On the trail to sailing heaven

Day two at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week gave all crews a little respite after the first day straight out of the blocks in challenging conditions.While the IRC fleet sailed windward/leewards on the Eastern Course, the remaining divisions enjoyed sublime conditions, starting their races in an 8-12 knot south-easter from Dent Passage and winding around various deserted and inhabited islands.
 
Amongst the island hoppers was the ten-strong fleet in the inaugural Trailables division.From modern one design racers to modest and ‘mature’ cruisers with a top speed rarely more than single figures, this fleet certainly fits the description ‘eclectic’.
 
The appeal of trailables to those who sail them is the ease and affordability of getting to regattas around the country, as well as the ability to sail shorthanded, or with minimal crew.“We can easily sail two-up if we need to, but we’ll have a guest aboard each day of Race Week,” says Greg Brown who inherited Gone Too Far from his father and sails with his wife Ronda from their home club in NSW’s Sussex Inlet.
 
Stuart Green, Ben Harper and Morgan Jamesfound their boat Rhumbmaid languishing in a backyard in Brisbane where it had stood largely unused and very much unloved for 20 years.
 
The Boomeroo 22 was built in 1978 and the joint owners -all of whom drive the island’s tour boats for Explore as a day job - have gradually restored it when time permits,“When we get a day off we all tinker with the boat and do a bit of varnishing.”They also take great care of the boat’s gear it seems,“We haven’t bought any new sails since 1983 andthey even survived day one’s conditions,” says Stuart, sounding a little surprised.

Rhumbmaid’s owners all sail together on the Island’s twilight races but decided to give Race Week a go this year. “For this week we are sailing four-up and rotate the fourth person, whose job it is to buy the beers. And besides which our boat’s rather slow, so it’s good to have someone new to talk to each day,” says Stuart, as his mother Julie and stepfather Mark smile wryly; Mark is ‘fourth man’ for day two, so he’s on beer and chat duties.“We had a lot of fun on Sunday and we hit our highest speed ever on this boat, 7.3 knots going down a wave with the sheets cracked!” adds Stuart with a laugh.
 
Anthony Passmore and his crew aboard the Melges 24 Planit - leading the Trailerable Division after two days of racing - had a day one blinder in comparison;“Our speedo wasn’t working, but I’d say we hit at least 19 knots at various times across the Whitsunday Passage.”
 
“We’ve been coming up herefor a few years now. We use Race Week as the start of our season; it’s just the best place to be when it’s winter in Sydney,” says Anthony, who’s been coming to Hamilton Island regatta since 2007. He trails his boat to various events around Australia, sailing with longstanding friends out of Botany Bay Sailing Club.
 
Making news on day two, MondayAugust 17, 2015, from the other divisions was Helsal 3’s rather too close encounter with Dent Island. After a glamour race on day one, the 60 footerran aground while taking the inside line after the downwind start leg.Crewmember Paul Mara explained their misfortune, “My wife was playing golf on the Island and she got within a metre of the hole on her first shot. She nearly won the Audi for a hole in one; so we were just going over to have a look!...”
 
‘”Anyway we managed to motor her off the bottom without any damage, went for a bit of a sail and then retired.”

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For additional regatta information please contact:

Lisa Ratcliff
Media Manager, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2015
Email: lisa@occ.net.au    Phone: + 61 (0)418 428 511