Sydney 40 considering move to IRC

by Martin Thompson on 29 May 2001 Australia's most successful IMS Grand Prix race boat, the Murray Burns Dovell designed Sydney 40 is set to tackle the IRC division.

The three Australian Sydney 40's Sledgehammer, Davnet
(Loco) and Sword of Orion have been the dominant IMS Grand
Prix boat-design over the last three years, with podium
finishes in Hamilton, Southport, Mooloolaba and Coffs
Harbour.

However, all three boats have been frustrated in recent
years, although well sailed they have Beneteau 40.7's and
more recently the IMX-40 built to take advantage of the IMS
Cruiser-Racer design rules.

Ron Jone's Sledgehammer showed the way forward for the
Sydney 40's with a fine win in the RPAYC's Musto Cup.
Rather than sailing in her standard IMS trim, SledgeHammer
used her masthead kites to hold out the Farr 40's Emotional
Hooligan and Leroy Brown.

Commissioning a fully leaded IRC keel for Sledgehammer,
which will stiffen the boat considerably, Jones is
considering taking Sledgehammer to Hobart at Christmas. In
the southern ocean she could represent a considerable threat.

The Sydney 40's are already proven heavy weather racers.
All three Sydney 40 enlarged their rudders in 1999, which
improved their down-wind stability. Rob Kothe's Sydney 40
Sword of Orion lead the 1999 Sydney to Hobart race on
handicap for a long time, until the Farr 50 Yendys already
around Tasman Light blasted across Storm Bay advantaged by
50 knot southerly breeze.

James McPhail, who has helmed both Sword of Orion and
Davnet (Loco) with distinction believes that the Sydney
40's, with fully leaded keels will be competitive IRC race
boats, but above all will be sea-kindly offshore boats.