Weekly Sailing News Summary

Summary for w/b - 28 Mar, 2006 12pm

Australian Chris Nicholson received the Musto Seamanship Award at a prize-giving ceremony in Rio de Janeiro for his bravery and quick thinking in saving movistar from potentially sinking. He dived underwater to connect two emergency bilge pumps directly to the batteries, suffering a series of electric shocks as he secured the connection.

Jerry Kirby, 50 is possibly the world's oldest professional bowman. He has a reputation as a daredevil, after he jumped off the bridge in Newport years ago just to join a race. His responsibilities as the owner of a major construction company restrict his professional sailing engagements, but his thirst for adventure has found a new outlet recently after he was introduced to motocross racing by one of his teenage sons. He joins Paul Cayard on Black Pearl, replacing Curtis Blewett who is returning to the Alinghi America's Cup team.

Two very different boats, the first of their kind in the country, have recently arrived in Australia and will make their debut in this year's Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Leslie Green's Swan 601 Ginger arrived in Sydney just over a week ago, and the new Stomp 38 called Stomp, which arrived in Sydney less than two months ago will prove hard to catch in a following breeze, says owner Nick De Laine. A fleet of 44 yachts is expected to start.

The NAVMAN Big Bay Challenge starts off the St Kilda breakwater at 1100 hours on April 1. The 24-hour race is to be entirely within the waters of Port Phillip and results will be calculated on the distance travelled by each yacht, adjusted by the appropriate handicap factor.

Mt Gay Rum Top Jocks Regatta - Martin Hill, the Australian champion owner/skipper of the Sydney 38 Estate Master, with two of his regular crew, Olympians Michael Blackburn and Malcolm Page, won the event. The 'sailing with the stars' regatta was sailed on the CYCA's fleet of Elliott 6 sports boats and no one crewmember was allowed to helm the boat more than twice during the six races.

Following the success of the recent Harken Women's International Match Racing Regatta, the event has been retrospectively upgraded from a Grade 3 to a Grade 2 regatta.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia will again conduct the annual Great Veterans Race on Sunday, April 23 -- an event for former ocean racers built before 1970 and which have competed in a Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

AMERICA'S CUP
Navigator Marc Lagesse saved Team Shosholoza some highly specialized computer equipment after a rope lassoed the boat's prized black box during a sail training maneuver and flicked it overboard. He dived in after it an managed to grab the handle of the computer in about two to three metres of water before it sank the 30 metres to the bottom.

Two marina facilities just minutes from the America's Cup race courses will add over 600 new berths to the Port America's Cup in Valencia, Spain. Basic moorage rates during the 2006 racing season start at €105.00 for a 15-metre boat overnight.

Australian Brett Jones, 40, and Italian Tommaso Chieffi, 45, and  have joined Team Shosholoza as crew/coaches in a part-time capacity so that they can also continue their respective careers.

Asian Record Circuit 2006 - Ellen MacArthur and an international crew of four left Yokohama, Japan on the 75ft trimaran B&Q on Leg One to Jeju Island, South Korea. After three days onboard the crew have taken advantage of the lighter conditions as they prepare themselves for the strong winds along the south coast of Japan.

Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix -- Team Basilica from Britain wrapped up a triumphant week with three podium finishes, to win the Rio trophy after a challenging last day's racing in Guanabara Bay. Movistar watch captain and 49er sailor Chris Nicholson AUS took the helm of a Volvo Extreme 40 during the second day of the series.

OFF THE BEACH
The Asko Appliances team, led by Hugh Stodart, continued their domination over the fleet in light easterly winds, recording an easy victory in Race 5 of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship on Sydney Harbour on Sunday.

Raphaela Le Gouvello will depart Exmouth, Western Australia on a custom built windsurfer around April 5, subject to weather conditions, and sail for 70-75 days to Reunion Island, a 6300km (3400nm) journey. She is in Perth to train with WA's famous Fremantle Doctor and to acclimatise to the weather conditions.

AROUND THE WORLD
Solo yachtswoman Dee Caffari, in her quest to become the first woman to sail single handed non stop westabout round the world, has passed to the north of 40 degrees south latitude as she approaches the Cape of Good Hope. That is the end of the Southern Ocean and she shouldn't be heading south again.

Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race - Ten Clipper 68s started the 1,400 mile race from Subic Bay to Qingdao on Saturday. Jersey Clipper Skipper Mark Taylor has announced that he will leave his team when they reach Qingdao. The fleet is expected to arrive on April 2.

 - The new skipper for westernaustralia.com is Mark Preedy GBR. Mark sailed with Clipper last summer, when he joined Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston for his trip to Iceland and Greenland. Prior to that, he was skipper of a 94-foot ketch conducting whale research in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean.

NEWS BRIEFS
Cyclone Larry caused the cancellation of multiple sailing events in North Queensland last weekend with Mission Beach Sailing Club receiving the worst weather. No reports of significant damage to North Queensland Clubs have been received. Yachting Queensland.

Naval architect Jens Gravlev has been appointed to lead Perry Catamarans' design team. Danish-born Jens was previously with Stephen & Gravlev, Marine Design and Approvals, Canada, specialists in commercial and patrol boats. Perry Catamarans now has a staff of 110 working at its waterfront Coomera complex on the Gold Coast.

Queensland marinas are under the microscope following an industry and government forum held recently to examine the shortage of wet berths throughout the state. Issues raised at the forum included the need to obtain maximum capacity from existing infrastructure before looking for greenfield sites, and a proposal to identify future sites well before the development stage.

Australian marine companies will be exhibiting at the China International Boat Show, which takes place in Shanghai from April 6 - 9. The Chinese government has introduced a 10 per cent consumption tax on luxury items from April 1, including yachts.

Positions Vacant - Latest free listings at Boating OZ
  - Cruise Hostess, Mackay, Qld
  - Boat maintenance Trades Assistants, three required for work in Sydney, NSW

April 2 - Daylight Saving ends in NSW, Victoria, SA and Tasmania

April 7 - 9 -- Brisbane, Tinnie, Tackle & Outdoor Show - Includes the National 4X4 Show and the Camping and Outdoors Expo to be held at RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane. Boating Industry Association Queensland.

April 7 - 9 -- Herald Boat Show, Newcastle. Boating Industry Association of NSW

April 8 - 9 -- Sail Boat Show, Sandringham Yacht Club, Melbourne - Features include "Come Try Sailing for Adults and Children"; boat displays including keelboats, trailerables, dinghies and catamarans; trade marine products and services. The focus will be on a fun weekend for the whole family with plenty of attractions, entertainment and refreshments.

More information at www.boatingoz.com.auor subscribe to receive weekly email news with links

Photo: Leslie Green's Swan 601 Ginger enjoying its first test sail by Christophe Launay