Eyes on Pittwater Coffs

“It’s a cruiser/racer. It’s about keeping my wife happy. It’s got the cruising requirements while also being able to race at a reasonable level. Most importantly, it has to fit into a berth at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club!”

While capable offshore, Drew added he had moved on from his former high-speed racing days.

“We cruise to Lizard Island and race at Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island. When we go racing offshore, we put the lamb roast in the oven.

“Everyone has their own bed, there’s a nice loungeroom, a watermaker, soda stream and three options for coffee making!”

Two of Drew’s five-strong crew are female – Alice Parker and Juliet Costanzo – alongside Chris Flannigan and Martin Beamish, and he said: “They’re happy to have their own bed and a private toilet and a hot shower!”

Parker has navigated boats including URM Group to multiple wins and second overall in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart, and in December, navigated Palm Beach XI (former Wild Oats XI) and will continue with the program as the 100-footer heads overseas this year.

Also bringing experience, Costanzo grew up sailing small boats and completed her fourth Sydney Hobart last year aboard Richard Hudson’s Pretty Woman, multi-tasking by helming, navigating, calling tactics and trimming. Pretty Woman, which includes Hudson’s regular youth component, is also entered again for this year’s Pittwater to Coffs race.

Hudson, who placed second overall and won ORC overall last year, has paved the way for some of offshore racing’s rising stars, Costanzo and Parker just two of them.

Back on Wind Cheetah, Drew described the appeal of the race.

“The Pittwater Coffs is a fun race. It’s an overnighter and a bit more,” he said.

It’s great racing against a good competitive fleet, even racing against the monohulls. You get a bit of everything boat wise in the race.”

He also encouraged more multihull participation.

“Stephen (Barton) said he’s coming (with J’Ouvert, a Pescott Whitehaven 11.7) and I hope a few others come and join in. They’ll enjoy it.”

Soon after, Stuart Malouf entered Coconuts, his Stealth 12.2, adding further competition to the multihull fleet.

Among the monohulls, Adrian Keily has entered Mako from Newcastle; and with crew members from Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Mako will first contest RPAYC’s new interclub challenge at the Pittwater Regatta in mid-February before preparing for the coastal race.

“We have a core crew of four or five doing both events, so five or six different crew are doing the Coffs. Most have sailed a fair bit on the boat, so we’ll be OK,” Keily said.

Keily first competed in the race in the early 1980s with his father, and tells: “I reckon it’s a great race. I did what I think was the second Pittwater Coffs on Legend with my dad. I did my first Hobart on that boat too. Dad was the one who got me into sailing.

I’ve done the Coffs at least half a dozen times. Being in Newcastle, it’s a nice easy one for us to do. It’s a good distance too and not too far to bring the boat to Sydney or do the race.”

Mako also provides opportunities for sailors new to offshore racing.

“We like to have some on our crew people who want to get into offshore racing. They can learn about doing night watches, compass steering etc. We have Archer Hough, a 17-year-old out of our Youth Academy, coming along this time. He’s doing his HSC this year and playing rugby and loves sailing. He has a bit on, but he’ll be good.”

Keily said the boat would return to Newcastle after the Pittwater Regatta for maintenance before heading back to Sydney.

“We did the Hobart in December, so want the boat prepared for the Coffs. We’ll do some round the buoys sailing at home for practice before we come back to Sydney,” he said.

Also returning this year are Geoff Hill’s Antipodes from Hong Kong and Mark Ayto’s S&S 34 Western Morning. Both competed in the 80th Sydney Hobart in December.

Antipodes has raced extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia and has accumulated more than one million sea miles with Hill. The pair set the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race record in 2023 after taking line honours and later finished third overall in the race last October.

Western Morning also returns this year for her second Pittwater to Coffs, with the 2025 edition marking her first major race since Ayto’s purchase.

The Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race is open to monohulls and multihulls in IRC, ORC, OMR and Short Handed categories. Entries close at 5pm on March 14, 2025, with late entries accepted subject to a fee.

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