Helping hand for RQYS competitors get them to SIRS

by Di Pearson on 16 Dec 2007 A car smash did not stop a Queensland family from competing at the Sydney International Regatta starting from 12.00pm on Sydney Harbour today, and the true nature of sailing friendships came to the fore when sailing mates loaned the family a brand new boat.

Arthur Gough, towing a 420 double-handed dinghy whilst driving his 15 year-old twin sons Andrew and Alex and their crew mates from their Queensland home, narrowly avoided a head-on collision in front of them by driving into bush outside Taree on the NSW North Coast on Wednesday.

'We had to swerve off into the bush to avoid being involved. We were all a bit shaken. I think the car and the boat are a write-off. I rang Diane Dagge, who we had borrowed the boat trailer from and told her the bad news. She offered to loan us her daughter’s brand new boat straight away. It was a wonderful thing for her to do considering we had bad news about her trailer,' Arthur said this morning at Woollahra.

'I told her on the phone that logistically it wouldn’t be possible for us pick up the boat and get back to Sydney in time, but she rang me back minutes later and told me ‘don’t worry, I’ve organised my uncle Bob to get the boat to you.’

'Bob drove from his Ballina home to Brisbane on Friday morning, picked the boat up and drove straight through to Sydney, and that is the only reason we made it here,' Arthur said.

Amusingly, the new boat is called ‘Desperate for Attention’, christened so by Dagge’s daughter well before the boys had their accident.

'Andrew will skipper the new boat. Alex is crewing for Angus Galloway, who was in the car with us. It’s a big ask to get used to a new boat straight away, but both my boys are keen sailors. They’ll be out on the Harbour giving it their best,' says proud dad Arthur.

The boys are representing the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and despite their ordeal are hoping for a good result at SIRs.

The Olympic class Laser Radial, Finn, 470 Men’s and Women’s and 49er classes are first away on Day 1 in the Sydney International Regatta. Along with the Youth 29er skiff, they start from 12.00pm today. The 49ers and 29ers are aiming at three races each and the remaining classes will sail two.

The Laser Radials will be on course B in the vicinity of Clark Island and the Opera House, the 49ers on course C, between Chowder Bay and Nielsen Park, the Finns and 470s are on D course on the Manly Circle and the 29ers will race between Clark and Shark Islands in Rose Bay. The remaining classes, Laser, 420, Yngling, Laser 4.7, RS:X sailboards and Tornado classes start from 2.15pm on various courses.

Competitors can expect 15-20 nor-west to nor-easterly winds, which are certain to blow away the cobwebs and favour those sailors who prefer the heavier conditions. However, tomorrow’s forecast is for light fluky and shifty breezes, which will be perfect training for the Olympic venue in Qingdao, China next year.