Weekly Sailing Summary

THE PLASTIKI

The Plastiki and crew have reached the end of their epic voyage from San Francisco to Sydney, across the Pacific Ocean on an 8,000 nautical mile adventure lasting over 130 days. The boat made from 12,000 plastic bottles arrived at Sydney’s Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, to an excited crowd of friends, family and supporters.

The Plastiki cabin has been home to ten members of crew over the four month journey; Skipper Jo Royle, Co-Skipper David Thomson, Expedition leader David de Rothschild, Olav Heyerdahl, Graham Hill, Luca Babini, Matthew Grey, Max Jourdan, Singeli Agnew and Vern Moen. All have witnessed the polluted waters of the Pacific, affirming their mission to share their experience with the watching world and most importantly highlight solutions to protect our oceans and beat waste. ThePlastiki.com.

KEEL BOATS

The closing ladies day race of the Audi Winter Series had 65 starters. The team onboard 61 year old Erica J, with Louise Stevenson at the helm, got into the fun of the day with each crew member wearing a Lucille Ball blonde wig. The wigs did not hinder their performance as they won the non-spinnaker Division B. CYCA.com.au.

Entries for the 4th Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race officially closed on Friday 23 July with 38 yachts due to set sail on Friday 6 August 2010. However the Mummery 45 Icefire (Peter Cox) has been withdrawn leaving the fleet at 37. The 2009 race attracted 28 yachts. www.brisbanetokeppel.com

Don Algie, one of the founders of Airlie Beach Race Week, will sail his 19.9 metre sloop Storm 2 in the Cruising Class of this year’s event on 12-19 August. Competing against him in this class will be the Oyster 66 Miss Molly, skippered by West Australian Geoff Pettifer, Hughi Lewis’ Cyclone from Tasmania, and the former Sydney Hobart line honours champion George Snow with his comfortable Beneteau Oceanis cruiser Argo Blue. Interest will also focus on the performance of the sailing catamaran Cynophobe, which is capable of sailing faster than the prevailing wind velocity. www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au

Tam Faragher from Brisbane is the 150th entry in Audi Hamilton Island Race Week on 20-28 August with his Beneteau 44.7 Ultimate Positioning in the IRC Cruising Division. Faragher did not become seriously involved in sailing until he was in his early 40’s, but as soon as he got the bug he was hooked. www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au

Rolex SA will extend its naming rights sponsorship of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and its associated regattas, the Rolex Trophy One Design and Rolex Trophy Rating Series, up to and including the 2015 race.  CYCA.com.au.

The defending champion team of William Tiller, Harry Thurston and Shaun Mason from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is the winner of the Governors Cup after defeating Chris Segerblom, Connor Bathen and Kieran Chung from Newport Harbor Yacht Club. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s team placed fourth and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron placed eighth at the youth match racing event in California. BalboaYachtClub.com.

AMERICA’S CUP

Over four days two high-performance monohulls and multihulls were loaded with a plethora of cameras and microphones and put through match racing maneuvers to help find new camera angles and test surround sound format as part of television trials for the America’s Cup. Racecourses were also modified by changing the percentages of upwind and downwind work to see if it helped keep the yachts engaged at close quarters. AmericasCup.com.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Video biographies of athletes in the Australian Sailing Team are now on the official Australian Sailing Team website. AustralianSailingTeam.com.au.

CRUISING

The 2010 Sail Indonesia Rally started on Saturday 24 July in a 15-20 knot southeast breeze. By midday all yachts had cleared Darwin Harbour and were settling down to champagne sailing in 10-15 knots of breeze. The 100-strong fleet stayed together until they cleared Bathurst Island, where the fleet going to Kupang proceeded in a west-northwesterly direction, while the fleet going to Banda continued on their northward journey. The first yachts are expected to arrive at each destination by 27 July. SailIndonesia.net.

IN BRIEF

QBE Riverfire opens the Brisbane Festival on 4 September with aerial displays by the Australian Defence Forces, fireworks and music. Recreational boat owners wishing to watch QBE Riverfire from the closed sections of the Brisbane River need to apply in person on August 4 for an Entry Permit Flag to gain access to the dedicated spectator mooring zones. For details see BrisbaneFestival.com.au.

Yachting Australia is seeking clarification of the laws regarding trailers and towing in the different states. Of particular concern is the extent of the rear overhang, especially where the mast is carried on top of the boat. Yachting Australia is aware that there is a regulatory exemption in Victoria to address the issue. Without this exemption, many sportsboats and trailable yachts towed on the road would not comply with the Victorian State regulations. Similar exemptions may apply in other States and the Territories. Yachting.org.au.

Members of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia elected well known yachtsman and marine industry identity Garry Linacre unopposed as their new Commodore.  CYCA.com.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

July 29 - Aug 2 -- 2010 Sydney International Boat Show, Darling Harbour. SydneyBoatShow.com.au.

July 31 - Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. CYCA.com.au.

Aug 6 - Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race. BrisbaneToKeppel.com.

Aug 7 - Hervey Bay Whale Festival. HerveyBayWhaleFestival.com.au.

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

Aug 12 – 19 -- Airlie Beach Race Week, Meridien Marinas Abel Point Marina. AirlieBeachRaceWeek.com.au.

Aug 20 – 28 -- Audi Hamilton Island Race Week - One of Australia’s most popular sailing festivals. Race week blends world class yacht racing for Australian and overseas competitors with spectacular off-water events. HamiltonIslandRaceWeek.com.au.

Aug 20 – Sep 5 -- Festival Cairns. FestivalCairns.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 27 - 29 -- The Great Tropical Jazz Party on Magnetic Island features internationally acclaimed jazz musicians. MagneticIslandJazz.org.

Aug 28 – Sep 3 -- Multihull Solutions Whitsunday Multihull Rendezvous. APYC.yachting.org.au.

Sep 3-7 -- Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week offers an exciting shoreside program with live music daily. MagneticIslandRaceWeek.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 11 - Great Whitsunday Fun Race. WhitsundaySailingClub.com.au.

Photograph: The Plastiki arriving in Sydney