Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

SOLAR POWER

The world’s largest solar boat PlanetSolar started its epic journey around the world from Monaco on 27 September. The initiators of this project, including the owner, German entrepreneur Immo Ströher, want to focus public awareness on the importance of renewable energies for environmental protection. The first leg of the journey is across the Atlantic. Stopovers are envisaged at Miami, Cancun, San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore and Abu Dhabi before returning to Monaco. http://planetsolar.org/index.en.php

POWERBOAT RACING

The fifth round of the 2010 Australian Offshore Superboat Championship will be held on 14 November at Geelong and the sixth and final round will be held at Sandringham. Defending Class 1 champions, Tom Barry-Cotter (driver) and Pal Virik Nilsen (throttles) will be hard pressed to retain their crown after a poor start to the season with mechanical problems plaguing their supercharged catamaran Mustang. Adding interest to the final rounds will be the appearance again of multiple World Champion throttleman Steve Curtis, MBE. www.superboat.com.au

UK based Chris Parsonage Racing has revealed that the team will field an all-Italian driver line up in the penultimate and final Grands Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Giovanni Carpitella will be joined in the Lamborghini V12-powered Negotiator by Class 1 debutant, Luca Formilli Fendi. Fendi has competed in XCAT and Class 3 and for the last three years in P1, lifting the European Championship in 2008. Carpitella made his Class 1 debut in 2002 and will not be fazed by a seventh driver change in 30 race starts when he lines up in Abu Dhabi. www.class-1.com

The 15th Grand Prix of China in Liuzhou on 16-17 October will mark the fourth time in the past three years that the Mad Croc team have raced on the Liu River. Between both drivers they now have seven straight pole positions in China dating back to 2008 with Sami Selio of Finland having six and Alex Carella of Italy in Linyi at the last event. www.f1h2o.com

NEWS BRIEFS

On-water safety checks were conducted on 771 vessels across New South Wales over the long weekend, according to NSW Maritime. Twenty four infringements and 21 formal warnings were issued. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

A cargo vessel registered in Panama had an unscheduled emergency stop off the coast of Yamba. The 128m ship lost an estimated 600 packs of timber cargo when it encountered bad weather 43 nautical miles north-east of Coffs Harbour. Surveillance of the area off Coffs Harbour revealed no sign of the missing timber. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Oct 9 - 24 -- Sydney Harbour Island Hopping gives people access to the harbour islands of Sydney Harbour National Park via one looped tour, with tailored entertainment and experiences on each. Cruises will run each Saturday and Sunday. www.harbourislandhopping.com

Oct 15 -- Barra Bounty, Rockhampton’s five-star fishing event staged on the Fitzroy River, where anglers compete to tag and release Barramundi. www.capricornholidays.com.au

Oct 15 - 17 -- Sunraysia hosts the first ever UIM World Unlimited Displacement Powerboat Championships at Gol Gol NSW, approximately ten kilometres north east of Mildura. www.fastwater.com.au

Oct 16 - 17 -- 2010 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival, National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney -- 100 boats from graceful yachts to streamlined speedboats, a festive marketplace selling all things nautical and an outstanding display of boating products. Discover the skills of traditional maritime craftsmen including blacksmiths, rope knotters, caulkers and sail makers. www.anmm.gov.au

Oct 17 -- ORCV's Rip Tour shows yacht and powerboat owners how to approach The Rip at Port Phillip Heads in Victoria. The tour, which always sells out departs from Queenscliff and Sorrento and bookings are essential. www.orcv.org.au

Oct 24 -- Davistown Putt Putt Regatta & Wooden Boat Festival, Central Coast NSW. The focus is on the heritage fleet of Putt Putt boats that were a vital form of local transport in the early 1900. Market stalls, on-and-off shore entertainment. www.visitcentralcoast.com.au

Oct 29 - 31 -- Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic 2010, Mt Isa. Family friendly event hosted by the Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group Inc. has events both on and off the water. www.mountisafish.org.au

Oct 30 -31 -- Australian Superboat Championships final, Temora, NSW. www.v8superboats.com.au

Nov 5 – 7 -- Wide Bay Australia Bundy Thunder, Bundaberg will be jammed packed with adrenalin pumping boat racing, water and boat displays and fun for the whole family. www.bundythunder.com.au

Nov 13 - 14 -- Australian Offshore Superboat Championship - Round 5, Geelong. www.superboat.com.au

Nov 13 - 14 -- The Copper Cove Marina Festival in South Australia will combine the best products and produce from local boating, seafood and wine suppliers. www.coppercove.com.au/marina_festival

Nov 20 – 21 – Bridge to Bridge Water Ski Classic, Hawkesbury River www.waterskinsw.com.au/

Nov 20 – 28 -- 2010 Lake Mulwala Power Festival in Victoria www.lakemulwalapower.com.au

Nov 26-28 - 2010 World Grand Prix Hydroplane Championships on Lake Mulwala, Yarrawonga. More at www.lakemulwalapower.com.au and www.gpworlds.vicapba.com.au

Dec 1 - Murray Cod season opens