Festival of Sails update, Nacra 36 "Malice" just edges out Seacart 30 "Morticia" in regatta

From the following article on the Festival of Sails website:

http://festivalofsails.com.au/news/malice-steels-to-defeat-the-unbeaten

A ‘get out of jail free card’ has been credited for saving the Festival of Sails multihull champion Malice from a race defeat that would have proven terminal to any regatta winning hopes.
Mal Richardson’s Nacra 36 Malice from Port Douglas won the Fuso Trucks Multihull Series by just two points over rival Morticia, a Sea Cart 30 skippered by Chris Williams from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The same margin separated the pair going into the last hit-out of the seven race series at twilight on Sunday, and tensions were high.

Richardson said he thought all was lost when Malice parked-up in a lull just metres from the finish line as Morticia led the fleet on a wind-fuelled charge to the finish.

“There was some sweat on the forehead, I don’t think I’ve any nerves left,” Richardson said.

“Thankfully we managed to steel ourselves and we won.”

It was far from a perfect performance for the Malice crew, who began the series by starting incorrectly not just once, but twice in the regatta’s spectacular Melbourne to Geelong passage race on Friday.

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and the series results below:

http://www.topyacht.net.au/results/2014/fos/multi/series.htm

Festival of Sails update, Seacart 30 trimaran Morticia claims overall line honours in Melbourne to Geelong passage race

From the following article on the Festival of Sails event website:

http://festivalofsails.com.au/news/morticia-resurrects-race-to-take-line-honours-in-melbourne-to-geelong

The featherweight trimaran Morticia fought above its weight to claim a surprise victory against much bigger and more powerful rivals in the Festival of Sails’ Melbourne to Geelong passage race today, Friday 24^th January, 2014.

Weighing in at just 900 kilos the pure carbon 30-foot racer was built by Formula 1 car manufacturers in Europe, and it performed like one once the southerly change revved-up the 230-strong fleet across the 34 nautical mile course.

Morticia’s skipper Chris Williams said they were in fifth place with about 15 nautical miles to go when a sloppy 8 knot sou’easterly breeze finally clocked around to the south, building to near 20 knots.

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Seacart 30 trimaran Morticia, photo courtesy Terri Dodds/Festival of Sails

Festival of Sails 2014, Seacart 30 "Morticia" claims line honours, Nacra 36 "Malice" handicap victory

From the following article on Sail-World submitted by Danielle McKay

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Festival-of-Sails---Morticia-claims-opening-points/118553

The 2013 Festival of Sails opening act went ahead without a hitch today; nine multihulls of various sizes completed the inaugural event on the week-long program and first tributes went to three interstate boats.

Chris Williams’ Sea Cart 30 called Morticia, all the way from the Royal Motor Yacht Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, claimed the opening points on corrected time in the 30 odd nautical mile Geelong to Melbourne passage race, which began in an 8-10 knot southerly breeze.

Malcolm Richardson’s Nacra 36, Malice, finished second on corrected time and was the line honours winner with an elapsed time of two hours two minutes and 40 seconds.

Richardson towed Malice from Port Douglas for his maiden Festival of Sails, a handy pit-stop on the way to the multihull nationals at Port Lincoln next month.

'We thought we might as well do Geelong on the way,' he said this evening, pleased his crew’s opening performance.

'Today’s race started off light, blew up a bit making it a quick run at an average 20 knots of boat speed, then it went light again at the finish. Melbourne’s weather was truly beautiful and we had a lot of fun,' Richardson added.

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