieved that it had actually fallen off).

Race 3
The start was delayed due lack of wind. Eventually it arrived and off we went. A sunny day, with whales crossing the Passage and people swimming off boats in between the puffs of breeze. The race was finished at the turn point, just as the wind arrived. We figured we were good players out of luck...which was about to change after a lay day for all boats.

Race 4
Having placed ourselves at the bottom of our Division (and so improving our handicap), it was time to strike. So we rang up our new best friends from Christmas Beetle (who were about to head south and pick up their new boat) and who have been sailing for years . They jumped at the opportunity to sail with The Crew. Tim took command of the boat and Lea controlled the cockpit. We had a great start and managed to pass heaps of boats upwind. The Captain was awestruck and the Crew ecstatic about having someone to help with the traveler, main sheet, genoa etc. The boat came in third... some might say "a miracle", others might say "good players make their own luck". We celebrated like there was no tomorrow (which in fact was a lay day) at the Club Marine function, dancing to Darryl Braithwaite, and continuing to recoup our entrance fee. Met Ian and Julie from “Goondiwindi”, but can’t remember how, and some of the crew from Margret Rintoul. A great day, but the sailing gods were just playing with us.

Race 5
After another lay day, the boat was back to its normal compliment for this race, despite a desperate plea and an offer of a helicopter to get Tim and Lea back. The Captain jumped the start and it went down hill from there, with the starter motor burning out after the finish (still awaiting the bill). The marina crew came to our rescue and provided a tow. We tied up at about 4.30. I can't imagine what the local mechanic was thinking when we rang him up on a Friday evening at the end of his busiest week, but he managed to source a replacement motor, which meant that we could participate in the final race (much to the delight of The Crew). While cleaning down the boat, we ran into some old friends (Phil and Sue) who were holidaying on the Island, which managed to brighten up an otherwise forgettable day.


Race 6
The final race was down to Lindeman Island, and was held in a 15kt breeze and clear skies. It was the best days sailing we had had (other than our podium finish). Our Division started the race first, so all the boats were behind us at some stage. By the time we turned at Lindeman Island, most – but not all – had passed us...those that hadn't, managed to do so on the last leg. That night we went to the presentation dinner to continue our quest to recoup the entrance fee, with a fantastic effort put in by the Captain and Crew.


The Social Side.
The regatta is well organised and there are plenty of options for after race activities - from live bands at the pub, to street eats and expensive dinners. To get the best of the corporate activities you need to drive an Audi, insure with Club Marine and sail a Benneteau.

We met professional sailors from all over the world, the racing manager for a 163ft private yacht (see the pictures below), blokes who sail on boats and have the race week as one of their holidays, and crew from other boats who are doing the same as us.

What we learned.
You can’t beat experience, and a great way to get it is to enter into this type of event. We’re better at sail trimming, laying off for tides and currents, looking for wind shifts and pressure. The handicap systems seem a bit out there...but what do I know. Livers regenerate and too much champagne is never enough. A single working crew is not the way to do 6 races in 8 days...as good as The Crew is, it is simply too hard, and so Tim and Lea need to have a holiday up here next year.

If you have a boat and the time to get it up here, it is a great week. While there are serious races going on, with big name boats and professional crews, the regatta has a place for the average sailor. It provides a great opportunity to learn and to enjoy life. If we have a boat this time next year, we’ll be back.