Sept 2013 BRIBIE CUP and Pumicestone Passage Cruise
At 20ft with a gaff rig, the Amity may not be every ones first choice for a yacht race in gale force winds, but not to be deterred Euan MacDonald and co-hort Jeremy Paterson set sail for a weekend of adventure on Amity #1 – PIPER! Heavy winds on Saturday forced a small fleet of hardened race yachts to heavily reef down before tacking north through the Bay to the finish off Bribie Island. Many skippers didn’t expect PIPER the Amity Classic to start, never mind finish. But at 2:30pm the plucky little boat rounded South Point off Bribie in over 30 knots of wind (on the nose) to finish the race.
Drama had unfolded throughout the race, with one crew member on another boat being carted off by Ambulance, and another competitor limp in under motor with a broken mast. With just 2 crew the Amity completed the course in just over 5hours with howling winds on the nose, one reef in the mainsail and small jib. “She behaved exceptionally well” Euan said “and was incredibly light on the tiller with some weather helm in gusts over 30 knots, I can’t ask for better than that”!
After presentations (PIPER came 4th) the crew dropped the mast, slipped quietly under Bribie Bridge and continued to sail up the Pumicestone Passage all the way up to Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast! Sleeping in swags on board and on the banks of the Pumicestone Passage, the three day adventure was a real testament to how these small yachts can safely be used for fun and adventure.
The Amity is far from a prettied up day-sailer. Amity boats are designed for expeditions, they are solidly built in fiberglass and naturally self righting. What’s more they are self-bailing and with collision bulkhead and sealed buoyancy also unsinkable. With that kind of confidence Amity Boats are the natural choice for those seeking adventure in a small package.