A leading light of Australian motor racing, Roland Dane, has purchased one of the world’s most successful small ocean racing yachts with the aim of taking top honours at XXXX Sail Paradise 2012, which will be staged by Southport Yacht Club off the Gold Coast from March 21 – 25.
And, to give his campaign the best possible chance of success, he has called on one of Australia’s top offshore racing sailors, former Sydney to Hobart race record-holder Michael Spies, to step aboard as project manager and sailing master.
Dane, who heads the Australian V8 championship winning motorsport team, Team Vodaphone, is a relative newcomer to offshore sailing, but he obviously harbours a determination to win on the water that is akin to his efforts in motor racing.
The yacht he has purchased and renamed Jessandra II is a Corby 36 design that has been prominent in regattas in Europe and Australia. Launched as Rosie in 2004 and re-named Rockall III when she was campaigned in Australia, this small yacht boasts an impressive list of firsts, including class winner in the 2011 Commodore’s Cup in the UK, and outright wins in the UK and German IRC class championships and at Cork Week. Last year she was second in one of the world’s major long-distance offshore events, the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
‘Our intention is to see Jessandra II as the most successful ocean racing yacht under 40ft in Australia,’ Spies said, ‘and there’s no better place to start that campaign than at Sail Paradise.’
Following XXXX Sail Paradise, Jessandra II will compete in the Brisbane to Gladstone Race at Easter then be prepared for the Audi IRC Australian Championship at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August.
Organisers of Sail Paradise confirmed this week that Queensland’s favourite beer, XXXX, would be the naming rights sponsor for the regatta.
‘It is wonderful to have XXXX back with us as a sponsor for a major regatta,’ said Southport Yacht Club’s CEO and former commodore, Neale Hollier. ‘They were behind the highly successful XXXX offshore series this club staged more than 20 years ago, so we look forward to enjoying similar success with them through Sail Paradise.’
Neale Hollier also confirmed that the social program for XXXX Sail Paradise was destined to match the pleasure that will come for the crews when racing their yachts along the shoreline of the Gold Coast’s famous golden beaches: ‘We’ve even planned a big beach party for the sailors, their families and friends this year. It will be something not to be missed.’
XXXX Sail Paradise 2012 will signal the opening of Tourism Queensland’s Season of Sailing.
For more information on XXXX Sail Paradise go to the regatta website, www.sailparadise.com.au
or contact Bronwen Ince at Southport Yacht Club: (07) 5591 3500.
Image caption:
Hi res images are available. Contact Bronwen Ince enquiries@southportyachtclub.com.au
Black Jack
By Ian Grant.
Peter Harburg the popular owner of the champion Queensland Ocean racing yacht Black Jack is preparing to spend the early part of Easter paying another personal tribute to his late father Clive Harburg.
Peter who will stand watch on the deck of the speed sailing Black Jack will have fond memories of his father who passed away aged 90 on July 24 2002 when Black Jack contests the start of the 2012 Qantas Link Brisbane to Gladstone Race on Good Friday April 6th.
His father the famed ABC sport commentator was assigned to broadcast the start of the inaugural Brisbane to Gladstone Race from the Woody Point Pier on Good Friday morning 64 years ago.
“I remember the occasion very well although I was a small boy enjoying a day out walking along the pier with my father”. Peter Harburg said recently.
Now a little over six decades later Peter Harburg has formed his Black Jack racing team to carry on the strong family bond with Queensland’s premier blue water classic.
Black Jack a super fast American designed and built 20.3m pocket-maxi named after personal friend and Formula One World champion Sir Jack Brabham OBE has already claimed a special place in Gladstone Race history winning the line honours trophy in 2009 and 2010 while finishing second last year to the larger Peter Millard skippered Lahana.
The exciting Black Jack raced under principal helmsman Mark Bradford and the Mooloolaba yachts Audi Centre Sunshine Coast (Rod Jones) and the Bob Robertson skippered Lunchtime Legend head another impressive fleet.
Audi Centre Sunshine Coast is the former 2006 line honours winner Heaven Can Wait which has been recently modified for the dual Audi Australian championship winning skipper Rod Jones to set a future Rolex Sydney Hobart challenge in their race diary.
The high performance OceanBuro ocean racing team have focused their attention on contesting the 308 n/ml Brisbane to Gladstone race followed by the Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Race in early August as a lead in to entering the 628 n/ml Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2013.
Meanwhile both skipper Rod Jones and his equally talented crew including World champion Etchells sailor Bucky Smith and Queensland Academy of Sport sailing coach Adrian Finglas will continue with the required learning curve to have the exciting Hugh Welbourn designed sloop on the pace for her serious ocean racing challenge.
