It all kicks off on Boxing Day at the RQYS with the Australian 9er Championship, which will see approximately 140 competitors brightening up Moreton Bay with the colourful sails and spinnakers typical of the 9er class. The Summer concludes with the Australian Windsurfing Championships, combining the Raceboard and Formula classes in a spectacular display of what is fast becoming an emerging, exciting manifestation of sailing in Australia.

Sailing is not just contained to Moreton Bay region in 2018, with the RQYS hosting the biannual Brisbane to Noumea Race & Cruise Rally, the Queensland leg of the Cercle Nautique Caledonien’s greater Sail Noumea 2018 event. Offshore monohull and multihull yachts will descend on Moreton Bay on the first and second of June to commence their cruising or competitive, respectively, journey across the Pacific Ocean to Noumea.

Moreton Bay has a sensational record of sending sailors across oceans in some of the most challenging and enjoyable manifestations of the sport. Annual events include the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club’s Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, which will mark its 70^th year in 2018. Starting 30 March, locals are undoubtedly looking forward to spending their Good Friday watching the fierce competition from two of Australia’s super maxis: Wild Oats XI and RQYS’s own Black Jack 100. The race start will again be live streamed, broadcasting this extraordinary sport to the world and bringing more family, friends and sailing enthusiasts closer to the sport than ever before.

As always, there is always an abundance of events to cater to every size, class and calibre of boat on Moreton Bay. The RQYS, in conjunction with the Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland, will be hosting the inaugural Moreton Bay Multihull Regatta from 16 to 19 March 2018. This presents a great opportunity for sailors and cruisers alike to engage with one another, and celebrate everything that the multihull community has to offer: from great racing to enduring comradeship.

Finally, the year rounds out in a big way with the 2018 Etchells World Championships from 18 to 27 October 2018. At this time, the RQYS will be home to approximately 250 of the world’s finest sailors, all vying to take home one of the greatest accolades in the sport.

Moreton Bay continues to be a hub of on-water activity in Brisbane, and a competitive and recreational destination for marine sports enthusiasts around the country and around the globe. It has semi-sheltered waters, providing excellent sailing conditions year-round for a wide variety of classes and constituents, albeit questionably shallow for the larger yachts. As the old saying goes, there are two types of division yacht sailors on Moreton Bay – those who have run aground, and liars.

The Manly Summer of Sail:

DPSS   27 December ’17 – 03 January ’18  Australian Sabot Championships

RQYS   28 December ’17 – 04 January ’18 Oceania & Australian Laser Open Championships

RQYS   03 January ’18 – 10 January ’18                   Australian Optimist Championships

RQYS   11 January ’18 – 15 January ’18                   Australian Youth Championships

RQYS   15 January ’18 – 20 January ’18                   Australian International Finn Championships

RQYS   17 January ’18 – 20 January ’18                   Australian Windsurfing Championships

There are increasingly new, innovative and sustainable ways for people of all ages and experience to get involved in marine sports on Moreton Bay, be it learning to sail, competitive racing, competition spectating, volunteering, or cruising with the family. The yacht clubs that preside over the bay are always more than happy to support you on your sailing journey, and there is absolutely something for everyone in this area.

By Natasha Hoppner

Moreton Bay yacht clubs:

Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron   www.rqys.com.au

Darling Point Sailing Squadron   http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-10477-0-0-0

Queensland Cruising Yacht Club   http://www.qcyc.com.au/go/

Multihull Yacht Club of QLD     http://www.mycq.org.au/

Sailability Bayside   https://sailabilitybayside.wordpress.com/

The post Moreton Bay: Sailing Ahead appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

The Southport Yacht Club (SYC), have been very busy organising and preparing, jointly with Royal Prince Albert Yacht Club, for two race events: the Club Marine Pittwater to Paradise Series, and the Bartercard Sail Paradise Regatta for 2018.

Pittwater to Southport Series

The 370 nautical mile Pittwater to Paradise race will start off the entrance to Pittwater in Sydney on 2 January 2018, and finish off Main Beach on the Gold Coast.

There are several different categories. There is a division for multihull yachts and two divisions for monohull yachts. “The monohulls have a division for the serious race boats (IRC Division) and the less serious yachts, but still very competitive, go in the PHS Division. This gives everybody a chance to do well in their respective divisions,” explains Ray McMahon, vice commodore for sailing at the SYC.

This race is expecting the leading boats to take roughly 36 to 48 hours to cross the finish line, and the slower boats roughly two to three days, if the ideal southerly wind blows in their favour. “However, if there’s no wind, then the leading boats may be stuck out there for another day or so, and take the slower boats up to five days. My tip for this year is around 40 hours for the winning boat,” says Ray.

