From 1992 06 The Middle Harbour Yacht Club Log

Death of first race winner Jim Mason 

The winner of Middle Harbour Yacht Club's inaugural ocean race in Queensland waters, Jim Mason, has died on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland where he has lived in recent years. 

Mason, one of a group of MHYC members who pioneered offshore racing from the Club, was also one of its most successful offshore skippers in the 1960s and early 1970s with his Carmen class double-ender Cadence. 

With Cadence Mason won the first two races to Queensland, in 1964 and 1965, the finish then being in Moreton Bay. In 1965, Cadence finished third overall in the Sydney-Hobart and the following year finished first in the Hobart race. Cadence, which was designed by Wally Ward and built by Ron Swanson, also won the CYCA Blue Water Championship in both 1965-66 and 1966-67. 

Mason subsequently sold the yacht but 10 years later he bought Cadence back and in a remarkable comeback, again won the 1974 race to Queensland with the finish now at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. Cadence is the only yacht to have won three Sydney-Brisbane (Mooloolaba) race on overall corrected time and also one of the few yachts to have won both the Sydney-Hobart and Sydney-Mooloolaba races overall. 

Seakindly Cadence was designed by Wally Ward and built by Ron Swanson in 1963 forJim Mason. With Jim at the helm it won the 1966 Sydney to Hobart Race and the 1964, 1965 and 1974 Sydney to Brisbane Yacht Race. Above: Cadence, skippered by Mel Jones, competed in the 1970 Sydney to Hobart Race.