Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

WATER SKIING

Powered by an OptiMax 250 Pro XS, Spinal Tap clinched the ultra-competitive SMOC (Standard Motor Open Cockpit) crown at the 2009/10 Australian Ski Race Titles on Lake Jindabyne, NSW. With Dave Bishop at the wheel, Spinal Tap finished in 30 minutes 35 – six seconds clear. Dave shares the title with observer Wayne Duggan and skier Beau Duggan. The race was 25 minutes plus one lap, on a seven kilometre circuit, with Spinal Tap completing nine laps.

The 2010 Southern 80 and the Barrie Beehag Ski Race Classic will be conducted by the Moama Water Sports Club on the Murray River at Echuca / Moama on February 12 - 14. Entries have closed with around 610 received. Southern80.com.au.

FISHING

Environment Minister Peter Garrett plans to list longfin mako, shortfin mako and porbeagle shark species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act from 29 January. As game fishing clubs around Australia are going to be affected by this ban, the recreational fishing industry opposes it. Over 350 anglers attended a public meeting in Hastings, Victoria on 6 January to learn about the ban. For more information see the Game Fishing Association of Australia’s website: www.gfaa.asn.au.

LAUNCHES

Sailfish Catamarans has launched and delivered their biggest catamaran, the Sailfish 5000 with an overall length of 15.24m or 50ft. The custom built boat is the first alloy catamaran in the world to be fitted with revolutionary Volvo IPS drives. The Volvo drives fitted are the IPS600 model, duo prop drives that deliver 418hp at the props. Displacing 5.5 litres, the IPS drives bring car like handling and manoeuvring to boating. By working the dash mounted joystick control, docking is easy and precise.

SAFETY & RESCUE

Inexperienced boaters and those on holiday in less familiar areas need to be particularly cautious when crossing shallow sand bars, which can form at the point where rivers and other waterways meet the sea. In the last three weeks there have been at least three reported incidents of boats capsizing on a coastal bar in NSW – two on the Macleay River bar at South West Rocks and one on the Hastings River bar at Port Macquarie. A brochure Bars’n’Boats – A Safety Guide is available from NSW Maritime. Information is also available at Maritime.nsw.gov.au.

NEWS BRIEFS

Online ticket sales for the Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Festival on 5-7 February are now available. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children under 16 and concession holders, and family tickets are $35 for up to two adults and three children. The Festival will feature boats on the water and along the Promenade, as well as lifestyle activities for the family. The Coast Guard will run license training and testing sessions for $70, with all proceeds going to help the Coast Guard in its vital work on the waterways. More details.

Kendal Barry-Cotter has announced his retirement from Maritimo. Younger brother of Maritimo founder and CEO Bill Barry-Cotter, Kendal has worked with his brother since 1986, playing a vital role at the company in financial administration. Maritimo.com.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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. SpeedBoatSpectacular.com.

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 information.

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. Southern80.com.au.

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. More details.

Mar 6 – 7 -- Rosehill Trailerboat Show, Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney. More information.

Mar 19 – 21 -- 2010 Brisbane Tinnie and Tackle Show, RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane. See TinnieAndTackle.com.au.

Photograph: Sailfish 5000