Weekly Sailing News Summary

Summary for w/b - 21 Feb, 2006 12pm

SAIL & POWER EXPO
The Sydney Harbour Week festival begins with Sail & Power Expo which will run from Friday March 3 to Sunday March 5 from 10:00am - 4:00pm at Sydney's Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour. A must for all boating enthusiasts, this display features a wide range of boating lifestyles, including the latest in luxury power, racing and cruising yachts, dinghies, marine gear, sailing charters and holidays and much more. FREE entry.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE
The Spanish entry, movistar, skippered by Bouwe Bekking, finally broke the offshore domination of the Dutch boat ABN AMRO ONE, by crossing the finish line in Wellington NZ, nine seconds ahead of the black boat, skippered by Mike Sanderson. Pirates of the Caribbean was third, followed by Brazil 1, ABN AMRO TWO and Ericsson. 

As the last boat Ericsson's skipper Neal McDonald used an opportunity offered by the racing rules to carry out maintenance and repairs before crossing the finishing line, avoiding a two hour penalty and upsetting some of the other skippers.

Leg four bound for Rio de Janeiro via the Southern Ocean started on Sunday. The fleet are expected to be at sea for 18 days. The crew on movistar watched the start as they took a two hour penalty after repairing damage to the bottom of the boat but by Monday they had made up the time and were sharing the lead. The latest report has ABN AMRO ONE with a 19nm lead but only 78nm separates the fleet. Two ice gates have been set into the course to keep the crews from sailing too far south.

Bouwe Bekking (movistar) has issued a protest against Pirates of the Caribbean and ABN AMRO TWO regarding their crew changes.

Knut Frostad, watch leader onboard the Brazilian yacht, humorously explains the great questions different sail combinations pose in yacht racing - What shall I wear (hoist) tonight? - and more.

KEEL BOATS
Berrimilla Odyssey: Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier relate stories of their circumnavigation on Berrimilla at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney on Tuesday March 14 at 6.30pm.

Prime Time, David Mason's Beneteau 44.7, won the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 2005-2006 Blue Water Pointscore, the Club's premier ocean racing series – with one race to spare.

Milson Memorial Cup, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron - The winners, Hugh Torode and the crew of his Beneteau First 31.7 Velocity, are once-a-month offshore sailors – because they are all married with young families.

Twilight racing has given an added dimension to one-design racing on Sydney Harbour with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's Milson Silver Goblets series attracting a fleet of 24 Etchells last week.

Matt Allen and his crew on Ichi Ban won the Alfa Romeo Farr 40 Sprint Series. The next event for the fleet will be the Inner Circle Rum Farr 40 regatta February 25 and 26 at Royal Price Alfred Yacht Club on Sydney's Pittwater.

Feb 24 - Bluewater Classic - The Adelaide to Port Lincoln Bluewater Classic starting on February 24 is organised by Port Lincoln Yacht Club in conjunction with and assisted by the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron. The 156nm race will be followed by the Lincoln Week Regatta starting February 27. http://www.plyc.com.au

Feb 24 - Mar 3 -- 2005 Geographe Bay Race Week - The offshore yachting regatta is complemented by an extensive social calendar. Based at the Port Geographe Marina, Busselton, sailing is conducted on the pristine waters of Geographe Bay in the shadow of the historic Busselton Jetty.

Feb 24 - 26 -- Workforce Marine 2006 Mumm 30 Australian Championships will be held at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Pittwater Sydney.

Around 70 world class yachting crews are expected to set sail on Good Friday in what is shaping up to be the most competitive Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race ever.

The Sydney 36CR is set to follow the success of the existing Sydney Yachts Cruiser Racer range. The first commissioned yacht will be launched in May 2006.

4th Royal Langkawi International Regatta 2006 - Ray Roberts' Ulumulu - Quantum Racing Team wins the major prize; an all expense paid trip for the entire crew to meet the BMW Oracle Team in Valencia and view some America's Cup Act racing courtesy of BMW Malaysia.

MULTIHULLS
The first two professionally-built Harryproas have been launched. The 15m/50ft long multihulls weigh 2 and 3 tonnes respectively. The light boat is Blind Date, built to take blind people sailing in Holland and the heavy one is Rare Bird, built by Harryproa in Australia. Both boats have full cruising interiors, covered cockpits for eight people and two huge large double bunks.