Any long ocean race is extremely dangerous. Ray highlights the strict safety regulations imposed for this race. “You just don’t know what Mother Nature will throw at you. When you’re out there in the ocean, there’s nowhere to hide. All of the boats must pass a strict safety test, including the vessel and its equipment. Add to that, the crew must have certain levels of qualifications to do a race of this level. If the weather goes bad, the boats and crew are well equipped to handle it.”

Sail Paradise Series

Upon the conclusion of the Pittwater to Paradise Race, the Sail Paradise will begin and be decided over four days of racing from 6 to 9 of January 2018. The courses for Sail Paradise will be set just off the surfline of the Gold Coast’s famous sandy beaches.

This is the eighth year of Sail Paradise. This year, for the first time, there will be several official state titles involved. The winner of the IRC Division will be crowned the Queensland State champion; the winner of the AMS Division will be the official State AMS champion; and, the winner of the Sports Boat Division will be the official State Sports Boat champion.

One of the main objectives of the race is to run a professional regatta to showcase the Southport Yacht Club and the Gold Coast. “If you run a great regatta, then it will no doubt build ever year as competitors return to their clubs and sprook what a great regatta is it. We ensure that, while racing, the competitors get the best available level of professionalism. Upon returning to the marina, every competitor and official joins in on our free sausage sizzle to tell a few tall stories over a quiet ale. Every evening, we have live music in the club for those who want to have a lovely evening meal and enjoy the magnificent waterfront restaurant,” clarifies Ray.

The four-day period will be a mix-up of races to keep the competitors’ enthusiasm up. Some days will be long races down to Tweed and back (around four to five hours) and some days will comprise two to three short races of roughly one-hour duration for each race. Ray says, “Variety is the spice of life.” Onshore events, such as the Sailing Attire Fashion Parade, ensure the entire crowd have a good laugh and enjoy the event.

An Auric’s Quest Special

“Most of our local long-distance ocean-racing yachts have decided to chance their hand at doing the Sydney to Hobart race. This means the boats can’t get back from Hobart in time for the Pittwater race. This leaves one competitor from the Southport Yacht Club in the Pittwater race, a great competitor at that. Fred Bestall’s Auric’s Quest is from the Southport Yacht Club, and it’s a real chance to win line honours and handicap,” Ray says excitedly.

Fred Bestall is the first Queenslander to enter both events with his impressive 46-footer, Auric’s Quest, a Nelson/Marek design that took top honours in Sail Paradise in 2017. Fred has decided to try for the double. “I’m really looking forward to putting the yacht and crew to the test in both events,” he says. “It promises to be an exciting race, one that should suit Auric’s Quest. The Bartercard Sail Paradise, which is hosted by SYC, will then give us the chance to show crew from the south what hospitality we can deliver, and the wonderful sailing we enjoy here on the Gold Coast.” The Club Marine Pittwater to Paradise Regatta will be the longest offshore test Fred and his crew have undertaken since the yacht was purchased two years ago.

People’s Day

Ray promises that every day will be an exciting day for watching the races from the beaches. This year, there will be a ‘People’s Day’ on Sunday, 7 January. Ray invites everyone to join. “We’re opening the gates to the marina on this day for spectators to come down and have a look at the race boats, either before or after the race. It’s great to see these magnificent vessels up close.”

For more information on the races, visit www.southportyachtclub.com.au.

By Andy Kancachian

The post The Sail of the Season appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

“G’day, Derek,” I say. He turns, beaming. “Caroline!” We hug, and start chatting excitedly about the last time we met. Derek has been busy in the intervening years, and the 19ft Sienna Mark II is only one of many boats he has produced. He has even built two widely acclaimed solar electric ferries.

This boat was built for a South Australian client, Leo Davey, who wanted a sailboat that would be easy to sail single-handed and stable enough to handle challenging offshore conditions. Derek took the opportunity to make some significant modifications, including a 200-litre water-ballast system to supplement the lead-ballasted keel, foam-core GRP decks, raised seating to accommodate a portable toilet, and extra space for five 200 amp-hour batteries and a house battery. He has tagged the new version “a little big ship” because of her extended cruising capabilities.

Looking her over, I like what I see. The Sienna is a happy combination of new and old. The fibreglass hull and deck promise low maintenance, but the lugsail yawl rig and timber trim give her a classic feel.

The cockpit is large enough to seat four comfortably and the separate forward cuddy cabin area has a removable cover, two berths over 6ft and extra stowage room. I love this area – it is probably the best containment area for small children on a sailboat this size.

There is no ugly outboard on the transom. Instead, there is a 2hp retractable electric saildrive engine, which Derek says will push the boat at 4+ knots, and has a range of 12 hours at 3.5 knots.

