Australia's fastest yacht poised to break Coffs race record

by Ian Grant on 2 Jan 2002 Sean Langman's speed sailing sloop Grundig has become a last minute favourite to defend her Strathfield Car Radio Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race line honours with a possible new record.

The yacht modified and turbo charged for the purpose of challenging race records has been repaired after suffering extensive damage when she free fell off a typical Tasman Sea wave in last weeks Sydney Hobart race.

Skipper Langman and crew who drive the yacht hard whenever record breaking winds blow over the course had good reason to smile this morning when weather forecaster Ken Batt revised the weather outlook for the 227 n/ml race.

Langman and crew need a little luck after missing out on another top finish in the Sydney-Hobart.

That luck is formulated in the complex weather system which has been forecast to bend the breeze to a desired sailing angle and propel the big boats in the fleet above the 10.81 knot race record average speed currently held by the Queensland pocket-maxi The Office (Arthur Bloore).

The Office had a similar wind system and relatively flat seas when she completed the race with a 20hr 56min 56sec elapsed time in December 1984.

A free sheet sailing westerly with gusts in the high 20's and flat water has been dialled in by the weather bureau and this will change to an even more favourable 25-30 south westerly around 2300 hours (11pm) tonight.

It will be an all hands on deck situation with the presence of the brute breeze and flat water along the headland-to-headland rhumbline with all crews in the 88-yacht fleet expecting a fast wet ride on the windward rail.

Life aboard Grundig will be exciting as this ocean racing 'greyhound' capable of reaching sprint speeds above the prevailing wind velocity chases another record to go with her thrilling 14.84knot speed average set during the Brisbane-Gladstone race last Easter.

The pressure wind band will be well inside the south flowing current adding to the favourable conditions but speed can cause some wild wipeouts, which place a big responsibility for all on watch helmsmen to keep the yachts travelling at the right angle and the right direction.

Early predictions suggest that all of the big yachts Grundig, Future Shock, After Shock Infinity 111 and possibly last years overall handicap winner Heaven Can Wait could be moored in Coffs Harbour Marina early tomorrow well inside the old record time.