Wrong track for Dragons

by Peter Campbell on 2 Jan 2008 The crews of two of the three International Dragon class yachts from Western Australia are making last minute repairs to their boats following damage while being transported to Perth for the Prince Philip Cup.

One boat, Ken Stevenson’s Hotspur has had its hull holed while the other Dragon, Ian Malley’s Gilt Dragon II, suffered superficial hull damage.

Instead of being shipped to Hobart, as the owners expected, the containers in which they were being transported came across the Nullabor by freight train.

'We thought the boats in their containers were coming by ship, but instead they came on a freight train and apparently they were dislodged from their cradles during shunting' Ian Malley said at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania today.

'Hotspur was tipped on its side and a support pierced the hull. They are currently repairing the hull and hope to be ready for the Ted Albert Memorial and the Prince Philip Cup.

'We hope to go sailing this afternoon, as the damage to Gilt Dragon II was only to the gunwale,' Malley added.

Racing in this Australian championship regatta starts tomorrow with the Martin Graney Memorial Match Racing tomorrow, followed by the Ted Albert Memorial Series on Friday and Saturday and Prince Philip Cup starting Monday.