New high tech North Sails to make their debut

by Mike Sabey on 11 Oct 2007 It has taken less than three months for the new carbon fibre sail technology that helped the Swiss yacht Alinghi snatch victory in this year’s thrilling Americas Cup in Spain to reach Port Phillip Bay.

For this weekend’s season opening first heat of the seven race Club Marine Range Series, a number of boats including Living Doll from Royal Yacht Club of Victoria will be sporting all new hi-tech 3-DL carbon fibre reinforced thermo moulded sails. Melbourne sail maker Ross Lloyds says they are expected to be all the rage this summer!

Living Doll’s owner Michael Hiatt has totally revamped his Cookson 50, including reverting to a new fixed keel to gain a handicap advantage that goes against the worldwide trend that has seen many larger race boats opting for canting (swing) keels to reduce crew numbers and gain race winning advantages.

Yachting Victoria’s CEO Ross Kilborn says, 'The Club Marine Range Series is Victoria’s premier interclub keelboat club series that is expected to attract over 150 of the state’s most competitive boats and crews sailing in four divisions.

'The addition of the Club Team Premiership and Class Racing Championship (Sydney 38s, Beneteau 40.7s, Farr 1020s, Eleven Metres, Adams 10s, Diamonds, Young 88s and S80s) has added an additional excitement to the event,' he added.

A number of brand new yachts will make their racing debut (including the Reichel Pugh 40 Chutzpah, TP 53 Georgia, TP52 Cougar II, Corby 50 Flirt and the Rogers 46 Shogun) as preparation for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart and the historic Melbourne-Launceston-Hobart race.

Australian first: New Grand Prix Division added for the larger faster yachts
In an Australian first to create safer and fairer racing, the Series organiser Yachting Victoria has added a new Division 0 for the faster grand prix yachts with IRC ratings of 1.175 and above to separate the larger and smaller Division 1 boats.

Yachting Victoria’s keelboat committee spokesperson Chris Waters says,
'Division 0 boats will sail separate longer courses using a deeper leeward mark that will increase the length of the down wind legs. This will enable the fastest boats in the fleet to avoid getting caught up in nasty marking rounding incidents with the slower Division 2 and 3 boats,' Mr Waters said.

Offshore veteran back for another title tilt

Last years overall winner, 80 year old Lou Abrahams racing his Sydney 38 Challenge from Sandringham yacht Club will be back in his bid to win the trophy for a record sixth time.

SCHEDULE OF RACES
DATE HEAT HOST CLUB WARNING SIGNAL
13 October 2007 1 RYCV 1355 Hours
10 November 2007 2 HBYC 1355 Hours
8 December 2007 3 RMYS 1355 Hours
9 February 2008 4 RBYC 1355 Hours
23 February 2008 5 SYC 1355 Hours
29 March 2008 6 SYC 1355 Hours
5 April 2008 7 RBYC 1355 Hours

Range Series History

The Range Series was first staged in 1992 by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and was originally sponsored by the Urban Land Authority’s Range Development at Williamstown.

But in 1996 RYCV handed over the Series’ organisation to the then Victorian Yachting Council (now Yachting Victoria) to continue developing and running of the event.

Last year Club Marine Range took up the Series naming rights.
Club Marine Insurance is also a long term supporter and active participant the great Australian marine lifestyle.

As the country’s largest provider of pleasure craft insurance, it’s also proud that it’s been protecting the insurance needs of Australian boaters for more than 40 years.