Launching goes off without a hitch, courtesy of the purpose-designed Oceanic trailer. As we motor out from the jetty, the breeze catches the mizzen, which pushes us back in. But a little more throttle and we are underway. The electric engine is music to our ears – wonderfully quiet compared to a petrol outboard.

The main was raised before launching, so all proud new owner Leo has to do is release a brailing line and the sail billows out. A brailing line is a rope you pull in to depower a sail. It means you can raise the main on the mast while on the hard, so you do not have the hassle of doing so on the water. The headsail is also on a furler, so this takes Leo only a couple of seconds to unfurl. I am an instant fan.

The breeze is only 4 knots, but the Sienna still slides along well, and clocks a top speed of 3.5 knots. In the light winds, she is beautifully balanced, and we have no trouble tweaking the sails so she self-steers. Having no boom also means we can relax without worrying about hitting our heads.

Our brief outing is over all too soon, and once back at the jetty, it is all hands on deck to get the “little big ship” ready for her long road trip to her new home in Adelaide.

Derek looks happy but wistful as he watches the Sienna leave. “Much as I like to think of all the adventures ahead for them, it’s always just a tiny bit sad seeing a boat go,” he says.

By Caroline Strainig

OTHER SIENNA MARK II FEATURES AT A GLANCE

• Power version available
• Proven performance in winds over 25 knots
• Optional rowing kit for forward standing or seated rowing
• Fresh water can be used in ballast system for extended cruising
• Whisker pole system to pole out genoa and main
• Self-righting with self-draining cockpit
• Can be built to CE survey
• Canvas cuddy over cabin area doubles as a cover on road
• Four berths (two under boom tent)
• Under 20 minutes to rig and launch

Price: $50,000, plus trailer

/Sep-Dec2017

The post The Little Big Ship appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Luxury sailing catamarans and monohulls will become an even more common sight in South East Queensland if buyer interest at this year’s Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show is any gauge.

“It was the best show since the GFC,” was the consensus of distributors. Organisers reported that visitor numbers for the 2017 four-day show were slightly up on the previous year, reaching 42,256, as opposed to 41,621 at the 2016 show (which previously held the same title).

Norm Ambrose, director of Gold Coast-based Ausail Marine Group, stated he has enough work stemming from the show to last him the rest of the year. “It was fantastic,” he said. “I am flat-out doing quotes.” Ausail is the Australian distributor for the popular US-built Catalina sailboat range.

Rowan McMahon, manager of The Multihull Group Queensland, said they also had several sales finalised at the show and expected many more to come. “It was the best result we have had in years,” he said. The Multihull Group’s portfolio includes leading French catamaran range Lagoon.

Both Norm and Rowan confirmed that homegrown buyers were out in force, but distributors also reported a noticeable increase in buyers from Asia.

While powerboats proliferated, there were plenty of sailing multihulls and monohulls. In fact, sail enthusiasts had so many yachts to drool over they were spoilt for choice. Sail brands included Beneteau, Catalina, Catana, Dufour, Fountaine Pajot, Jeanneau, Lagoon, Leopard, Seawind, and Sunreef.

The undoubted belle of the ball was the custom-built Polish-built Sunreef Loft, a stunning 18-metre catamaran, which costs more than $2m. This yacht boasts all the bells and whistles, and a black and red oriental-inspired fit-out that set it apart from the other multihulls. And, take heart, if you cannot afford that price tag, you can still charter the boat for US $30,000 for eight days to go diving in Indonesia. Split six ways, that’s reasonably affordable.

Another new boat turning heads was the new Seawind 1260 cruising catamaran, which was making its world debut. The 1260 is larger in interior volume than its predecessors but has the same streamlined under-water profile. This model also has the trademark fold-up saloon doors, creating a huge open-plan area when raised. Seawind offers the 1260 with its popular galley-down configuration (in a hull), but also an innovative galley-up option (adjacent to the saloon) for the charter market.

The Fountaine-Pajot Helia 44 Evolution catamaran was just one of many French-built eye-catchers. The layout of the display boat was the owner’s version, with a large owner’s cabin in one hull and two guest cabins in the other. Even though this catamaran has a galley up, there is still plenty of entertaining space. The lounge area on top of the cabin is just one stand-out feature.

The Lagoon 42 was also attracting keen interest, which is hardly surprising given 170 were sold internationally within six months of the world launch. This model boasts the space the Lagoons are renowned for but with improved performance.

The Catana Bali catamaran was a must-see for buyers interested in investing in a charter yacht. The Catana has abundant accommodation and a host of charter-friendly features that should make it the perfect holiday yacht.

