Organisers of Tasmania’s 2012 Jeanneau Owners Rally faced a difficult task: to create an event to match the memorable event of the previous year and meet the high expectations of the Jeanneau Owners Club. In 2011 owners sailed to rural Bruny Island to race on the waters of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and later to dine on gourmet local produce. The solution? ... invite the participants on a treasure hunt around Hobart’s spectacular Derwent River then bring them in procession under a lifting bridge into historic Constitution dock in the heart of the city. The theme of the day was of course ‘French’ and as the fifteen yachts and one power boat gathered for the start of the mystery challenge, many crew were dressed in red, white and blue with some boats even flying the tricolour. Boat Sales Tasmania staff had set a course to challenge navigation and observation skills and the fleet set off south, tracking compass courses, rounding buoys, lining up leads and taking compass bearings.
