Special because there are to be no specials

by John Curnow on 22 Aug 2016 There can be no doubt that Audi Hamilton Island Race Week has become what it is today, at least in a volume sense, because of all the cruising boats attending. The brand that has arguably tapped that along the most has been Beneteau. In some years, not too long ago at all, the French brand amounted to almost 50% of the fleet!

The greater Performance Cruiser sector of the regatta often has a smattering of race boats entered without the A-Team on board, but by and large these are crews enjoying the sights, some of the navigation delights/pitfalls of the area, and generally taking things at a more relaxed pace.

Accomplished sailor from Flagstaff Marine, Shane Crookshanks is part of the crew aboard the Beneteau Sense 50, la troisieme mi-temps. The owners, Matt Doyle and Paul Cozzi, are rugby mad so when translated it’s effectively, the third half. How that came about is more than kind of cool. They are good mates with one great Wallaby Scrumhalf and Skipper, Nick Farr-Jones, AM. In fact they all just returned from doing the Kokoda Track with their sons about four weeks ago. (Please don’t mention Saturday’s Bledisloe, however!)

Anyway, when the Wallaby Hall of Fame Inductee heard that they were struggling with a name for the boat, he put forward the one they ultimately chose from his five years living and playing Rugby in France. It’s sort of French slang and the third half reflects upon the ‘celebration after the event.’ Treat it as their version of the 19th Hole, if you will. As it turns out, ironically, Cozzi and Farr-Jones are going to Hamilton for just half the week (Boom. Boom – fully intended).

I felt pretty special when I went on board this boat at the recent Sydney International Boat Show, and got to re-visit the whole idea behind the Sense range and the term, Monomaran. They will certainly be having a good time, no matter where they are on the course, as long as it is not on the bricks or the sand.

This is the first time the owners have attended Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, which is pretty special in its own right. It is made even more so because they just finished at Airlie Beach, which was their third regatta ever! The previous two races were Beneteau Cups, one on Sydney Harbour and the other at Pittwater. Of course, that immediately reminds one that the 25th iteration of the famous Beneteau Cup on Sydney Harbour will be on November 25, 2016. Should be a good celebration.

It was the team at Flagstaff encouraged the self-confessed-late-to-sailing owners to consider heading North. Crookshanks has been instrumental in that and they have new working sails from North Sails to compliment their programme. La troisieme mi-temps will be racing with no specials (non-spinnaker) again at Hammo. Of their fourth place in division at Airlie, Doyle said, “We sailed very conservatively and really should have been on the podium. We’ll give it more of a go this week.”

Now it won’t be there this year, because the first hull has only just been launched in Europe, but X-Yachts’ new X-4 is bound to fit the bill for some happy sailors in this large class. Definitely a passage maker, with fuller bow and stern sections, the foam core express cruiser looks like a good fit for the category. Well and truly. Specials or no specials will be entirely up to you, and by the sound of it, you should be able to see one here in Australia pretty soon.

So then at the other end of the spectrum (and definitely going to use specials!), you have not only the magnificent Wild Oats XI on her work up to this year’s Hobart, but also craft like the recently modified JV42, Elena Nova. Craig Neil’s boat has a new rudder, keel, bowsprit and bigger rags, along with some venerable salts on board in the form of Terry Wetton, and then Jamie MacPhail and Maike Muth from Pantaenius Australia.

MacPhail has won the event six times in the 25 years he has been going there, and is one person who really knows the area precisely, which is what you have to do with so many ‘obstacles’ around, in addition to wind and tide issues. MacPhail commented, “Whilst these are extremely challenging, they are also the very reason you have so much fun up there. I really have always enjoyed the Navigator or Tactician’s role, given the hazards you have to contend with.”

“I’m a little more considerate these days, so we will certainly be navigating around the marks and not too them! However, you do have to be in these sorts of places, for it’s there that you can get your gains or relief from the conditions. You do have to be observant to ensure you spot whether you’re on a ladder or a snake, for the 3-knot tidal advantages between you and fellow 40 or 50-footers are pretty obvious.”

Anyway, a record fleet, along with a massive social calendar should offer plenty for everyone, weather permitting.

So jumping right into the here and now, and you have so much information to absorb, where does one begin. There’s Rio, and then some more Rio. Well done to Tom Burton, Mat Belcher and Will Ryan, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin, Jake Lilley, Asley Stoddart, Jaime Ryan and Carrie Smith, as well as all the coaches and support staff.

Finally, back to a subject that we covered in a pre-Rio piece that was all about Gold. This particular element was about the GC, and since then there has been a follow up piece on the luncheon, which is in this newsletter.

A passionate, local authority on the subject of the affectionately nicknamed ‘Narrowwater’ said to me, “It’s time our local representatives got behind the opportunities presented for the Broadwater, Main Beach, and indeed the Gold Coast as a whole. Marine events boost the economy, increase visitation, and are environmentally friendly.”

“The original vision for the Broadwater when the Seaway was opened, was for a magnificent arena for all water sports. For too long, governments and councils have prevaricated over the direction of the Broadwater. It is now little else but a congested and dangerous series of narrow channels and shifting sand banks, which forces boating traffic to travel in single lines and limits the freedom to actually enjoy the water. It is time it was properly managed for the benefit of all.”

Build the cruise liner/superyacht terminal on the Southern side of the seaway entrance and everyone will be happy, I say. Accordingly, there is simply the proverbial plethora of material for you to explore and review.

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