Germany was also represented, which the Nautitech 40 Open catamaran, built by Bavaria, which was yet another example of this mega-builder’s ability to turn out a well thought out boat at a good price.

Not to be outdone, monohull sailboat distributors also turned out en masse, with French manufacturers yet again to the fore, including Beneteau, Dufour and Jeanneau. However, manufacturers from other countries were also represented, including popular US builder Catalina.

Next to the marina, luxury cars proliferated, but there was still the occasional stand to interest the sailor, including entry-level small sailboats. These comprised an off-the-beach Corsair from Multihull Central, promoting a $995 get-into-boating package that they sponsor in conjunction with the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly.

There were also two halls choc-a-bloc with new products and gear, including a narrow-beam, forward-looking sonar from Garmin, and some nifty slip-resistant magnetic glasses from Silwy, which promise to make enjoying a beverage on the move much easier. Multihull Solutions’ used yacht brokerage division also had a mouth-watering photo display of second-hand multihulls for sale.

So that’s it! The SCIBS done and dusted for another year, all signs indicating one of the most successful shows sail-wise in a long time, and with dozens of new yachts to grace our waterways as a result. No doubt there will also be more than the odd bottle of champagne consumed as buyers celebrate naming their new purchases.

By Caroline Strainig

Carolyn Martin and John Martin (right) discuss the new Seawind 1260 with Seawind/Multihull Central salesman Andrew Crawford

Luxury afloat – the $2m Loft catamaran. Credit: Sunreef

Stunning interior of the new Helia 44 from Fountaine-Pajot. Credit: Fountaine-Pajot

/Sep-Dec2017

The post Champagne Sailing at Sanctuary Cove Boat Show 2017 appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

What exactly is the shunting sailing method? Shunting is an alternative type of sailing used by proa boats. A proa has two hulls – one long, one short. The short one is always windward, with all the weight in it. In a shunt, both the rig and the rudder rotate 180 degrees while the boat sails off in the other direction. The bow then becomes the stern. It is a similar technique to the one used by kite surfers.

Rob explained some of the benefits of shunting. “On a proa, it’s a little slower than tacking and gybing. But it’s much, much safer, especially in strong breezes. You don’t go out of control and have to bang the main across in a gybe. Normally when you’re tacking in big waves, you need enough sail area to carry the boat around, which means you need a lot of sail up. Whereas on a proa, you can have just enough sail up to keep you moving, and so shunting is easy. Sailing in strong winds and big waves is much easier and less stressful.”

Rob told us that, although has has been building his Harryproas for over a decade, it may never have happened if it was not for his wife, Sue. “Fifteen years ago I was enjoying a couple of wines with my wife on a nice sunny day, and she said, ‘You should build a boat.’ And I said, ‘You’re right. I must do.’ She went on to list a few requirements it needed: it was not allowed to cost much money; it had to be one that wouldn’t make her seasick; and, it had to be something that was easy to sail. She loves being on the water, but doesn’t like the hard work, so it needed minimum of strings. That was basically the first Harryproa I built, which did all that. It looked rough as guts, but it worked and didn’t make Sue sick. All the weight was concentrated in the middle so it didn’t pitch much. The motion was nice, and it just had one string to pull for the sail. Shunting is effortless compared to tacking, so she was happy.”

While Rob just built the first Harryproa for himself and his wife to enjoy, fellow sailors soon saw the benefits and wanted one. So his business grew from there. Over the last decade, he has been refining the building process, which is contained in the plans he sells. “We’ve been developing a new build method called Intelligent Infusion that is very easy, very clean and very cheap. You build a cheap mould out of MDF, throw a couple of coats of paint on it to make it airtight, then you put all the laminate in it dry, and it’s all flat panels. All the tricky bits, like window rebates and strong points are included in the infusion. It all gets put in a bag, the air is sucked out and the resin goes in. After 40 minutes, you have half a hull built. It takes a couple of days to put it all in, but that’s clean and easy work. The infused laminate is half the weight of a handmade one, and there’s no stickiness, and no dust. It’s at the stage where it’s the smartest way to build a boat.”

Understandably, Rob has been swamped by orders for his Harryproa plans because of the number of advantages they offer over traditional cats. Not only are they easier to build, but they also come in at a tiny fraction of the cost. The plans cost $3,000 to $4,000. The material costs are about half that of cats and tris of the same length. And the build cost is around $50,000 for a 12m-race version.

The ease of shunting means the Harryproas can be crewed effortlessly with two people. And it can even be done solo, if you prefer. For these reasons, new Harryproa owners are popping up around the world, with many 50- and 60-footers being built in Australia.

