Joico Hayman Big Boat Series

by Rob Mundle on 21 Jul 2000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 13, 2000

'HEAVEN CAN WAIT' WAITS FOR
JOICO BIG BOAT SERIES AT HAYMAN ISLAND

Ocean racing veteran Warren Johns has announced that his completely revamped 50-footer, Heaven Can Wait, will make its racing debut at the Joico Big Boat Series at Hayman Island between August 12 and 17.


The red-hulled racer has been rebuilt to the latest IRM rating rule design by Englishman Hugh Welbourne.



"I can't wait to get her racing at Hayman," said Johns today. "The boat looks fantastic. It's very different to the original shape with the stern being remarkably wide and flat. It should be very fast."


The new-look Heaven Can Wait will be re-launched in Sydney at the end of the month after total hull surgery at Boatspeed on the NSW central coast. Johns had the old IOR rule hull removed at the deckline and replaced with the IRM design.


The plan is for Heaven Can Wait to cruise from Sydney to Queensland's tropical Whitsunday Islands where it will undergo trials before heading to Hayman, the northern most island in the chain. Many of the original crew, including sailing master Jamie Wilmot and sailmaker Richie Allanson, will be racing at Hayman.


Another big boat making it's regatta debut at Hayman is David Pescud's new Lyons-52 design, Aspect Computing. It has been built for members of Sailors With disAbilities and is the only racer in the world to be designed specifically with disabled people in mind.


The seven-race Big Boat Series, which is backed by Joico and has Omega and the new sailing website "Sail-World.com" as associate sponsors, is once again promising a high level of competition. The invitation-only fleet (it is limited in size because of the compact nature of the marina at Hayman Island) includes Ausmaid (Kevan Pearce, SA), Sword of Orion (Rob Kothe, NSW), Zoe (Wayne Millar, Qld) and the 19.5 metre sloop Valtair (Mathew Allen, NSW). Among entries expected are two international crews racing Farr 40s and possibly a Sydney 38. The series features spectacular racing around islands in the regio and a unique, Five Star social agenda.


For more information contact the Race Director, Rob Mundle - (02) 9901 4311, Fax (02) 9901 4233 or email: rmundle@ozemail.com.au

SPONSORED BY JOICO, OMEGA AND SAIL-WORLD.COM