71st Bunbury and Return Ocean Race

Details

Fri 22 Feb 2019 17:30 — Sun 24 Feb 2019 08:00

Event information

Registrations for this event are closed.

Please be advised that to use this registration form you will need to have completed the ORWA Season registration. If you have not done this you can do it via this link:

Register for the 2018/19 ORWA Season

 

Event Details

Organising Authority: Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club
Warning Signal:

All divisions

1725                    

Safety: Category 3+
 

See additional requirements in the ORWA Handbook and Amendment 1 to the Individual Race Notice.

In addition to the requirements listed in the ORWA Handbook, the following will be required for the Bunbury and Return Ocean Race.

  • A permanently installed inboard engine (outboard engines will not be permitted).
  • Liferaft(s) complying to Australian Sailing Special Regulations (ASSR) 4.19 for Liferafts in Category 2 events and grab bag, ASSR 4.20.
  • An EPIRB for each liferaft to comply with ASSR 4.18.4.
  • At least one spare lifejacket, ASSR 5.01.1(f).
Trophies IRC & YAH
Series:

Blue Water, Double Handed and 42nd Farrawa Cup Series

Entry Fee: $150
Early Bird Entry: Enter online by 1800 Friday 08 February 2019
Entries Close: 1700 Friday 15 February 2019

 

Event Description:

RACE RECORD the current race record is held by Indian.
    2016     Indian    C. Carter    17:42:09

TROPHY - FIRST TO BUNBURY
Traditionally, a dinner voucher is awarded to the first yacht to arrive at the turning boat in Bunbury on IRC corrected time.
This trophy was first named The Witch’s Cauldron and sponsored by RFBYC member Geoff Gosling, owner of the popular Perth restaurant of the same name until it was renamed The Spices Group Trophy and sponsored by Peter Hickson for the 2016 and 2017 races. 

Race History
The Bunbury & Return was first raced on 24 February 1948.  The start line was inside Fremantle Harbour, opposite ‘B’ shed on Victoria Quay.  The course was around Bell and Fairway Buoys, then the west end of Rottnest with its two lighthouses, one manned, then south to Bunbury.  Moorings, tenders and a mayoral reception at the golf club awaited them.  Fifteen yachts entered for this initial overnight offshore race.   From 1949 onwards the race became Bunbury and return, along with a mid-morning start.  The 169nm race grew steadily in popularity.  By the 1960’s this major offshore event was attracting considerable media coverage. From 2016 there was a lap in Koombana Bay and a Friday evening start which saw most of the fleet turning in Bunbury during daylight hours to connect the race with the locals. In 2018, a spectacular Fremantle Harbour start celebrated the 70th race. Sadly tragedy struck later that night and two lives were lost. 

The Bunbury and Return is not the longest but it is the oldest offshore race in Western Australia, it will always have a special place in history. 

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