2016 Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta - Just two weeks to go

by Melvyn Steiner on 7 Feb 2016 The 2016 Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta is just two weeks away (February 20 / 21) – are you good enough to compete in the One Lap Dash, are you prepared to be challenged in the 12 Hour Race or do you think you have the endurance to do the 24 Hour Race?

This regatta is not only a test for all levels of sailing capability, but more importantly, it is for a great cause. So, if you haven’t already, get you entry in now and be a part of this great regatta for a great cause. Each boat entered will receive one top quality long sleeve Burke sailing shirt (white) sponsored by Marmong Point Marina (major sponsor) and Burke Marine – you will be asked for sizes when you complete your entry. You can also purchase additional sizes at the time of entry – but get in early, there is limited supply.

There are events to suit Off The Beach Boats, Trailer Sailors, Slow keel boats, Cruising Keel Boats, Catamarans and Fast Keel boats, so no excuse not to be in it.

There is an updated Notice of Race and you can view this by clicking NOR or going to the HCW website.

2016 will be the 10th anniversary of the running of this regatta and clearly we would like it to be a big one – again raising money for the Hunter Branch of the NSW Cancer Council and more specifically, there Home Help program. The Home Help program provides domestic assistance to recovering (and terminal) cancer patients who – because of their illness or their partners inability due to work commitment in support of the family, are unable to do all the domestic chores they would normally do.

As previously advised, The Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta is preceded by a Charity Dinner on the Friday night before the regatta. We have in the past, enjoyed the presence of some of Australia’a finest sailing talent. This year, we have as guests, the managers of some of that talent and they are:

Peter Conde – Yachting Australia Performance Director and Manager of the Australian Olympic Sailing Team.

Joshua Chan – Founder of 33 South Racing – an elite Australian sailing team participating in the Extreme Sailing Series.

Like last year, Helene O’Neill – cancer survivor and ABC Newcastle Sports commentator, will be doing the interviews with Peter and Joshua.

The Charity Dinner also incorporates a fund raising Charity Auction and sought after items will include a Yachting Australia shirt signed by many of the Australian Olympic Sailing Team, a tailored suit from Rundles Newcastle and a bottle of 1963 Orlando Tawney Port donated by Morisset Rotary.

So, if you want to find out what is going on behind the scenes with the Australian Olympic Sailing Team or you want to find out what extreme sailing is all about, you had better buy tickets for the Charity Dinner. Tickets are on sale at the RMYC Toronto bar - $50/ticket. Ticket entry includes a two course meal, the interviews, a charity auction and more.

So, just a final reminder, view the Notice of Race by clicking NOR, Enter the regatta by clicking Race Entry or go to event website and follow the links for the Notice Of Race, race entry and more Heaven Can Wait news AND, don’t forget to buy your tickets for the Charity Dinner at the RMYCT Bar.

If you are concerned about mooring, some mooring capacity is available at the RMYC Toronto, and there is plenty of capacity at Marmong Point Marina and the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club – LMYC are offering discounted rates with fees going to the charity for HCW entries.

And don’t forget, the Heavan Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta marks the start of Lakefest week – a week long celebration of aquatic activity on Lake Macquarie.

Previous Heaven Can Wait participants, I understand there may be some confusion about which events Off The Beach boats can compete in. To clarify, Off The Beach boats can only compete in the Dinghy Dash or Short One Lap Dash based on yardstick. This is different to 2015 when there was only a ‘long’ One Lap Dash course. This has been introduced for safety reasons more than anything else – it is far easier to manage any safety issues with the Off The Beach boats if their course is restricted to the northern end of the lake. Only boats that can attain cat 7 (or Cat 5N for the 12 and 24 hours races), are able to do the long One Lap Dash.