Conquering Bass Strait

JOSHUA Brooks-Duncan became the second-youngest person to sail in the Melbourne to Stanley yacht race over the Cup Weekend, which tracked from Queenscliff to Stanley, located on Tasmania’s north shore.

Racing on Under Capricorn, the 16-year-old was part of a five-man crew that took off on the 40-foot keelboat at 4am, crossing the 152-nautical mile course down to Tasmania. He was the youngest competitor in the race, requiring dispensation from the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria, which allowed him to compete despite being under 18.

“It’s a great achievement for me to have, and though I did feel out of my depth, being 20 to 30 years younger, it was still good,” Brooks-Duncan told The AJN.

“It was a great relief to cross the line … and it gave me respect for those who compete in any ocean race,” he said.

Brooks-Duncan’s boat crossed the line in 10th position in the race, which is used as a qualifier for the Sydney to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart events, both on the teenager’s agenda for the coming years. He battled raging waters and gusty winds in the dreaded Bass Strait, with winds reaching 40 knots (almost 75 kilometres per hour) at one stage, forcing a number of other boats to turn back.

“I got sick on the Saturday night [during the bad weather], so the crew gave me some leniency because it was my first race, but I trusted them and they trusted me.

“There is just nothing to base your eyes on out in the water … and you can’t get your mind off being sick.”

The year 10 Melbourne Grammar student has been sailing for six years, and owns a four-metre Laser boat, named Solidify, which he regularly takes out on the water.

“I enjoy it because every day is different, with different conditions. It’s just never the same,” he said.

“When I’m on my own a lot, it can get quite solitary, so it’s good to have the balance with crew members, as well as learning from it.”

His mother Lorraine described his training regime, which sees him out on the water up to five times a week, as all consuming. “His school actually revolves around his sailing, not the other way round,” she joked.

Brooks- Duncan is now preparing for the national competition in Queensland, and his next goal is to race in the Melbourne to Hobart event at the end of next year. But after getting his studies out of the way, as with any aspiring sailor, his main ambition is to compete in the Sydney to Hobart race once he turns 18.

ASHLEY SHENKER