Weekly Sailing Summary

POWERBOAT RACING

Many thought that the Cunningham family had retired from power boat racing after the sale of their 2005 GP World Championship and 2006 E.C Griffith Cup winning hull GP 55. But Con Cunningham announced recently that Shamrock GP 454 would enter the 2010 World GP Championships to be staged at Yarrawonga over the weekend of November 26-28. Shamrock is a Ron Jones designed hydroplane built in Sydney by Graham Troy. It is a timber Grand Prix Hydroplane with composite Ron Jones capsule. The boat had been in storage since 2004 but after a clean and some touch up work Shamrock commenced its campaign towards the worlds in a run at the St George Motor Boat Club Spectacular. www.biavic.com.au

Zabo Racing team principal, Jan Zaborowski, has highlighted the fact that the mandatory safety modifications carried out on their cockpit was the reason that neither of his pilots was injured in last weekend’s Swedish Grand Prix. The heart-stopping moment happened when Relekta’s Paul Gaiser and Christian Zaborowski hooked their boat going into the first turn after the re-start of race one. The boat spun-out into the path of Fazza which careered into and over the back of the stricken raceboat. ‘When Fazza hit and went over the boat the propellers screwed through the deck and side of the cockpit, penetrating in three places. There’s no question that the modifications to strengthen the cockpit played a vital role in protecting the pilots,’ said Zaborowski. www.class-1.com

Super Boat International race teams converged on the Lake Michigan coastal city of Indiana. This year’s fastest entry in the field, JBS Racing, screamed by the beach and around the course taking first place in the Turbine powered class. www.superboat.com

The British Powerboat Festival is being held at Cowes, Isle of Wight 25-30 August 2010. The event is celebrating the 50th running of a Powerboat Race from Cowes. Over 40 of the world’s top UIM Marathon Class racing boats will be competing in the Cowes 100 and the Cowes Torquay Cowes races. www.cowes2010.co.uk

FISHING

Maryborough angler Trevor Gallehawk entered the annual Boyne Tannum Hook Up fishing competition in Far North Queensland to land a few fish but came away as the winner of the tournament’s major prize, a CruiseCraft Explorer 575. The 2010 event attracted more than 4000 competitors.

POWERBOATS

Mercury Marine offers remanufactured engines, the 383 Stroker – a 6.2 litre, 350 hp EFI and the 357 Mag – a 325 hp, 5.7 litre carb, both with a 12 month warranty. All the ancillary equipment, the fuel system, the ignition system, the drive, transom and manifold, are all brand new.

The Streaker model range has expanded again with the launch of the latest 6100 Sirocco bow rider, rated to carry up to seven adults. This is a sister model to the initial offering from Streaker, the 5700 Sirocco.

SAFETY

NSW Maritime has responded to the Deputy State Coroner’s recommendations following the collision between the ferry Pam Burridge and the private motor cruiser Merinda on 28 March 2007. The Deputy State Coroner made 24 recommendations, of which 15 were specific to NSW Maritime. According to the response today, 11 of those recommendations have been given in principle support, and a further four are under review. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

Victoria’s marine safety laws will be modernised and strengthened to better equip police and regulators to improve safety on the state’s waterways under new legislation introduced into Parliament. www.biavic.com.au

IN BRIEF

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life at Sea Trusts (SOLAS) has made a second donation to Volunteer Marine Rescue Southport of $13,300 to upgrade radio equipment at their Gold Coast base and for their three rescue vessels. www.cyca.com.au

Interested parties are invited to comment on draft amendments to the Yachting Australia Special Regulations available online at www.yachting.org.au/specialregs. The draft amendments address a range of issues including hull design and construction standards, the wearing of PFDs, GPS capability in EPIRBS and PLBs, and lifebuoys.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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 28 - 29 -- Australian Formula Powerboat Grand Prix, Round, Sydney International Regatta Centre, Penrith. www.formulapowerboats.com.au

Aug 28 – Sep 3 -- Multihull Solutions Whitsunday Multihull Rendezvous http://www.apyc.yachting.org.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 18 - 19 -- Australian Offshore Powerboat Championship Round 4, Redcliff, Queensland www.aopc.com.au

Sep 18 - 19 - Windsor Spectacular, conducted by the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club. Boats are expected to reach speeds over 230 kilometres per hour. www.uhpbc.net

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

Oct 15 - Barra Bounty, Rockhampton’s five-star fishing event staged on the Fitzroy River, where anglers compete to tag and release Barramundi. www.capricornholidays.com.au

Oct 15 - 17 -- Sunraysia hosts the first ever UIM World Unlimited Displacement Powerboat Championships at Gol Gol NSW, approximately ten kilometres north east of Mildura. www.fastwater.com.au

Oct 16 – 17 -- 2010 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival, National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney. www.anmm.gov.au 

Photograph: Shamrock courtesy of