They will no doubt be hoping for a fast spinnaker sailing trade wind forecast to make sure that the revamped Heaven Can Wait has the speed to beat her 2006 line honours winning performance of 35 hours 16 minutes 32 seconds.
Race veteran Bob Robertson a dual winner of the 64 year old Courier Mail Cup with Sellar’s Witchcraft 11 and Corroboree has been nominated among the corrected handicap favourites with his new Beneteau First 40 Lunchtime Legend.
However he is not prepared to place the traditional bets of Bundaberg Rum on the result until the final entries which promise to include last year’s winner the 2012 Audi Australian champion Hooligan are declared by race director Herb Prendergast.
Hi Folks,
Hope all are well, with Seton Prettejohn’s help we have a new website up and running. See www.louisiades.com (www.louisiadesrally.com still works as well).
I will upload some more of the best hero shots we have to the photo gallery… but I am also keen to put up other pics…so email any pics you would like to add to the gallery.
Any suggestions for next year’s rally, edits or suggestions for the website welcome!
Our Rally support for the community doesn’t stop. We have been in constant contact with Amos Osborne, Jonathon Amos’s dad. (The kid with the tongue at Panapompom). With support from Rotary and ex Rally folk Jonathon received another few treatment of a drug in port Moresby…this was intensive in-patients treatment for three months…unfortunately there been no improvement so Jonathon is eligible for ROMAC…but this means he need to await a surgeon/hospital/anaesthetist etc. willing to donate time etc. I have advised Rotary/ROMAC to tell us if they need cash support.).
The money we raised for Paneati has just been sent to them today (there was doubt about bank details and who would get what so I held off until I had a consistent message from the Clinic’s head nurse and the Chair of the board. All sorted now so some trained electrons are sending the K5000 off.
MV Siletu (the Nimowa ambulance) has blown a cooling hose, special reducing bent one…so I am off to Cummins tomorrow to pick it up and get it couriered to Alotau.
Lastly, for those that think the rally is worthwhile and/or like the Louisiades…could you send me a one or two sentence comment (that I can quote) on how good the rally/and or Louisiades are…we need to compile some quotes for PNGTPA.
Cheers,
Guy Chester
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Louisiades Yacht Rally 2012
Organiser
By Bronwen Ince
Australia’s leading professional yacht race manager, Denis Thompson, has been confirmed as Race Director for Sail Paradise, the summer offshore regatta which will be staged by Southport Yacht Club, on the Gold Coast, from March 21 to 25.
At the same time, dynamic and innovative marine sculptress and artist, Jo Wooler, of Mojo Creations, has completed the magnificent ‘Sail Paradise’ perpetual trophy out of polished marine grade stainless steel. The impressive award is styled around the shape of a billowing gennaker and is mounted on a timber base which embraces the surge of the sea.
Queensland offshore sailing legend, Bob Robertson, already has his name on the trophy as the winner of the inaugural Sail Paradise regatta with his yacht, Cracklin’ Rosie.
Sail Paradise is evolving as ‘THE’ exciting new regatta in southeast Queensland. It caters for the widest possible range of sailboats – from offshore racing keelboats and cruising yachts to multihulls and sport boats.
After enjoying the inaugural Sail Paradise regatta so much, there is no holding back Bruce Absolon this year. He has already entered his Volvo 60, Nikon–Spirit of the Maid, declaring that as well as simply wanting to sail in such a satisfying series, he will use Sail Paradise as a warm-up for the Brisbane to Gladstone race, starting April 6.
The rapidly expanding SB3 sport boat class has nominated Sail Paradise for its Queensland championship, and already the man behind the class in Australia, Rod Jones, has entered his boat, Club Marine.
The offshore course area for Sail Paradise is considered to be one of the best for yacht racing in Australia. The majority of the courses will be set just off the surfline of the Gold Coast’s famous golden beaches, while the distance races for the keelboats will see them sail a stimulating and challenging passage south to Cook Island, on the Queensland/NSW border, and return.
Southport Yacht Club is well recognised as being the friendliest yacht club on Australia’s east coast, and regatta organisers will be out to ensure that this reputation is retained during Sail Paradise. Apart from there being an entertaining social agenda planned for the club, families and friends accompanying competitors will have the opportunity to experience the many and varied attractions of the region – from the unspoiled natural beauty of the hinterland through to the beaches and some of the world’s best theme parks.
The Notice of Race and entry form are on the regatta website – www.sailparadise.com.au
Sail Paradise 2012 is supported by Gold Coast City Council and Gold Coast Tourism.
