Blues Point Hotel Successful Again in the Balmain Pub Challenge

Each year, as part of its Balmain Regatta, the Balmain Sailing Club invites local hotels and those farther afield to participate in the yacht race known as the Pub Challenge Trophy Race. Last year, Blues Point Hotel accepted the challenge and with help from the Blues Point Yacht Club, achieved a creditable second place.

In 2019, Blues Point Hotel and the BPYC again accepted the invitation, and on 26 October 2019, joined nine other competitors on what was a fairly wild day East and West of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with 25-30 knot westerlies that gusted well over that. Blues Point Hotel was again represented by “Blue Sky”, owned and skippered by Carl Braden, this year with crew Michael Jansen, Conrad Lowry, Rory O’Connor, Sue-Maree Olsen, Glen Ormerod and Louis Tritsaris.

The course was from Cockatoo Island to Shark Island and return – some 10 nautical miles in very trying conditions. A fast reach and run to the East from Cockatoo became a very hard work back around Cockatoo to the finishing line off Balmain Sailing Club. The result? Another second place by Blues Point Hotel and the great skipper and crew aboard Blue Sky. The awarded medal now hangs proudly in the Blues Point Hotel, alongside its twin awarded last year. From the comfort of your chair, enjoy what some of the Blue Sky team had to say (after recovering):

Carl Braden:

The Blue Sky crew was thankfully complemented with two of Martela’s crew - Mike and Rory - who together with Glen, Conrad, Sue-Maree and Louis went out to face both extreme winds and some very tough competition from larger and faster boats in the Balmain Pub Challenge 2019. The first thing we did behind the lee at Balls Head was to reduce the headsail from the J109 class size of (J105) to the smallest available (65% of class) which still felt too big for the conditions and together with a single reef (again, class limits to one reef) in the main, we headed up river to the starting area off Cockatoo Island and the Balmain Sailing Club.

With a challenging handicap to say the least, we had a good downwind start at 14 mins and worked with a poled-out heady from Goat Island down to Bradleys Head, seeing boat speed peak at 10.2 knots.  A bloody Manly Ferry forced us into the lee at Bradleys where two larger boats from behind caught up to us.  We took one before the Shark Island mark and then the gym workout and fun began as we punched our way back up the Harbour into winds that we saw peaking at 39 knots.  The load on the block in the main reefing line was too much and it blew out, we kept sailing the boat while Mike did some surgery with a very big shackle and we were back in business with the main within 4-5 minutes. 

The flogging of my North 3DI main was like knife wounds to my sailing soul - not something I wish to repeat anytime soon! We weren’t the only ones having some dramas as a couple of the other boats who clearly misjudged the need to reef early and reduce sail had some exciting moments while they learnt a very critical sailing lesson.

The up-wind tacks were shared, with rotating three crew working in extreme heeling angles while Mike worked the main traveller and sheet.  Louis was superb at assisting with “Righting Moment” while at least a few times we were smashed so hard by wind bullets causing round-ups that resulted in a tack to the opposite. We then had some boat on boat match racing with a Sydney 36 from Fort Denison to the finish, including some very fast and exciting tacks on the Southern side of Goat Island where there was little room between boats and extremely little room between tacks to get to windward for the final belting to get up around the Western side of Cockatoo Island and then to the finish line.

After over-laying Cockatoo, it looked like we were done by the Sydney 36 only to see them violently round up in the gybe to the finish – the rest was a downhill run to the finish for a hard-earned second and a truly well-earned beer or three.

A superb lunch was put on by Balmain Sailing Club with a talented blues musician providing entertainment among the war stories from the water with the crew. Blues Point Hotel man-on-the-spot, Louis, accepted the 2nd place medallion and then headed off to do his shift at the pub. Thanks to Chris for working out all the attending details and supporting the event and joining the crew at Balmain. Thanks to the Blues Point Hotel for supporting the entry, and thanks to all the crew for your hard work and hard drinking after the race on the day.

Michael Jansen:

Saturday’s Balmain Pub Challenge was a challenge for sure! The forecast wind strength was exceeded, placing crews under some pressure from the outset.  Some competitors were keen to get a jump on the fleet by putting up more rag than they could handle.  This proved to be a big mistake as they lost time on the course while sorting themselves out, shortening sail.  Blue Sky carried on calmly with little shouting and NO BEER until we crossed the finish line. Probably a good thing we abstained, because we had our share of drama.  The most significant was the reefing block on the leech exploded with the main losing all forward pressure.  After a moment or two we collected our thoughts and the crew managed to fit a large shackle in its place and got the reef working again.

This was really needed as we had to manage up to 39kts at times, with more than a little sideways moment for good measure. Mostly crewed by Blue Sky regulars and a couple of ring-ins from Martela, we finished a respectable 2nd with a lunch and a few drinks at the Balmain Sailing Club. Ultimately, it was a hard day's sailing and a fun day on the harbour.

Sue-Maree Olsen:

Sadly and reluctantly, I had to point the finger towards the old Manly Ferry heading across our course, when the mighty Captain Carl oozing calm and confidence steered us towards Bradleys Head, losing around 4 minutes while a few yachts passed us by ... then came the reef line ...”boom boom”. Another test for Captain Carl, but this time it was “fix it”Michael the saviour. Thankfully, Glen and Captain Car'l,s strategic navigation through the unpredictable windshifts up-river brought us back on course once again. And to the remainder of Blue Sky’s crew Conrad, Rory and Louis, we say thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you all!!!

Rory O’Connor:

It was bloody windy! Fun part (?) was when the block on the boom for the reef line blew just as we came around Shark Island and on the breeze. Great work by Michael Jansen fixing it quickly and getting the boat back under control. No so fun part was the few, quick, short tacks to get between Balmain and Goat Island. Outstanding crew work by the Martela team of course. And a very nice lunch put on by Balmain Sailing Club!

Louis Tritsaris:

Just a thanks to Carl and the whole team – it was exhilarating. And finally, thanks to the Balmain Sailing Club for organising this exciting event and a great day all round.

Looking good, Louis!

Skipper Carl and Louis accepting their awardsi

Blue Sky doing BPYC and BPH proud. Go guys!