Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

POWERBOATS

Maritimo will unveil its first model powered by pod drive technology, a C47 Sports Cabriolet with Volvo Penta IPS, at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in May 2010. The slow-speed manoeuvrability of pod systems provides many owners in the mid-range market with an added sense of security. The company is not considering pod drives for its 50-foot plus range. Maritimo.com.au.

Coastryder boats made a big splash at the Mandurah Boat Show in Western Australia in October. A six metre fibreglass boat was dropped from a helicopter into the sea and later put on display. See the photos at Coastryder.com.au.

Brisbane based boat manufacturer CruiseCraft Boats is busy developing two new models, the CruiseCraft Explorer 485 and the bigger Explorer 530, featuring a classic rolling offshore style gunwale line. The two new CruiseCraft models are expected to be in production at the third generation family owned business manufacturing facility in February 2010.

SAFETY & RESCUE

Two lives were lost in separate boating incidents in two days in the Murray Inland Region. At Moama on 24 December a Canberra man was swimming across the Murray River when he was hit by the propeller of a passing ski boat. At Lake Hume on Christmas Day a punt was carrying three males about 200 metres from shore when it capsized in windy and choppy conditions. Two males were rescued but a man from Albury, who was reported as not wearing a lifejacket, went missing and was found by divers. Check out www.maritime.nsw.gov.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Jan 2-3 -- Nagambie On Water Festival, Buckley Park, Nagambie. Saturday’s events include on water displays of wakeboarding, water skiing and jet skiing. Other activities include a fishing competition. Sunday is a Come n Try Day offering experiences in waterskiing, jet skiing, canoeing and more. See www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au for more details.

Jan 3 - Glenmaggie Gold Cup & Victorian Inboard Championships. Prize money for winner of the Glenmaggie Cup will be $1,000, winner takes all. Anyone can enter. All classes of boat catered for - inboards, outboards, hydros, displacements and juniors. For more information see the Forum at ausapba.com.au.

Jan 9 - Portarlington Mussel Festival, near Geelong Victoria will showcase local produce with mussels to sample and purchase, prepared in a variety of ways. A charter boat will run trips to the mussel farms. Weather permitting, the sailing ship Enterprize will provide short sailing tours.

Jan 15 – 16 -- Freestyle Sports Expo at Mulwala Water Ski Club & the Ski Park, NSW. Freestyle Motocross, BMX, water skiing includes barefoot, slalom, freestyle jumping and even Sampson the monster truck. Check out MulwalaWaterski.com.au for info.

Jan 23 – 24 -- Berri Resort Hotel Speedboat Spectacular on the Murray River, SA. Two full days of racing, culminating in the Australian Open Unlimited Championship for inboards and outboards, the Stannard Cup. See Speed Boat Spectacular.com for more details.

Jan 26 – Australia Day – Events on Sydney Harbour include a Ferrython, Awesome Forces displays, best dressed vessels competition, tall ships race, 174th Australia Day Regatta, Sydney Ports Jazz on the Water Concert. For details see AustraliaDay.com.au.

Feb 5 - 7 -- Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Show, Docklands. More details.

Feb 6 – 7 -- Australian Formula Powerboat Association, round two on the Clarence River, Grafton, NSW. Racing will include Formula Futures, Mono Hull, Formula 1, 2 and 3, with each class contesting three races each on Saturday and Sunday.

Feb 12 - 14 -- Club Marine Southern 80 - Water ski races are held on the Murray River in the border towns of Echuca - Moama. See Southern80.com.au for more information.

Feb 19 – 21 -- The Melbourne Wooden Boat Festival will be held at the Docklands precinct on Victoria Harbour. More details.

Feb 25 - 27 -- Variety Splash - Participants will travel a round trip from Docklands’ Melbourne Yacht Club Hotel, with nightly stopovers at Sandringham Yacht Club and Royal Geelong Yacht Club. VarietySplash.org.au.

Feb 27-28 & Mar 6-7 -- 2010 Nautilus Boat Insurance Interclub Tournament, Port Stephens is where NSW Game Fishing Association clubs compete on various levels. It is expected that there will be up to 1000 anglers competing aboard as many as 200 boats.

Mar 6 - 7 -- The fourth Whyte, Just and Moore Lawyers Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong will be held at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. RGYC.com.au.

Mar 6 – 7 -- Rosehill Trailerboat Show, Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney. See BIA.org.au for details.

Photograph: Maritimo’s C47 Sports Cabriolet