Image Captions
1) Jo Wooler, of Mojo Creations, hands over the spectacular Sail Paradise Trophy to Southport Yacht Club Commodore, Rob Mundle. (Image: Southport Yacht Club)
2) The waters off the Gold Coast’s magnificent golden beaches are among the best you will find for an offshore regatta. (Image: Gold Coast Tourism)
Released: January 11, 2012
By Ian Grant. Black Jack the Peter Harburg owned and Mark Bradford skippered maxi-chaser is poised to set a fast course time in the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club Surf to City Ocean race this weekend. The impressive speed sailing yacht has set her best times when racing in moderate to fresh spinnaker sailing winds and given a forecast of 20-25 knot South East Trade winds stands to challenge the present race record of 7 hours 10 minutes 46 seconds set by the catamaran Flat Chat in 2002. Designed by the successful American loft of John Riechel and Jim Pugh Black Jack named after World motor racing champion Sir Jack Brabham a person friend of Peter Harburg has already secured line honours wins in the Brisbane to Gladstone and Brisbane to Keppel races which has naturally delighted her popular owner. Black Jack which was laid up on the hard stand over the past 8 months while Peter Harburg pursed his motor car racing interests in Europe will use the Surf to City race as a full ‘dress rehearsal’ for the 2012 Brisbane to Gladstone Race starting on Good Friday April 6th. Her crew including the successful Investec Loyal Rolex Sydney Hobart Race line honours winning crew members Mark Bradford and Vaughan Prentice completed their first training session on Moreton Bay last Friday and are fully prepared to express their speed sailing skill. “We have re-stepped the mast and are ready to go racing again”. Peter Harburg Said. As expected Black Jack is strongly favoured to post another line honours win ahead of the match racing Farr 40’s Lambourdini (David Lambourne) and Bribie Star (Ken Down). But her crew will face a challenge of consistently recording a boat speed in excess of 12.55 knots over the tactically demanding open ocean leg of the course from the Southport Seaway to the North East Channel entrance and the tricky final stage to the finish line off the Fisheries Beacon in Bramble Bay. Both the principal skipper Mark Bradford and the crew have the proved potential to set a new record but the result rests with the prevailing forecast which appears promising. There is little doubt that Black Jack will leave a white water wake for her smaller challengers to follow with interest focusing on the match racing duel between the almost identical Farr 40’s Lambourdini and Bribie Star who officials nominate as the most likely to fill the minor line honours places behind Black Jack. Hopefully the promise of an ideal trade wind forecast will be set in place to provide the fleet with a fast spinnaker sailing breeze to set a form guide in place for the Qantas Link sponsored 308 nautical mile Brisbane to Gladstone Race over the Easter Weekend. In the Offshore Fleet, the Peter Harburg owned Black Jack will once again be attempting to beat the race record which has eluded them in the last few attempts. The record which stands at 9HRS 36MINS 45SEC has stood since 2002. Most skippers agree that the record set by Bob Sled is manageable but rests entirely with the wind. Members of the public will be able to follow the race as it happens via the live Tracertrak yacht tracking system on the race website, www.surf2city.com.au “The Tracertrak system updates the yachts positions every five minutes and allows everyone to get involved with the race. In previous years we have seen traffic on the site reach over one million visits” said Nigel Statham, Race Director for the event. Whilst the Inshore fleet won’t be carrying trackers, the race organisers at Queensland Cruising Yacht Club will still have a good idea where all the boats are via a series of Check Vessels that the competitors have to pass along the course. Vivace, owned by Noel Leigh-Smith, will be defending her Inshore line honours title which she won last year with a new Inshore Monohull race record 4HRS 27MINS 56SEC whilst in the multihull category, a number of contenders led by George Owens’ Mad Max look likely to mount a serious challenge for the Inshore Multihull race record. The race is organised and hosted by Queensland Cruising Yacht Club and run in association with Southport Yacht Club. By Ian Grant. Sunshine Coast ocean racing veteran Bob Robertson weathered another physically tormenting Rolex Sydney Hobart race finishing 12th overall and third in IRC division 4 with his relatively new sloop Lunchtime Legend. As the experienced skipper again found out there is no written tactical strategy on how to best apply the ocean racing experience from 12 previous Hobart’s to master what nature provided with the wind velocity that blew over the deck. Lunchtime Legend launched for her maiden regatta at the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in late August and an impressive class winner of the short course series Sydney had the crew of experienced long race specialists and the form to be linked with the pre-race favourites. But as the Lunchtime Legend crew have learnt to understand that every nautical mile of this 628 nautical mile classic has a history of testing the draw from the deck of the get