Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

SWEDISH GRAND PRIX

The Welmax duo of Jorn Tandberg and Kolbjorn Selmer won the Class 1 Aspen Speed run over the flying kilometre – setting identical times on both their runs at the Swedish Grand Prix.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Giovanni Carpitella and Rashed Al Tayer celebrated their maiden Grand Prix win in an incident-filled first race. The race was red-flagged twice, with pole-sitters Welmax crashing out on lap one and a collision between Relekta and Fazza in lap one of the re-start, launching Fazza skywards and putting Relekta out of the event.

Fazza’s Arif Al Zafeen and Nadir Bin Hendi won race two but were handed a post-race time penalty for an overtaking infringement on the start-lap. The 27.62 seconds long lap time penalty added to the World Champions overall race time, giving Team Abu Dhabi a second Grand Prix win in two days on the weekend that marked the team’s full time entry into the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship. Fazza has lodged a protest against the penalty. Class-1.com.

POWERBOATS

Maritimo’s new 440 Offshore Convertible was launched at the Sydney International Boat Show. The 44 foot cruiser offers an extraordinary level of space and comfort with an internal staircase, an enclosed flybridge, and a three-cabin layout. It includes a revolutionary aft bulkhead design featuring bi-fold doors that tuck away to open the saloon out to the aft cockpit.

Haines Hunter has formed an alliance with audio brand Rockford Fosgate, with the stereo systems now standard equipment in R-Series Limited models and offered as factory-fitted options in all other boats. Rockford Fosgate has a range of marine audio systems, four of which are available to customers ordering new Haines Hunter boats.

FISHING

Fisheries Queensland staff will be at 28 boat ramps during August, from Mackay to the Gold Coast, to raise anglers’ awareness about the shortage of snapper and what measures they can take to help save Queensland’s snapper. MarineQLD.com.au.

TRAINING

Yachting Australia recently hosted the third National Yachtmaster Instructor Conference at Hamilton Island. Time was spent discussing how to adapt training to major advances and availability of electronic Navigational Aids. The conference included two keynote speakers; Bryce Bathe from the Australasian Marine Pilots Institute, who provided an insight into the workings of Marine Pilots and the difficulties of manoeuvring large ships in confined spaces at slow speeds, and Adrienne Cahalan, who gave an insight into her life as a professional sailor and navigator on some of the most cutting edge racing yachts. Cahalan re-iterated that despite all the technology it is imperative to use paper charts, and that the electronic aids were precisely that. Yachting.org.au.

MARINE INDUSTRY

The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) has released a draft standard for Watertight and Weathertight Integrity. The new National Standard for Commercial Vessels C2 - Watertight and Weathertight Integrity will replace parts of the USL Code Subsections 5C and 5D and also Section 7 Load Lines. NMSC.gov.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

August 11 - 15 -- Perth Boat & Leisure Expo, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre. PerthBoatShow.com.au.

Aug 22 - 24 -- Marine Safety Conference 2010, Burswood Entertainment Centre, Perth. NMSC.gov.au.

August 26 - 29 -- Brisbane International Boat Show, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. BrisbaneBoatShow.com.au.

Aug 28 - 29 -- Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix, Round, Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith. FormulaPowerBoats.com.au.

Sep 4 – QBE Riverfire, opens the Brisbane Festival with aerial displays by the Australian Defence Forces, fireworks and music. BrisbaneFestival.com.au.

Sep 4 - 5 – Darwin Boat Show, Darwin Convention Centre. DarwinBoatShow.com.au.

Sep 5 – Oct 11 -- The Louisiades Rally for yachts and powerboats over 30 feet will depart and return to Cairns. LouisiadesRally.com.

Sep 18 - 19 -- Australian Offshore Powerboat Championship Round 4, Redcliff, Queensland. AOPC.com.au.

Sep 18 - 19 - Windsor Spectacular, conducted by the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club. Boats are expected to reach speeds over 230 kilometres per hour. UHPBC.net.

Oct 8 – 10 – Club Marine Mandurah Boat Show, Mandurah Offshore Fishing & Sailing Club WA. MandurahBoatShow.com.

Photograph: Team Abu Dhabi & Skydive Dubai at the Swedish Grand Prix courtesy of