From Melbourne to Osaka by yacht

A Rockingham sailing duo battled the odds recently to complete the challenging Melbourne-Osaka double-handed yacht race.

Father and son, Trevor and Daniel Taylor, travelled an impressive 5500 nautical miles over 31 days, completing the course despite a couple of setbacks.

Fly-in, fly-out worker Daniel said the pair had been preparing for the race for the past two years, including a practice trip from Fremantle to Melbourne before the race began. But the experienced sailors did not expect a three-day delay as repairs were carried out on the vessel’s forestay.

“The forestay holds the rig up so it’s pretty important,” Daniel said.

“The repairs generally only take about six hours but I had to do the repairs myself because dad ended up being taken to hospital!”

Daniel said his dad needed 12 stitches while delayed in Sydney after an unfortunate accident with a wrench. “There were plenty of twists and turns but at that stage we just thought we would carry on for the adventure, rather than to figure in the results.”

Daniel said he and his dad took turns at the helm of the Marten 49 yacht, navigating the vessel in four-hour sections throughout the day, and shorter segments at night.

“We were really well prepared and had fuel in extra jerry-cans on board, as well as loads of food,” he said.

“I think in the end we had a bit too much but it was much better to have too much than not enough.”

“We also had a water-maker on board so that was taken care of.”

After 31 days at sea, the pair saw the shores of Japan come into view late one evening, but were still faced with the challenge of negotiating Osaka’s busy harbour.

“At one point, a 300-metre tanker was coming towards us and probably reached within about 100 metres of the yacht,” Daniel said.

“We reached dry land at about 9.30 the next morning — the welcoming party was just amazing.”

“Every time another boat came in, the local sailors had another party.”

Daniel said he and his dad often had disagreements when out on the water, but arguments were resolved quickly. “We live and work together as well and have a great relationship,” he said.

Preparations will soon be under way for the Taylors’ next big adventure, the Cape to Rio Yacht Race, which takes place early next year.