Bavaria Match 38 just what the Doctor ordered

by Kerrie Basha on 29 Jan 2005 When gastroenterologist Dr Les Norton purchased his new Bavaria Match 38 Racer/Cruiser Mrs. OverNewton last year, his plan was to be competitive in his club racing and entertain socially.

Little did he realise that come January, he would be receiving a trophy for third place in his division at the largest regatta in Australia, the Skandia Geelong Race week.

Backed by his tactician, Alan Hume and crew, the Match 38 performed better each day to secure a podium finish at the end of the last day’s racing.

Conditions were divided every day of racing, light in the morning and heavy winds in the afternoon.

And it was these afternoons when Les’s new Match shone, keeping a step ahead of the fleet and scoring the gun for line honours on several occasions.

On most of these occasions he sailed up into the IRC Division 1 fleet.

With the wealth of knowledge of the crew who largely developed their skills on Dragons, everybody combined to perform well during the regatta. The result is all the more outstanding considering this was Les Norton and crew’s first major keel boat regatta and the crew hailed from three different states.

Les was all smiles at the end of the regatta. ‘The boat was much more fun to sail than we ever expected. It’s fast and very comfortable.

We enjoyed sailing her at Skandia Geelong Week so much that we are planning to sail at Skandia Cowes Week in August.’

Mrs. OverNewton is the second Match 38 to achieve significant results at a national level.

In the recent Rolex Sydney to Hobart, Steve Roach and crew on board 38 Match Cure Our Kids won the Battery Point Trophy, donated by CYCA Director Rod Skellet to recognize the fastest small boat in the fleet.

As well as raising money and awareness for children with cancer, Cure Our Kids finished the race in the top half of the fleet on IRC.

These results have consolidated the interest in this exciting racer/cruiser series from Bavaria Yachts of Germany.

National distributors North South Yachting sold twelve of the new series in the first year in Australia, with the Match Series making an impact on the club racing scene and achieving good results for their delighted new owners.

The Bavaria Match range consists of the Match 42, Match 38 and Match 35. The Bavaria Match Cruiser / Racers are available to test sail in Pittwater, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

For further information, contact North South Yachting on (02) 9998 9600 or visit www.northsouthyachting.com.au .