Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

POWERBOAT RACING

The Class 1 Edox Speed Run will kick-start competitive activities at next month’s BMW Norwegian Grand Prix on 16-18 July in Arendal. Teams will get two runs over the ‘flying kilometre’ to try to eclipse the Class 1 speed record of 161.26mph/259.86kph, set in 1999 in Arendal by Victory Team’s double World Championship pairing of Saeed Al Tayer and Felix Serralles. Check out Class-1.com for more information.

SAFETY

A recent incident involving five people who had to swim to shore when their runabout got into trouble near the entrance to Botany Bay illustrates the need for boaters to be extra cautious at this time of the year due to the risk of hypothermia in the event of falling into cold water. Fortunately, all five were all right, but it could have been much worse. Immersion in cold water causes the body to lose heat up to 25 times faster than normal and alcohol lowers the body temperature by two to three degrees. Maritime.nsw.gov.au.

IN BRIEF

Boaters looking for boat ramps, water-side fuel outlets, and other boating services anywhere in NSW will now be able to locate them with the NSW Maritime online locator. Maritime.nsw.gov.au/locator.html.

If you own a boat and now want an island, Turtle Island is on the market for ‘expressions of interest’. The 23.25 acre island is located at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, a 15 minute boat trip from the deep water harbour and marina of Gladstone

Last whale migration season six animals were entangled in Queensland shark nets. All were successfully released by the State Government's Marine Animal Release Team. A number of new acoustic alarms or pinger prototypes will be fitted to Gold Coast shark nets to test their durability. The new pingers make a longer and louder noise, specially aimed at alerting whales to the location of shark nets. MarineQld.com.au.

The public can now nominate a person or group who has made a “significant and sustained” contribution to boating and the marine environment in NSW for a 2010 NSW Maritime Medal. Maritime.nsw.gov.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

June 26 – 27 -- Australian Offshore Superboat Championship - Round 2, Mackay. AOPC.com.au.

July 1 - 5 -- Melbourne Boat Show, Melbourne Exhibition Centre. MelbourneBoatShow.com.au.

July 3 – 4 -- Australian Offshore Superboat Championship - Round 3, Townsville. AOPC.com.au.

July 15 - 18 -- Adelaide Boat Show, Adelaide Convention Centre. AdelaideBoatShow.com.au.

July 29 - Aug 2 -- 2010 Sydney International Boat Show, Darling Harbour. SydneyBoatShow.com.au.

Aug 6 - 11 -- Moreton Bay Fishing Classic, conducted by the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club, is designed to be fun for everyone while promoting responsible resource conservation and environment fishing practice. Anyone can enter and the estimated prize pool is $200,000. MBTBC.com.

Aug 7 - Hervey Bay Whale Festival HerveyBayWhaleFestival.com.au.

Photograph: courtesy of