Rob explained how friendly the proa community is. “Everyone we’ve sold plans to has become a friend because there’s so much email going back and forth. I get on really well with all of my clients, and we’re always ready to take each other out for a sail.”

For more information, contact Rob at harryproa@gmail.com or visit www.harryproa.com.

By Narayan Pattison

(May-Aug2017)

The post Two Bows Are Better Than One appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Someone asked me recently what type of boat is best for South East Queensland – a monohull or a multihull. As a monohull sailor, I only had one answer. But then, I thought, why not investigate the multihull, learn more about it from a devout ‘multihuller’, and compare with the mono? Off I trundled to do just that.

THE CASE FOR MULTIHULLS

Geoff Cruse, the Manly-based sailor who agreed to speak on behalf of multihulls, was a boat builder for 40 plus years producing Windspeed multihulls before becoming a marine surveyor. He has lost track of the number of multihulls he has sailed on. Today, he still races regularly on a Nacra 36 speed machine, and a Schionning 16 high-performance cruiser, among others.

His grin was a mile wide when I asked him what he loves about sailing multihulls. “I can sum it up in one word – fun,” he says. “It’s a speed thing. It’s so exhilarating passing other boats, and we sail right on the edge, lifting a hull and with the bows going under.”

Here are some of the other reasons Geoff thinks multihulls should be your first choice for our local waters.

Geoff explains that a typical 10-metre multihull draws from around 1.2 metres to as little as 0.45 metres if it has dagger boards and a kick-up rudder. “This means you can get in close and beach the boat. And at places like the Sandhills, this is fantastic experience,” he says.

He has wonderful memories of family holidays beaching their multihull, and letting the children run wild on the beach nearby while the adults relaxed on the boat.

The shallow draught also means multis can anchor closer in, where it is more sheltered. Geoff acknowledges some drop-keep monos can do the same, but says it is unusual to find a drop keel in a larger mono.

Geoff believes a multi is without parallel when it comes to space and comfort. “If you want the on-water equivalent of an apartment, you cannot go past them,” he says. “Yes, per foot overall length, they are more expensive, but that’s because you have much more room aboard.” He estimates a 10-metre catamaran would have as much living space as a 12-metre monohull.

He says multis sail flatter than a mono, and tells the tale of how a rose bowl left out on a table by mistake survived an offshore delivery. However, he admits they can still have a choppy action, particularly to windward offshore. So it is not always “sailing at its level best”, as multi lovers claim.

Safety-wise, Geoff stresses the cruising catamaran of today is a different creature from the high-speed racing machines we see capsizing in races like the America’s Cup. “Nowadays it would be very rare for a cruising cat to overturn,” he says. “Cruising monos should be compared with cruising multis, and the same for racers.”

He points out that, multis have multiple hulls instead of one, so there are two or three independent watertight floatation areas. “Multis are unlikely to sink when flooded or capsized because of this,” he says.

THE CASE FOR MONOHULLS

Just as Geoff finds sailing on multis fun, I find sailing on a monohull thrilling. It is that heeling feeling, as you go to windward, and the boat heels and settles into the groove. It just feels so – well – right.

When it comes to speed, a well-designed monohull can give you a more than acceptable turn of speed. Although the rule is that multihulls are faster, which makes for shorter passages and gives more chance of outrunning bad weather, there are monohulls that can do the same.

A monohull has less windage than a multi, making it easier to berth. In tricky situations, the multi is harder to berth. Moreover, because of its shallower draught and the extra windage, the multi swings differently at anchor to a deep-keel mono, so you need to be careful to allow enough swinging room when anchoring near monos.

The signs a monohull is overpowered are unmistakable, even to a novice. A mono will round up, heel excessively, and basically tell you where to go. A multi has very high initial stability in comparison, so it heels much less. Yes, there are some signs for a multi – they will heel slightly, start to bury a bow, and the steering will become heavier – but these signs are less obvious to inexperienced sailors.

Even a small monohull always has sufficient accommodation space for a comfortable overnighter. A $10,000 RL24 trailer-sailer has a vee-berth, and at least one-quarter berth. On the other hand, a small catamaran has minimal, if any, accommodation over the bridgedeck, so you need to buy a sizable multi before you can overnight in comfort.

Admittedly, multis do rule the roost when it comes to shallow draught most of the time. But an increasing number of monohull manufacturers offer shallow-draught versions, such as the beachable Sun Odyssey 33i from Jeanneau. Trailer-sailers are also outstanding in this respect.

A mono may not sail as flat as a multi, but a multi can still develop a jerky, sideways seasick-inducing motion, which some people find worse than a monohull’s. The sound of waves slapping on the underside of the multi’s bridgedeck when going to windward can also be annoying, which obviously does not exist on a mono.