lucky cards. Their fleet position was well in the mix with the provisional leaders before the fleet were forced to ‘batten down the hatches’ and prepare for a test of their fresh wind sailing skill and character. The Southerly Buster spiced with 40 knot gusts and a hull slamming confused seaway tested their fresh weather ocean racing integrity but left a number of windless voids in Bass Strait and along the normally windy Tasmanian coast to ultimately set up an interesting race for both the line honours and overall handicap. Both the associated glass out calms and low velocity wind had the best Hobart Race tacticians literally ‘scratching their heads’ on a plan to improve their boat speed and the crew of Lunchtime Legend were not alone as their target time to finish stretched into the fourth day. Every nautical mile presented a new challenge as the race for handicap swung in favour of the bigger boats including the Stephen Ainsworth owned 2010 Audi Australian Ocean Racing champion Loki the equally impressive Victorian sloop Living Doll and Syd Fischer’s ever consistent Ragamuffin. Gentleman sailor Stephen Ainsworth was finally rewarded with the honour of holding the prestigious Rolex Sydney Hobart Race trophy aloft when Loki was confirmed as the 2011 champion ahead of Living Doll and Ragamuffin. Meanwhile the stories surrounding the battle to protect reputations and minor handicap places became a feature of the post race celebrations. As expected the result allowed the crew of Loki to enjoy the celebrations while the race on the water between the smaller yachts eventually revealed some equally interesting results. Roger Hickman a veteran of 34 Hobart races expressed the value of that experience when he skippered the 28 year old Farr 43 Wild Rose to a comfortable win in Division 4 from Whistler and Lunchtime Legend which completed the tactically demanding blue water classic to win third place under the count back rule over the 2009 champion Two True. Bob Robertson realised the value of where the important seconds count after spending the testing time of 4days 1hour 36minutes 51seconds to record another Hobart Race result in his log book. By Ian Grant. Leo Rodriguez and his dedicated crew onboard Merit sailed a physically tough 628 nautical miles to Hobart on a special mission of loyalty for a lost mate. They dedicated the race to well known Sydney Hobart race sailor Nick Wells who passed away in November. Nick Wells besides being a respected friend of Merit’s skipper and numerous other Sydney Hobart race sailors was a line honours winning crew member on the yacht Tasmania in the 50th anniversary blue water classic. “We made the decision to dedicate our race to Nick, a gesture that was appreciated by his son and Merit crew mate Ben”. Leo Rodriguez said. Unfortunately their bid to win a second Hobart Race Performance handicap class title suffered a major setback when the fleet faced the fury of the ‘Southerly Buster’. Merit a former Volvo Globe race sloop built to handle the rough stuff including the fresh and frightening winds and growling seas suffered a critical tear to her main and while the headsail was also damaged during the blow. Apart from the damaged sails the race for the Merit crew was not without incident with Leo Rodriguez bearing a facial scar after being struck by a food container during the hobby-horse type slog towards Hobart. However while Merit was slowed due to the sail damage her crew remained focused on finishing the race and completing their personal tribute to Nick Wells. The crew were further tormented when Merit became motionless for almost six hours in the normally windy Storm Bay before they finally completed the race with a relatively slow 6.6knot average and an elapsed time of 3 days 22 hours 55 minutes 28 seconds. “Usually rounding Tasman Island is a highlight but unfortunately we became ‘parked’. “Merit is a boat that sails best in heavy weather and we just didn’t have that”. He said. There was the expected jubilant celebration on the deck of the Anthony Bell owned Sydney maxi Investec Loyal when she claimed a narrow 3 minute 8 second line honours win over Wild Oats X1. Both crews had little rest during their 628 nautical mile match race where the lead changed on several occasions before the Loyal Foundation team claimed the closest line honours result in 29 years with the faster .299 seconds per nautical mile elapsed time. By Ian Grant. Sport loving Queenslanders will have a feast of entertainment to watch after they celebrate the traditional Boxing Day lunch with family and friends. The colourful spectacle of the Rolex Sydney Hobart blue water classic start will be broadcast live on channel 7 while the Boxing Day test between Australia and India on channel 9 will no doubt provide the ‘arm chair admirals’ with the perfect excuse to leave the noisy lawn mower motionless in the garden shed. There is an interesting challenge for the aquatic punters to make a choice on the first yacht to finish with the Hamilton Island Yacht Club super maxi Wild Oats X1 rated as the favourite to win the line honours title ahead of Investec Loyal, Wild Thing, Lahana, and Ichi Ban. However even this possible prediction stands to be challenged by a number of important factors including the prevailing weather which again is expected to be controlled by the savage ‘Southerly Busters’ that roll