Weekly Sailing Summary

KEEL BOATS

Bob Oatley’s supermaxi Wild Oats XI took line honours in the 25th Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, the boat’s first attempt at the 384 nautical mile coastal race. Bowman Tim Wiseman, who caught his hand in the mainsheet block, was taken off the boat at the entrance to Newcastle Harbour for surgery on his index finger. The Reichel Pugh 63 Loki, owned and skippered by Stephen Ainsworth, with primary helmsman Gordon Maguire, won IRC overall. www.cyca.com.au

A fully carbonised Beneteau First 45, one of six in the world, will race in the Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race starting 6 August. The Sydney Yacht Squadron entry of Dr. Darryl Hodgkinson is supposedly a cruiser racer, and was first campaigned in England and raced in the 2008 Cowes Week, winning her IRC division. www.brisbanetokeppel.com

The annual Melbourne to Geelong (M2G) race starts on 11 September. Pretty Woman was the first entrant in the Cruising with Spinnaker Division and she has been joined by Thunder, a Nolex 30, and PYT, a Young 88. The most recent entry is the Cole 43 Cadence, from Geelong. www.orcv.org.au

Over 750 boats are racing at Cowes Week in the UK until 7 August. www.cowesweek.co.uk

MULTIHULLS

Catamarans and trimarans have had to miss Airlie Beach Race Week in recent years, and program their racing around other northern events mainly due to the big nautical footprint that some of these boats take up. But with the cooperation of Abel Point Marina, the multihulls will be on the same race course as the monohulls for the 21st Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week on 12-19 August. www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au

CRUISING

Yachts are now starting to depart Kupang for the next destinations on the Sail Indonesia route. The first places of call are either the town of Baa on Rote Island, or the town of Kalabahi on Alor Island. In both locations there will be festivities including receptions, cultural events and tours from 3-6 August, before the yachts proceed to Lembata and Ende on Flores Island. About 20 yachts are expected to go to Rote Island and some of this fleet will also visit Sumba and Savu Islands. The remainder of the fleet are heading for the Alor destination. www.sailindonesia.net

AMERICA’S CUP

Following four days of America’s Cup media trials, a new web site has been launched where all the clips have been posted and comments are welcome. Sailing fans, sports fans or those just getting interested for the first time are invited to join the debate. www.acmediaevaluation.com

AROUND THE WORLD

After a court ruling cancelling supervision, fourteen-year-old Dutch sailor Laura Dekker plans to sail to Portugal with her father on 4 August. From Portugal she will launch her bid to become the youngest person to sail around the world solo. www.lauradekker.nl

SAFETY

NSW Ports and Waterways Minister Paul McLeay and teenage round-the-world sailor Jessica Watson led the countdown for industry guests attending the Sydney International Boat Show to set an international record for lifejackets inflated in one location. The record attempt of 415 inflatable lifejackets being activated is being submitted to the National Safe Boating Council for ratification. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

NSW boaters have voted overwhelmingly in favour of providing ongoing support to volunteer organisation Marine Rescue NSW. Funding contributions will start from September 2010, and is set at $7.50 for both boat licences and registrations, or $3 for concession holders. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould AO RAN (Rtd) has accepted an invitation to join the Yachting Australia National Safety Committee. Admiral Oxenbould retired as Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy in 1999 after 37 years in the service, the last six as a Rear Admiral. www.yachting.org.au

AWARDS

Seawind Catamarans wins the Australian Marine Industry Exporter of the Year award, and the Best Marine Industry Export Marketing Strategy award. Established in 1982, Seawind is Australia’s largest designer and builder of ocean-capable cruising-sailing catamarans. Exports now account for 40 per cent of the value of the company’s production. www.aimex.asn.au

Nominations for the 2010 Australian Yachting Awards close on Friday 20 August at 5pm, and the winners will be announced at the 2010 Australian Yachting Awards gala dinner to be held in Sydney on Friday 15 October. www.yachting.org.au

IN BRIEF

NSW Maritime has released a study on NSW boat ownership and storage with growth forecasts to 2026. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

Marion Cooper, the first woman to be elected Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, has made further club history as the first woman to be elected a Life Member. www.ryct.org.au

MARINE INDUSTRY

The associations representing the recreational boating and light commercial marine industries around Australia have united to form the Boating Industries Alliance to represent their collective interests nationally. The Alliance supersedes the Australian Marine Industry Federation (AMIF).

Over the next 12-18 months many of National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC)’s functions will be handed over to the Commonwealth’s Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). In particular the overseeing of the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) will be transferred to AMSA. www.nmsc.gov.au

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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

Aug 7 - Hervey Bay Whale Festival www.herveybaywhalefestival.com.au

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

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

Aug 22 - 24 -- Marine Safety Conference 2010, Burswood Entertainment Centre, Perth. www.nmsc.gov.au

August 26 - 29 -- Brisbane International Boat Show, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. www.brisbaneboatshow.com.au

Aug 27 - 29 -- The Great Tropical Jazz Party on Magnetic Island features internationally acclaimed jazz musicians. www.magneticislandjazz.org

Aug 28 – Sep 3 -- Multihull Solutions Whitsunday Multihull Rendezvous http://www.apyc.yachting.org.au

Sep 3-7 -- Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week offers an exciting shoreside program with live music daily. www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au

Sep 4 – QBE Riverfire, opens the Brisbane Festival with aerial displays by the Australian Defence Forces, fireworks and music. www.brisbanefestival.com.au

Sep 4 - 5 – Darwin Boat Show, Darwin Convention Centre. www.darwinboatshow.com.au

Sep 5 – Oct 11 -- The Louisiades Rally for yachts and powerboats over 30 feet will depart and return to Cairns. www.louisiadesrally.com

Sep 11 - Great Whitsunday Fun Race www.whitsundaysailingclub.com.au

Sep 12 - Try Crewing Day, various locations, NSW www.bia.org.au

Oct 2 – 3 – Heaven Can Wait (HCW) 24 Hour Yacht Race and the associated One Lap Dash will be held on Lake Macquarie, near Newcastle, NSW. The event raises money for the NSW Cancer Council and Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie. www.heavencanwait.com.au

Oct 8 – 10 – Club Marine Mandurah Boat Show, Mandurah Offshore Fishing & Sailing Club WA www.mandurahboatshow.com

Photograph: Loki crossing the finish line in Southport courtesy of Andrea Francolini/Audi