Spinnaker Tales

by Ian Grant on 23 Aug 2001 Mark Bradford continues to look ahead with a positive plan to be on the pace when the Mooloolaba Yacht Club hosts the World Etchells championship in 2004.

Bradford the North Loft sail maker from Brisbane has been recognised as one of the rising young stars in the demanding art form of strict one-design yacht racing.

His skill and ability to create fast sail shapes with perfect trimming also provides him with an advantage in boat speed.

However while Bradford has good reason to be satisfied with his progress in the class particularly with winning the Silver Medal in the Sun City Homes Australian Winter series, his book on learning how to sail faster remains open.

He left Brisbane yesterday for Cowes England where he will sail as crew with the master Americas Cup sailor Dennis Conner in the World Etchells series.

Conner issued the invitation and naturally the young Queensland skipper could not pack his sail bag quick enough.

Bradford will be crewing in elite company with Olympian and World Etchells sailors Steve Jarvin of Sydney making up the composite American, New South Wales and Queensland crew.

'This is one career opportunity you never knock back and to sail with the likes of Conner and Jarvin will do wonders to my confidence and racing skills.'

'Dennis is always an inspiration to younger sailors and its nice to be recognised and then invited to crew with him'. Bradford said.
When he returns Bradford has plans to enter Racer X in the Mooloolaba Yacht Club fleet racing to ensure the lessons he will have learnt from Conner in Cowes will continue to be refined in preparation for the major title racing including the Sun City Homes Australian title series next June.

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MYC Commodore Nick Cox and sailing mate Col Thomas have spent some time soaking up the friendly atmosphere of sailing in the warm tropical waters of the Whitsunday Islands in a the past few weeks.

Cox and Thomas were aboard Bimblegumbie when she left Mooloolaba with the fleet racing in the Hog's Breath Mooloolaba to Airlie Beach race.

Naturally they love their sailing and the chance to talk about boats over a few drinks at the bar.

But generally their moods are much happier when they are at sea racing aboard Bimblegumbie.

As expected both sailors managed to pull some very colourful tropical shirts out of their sea bags and to enter the Hog's Breath Race Week series at Airlie Beach.

Race results are always a top priority but having a good time while they race is the paramount objective.

On Saturday all of the fun of sailing in the tropical winter sun will come to and end when Bimblegumbie one of the record fleet racing in the Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island will head back south to her home port.

However her crew will be topped up with the value of sailing in a great series.