We are doing it tough at Airlie Beach this week

by Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team on 17 Aug 2009 Its Lay day at the 20th annual Airlie Beach Race Week, the sun is shining and the wind is picking up, we are expecting lots of wind over the next few days of racing.
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Michael Hiatt, the owner of Living Doll said to me yesterday, ‘It just does not get any better than this! Sailors and owners, who have not yet sailed at Airlie Beach Race Week, just have no idea what a great event they are missing.’

Could not say any better.

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Russell McCart, the Managing Director of Meridien is passionate about his sailing, Meridien is making a huge investment in Airlie Beach, with the new Port of Airlie project now taking shape.

The Meridien Marinas Abel Point Marina has developed remarkably in recent years and there is much progress still to come, so the venue just continues to get better every year. Certainly the media interest in Race Week and the overall progress in Airlie Beach is very encouraging.

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Tomorrow we will be on Scott Ramsden’s new bright red Camera Cat; it’s a very advanced design and certainly the most amazing media boat. But then again someone has to do this!!

If you thinking about having a look-see, enjoy our coverage as the week progresses and mark the calendar for 2010, it will be the 21st birthday celebration for a great event.

BTW- If you are racing at Airlie Beach this week and/or Hamilton Island next week you still have time to extend your winter adventure at Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.- September 4th to 8th.

Queensland sailor Bob ‘Robbo’ Robertson is sailing his Farr 40 Cracklin’ Rosie at Airlie Beach and she will be on the water at Hamilton Island as well. But he is taking his Bavaria 50 cruiser 'On Location' north to Magnetic Island, leaving the Farr 40 in Mackay until the trade winds ease, before the trip south.

'Robbo' makes some good points about sailing south at the end of August and why delaying for a few weeks make sense. He says the extra few weeks in Far North Queensland, as well as being great in the winter, provides another bonus for southern sailors.

'People head south after Hamilton, but what every sailor will tell you is that usually you have to battle against the prevailing trade wind south easterlies. 'Going up to Magnetic Island, we know we are going to dodge all that.

'We are going to be able to put up a spinnaker and cruise north with the last of the south east trades. By the time we finish the regatta and have cruised around a bit more, the northerlies should have kicked in and we’ll have a good ride south.'

There will be a 50 boat fleet having a great time at a great location, go to www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au for more news and information.