OFF THE BEACH & OLYMPIC CLASSES
18 Footer World Championship - Defending champions Euan McNicol, Seve Jarvin and Tim Austin came from behind to take out Race 2 of the Ssangyong Giltinan International Championship on Sydney Harbour.

Toshiba OK Dinghy World Championship, Belmont Sailing Club, Lake Macquarie. Nick Craig GBR wins the title. Roger Blasse was the first Aussie in 4th.

World 470 champions Malcolm Page and Nathan Wilmot are the Australian Institute of Sport's Team of the Year. They won their second consecutive world championship last year - the first time a male crew had won back-to-back world championships in 22 years.

The OKI 24 Hour Race was sailed by teams of two in Lasers on Lake Pupuke on Auckland's North Shore. Winner of the open event was Michael Bullot NZL and Tom Slingsby AUS who defeated the defending champions, YNZ Olympic squad member, Andrew Murdoch and Matt Blakey.

The next CYCA Cruising Event is a raft up in Middle Harbour's Sugarloaf Bay on Saturday March 4. All members and friends are welcome and there are no CYCA races that weekend.

See also Multihulls

AROUND THE WORLD
Solo yachtswoman Dee Caffari is over half way in her quest to become the first woman to sail single handed non stop westabout round the world. She has been at sea 92 days since leaving Portsmouth and is currently south of Tasmania.

Adrian Flanagan is hoping to around Cape Horn soon, after a 'weekend from hell'. He is attempting to be the first yachtsman to sail a solo non-stop longitudinal circumnavigation via the Russian Arctic.

Virgin Island based American solo sailor, Donna Lange has rounded the Cape of Good Hope on her one stop circumnavigation on board Inspired Insanity, her Southern Cross 28ft sloop.

NEWS BRIEFS
Since August last year thefts (and attempted thefts) from vessels on Sydney Harbour totalled 68, including high tech equipment from a police boat. The marine crime prevention officer for Sydney Water Police, Fran Batten, said not enough boat-owners are investing in locks and alarm systems.

Australia winning the America's Cup in 1983 was voted 'the top sporting moment' by Sydney Herald readers, well ahead of the Sydney Olympics.

The National Marine Safety Committee's National Standard for recreational boats requires new craft to have an Australian Builders Plate from July 2006, except all sailing and other crafts specifically exempted. The legislation applies to all power craft, including dinghies. Craft under 6m are also required to be fitted with flotation materials. http://www.nmsc.gov.au

The head of Sydney Ferries has stepped down after it was revealed last week that half of Sydney's most modern ferries were out of service and thousands of dollars were being spent on charter vessels to replace them. Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould, chief executive of NSW Maritime, will become acting chief of Sydney Ferries for six months.

PRODUCTS
Kannad Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) complete with integrated GPS - The new model PLB fitted with 406MHz and a 121.5MHz homing signal allows positional accuracy of position within 100 metres anywhere in the world. Ideal for personal use for boating. The new price is a 45 per cent saving on previously published prices. Cost NZ$999 plus GST (while stocks last). Safety at Sea will undertake registration at time of sale. Toll free from New Zealand 0800.809911 or Australia 1800.141499

Feb 25 - 26 -- Club Marine Power FM Boating Extravaganza will be held at the Marina Hindmarsh Island, just across the bridge from Goolwa SA. Over 100 boats will be on display with over 70 on the water. Family fun for all with helicopter rides, face painting, fish filleting and boat building demos. Free entry. Media release at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/news06/0216b.htm

Feb 25 - 26 -- Batavia Coast Marina Boat & Fishing Show, Geraldton WA. A celebration of the regions unique maritime heritage, the show will feature boat, accessory, electronics and fishing displays as well as a seafood hall, seafood cooking demonstrations, aquatank fishing presentations and other entertainment including fireworks. Ph: 618 9386 9666 Website: http://www.bataviacoastboatshow.com

IN MEMORIAM
Many sailors who have competed on Pittwater, Sydney Harbour and on the Gold Coast will be saddened to learn that longtime sailing administrator Jan Rowed has lost her long and courageous battle with cancer.

More information on www.boatingoz.com.au or subscribe to receive weekly news with links by email.