In case of a capsize, the trusty mono will normally self-right. On the other hand, the multi will stay upside down, albeit with a stable platform while awaiting rescue.

Another tick on the plus side for monos is that they take up less space in a marina berth, so berthing fees are usually cheaper. It is possible, though, to pay lesser fees for a multi if you can snag an outside berth at a marina that does not charge extra for wider vessels.

THE VERDICT

Weighing up the pros and cons of both when it comes to the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay, I would have to say multihulls have a lot going for them when it comes to sailing and boating in this area. Yes, I admit it! However, until I win Lotto, I will keep sailing on my friend’s drop-keel trailer-sailer, which can do many of the same things a multihull can – albeit on a more modest scale.

PROS AND CONS AT A GLANCE

Multihull pros

• Shallow draught
• Ability to beach
• Space, glorious space
• Exhilarating speed
• Flatter sailing

. . . and cons

• Cost per foot length overall
• Higher berthing charges
• More windage
• Difficult to right after capsizing
• Less noticeable feedback from the helm, at least for novices

Monohull pros

• Cheaper per foot length overall
• Lower berthing charges
• Self-righting after capsize, normally
• That heeling feeling some sailors love

. . . and cons

• Deeper draught; although some shoal-draft/drop keel available
• Most cannot be beached
• Less space than the same length catamaran
• Slower, so less able to outrun bad weather
• Heeling at acute angles that can be uncomfortable

WHY IS A MULTIHULL THE BEST BOAT FOR MORETON BAY?

“Multihulls are ideal for our local waters mainly due to their shallow draught of around one metre and massive interior and exterior volume, which makes them perfect for family and friends to get away on for the day, weekend, or week. South East Queensland is multihull mecca on the Broadwater or out in the ocean.” – Rowan McMahon, Queensland state manager, The Multihull Group (national Lagoon distributors)

“The shallow draught typical of catamarans and trimarans allows access to the most remote anchorages on the Broadwater and surrounds. And their spacious living and entertaining areas all on the one level ensures you make the most out of your time on the water with loved ones.” – Mark Elkington, managing director, Multihull Solutions

“[There are] One hundred beautiful islands in an underrated location with a huge variety of environments. Much of the bay is simply inaccessible to deep-draught boats and untenable to boats, which roll at anchor. Sail a multi and get there quicker. Enjoy the sail, anchor flatter, relax on the tramps, and have fun.” – Andrew Crawford, SE sales representative, Multihull Central

“A sail or power catamaran makes so much sense for many reasons. They are ‘on the water’ rather than in it, which means that it takes very little power to propel the boat. [They are] brighter and better ventilated inside, provide a large and stable platform, offer privacy when guests are aboard, and their draught means you can anchor in shallow and less crowded areas.” – Ian Mackenzie, director, Catamaran Company

(May-Aug2017)

The post Monos Versus Multis appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Southport Yacht Club (SYC) has started its Sailing Performance Program early this year, with Olympic Gold Medalist Mathew Belcher OAM, as the lead mentor. The Program is athlete-focused, and is using the experience that Mathew has gained from being on the Australian Sailing Team for the past 12 years.

This is the first time SYC has put together a wholistic program that encourages even the youngest sailors at the beginning of their sailing journey, to strive to achieve their own potential through the stepped program. SYC has had High Performance Teams in the past that only focused on the top performers. This year’s Performance Program not only looks after Sailing Team member Harry at 8 years old, who has only been sailing for four months, but also High Performance team member Tom at 15 years old, who has been sailing for six years and competing in World Sailing events.

There are currently 38 participants in the Program, in three teams: Sailing Team, Performance Sailing Team, and High Performance Sailing Team. The participants are mentored by a team of dedicated, highly skilled on-water coaches, using the session plans designed by Mathew Belcher.

The Sailing Team has 18 participants, from 8- to 14-year-olds. In this team, participants are those who have completed their junior basics course and are looking to take the next step with their sailing. This team focuses on boat handling and building confidence, and training the sailors to compete in junior club racing.

The Performance Sailing Team has 17 participants, from 8- to 16-year-olds. This team is composed of sailors who are now confident in sailing their boat, completing more advanced drills and training techniques. The training gives them everything they need to compete more effectively in club racing and develop skills to start competing in regattas, including State and National titles.

The High Performance Sailing Team has three participants, all in their teens. By invitation only, this intensive program provides every opportunity for sailors with racing experience to reach their own goals. Each of the participants in this team is personally mentored by Mathew Belcher.

