Cherana and Pagan two champion Golden Oldies of Australian ocean yacht racing are poised to stage an interesting private duel for class honours in the 63rd Brisbane to Gladstone Race starting on Good Friday April 22.
Owner/skippers Euan MacDonald (Cherana) and Peter Kerr (Pagan) will claim a special place in Australian blue water sailing history when they stage their ‘mate against mate’ match race with the almost identical Tasman Sea Bird class sloops.
Cherana which has the distinction of winning the 1959 Sydney Hobart Race with original owner Russell Williams at the helm was narrowly beaten by the Norman Wright Jnr skippered Mouse Of Malham in her only previous Gladstone Race challenge 51 years ago.
However rival Pagan mastered fresh and frightening squalls and foam crested seas when her original owner Nick Lockyer steered her to a deserved Courier – Mail Cup overall victory after Rupert Murdoch helmed the ketch Ilina to a record breaking 33 hour 23 minute 54 second line honours win in 1964.
Both traditional timber deep keel yachts have been meticulously maintained by their proud owners and are ready for what promises to become a tack for tack duel from start to finish.
Naturally a personal bond exists between the crews but both skippers have both the confidence and important miles at the helm with the result hinging on the human related skills to sail smarter and faster under pressure.
As a point of interest Pagan recorded a 7.8 knot average to seal victory in 1964 while Cherana confronted with light and variable head winds only averaged 3.2knots after skipper Russell Williams and crew fell just 25 minutes 31 seconds off the stern of the yawl Mouse Of Malham to win in 1960.
Numerous sea miles have passed under the keels of both yachts since then and while boat speed will be important the result will come down to combined human element skills from skipper and crew to make sure their bow is in front at the finish line.
By Ian Grant.