Note Victorian 2010/2011 Calendar is out. The results of the Owners Survey are in the Owners Area of the web site
News from Geoff Bonus July 2010
Hi All NSW Sydney 38 Owners
First of all best of luck and fair sailing to Swish,
Eleni, The Goat, J Steel and Zen for the Sydney Gold Coast yacht race starting
tomorrow. The forecast and routing shows that this could be a small boat yacht
race so do not be suprised if you see a 38 on the podium, as per the 2009
Hobart race. Staying ahead of the Archie 31 with the Tow Truck boys on board
may be the big challenge.
Some important dates...
AGM Septemeber 15 at RSYS. An agenda and resolutions for
voting will be out early next month. Get there if you can and if you cannot
please be sure and provide your proxy as we will be voting on sails, crew
weight, mastheads etc.
NSW STATE TITLES 2010
Will be hald at RSYS Fri 29/Sat 30/Sun 31 October.
Separate emails will begin late August regardinmg this event but we would like
to get an idea of entries asap to assist with planning for the regatta. Let's
make this another fabulous event. There will be free berthing in the pond from
RSYS, beers and a BBQ on the dock on after racing Friday and lots more. PLease
get organised and put this in youir sailing calendar.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011
Will be held at Geelong Race Week. Think 18-22 knots of
SW and dead flat water every afternoon and you will get the picture. The Vics
are arranging this event, the 38 Nationals are the main attraction and they
have boats coming from SA and TAS to attend. Early indications are 13 entries
PLUS any NSW boats attending.
IF YOU ARE A POSSIBLE/PROBABLE FOR THIS EVENT PLEASE LET
ME KNOW BY RETURN EMAIL ASAP SO I CAN LET THE ORGANISERS PLAN FOR THE EVENT.
This season the focus will be on a smaller number of
bigger and better attended One Design events. and a draft calendar will be
available early August.
Please forward these dates to your key crew and start
training now!
Cheers all
Geoff Bonus
Cinquante aims for second successive Sydney 38 title
Mon, 25 Jan 2010
On the penultimate day of Audi Victoria Week, the Sydney 38s contesting the Morris Finance Series completed their two races, with Ian Murray’s well sailed Cinquante climbing to the top of the leaderboard with one race remaining.
On an outer harbour course, the first race for the fleet of 10 was postponed until the race committee could set up a fair course. In a light sou’easterly sea breeze that dialled around to the south later in the day and steadily built to 10 knots, the fleet lined up for their start.
Chris Lewin’s Another Challenge, sailing for Royal Brighton Yacht Club (Vic), couldn’t afford a mistake, given the young skipper openly admitted yesterday that Ian Murray’s Cinquante has the edge when it comes to boat speed, but that’s what happened to the clubhouse leader.
Another Challenge was pinged by the start boat for being On Course Side at the start of first race of the day, race four of the series, a mistake that cost Lewin plenty of pride and places. He ended up seventh in that race, but managed to recover to finish third in race two. This puts him three points adrift of Cinquante on the series pointscore with one race to go.
'Tomorrow is a harbour course and I’m hoping local knowledge will help, although Lou (Abrahams with Challenge) and Chris both know these waters also,' said Murray, the series sponsor through his company Morris Finance and defending champion, this afternoon.
Murray’s tactician Tim Davis is leaving tonight for Malaysia, but the owner is confident his replacement will also do a fine job and that the late switch won’t unsettle the crew.
'We know what we have to do to hold on to the trophy. We’ve got a big day ahead and we’ll be biting our fingernails and trying to stay out of trouble,' Murray added.
There was some doubt hanging over Cinquante getting to the start line today, but the overnight delivery of a replacement D4 stay that was 'cannibalised' from another Sydney 38 which is for sale in Melbourne, saved the day.
Murray completed yesterday’s two races with the broken D4 lashed down for support, thereby preventing the mast from toppling over, but wasn’t prepared to take the same chance today.
Lou Abrahams’ Challenge, helmed by Scott Walton and flying the Sandringham Yacht Club burgee, was boat of the day, winning the first and second races. These results have moved the 82 year old Abrahams, who has been coming to Geelong to compete for 20 plus years, to third on progressive results after five races, but it’s not likely to be enough to put him in the running for the overall win.
'The tactics came together for us today,' said Abrahams while relaxing back at the host club, Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
'The breeze was shifty, swinging through 50 degrees, and inconsistent. We had to concentrate all day,' he added
Abrahams’ tactician Peter Milne, who played a huge role in today’s two bullets, has this afternoon gone off for physio after tearing a calf muscle. His crew is confident he’ll be back tomorrow; otherwise they have threatened to roll him on board and strap him down so he can finish the job!
Challenge is preparing for the class nationals, which will be sailed on Pittwater in Sydney in February, and are using this regatta as part of their training program as well as trying for a podium finish at the 166th edition of Audi Victoria Week.
The final race of the six-race Morris Finance Sydney 38 Class series is scheduled to start at 11.00am tomorrow, Australia Day. All races will be counted when the final points are tallied.
2011 Nationals Geelong