Flat Chat and Raw nerve set for 'Dog Fight'

by Ian Grant on 13 Apr 2003 Victoria’s Raw Nerve and the Gold Coast’s Flat Chat arguably Australia’s fastest catamarans are poised to stage a 308 n/ml tactical ‘dog fight’ for line honours in the Multihull Brisbane-Gladstone race over the Easter weekend.

Raw Nerve skippered by her owner Martin Riley of Melbourne has a size advantage over the 2002 grand slam winner Flat Chat helmed by five times line honours trophy winner Jamie Morris from the Southport Yacht Club.

The career records of both crews make them equal pre race favourites with the result hinging on which crew produces the best race strategy over every minute and mile of what can prove to be a tricky test of ocean yacht racing.

Because of the difference in size and sail power the crews have different advantages with the larger Crowther designed modified Southern Ocean 50 Raw Nerve producing her strong point in fresh winds and rough seas while the smaller Grainger 40 Flat Chat is best suited to flat water sailing in all wind conditions.

Flat Chat powered to a runaway light wind win last Easter and skipper Jamie Morris has completed a ‘turbo’ upgrade for this year’s boat on boat match race for the first to finish trophy.

The fast lane sailing catamaran has completed some impressive trials with the new sails logging speeds in excess of 20 knots with a tuck in the main and a number 2 head sail.

Her crew is happy with the sails created by Rob White from the Quantum Loft and so they should be when Flat chat left a white water wake during her final trial off the Gold Coast on Saturday.

“We’re ready to race”, declared Morris with a sense of confidence.

However skipper Morris, Roger Overell and the ‘young guns’ Shane Dickson and Michael Kelly hold a healthy respect for their rivals on Raw Nerve.

“This will be a race with no chance to rest because there is so much pride associated with the honour of finishing first”.

“We have a sail wardrobe to suit all winds and all angles and I’m sure Raw Nerve has the same which sets the race up for a battle of human skills and endurance over every metre of water between Brisbane and Gladstone”. Morris said.