Broadly Boats - BOATINGOZ WEEKLY REPORT #373

1. Editor's Note 2. Charter Chatter 3. Powerboats & Fishing 4. Sailing 5. Round the World 6. Cruising & Expeditions 7. News Briefs 8. Marine Industry 9. Forthcoming Events

1. EDITOR'S NOTES Wishing you all a happy and safe Easter holiday. We have created a Product Forum for companies to post information on their new products at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/productforum 2. CHARTER CHATTER Want to sail from Fraser Island to Hamilton Island? - If you are looking for the coastal sailing adventure of a lifetime, there are two spots left on Sunsail’s MileCatchers Voyage sailing from Hervey Bay to Hamilton Island April 14-24. With a maximum of four people plus two experienced crew this is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands on coastal sailing experience. Explore destinations such as Lady Musgrave and Great Keppel Island along with stops through the rarely visited Percy and southern Whitsundays Islands. For more information please contact Sunsail on 1800 803 988 http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21601 3. POWERBOATS & FISHING Generally this is a really nice time of the year for fishing in Sydney. The sea conditions are much more stable after the hot days of summer and southerly busters. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21567 Mercury Racing’s all-new HP1200 SCi sterndrive package is the most powerful engine of its type that they have ever put on the water... a 1200 horsepower, supercharged, 9.1 litre, V8 monster. But what really sets this fire-breather apart is that it has a gentle side as well. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21568 Maritimo will showcase a new Maritimo 60, a 52 Sky Lounge and a 48 featuring the new forward helm cruising bridge design at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on May 24 - 27. There will also be display plans and architectural impressions of its exciting new models, the Maritimo 555 battlewagon and the Sport Yacht range scheduled for production later this year. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21585 The 10th annual SimsMetal Powerboat Log Event was run by Southport Yacht Club at the bottom of the tide on Saturday 31st March. Tradewinds skippered by Greg Webb and amazing navigator Brian Keevers and observer Justin Sinnamon won Division 1, whilst Sha-Lea skippered by Shane Moore and Navigated by Barry Moore won Division 2. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?Page=21602 4. SAILING Melbourne Osaka Race - Japanese sailor Itaru Matsunaga and his Queensland co-skipper John Bankart lead the fleet on COCORIN interland south of Townsville. Wasabi retires with rudder damage and Cadi retires with a leaking fuel tank. Runaway rejoins the race following repairs to their spinnaker pole in Sydney, but they are currently heading into Bundaberg due to keel problems. RYU-JIN –fgi sustained rudder damage and Alex has a broken boom and both boats are heading to Bundaberg. Esoterica is in Southport for mainsail repairs. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/melbosaka With four days until the start of the 19th Hydro Tasmania Three Peaks Race, the entrants are arriving at Beauty Point to prepare for the gruelling event. For Michael Denny and the crew of the 9.45m Hobart sloop The Wagon Sports Bar, the delivery passage has proven more hazardous than the main event. While negotiating Banks Strait at the north-east corner of Tasmania the yacht made contact with a solid object and began taking water. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/threepeaks07 Brisbane Gladstone Race - all the news prior to the start on Good Friday at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/brisbanegladstone 38 Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia - Mapfre, Mallorca Spain - The 926 boats and 1,487 competitors are participating in the Olympic class event. Aussies Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby AUS scored a first and a second on day two of the Tornado European Championship, taking them into the overall lead. Sarah Blanck is placed third in the Laser Radials. Event and competitor reports at http://www.boatingoz.com.au/princesssofia07 If you want to see some action from the Audi Sydney Southport race search for Sydney Southport on http://www.youtube.com and clips from Quantum Racing, Yendys and Kiona will appear. Sunday was unveiling day at Port America's Cup, the morning when all 12 teams had to drop the protective skirts that had been guarding the underbodies of their race boats. Different design groups and teams have opted for different directions, most notable in the size, shape and configuration of the keel bulbs on the boats. Racing begins on Tuesday in the Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13, the final opening act of the 32nd America's Cup. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/louisvuitton13 5. ROUND THE WORLD Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, onboard his Open 60 SAGA INSURANCE, crossed the finish line of leg 2 in the VELUX 5 Oceans after 75 days, 18 hours and 43 minutes at sea and 16,049 miles of racing. The British sailing hero arrived in Norfolk (Virginia, USA) after celebrating his 68th birthday. Graham Dalton (NZL) is constructing a new keel bulb in Brazil. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/velux5oceans2 6. NEWS BRIEFS The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology issued a tsunami warning on Monday for the coastal areas of New South Wales, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island after an earthquake near the Solomon Islands. Only small rises in sea level were associated with this tsunami. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21588 Four people are dead after an out of service Harbour Cat hit a private wooden cruiser carrying 12 passengers on Sydney Harbour on Wednesday evening. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21503 Australian Infrared Systems is launching the Termovision Mariner, a new low-cost Pan/Tilt thermal imager into the Australian market at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on May 24 – 27. The device allows users to navigate in total darkness, light fog and even through smoke. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21583 7. MARINE INDUSTRY Three new directors have been appointed to the Boating Industry Association of Queensland. They are Peter Taylor, of The Jetty Specialists on the Sunshine Coast, Robbie Williams of Gladstone Marina and Chris Grice, Club Marine state manager of Brisbane, who also was elected association treasurer. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21566 Manufacturers of marine safety equipment for recreational boats, including personal flotation devices, marine distress flares and navigation lights, can now apply for inclusion on a register of products approved for use on Australian vessels. http://www.boatingoz.com.au/?page=21575 8. FORTHCOMING EVENTS April 6 - Good Friday, public holiday April 7 - 8 -- Lake Macquarie Heritage Afloat Festival, Toronto NSW http://www.boatingoz.com.au/event.asp?ID=1843 April 9 - Easter Monday, public holiday April 15 - Australian F1 Superboat Series, Toukley, Lake Budgewoi NSW http://www.boatingoz.com.au/event.asp?ID=1784 April 16 - June 12 -- Louis Vuitton Cup - Challenger series for America's Cup, Valencia, Spain http://www.boatingoz.com.au/event.asp?ID=1752 April 21 - 22 -- ACME Australian Offshore Powerboat Series, Newcastle NSW http://www.boatingoz.com.au/event.asp?ID=1788 April 25 - Anzac Day, public holiday