Sailing team members have the option to lease a boat from the Club or bring their own. The Club has ten Optimists and five O’Pen BICs available for lease for a term. However, members transitioning from Sailing team to Performance team are encouraged to purchase their own boats before moving onward. Performance and High Performance team members all have their own boats.

The Program acknowledges that each team member has different needs. Thus, the Program design focuses on the individual. The Sailing Performance Program is a long-term commitment for SYC and Mathew Belcher, with a view to producing exceptional sailors.

The Program runs for four terms, from 23 January to 8 December 2017.

For more information on the Program, visit www.southportyachtclub.com.au.

The post Stepping up in sailing appeared first on Boat Gold Coast.

Oceanvolt SEA^® system

The SEA in Oceanvolt SEA® stands for Silent Electric Autonomy. Oceanvolt SEA® is a complete electric motor system for monohulls and multihulls. It is a complete system with everything you need to become energy autonomous. Oceanvolt SEA® creates energy while sailing (average 2 kW @ 8-17 knots) so you can enjoy the picture-perfect silent sailing experience by day and a good night sleep by night.

You can create up to 4000W. The regeneration function of the motors will recharge your batteries. Complemented with solar power and shore power, there is almost no need to use a generator while sailing.

How does the system create energy while sailing?

The hydro-generation, or “creating energy while sailing” function, is an automatic feature in all Oceanvolt motors. This feature is activated by pushing the button on the Oceanvolt displays for 5 seconds. The display will automatically switch to regeneration mode showing the current generated power, RPM and time until the batteries are fully charged. With a folding propeller, the motor kicks the blades out, and centrifugal force combined with the motor controller keep the blades open. The motor controllers tune the system actively at 10 Hz, which prevents the blades from closing (too much braking would close the propellers). This is continuous monitoring; the system will adjust the propeller RPM depending on the boat speed. The system shuts itself down if the battery is fully charged or the boat speed is too low for efficient hydro generation.

The below graph shows the regeneration power of one of the motors on the SIG45 catamaran.

Compatible propellers

The Oceanvolt systems are optimized for either 2 or 3 blade Flexofold folding propellers and Gori Propellers. Other folding propellers can also be used, but they provide 30-50% less propulsion and regeneration power. The highest regeneration power is gained with fixed blade and adjustable pitch propellers, and also with dedicated systems for hydro generator use, because they allow using a higher pitch/dimension propeller.

At 5-7 knots, the regeneration power with a folding propeller is about half compared to fixed and adjustable pitch propellers. Folding propellers provide low drag due to partially opened blades. A 15-inch 3-blade folding propeller will slow the boat (Maestro 40, 6 tons) about 0.1 knots at 7 knots of speed in regeneration mode. The regenerating feature is extremely suitable for catamarans, because twin motors mean double the energy. Catamarans are also faster, which means that the regeneration power is higher. If the Oceanvolt motor is used only for hydro-generation and not for propulsion, the power boost gained from using a higher pitch propeller dedicated for regenerations is about 20-30%.

If you want to harness the power of the sea, call for more details about Oceanvolt systems.

Ph: 07 5580 1511 www.amwholesale.com.au

(May-Aug2017)

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Just a year since the website’s live launch, there are now some of the most competitive racing boats in the world using the software including J-Class ‘Velsheda’, RP100 ‘Wild Oats XI’, MiniMaxis ‘Caol Ila R’ and ‘Robertissima’, and TP52s ‘Spookie’ and ‘Alegre’. There have also been a number of smaller boats signing up.

How It All Works

Nautinet is basically a great little piece of online software where every member of a sailing team has an individual log-in to access boat and crew data as well as use all the features and functionality.

Once logged in, either you or an account administrator (such as a captain, owner or manager) can add your personal details such as uniform sizes, food allergies, mobile number, etc.

Hereafter, your personal details can be easily shared with any boat that you accept an invitation from and access almost all of the data, dependent privileges set by an account administrator or the captain.

Each time an event is added to a boat’s calendar, one can opt to invite any amount of crew from a list of all the current crew. All selected crew will then automatically receive an email notification announcing that they have been invited to an event and enquiring if they would like to attend or not. Should a crew member select “Yes” to attending, then his/her name will automatically appear on all of the smart lists and effect other features and functionality throughout the site.

An example of a smart list is the ‘Next of Kin List’. This is a list that pulls all of the next-of-kin data from all of your crew’s accounts and places it on one neat table. You can choose to show all of your crew or only crew attending certain events. As with any page on Nautinet, this table is available to download, print or share via email at the click of a button

One example of a function is the ‘Smart-Grouped SMS Messaging’ which allows you to write one message on-screen and then click “Send to All Crew” or “Send to All Crew Attending Maxi Worlds”. Perfect for informing all the crew of last minute changes at an event when the crew are geographically scattered about the place!

