ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART
Stephen Ainsworth's new Reichel/Pugh 62 Loki was unwrapped just in time for Christmas – not to mention in time for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - and Sydney's Ace (aka Kelvin James Mowtell) from Ace Marine Photography, was there to capture the new boat's first testing on Sydney Harbour. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27290
The SOLAS Big Boat Challenge broke the bad weather spell of the past few years with Sydney turning on a postcard day for the biggest racing yachts gathered in Sydney for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27280
Since leaving Hamburg in October last year, the ever-changing crew of Walross 4 has partied in Mexico, sun baked in the Canaries and cheered at the Olympic Games in China. And while the young crew is thrilled to be a part of this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart, for them it is more of a weekend getaway than a long distance sprint.
With less than a week to go before the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2008, the mostly young crew of the Volvo 60 Getaway-Sailing.com had a sharp reminder of just how important, and how difficult in practice, safety at sea can be.
All the news on this event posted to http://www.boatingoz.com.au/sydhob08
KEEL BOATS
Graeme Wood's TP52 Wot Now claimed IRC Division 0/1 overall honours in the Rolex Trophy sailed outside Sydney Heads, fighting off a serious challenge from Syd Fischer's Ragamuffin to win by three points. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27341
Leslie Green's Swan 60 Ginger won the final race of the Rolex Trophy Passage Series. The win was enough to edge out the 80-footer Andrew Short Marine Shockwave 5 and claim the Series outright. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27342
Syd Fischer wins the CYCA Ocean Racer of the Year award and in a first, the Club introduced the category of Ocean Navigator of the Year, which aims to recognise the integral role that navigators play. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27300
A fleet of 61 yachts has been confirmed for the start of the 2009 Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Offshore race commencing on 2 January at 12pm, hosted by The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27295
The Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart race (M2H) Westcoaster is the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's premier blue water event, while the Kidder Williams Melbourne to Launceston race (M2L) is the oldest ocean race in Australia, and this year the two races become three with the addition of the Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart Eastcoaster race. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27324
The who's who of sailing is set to line up for the 2009 Audi Etchells Worlds, to be hosted by Royal Brighton Yacht Club (RBYC) in Victoria, Australia, from 5-14 March and sailed on Port Phillip, one of the most testing stretches of water in Australia. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27318
- INTERNATIONAL
Sebastien COL hits the top in the Open Rankings as France maintains its domination of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27314
Twenty yacht club teams from around the world, including Australia, have accepted the New York Yacht Club's (NYYC) invitation to compete in the first-ever New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27285
OFF THE BEACH & OLYMPIC CLASSES
Inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup - In shifty winds on Port Phillip Bay, Olympic gold medallist Malcolm Page and his new skipper Mat Belcher, combined with young West Australian teenagers Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall to win both the Men's and Women's 470 Class. International crews dominated the headlines in other classes in the Sail Melbourne event. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/asiapacific
The 2009 Moth Nationals to be held at Skandia Geelong Week and sponsored by Zhik, is shaping up to be a hotly contested series. As well as a strong contingent of Bladerider designs, there will also be two 'Mach 2' designs created by Moth legend and Bladerider designer Andrew McDougall. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27306
The WSSR Council announces the ratification of a new World Record for Vestas Sailrocket skippered by Paul Larson. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27333
In 2008 Robert Deaves and the OK Dinghy International Association published 'Completely OK'- the history, techniques and sailors of the OK Dinghy - to celebrate 50 years of one of the most influential and widespread of all international singlehanded dinghies. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27283
AROUND THE WORLD
Vendée Globe: After taking the overall lead British solo skipper Mike Golding was dismasted in the Indian Ocean about 940 miles south-west of Perth. Pictures, taken by Commonwealth of Australia personnel, show the dramatic rescue of Yann Eliès from his Open 60 Generali. Marc Guillemot had been standing by Elies, who had broken his leg and some ribs, until he was successfully picked up by the Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta. The leading pair, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) and Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environment), have sailed past the imaginary halfway mark of the race. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/vendeeglobe08
Volvo Ocean Race: Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) led the fleet through the scoring gate at Palau but Telefónica Blue, skippered by Dutchman Bouwe Bekking, crossed the finish line first at the end of the 1950nm leg three from Cochin to Singapore. It was among the closest finishes in the race history, with the top four boats finishing within 20 minutes following nearly 10 days of racing. The Dutch/Irish entry, Team Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) suffered damage to the port side carbon structure around the keel ram when she was half way across the Bay of Bengal. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/VOR0803
