Weekly Sailing Summary

NICK MOLONEY IN AUSTRALIA
Whether he's sailing around the world again or windsurfing across Bass Strait, it's hard to catch Australian round the world yachtsman Nick Moloney on dry land, but he will be speaking at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia this week.

Nick is hoping to spend more time in Australia and is working on several new projects, including the Round OZ record, Round Antarctica and more. Ellen MacArthur's 75ft multihull may come to Australia when she completes the Asian Record Circuit and an Open 60 could come too.

Sea of Dreams is a documentary on Moloney's sailing adventures, particularly racing solo around the world in the Vendee Globe. Nick, from Victoria, set himself three goals -- to sail around the world with stopovers with a crew (Whitbread Race), sailing around the world without stopping (winning the Jules Verne Trophy on the trimaran Orange), and sailing around the world solo. The DVD takes you behind the scenes of achieving these goals -- his emotional struggle with breakages on board, extreme weather conditions and his father's fatal illness. A continuous video will be screened on his website from May 5 - 7 and the DVD will be available for purchase.

Sandringham Yacht Club has ended the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria's decade-long domination of Victoria’s prestigious interclub teams racing event, the Association Cup. Sailed in light winds on Port Phillip, Sandringham boats topped the pointscores in all but one of the four divisions to score a convincing win over their rivals.

Sydney Harbour turned on typical winter/autumn sailing weather for the first pointscore race in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s BMW Sydney Winter Series -- beautiful sunshine, little and elusive wind, and for sailors - too much wash from powerboats charging through the fleet. The day was not without incidents with two of the fleet of 133 hooking onto marks and a near collision as boats returned to the club.

Following the Boat Owner's Forum held at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia earlier this year, the Club's Sailing Committee and Board have been considering the issues arising with participation in the Club's key handicap events of boats with canting keels and boats using stored power to power winches.

The countdown to the start of the inaugural combined Sydney Mooloolaba and Sydney Mackay yacht races has begun with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia putting the finishing touches on the Notice of Race which will be available next week. The two races will co-exist with skippers given the option to enter the 468 nautical mile Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race or the 930 nautical miles to Mackay.

MULTIHULLS
Ellen MacArthur's team on B&Q have left Hong Kong for the remaining leg of the Asian Record Circuit to sail around Hong Kong then to the next actual stopover in Malaysia via mainland China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Thomas Coville joins the crew, to co-skipper with MacArthur who will participate in the first and last part of this leg.

Geronimo, the Capgemini and Schneider Electric maxi trimaran skippered by Olivier de Kersauson, broke Steve Fossett's record from San Francisco to Yokohama, Japan. The time of 14 days, 22 hours 40 minutes and 41 seconds is to be ratified by WSSRC.

The WSSR Council announces the ratification of a new World Record for the greatest distance sailed in 24 hours - up to 60 foot.
Yacht: Mediatis-Region Aquitane - Catamaran
Name: Yves Parlier and five crew
Distance sailed: 597.808 nm. rounded to 597.81nm.
Average speed: 24.91 knots

See also
  - Olympic Classes - 2006 SOF Hyeres Regatta - Tornados
  - Charter Chatter & Training - RYA course on catamaran

OLYMPIC CLASSES
2006 SOF Hyeres Regatta, France. Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby AUS led the Tornado class but had to leave before the medal race to compete in the Eurocat regatta in Carnac, Brittany tomorrow. Tom Slingsby AUS won his second Laser title in Hyères. Krystal Weir AUS placed eighth in the Laser Radials and Mathew Belcher and Nick Behrens AUS placed fifth in the 470s.

Adrian Flanagan - The ride so far from the Equator has been nightmarish. Flanagan describes life on board in his quest to be the first to sail a solo non-stop longitudinal circumnavigation via the Russian Arctic.

Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race - Victoria and Durban lead the fleet in the trans-Pacific leg with under 1000 miles to go to Victoria, Canada, but they are set to be joined shortly by Liverpool and Cardiff.

Volvo Ocean Race - In front of an estimated 20,000 spectators, movistar won the fifth in-port race ahead of Brasil 1 and Pirates of the Caribbean. Leg six from Annapolis to Portsmouth via a pit stop in New York commences on May 7. The boats are expected to arrive in New York on May 8.

 - The start of the inport race in Chesapeake Bay meant the official re-entry of Brunel in the Volvo Ocean Race. For the team, the sound of the gun ended a very hectic period in which the boat had to be modified, shipped and reassembled. The grand finale of that operation started only five days before the inport race when the hull, keel and mast were delivered in Baltimore.

 - Neal McDonald GBR returns as Ericsson's skipper for the remainder of the Volvo Ocean Race, whilst American Whitbread veteran Mark Rudiger takes over from Steve Hayles GBR as navigator for legs six and seven. Ken Read USA also joins the team, together with Ian "Barney" Walker AUS. John Kostecki USA remains in the team as tactician for the in-port races.

Sunsail offers sailing enthusiasts an opportunity to learn racing skills while competing in the 2006 Hahn Premium Race Week on Hamilton Island from August 19 - 26. Experience the thrill of regatta racing, but also learn race tactics, course planning, sail trimming, race start sequences, racing rules, spinnaker hoisting and retrieving plus more. AUD$2765 per person includes nine nights accommodation aboard a Beneteau 411 yacht, tuition costs, most meals and many incidental charges. Sailing skills to a minimum of Competent Crew level are required.

PRODUCTS
Endeavour Boat Sales is releasing on the world market MOBi-lert 720i at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on May 18 - 21. The Man-Over-Board technology offers an inexpensive and reliable safety solution for vessels up to 45ft and includes all necessary antenna and alert technology, two Personal Transmitters (PTX) and PTX re-charger (Charger POD).

North Sails announces the start of production of its 3Dr line of sails made from its new rotary mould manufacturing facility located in Oakville, Ontario. Sail production from the facility will add another 30 per cent to the volume of that already produced from the 3DL plant in Minden, Nevada, but, more importantly, will be optimized for production of 3D moulded mainsails, jibs, and genoas for boats under 35 feet.

May 12 - 13 -- Dutch-Australian maritime symposium, Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney. Two world experts on early Dutch exploration of the Australian coast will contribute to an entertaining symposium on Dutch-Australian maritime links. Media release at www.boatingoz.com.au

Photo: Lasers sailing at the 2006 Semaine Olympique Francaise by Gilles Martin-Raget

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