MONDAY March 15th 2010.
Gladstone Race skippers on weather alert.
The cyclone Ului currently tracking a course towards Queensland may have a disruptive influence as on the 62nd Brisbane to Gladstone Race starting on Good Friday April 2nd.
A strong wind warning remains in place for the Queensland coast forcing central Queensland skippers to continually review their departure to coincide with a favourable ‘weather window’.
Hamilton Island Yacht Club skipper Bruce Absolon who has nominated the former Volvo Globe race sloop Nikon Spirit of The Maid has a graphic understanding of how dangerous the ocean can become when it is tormented by fresh and frightening winds.
His 2009 race challenger the dual Sydney Hobart race champion Ausmaid was on her race delivery voyage from Hamilton Island to Brisbane when she was dismasted off Double Island Point and later wrecked on Noosa Northshore beach.
Naturally Bruce Absolon will be cautious as he continues to monitor the weather before Nikon Spirit of The Maid casts her mooring lines for the 625 nautical mile voyage from Hamilton Island.
Capricorn Cruising Yacht Club skipper Tim McCall faces the same situation with the 2009 Audi Australian IRC champion Acadia while the former race winner the 42 year old Gladstone sloop Wistari remains weather bound in her Gladstone marina berth.
Bundaberg skipper John Brand also faces a tough slog against the strong South East trade winds but all owners remain hopeful of a favourable break in the weather to allow them to compete in the annual blue water classic.
The current nature of Queensland’s coastal weather has continued to be monitored by Race Director Herb Prendergast as the 18 day countdown to the start began at 11 am today.
A precedent was set 1964 when the start was delayed for 24 hours to allow for a nasty storm front to pass before the Rupert Murdock helmed Ilina power sailed to win line honours with a new race record of 33 hours 23 minutes 54 seconds while the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron sloop Pagan relished racing in fresh winds to win on handicap.
Further information is available from Race Director Herb Prendergast on 0428 190 483 or Ian Grant 0427 592 664.