over the horizon from The Great Southern Ocean. As expected even the most experienced weather forecasters are not prepared to provide a long range forecast. But they have retained an interest in the vigorous 992 low pressure system which gain turned the storm tormented Tasman Sea into a no go zone earlier this week. Hopefully there will not be a repeat of the horrendous conditions of 13 years ago when the Hobart classic was dramatically turned into a test of survival. Naturally the media attention will be focused on the big boat battle where the Bob Oatley owned and Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats X1 the current race record holder is favoured to record her sixth line honours from seven races. Her crew were particularly impressive in winning the Gun Boat of the series during the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August. The Wild Oats Xl crew revelled in the challenge to cleverly master the moderate to fresh and frightening winds claiming a perfect score by winning all short course races with comfortable margins over Investec Loyal and Lahana however the warm water racing around the Whitsunday Islands has little comparison to racing on the cold waters of the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait when they are in a stormy mood. Almost every minute of the 628 nautical mile blue water classic presents a challenge and while Wild Oats Xl remains as the line honours super star there are a number of equally impressive smaller yachts who have both the crew and the hard core Hobart race experience to win the race outright. Among the top choices is the new sloop AFR Midnight Rambler co owned by experienced Sydney skipper Ed Psaltis and Mackay navigator Bob Thomas winners of the toughest Hobart in history in 1998. Local Sunshine Coast skipper Bob Robertson and his talented crew have the potential to rate Lunchtime Legend as a major challenger along with Loki, Ragamuffin, Dump Truck, Victorie and the 2009 champion the Andrew Saies helmed Two True. By Ian Grant. Merit the former Globe race Volvo 60 will have plenty of loyal supporters when Whitsunday Sailing Club skipper Leo Rodriguez contests the gruelling Rolex Sydney Hobart Race starting on Boxing Day. Every person who has either experienced sailing on this famed 1997 vintage Volvo race yacht along with her huge fan club of international, national and Whitsunday Sailing Club members will again monitor Merit’s progress. However there is no written manual on the best tactical strategy to apply but the Merit crew who have the distinction of safely executing a rescue at sea and later awarded the Performance Handicap class win for their effort will be again testing their skills in unfamiliar conditions. None of the previous 66 blue water classics have been the same with the race to experience standing on the stable Constitution Dock after 628 gruelling nautical miles of ocean racing this year expected to test the best against the rest. Naturally the crew of warm tropical water sailors are not expecting another mid race rescue however should there be a call for help the Merit crew who are fully trained professional mariners will transform their role from racing to execute a safe rescue. The Merit crew like all other Hobart Race crews are expecting to face another searching test of individual endurance which promises to be spiced with a number of hidden challenges. They remain aware that the open waters of Bass Strait between Green Cape and the landfall sighting of the Tasmanian coast has a significant history of presenting a supreme test of combined endurance and team work. Generally this stretch of open sea normally tormented by gale strength winds and foam crested waves has proved to be a decider in achieving a major result or finishing back in the pack. However while Merit will be racing in her 14th year she has the proven design and construction pedigree to master the growling seas and howling winds. Hopefully the Merit crew will not face to many hidden challenges when they set the course to finish in the top 20 on line honours and complete the course with a faster 3 day 9 hour 18 minute 53 second elapsed time from 2010 to feature in the Performance Handicap class top 3 in 2011.SPINNAKER TALES.
Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
The 19th anniversary of the ever popular Surf to City Yacht Race will be held this coming Saturday, the 14th January.
Friday, January 6th, 2012
The unique race starts at Southport Yacht Club and finishes just off Shorncliffe Pier. Two fleets compete in the event, with the smaller boats taking a 50 nautical mile route inshore of the Stradbroke Islands whilst the bigger yachts take a 100 nautical mile course around the outside of the island and then the top of Moreton Island.Surf to City Yacht Race PO Box 399 SANDGATE QLD 4017
Clubhouse: Sinbad Street, Shorncliffe, 4017
Telephone: 07 3269 4588 Facsimile: 07 3269 0818
Nigel Statham
Race Director
Surf to City Yacht Race PO Box 399 SANDGATE QLD 4017
Telephone: 07 3269 4588 Facsimile: 07 3269 0818
Email: raceentries@qcyc.com.au
Email: nigel@qcyc.com.au
Website: www.surf2city.com.au
SPINNAKER TALES.
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
RUNNING THE RHUMBLINES.
Monday, January 2nd, 2012
SPINNAKER TALES
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
RUNNING THE RHUMBLINES.
Monday, December 12th, 2011