MULTIHULLS
Alain Thebault and his crew on Hydroptere may have broken their own world record, which was ratified by the World Sailing Speed Council, but what most missed was Hydroptere's spectacular capsize afterwards – caught by the lens of renowned sailing photographer, Gilles Martin-Raget, who was on the spot to take revealing images. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27357
CRUISING
In September this year Dan and Carol Seifers completed an epic 12,000 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean, end to end, top to bottom, starting from Sydney in November 2007 then crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, then east to Tahiti, north to Hawaii, much further north to Alaska and finally down the west coast of North America to San Francisco on their Seawind catamaran Caprice. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27309
Treleavens' Travels – On the last night in St Kitts, before sailing to the luxury island of St Barts, Ian and Andrea had a wakeup call when anchored at night in a bay with no other boats around. While Ian was ashore on his own at the Reggae Beach Bar, Andrea saw their dinghy floating out to sea. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27316
TRAINING
Due to demand Balmoral Sailing School in Sydney are offering dinghy sailing lessons during the school holidays, running along the same lines as their popular squad that operate during term time. It's about having fun, getting wet and learning to sail. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27344
SAFETY
A boating safety blitz resulted in eight skippers being fined for not displaying correct navigation lights at night, with a further 16 given formal warnings. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27356
As Christmas approaches boaters are warned the same drinking and driving rules apply on the water as on the road. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27336
A ‘sea change' in marine safety will come into force early next year when new digital emergency radio beacons (EPIRBs) take over from the old analogue system. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27307
NEWS BRIEFS
On Thursday afternoon Goolwa heard the news it's been waiting to hear for months: “Lockages at Goolwa Barrage have recommenced and will continue until further notice”. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27345
The Western Channel Light Station on Sydney Harbour, known as the Wedding Cake, has been restored to its former glory. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27323
Sailing scored a major coup as its television coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games was recognized as 'The Best Sports Coverage by the Host Broadcaster' at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) 'Olympic Golden Rings' ceremony. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27304
MARINE INDUSTRY
Queensland's cruising waters are about to become even more attractive to the lucrative international superyacht market as restrictive regulations regarding permits, visas and a range of other government and logistical hurdles, are finally being overcome to make Queensland more superyacht friendly. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27281
The Boating Industry Association (BIA) of Victoria launches its “Boating 2013” strategic plan to drive the Association's activities for the next five years. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27289
A new website has been specifically designed to assist job seekers land their dream job in the Australian Marine Industry http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27282
Dehler Yachts, Germany's third-largest boat builder, went into administration with orders for 200 boats, a slimmed down production line and a beefed up workforce, because the banks demanded their cash back. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27313
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Dec 26 - Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race start – People line the shores of Sydney Harbour, others watch it on TV, but you can be on the harbour watching the start of this iconic event. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?id=17252
Dec 31 - New Year's Eve - Spectacular fireworks are fired off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, barges and city skyscrapers at 9pm and midnight. Over 50 charter vessels will participate in a themed parade following the 9pm fireworks. A special area is set aside for charter vessels in the Harbour. See http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?id=16076 for more information on chartering a boat.
Jan 21-22 -- Skandia Docklands Invitational, Waterfront City, Melbourne. http://www.docklandsinvitational.com
Jan 23-26 -- Skandia Geelong Week starts in Williamstown and culminates in Geelong. http://www.geelongweek.com
Jan 26 – Australia Day on Sydney Harbour – Information for spectators at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?Page=16064
Jan 30–Feb 1 -- 2009 Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Show, Docklands. Some of the largest and most luxurious boats in the country will create a spectacular on-water display, while a significant number of on-land exhibits – from the latest in trailerboats and marine accessories to travel and holiday information – will stretch from NewQuay to Waterfront City. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27207
Feb 6 -9 – Australian Wooden Boat Festival, Hobart http://www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au
Feb 21-22 -- Wooden Boat Rally, Seaport Marina, Launceston, Tasmania. Over $2500 in prizes can be won by registered craft. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=27198
Photograph courtesy of Gilles Martin Raget: Alain Thebault's Hydroptere
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