One example of a feature is the ‘Attendance Overview’ page. This shows a list of all of the crew and all of the events and shows whether or not the individual crew members are ‘Attending’, ‘Not Attending’, ‘Awaiting Response’ or ‘Not Invited’. It will also summarise below how many crew are attending, not attending, awaiting response or not invited and, of those attending, how many crew are race crew, shore/permanent crew, owner/guest or non-crew.

“Nautinet has proved a great tool for both the TP52 and the Etchells teams. We found it easy to learn, easy to use, and a great bespoke solution to the modern demands of professional sailing,” says Steve Benjamin, 2015 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and owner of TP52 ‘Spookie‘, Carkeek40 and Etchells.

All crew profiles are free but each boat pays an annual subscription of which there are four different types to choose from depending on which profile applies best to the boat and crew. Different deals can also be easily negotiated.

For More Information, please visit www.nautinet.com; or watch the YouTube Walkthrough Movie at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_E6RDeM5EQ; or email at mail@nautinet.com

Benefits for Captains, Management & Owners

• A heavily reduced number of emails
• Massive savings in administration time and labour, which in turn allows management to focus on other more important things that can often save costs for the program
• Share and work on the same data simultaneously to someone else who might be in another country (not possible with Excel or Dropbox)

Benefits for Crew

• Readily available information (event dates, flight details, etc)
• One-time data entry – Once your personal details are in the Nautinet database, simply join other boats on Nautinet to share that data and put a stop to continuously providing the same personal data to multiple boats.)
• Overlay calendars – See all of the events of all the boats that you race with on one calendar. (Highlights potential clashed or tight logistics between events)

Key Features

• Shared calendar
• Crew logistics sheets
• Crew lists / “Smart Lists”  (attendance, contact, passport, catering, medical, NOK, crew weight, etc.)
• Email
• SMS Messaging
• Photo Storage
• Document Storage
• Discussion Forums
• Jobs Lists
• Uniform Lists
• Invoicing

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Here is a snapshot of her thoughts on the Club and boating in general.

What are the major challenges you face as Commodore of SYC?

One challenge is moving forward and building on the great work achieved by Past Commodore Phil Short in bringing all divisions of the club together as one.

The greater challenge is to continue to lobby governments, local and state, to ensure the Broadwater and surrounds are managed to ensure all watersport participants have quality areas to utilise.

How does the Southport Yacht Club participate in the community?

Southport Yacht Club runs a number of community events throughout the year, including hosting the Gold Coast Waterways Authority’s public forum at our Hollywell and Main Beach Clubhouses.

We regularly run a number of courses in conjunction with Yachting Queensland throughout the year, and provide pathways for youth and adults interested in sailing to join the sport.

The SYC continually offer members and the public quality programs, facilitated by leaders in the industry, such as Yachting Queensland, Australian Sailing, and community groups, such as Air Sea Rescue.

Your aspirations for the Club and the boating community?

• We will continue to build on our youth and young adult membership base, and ensure the Club remains relevant to our younger members.
• We must ensure that the general public have access to pristine waterways as the Gold Coast population continues to grow.
• There should be consultations between power, sail and commercial users, and continued mutual respect in the use of the waterways
• Boat owners should continue to support and buy from local business within the marine industry. Without support, we will lose some of our industry.

Your thoughts on the future of boating on the Gold Coast?

I believe the Broadwater is an asset that is not being currently used to its full potential. There is potential for significant public value in dredging the southern part of the Broadwater fully, creating a stadium area to be used not only for events but also as a large open space for all to use. It is imperative, with this as with any other project, to ensure that the biodiversity areas on and around Wave Break Island and the Seaway are maintained. I also believe the “Deep Hole” area of the Broadwater requires some serious maintenance to return it to what it was – a deep hole.

You are an advocate for?

I am actively involved in training programs, from fun sailing right up to elite youth level. Through our company, we sponsor boats for children to lease on a yearly basis once they are out of the junior level. We are currently starting a youth program with a view to developing local talent towards the youth Olympics/ISAF World Championships in the Nacra 15 class.

Your favourite boating activity?

I enjoy all forms of boating, but my passion is catamaran racing. I love catamaran racing on the Broadwater – very challenging and exhilarating! I own a Nacra 5.8 and compete in SYC events and Nacra events Australia-wide. I try to sail at least weekly. I also own a Nacra 4.5, and sponsor two Nacra 15’s for the ISAF Youth Worlds.

My partner and I enjoy relaxing weekends at the SYC Dux Retreat when we can spare the time.

Interview with Roselle Tenefrancia

(Feb-Apr2017)

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