2016 Hamilton Island Race Week off and running

A sailor from Esperance in West Australian, Roger Ellett and his 'new' Catalina 40, Satori (second photo above), are the 100th entry for this year’s Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. But if you can believe the publicity, sailors from all walks and states are rushing to sign-up for the 33rd annual tropical sailing soiree.

Satori’s nomination has established remarkable milestones for Race Week: the fleet size is more than 40 per cent greater than for the same time in 2015, and has come at the fastest rate in the event’s 33-year history. If this trend continues the number of starters will exceed 200, and could be a record, organisers say.

Meantime, it's been a fast-tracked entry for the WA sailor Ellett, who purchased Satori in the Whitsundays only three weeks ago. From that moment he set about securing a crew for Race Week from Esperance, in Western Australia, where he now lives. It was a simple task, so with that done he lodged the entry for what will be his first major regatta.

"Everything has just fallen into place since I saw Satori a few weeks ago and decided to buy her," Ellett said. "I did the pre-purchase test sail out of Hamilton Island, and just being there convinced me we had to be back for Race Week. I thought the waters around Esperance were beautiful, but the waters and the islands of the Whitsundays are mind-boggling. I can only imagine how great it will be racing there in August."

Ellett spent his childhood on a wheat and sheep farm in the tiny town of Wellstead, 400 kilometres by road from Esperance, at the western end of the Great Australian Bight. He knew nothing about sailing until he moved "into town" 25 years ago. Since then it has become a passion.

"My kids started sailing, so for many years I drove the club rescue boat. Then, when they were grown up, I decided it was time for me to have my own fun. I bought a Macgregor 26 trailer yacht, which I still sail.

"However, for the past five years it seems all I have been doing is looking at ‘boat porn’ trying to find my dream boat. Satori was the one."

In recent years, Ellett has been racing with friends aboard a Bavaria 42 out of Esperance Bay Yacht Club. Now, those same friends will join him aboard his new 40-footer for Race Week, which will be staged from August 20 to 27.

"Every yachtie in Esperance knows about Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, but no yacht has ever raced there under our club burgee," Ellett said.

"There will be 10 of us travelling to the island, and a lot more than that at home following our progress. I have entered in the Non-spinnaker Cruising Division because I’ve been assured that’s where we’ll have the most fun."

Exciting tradewind racing, exceptional dockside camaraderie among competitors, and an unprecedented party agenda across the entire week combine to make Audi Hamilton Island Race Week unlike any other local or international regatta.

The Notice of Race and entry form for Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2016 are at www.audihamiltonislandraceweek.com.au.

Opening Photo Credit: Andrea Francolini.