Dash for Cash 2023

Hosted by Hillarys Yacht Club as part of the Beneteau by Mansfield Marine Pot of Gold weekend the inshore Dash for Cash attracted nineteen entries from the river and ocean based yacht clubs for the twenty nautical mile race from Fremantle to Hillarys on Saturday January 28.

The brisk south easterly breeze assisted the yachts to sail to the start-line off Leighton Beach however just before the start-time the breeze waned as the direction changed firstly to the north before the sea breeze began to fill in. A short leg to the windward Day Buoy saw yachts beating, others trying a spinnaker and others yet to cross the start-line. Once away it was out west to the channel marker before setting the spinnakers for a long downwind leg to Sorrento. During that hour-long leg the breeze built to around fifteen gusting to eighteen knots making it an exciting yet manageable trip.

Rounding Sorrento for the first time and beginning the beat back to the Scarborough Beach mark the first of the Pot of Gold entrants who having rounded Rottnest were sighted, also heading for the same Scarborough mark. The premier offshore racers under spinnaker reaching speeds upwards of fifteen knots presented a hazard to be avoided by the smaller Dash for Cash yachts beating into the choppy sea aiming to get to the same mark. The final leg for both races was the downwind leg back to Sorrento and the finish line off HYC, another opportunity to launch the spinnaker.

First and fastest in division one was Rees Howell on Octopussy with Chris Kelly helming Whispering Jack into second place and Rob Giraudo on Adams Rib third. The yachts from Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club claimed a trifecta in division two with Jeremy Leitch’s Bull Bar first and fastest, Scott Forrest’s Whim A Way second albeit by just 59 seconds and Terry O’Grady’s Quicksilver third. In division three Michael Roberts on Honeybee was first, second and fastest was Circa (Martin Eyer) and in the third place Peter Twiby’s Meggie 11.

Many thanks to the sponsors headed by Mansfield Marine, to the start team, the welcoming and hospitality volunteers and Gary Osborne’s band for the great night of entertainment following the prize presentations.