Weekly Sailing Summary

KEEL BOATS

Under the guidance of Mark Richards, Bob Oatley’s 100 foot Reichel/Pugh designed Wild Oats XI took line honours in the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race. Geoff Ross’ RP 55 Yendys is the provisional winner from Victoire, which had the bonus of Sean Kirkjian in the afterguard, bumping Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest down to third overall. However Steel is the provisional winner of the CYCA’s 2009/2010 Blue Water Point Score (BWPS), taking the title by one point from Yendys and Syd Fischer’s TP52 Ragamuffin. Go to CYCA.com.au for more details.

The second of the ORCV's Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminars was held in preparation for the Melbourne to Vanuatu race at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club of Victoria. Discussion points were Category One racing, water on board, power and communications, insurance. Organisers are seeking donations of school and sporting supplies, which will equip the 850 children who attend the North Vila school on the island of Efate. ORCV.org.au.

Bruce Eddington's K2 won the Farr 30 Australian Championship, hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club on Pittwater. RPAYC.com.au.

Sail Port Stephens will now have a Super 30 Division – with racing at the back end of the week from 16-18 April. Typically contested by boats like the Melges 32, Farr 30, the Hick 30, the Bull 9000, the Thompson 870 and Flying Tiger 10 metres, the Super 30’s are a dynamic fleet best described as a high performance sport orientated boat ranging in size from 28 to 32 foot. Sail Port Stephens.com.au.

MATCH RACING

Emirates Team New Zealand, skippered by Dean Barker, won the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Auckland, defeating the Challenger of Record for the America’s Cup, Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, skippered by Gavin Brady, in the best of five match final. Louis Vuitton Trophy.com.

AROUND THE WORLD

Groupama 3, skippered by Franck Cammas and with nine crew, has provisionally won the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation of the world at an average of 18.76 knots. Finishing off the Créac’h lighthouse near Brest, France, the giant catamaran beat the reference time set by Orange 2 in 2005 by two days, eight hours and 35 minutes. More details.

Team Finland left Qingdao with a new mast and is approaching Yokahama in Japan where they will put in briefly to top up their fuel and fresh water tanks and take on extra containers of fresh water for the Pacific crossing. The crew has been working with the Clipper maintenance team and the manufacturer to diagnose a problem with their new water maker. The rest of the fleet is in a storm in the Pacific with 45 to 50 knot winds. The first yachts are due to arrive in San Francisco Marina between 1 and 4 April. Clipper Round the World.com

Over five months have passed since Jessica Watson sailed out of Sydney Harbour on her attempt to be the youngest person to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the world. She is now over halfway across the Indian Ocean, heading for Australia. Jessica Watson.com.au

18 FOOTERS

Elizabeth Walsh became the 18 Footers Queen of the Harbour when she teamed with Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton to win the annual event with Gotta Love It 7 on Sydney Harbour. The Queen of the Harbour race requires all the 18 Footers to have an additional crew member on board – a female, their queen for the day. 18footers.com.au

PRODUCTS

Durepox Marine Australia is using Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on 20 – 23 May for the Australian launch of Durepox paints and coatings. Durepox is only one of two approved paint products for America’s Cup boats. It can be used as a filler, a primer and topcoat all in one, saving litres and making the boat lighter and therefore faster in the water. An epoxy urethane, the paints are hard but flexible. They offer adhesion to carbon fibre, fiberglass and wood and can be applied without sanding between coats.

NEWS BRIEFS

Cyclone Ului crossed the coast near Airlie Beach at 1.30am on Sunday 21 March, damaging homes and causing power outages across the region. The category three cyclone with winds of 200km/h washed boats onto rocks at Airlie Beach, including the 26-metre Anaconda II, a former racing maxi that has sailed around the world and competed in the Sydney to Hobart race.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Mar 28 – April 4 -- Gladstone Harbour Festival - free entertainment, live music, street parades, fireworks and the spectacle of the yachts arriving after completing the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht race. Gladstone Festival.com

April 2 – Good Friday

April 2 - 61st Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race starts. Queensland’s most famous blue water yachting event sets sail in the waters off Brisbane every year on Good Friday. Brisbane to Gladstone.com.au

April 2 – Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race starts at Beauty Point on the Tamar River just north of Launceston and finishes in Hobart on the River Derwent. Threepeaks.org.au

April 4 – 11th Solo Tasman Challenge from New Plymouth, New Zealand to Mooloolaba, Australia. Solo-Tasman.co.nz

April 6 - Information night at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney on diesel engine maintenance with Dave Giddings of Drive Marine Services. All welcome. Please book at CYCA reception on 8292-7800 or reception@cyca.com.au

April 12 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Sail Repairs at UK Halsey Loft, Beach Road Sandringham. ORCV.org.au

April 12 – 18 -- Sail Port Stephens - Entries are open for all divisions, including the NSW IRC Championship, Commodores Cup (PHS), SB3 National Championship, Sports Boats and the Port Stephens Trophy which has a racing and cruising division. The feeder races for the event will be RPAYC’s Pittwater to Newcastle on 10 April and NCYC’s Newcastle to Port Stephens race on 11 April. Sail Port Stephens.com.au

April 18 - ORCV's Rip Tour on Port Phillip. ORCV.org.au

April 27 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Medical and Dentistry with Rosie Colahan at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at 7pm. ORCV.org.au

April 28 - Don McIntyre and crew depart Tonga to re-create Captain William Bligh’s 4,000 mile open boat ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ voyage. Talisker Bounty Boat.com

May 4 - Information night at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney on electrical maintenance with Rob Starkey. All welcome. Please book at CYCA reception on 8292-7800 or reception@cyca.com.au

May 9 - Butlers Business and Law Round Lord Howe Island Yacht Race - The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria is assisting the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club with their hosting of the 770 nautical mile Category 1 race. ORCV.org.au

May 11 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Communications with Neville Rose at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at 7pm. ORCV.org.au

May 20 - 23 -- Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, Gold Coast. Sanctuary Cove Boat Show.com.au

May 20 – 23 -- 1770 Festival, Town of Seventeen-Seventy, Queensland. Celebrating the "Birth Place of Queensland", this festival has been an annual event for 17 years and commemorates the visit of the Endeavour and landing of Lt. James Cook and his crew in May 1770. www.1770festival.com.au

May 21 – 30 -- Port Douglas Carnivale, Tropical North Queensland. The seaside resort village of Port Douglas sets aside ten days each year to celebrate music, arts, sport, food culture and entertainment. Carnivale.com.au

May 27 – June 21 -- Vivid Sydney, a festival of light, music and ideas, featuring the spectacular illumination of the Sydney Opera House sails.

Photograph: Bob Steel’s Quest in the Audi Sydney Newcastle Yacht Race – courtesy of Andrea Francolini/Audi