Ready to roll
A healthy fleet of seventy boats hope to take part in this year's Airlie Beach Race Week Whitsundays Festival of Sailing.
Written by Di Peasron
Photography by Andrea Francolini
28 July 2020
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Airlie Beach Race Week organisers have advised sailors that will look to conduct the regatta from 6–13 August and, with the bulk of boats representing Queensland and NSW due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, competitors are readying for a State-of-Origin-style battle.
A variety of fast designs will take to the course in the Multihull Racing field, among them Dale Mitchell’s ORMA 60, ORMA W60. The Queenslander has upgraded to the formerly named Frank/Team Vodafone Sailing.
Mitchell says the 60-foot trimaran “targets average speeds of 18 knots to windward in 25 knots of breeze, or 30 knots on a broad reach. The top speed achieved by the previous owners was 45.6 knots,” which is extremely fast.
Heading the fleet for IRC honours is NSW’s Ray Roberts with his Botin 40, Hollywood Boulevard and Trailable Yachts defending champion Masquerade (Tom Vujasinovic, Qld) returns.
The Cruising divisions will again provide the most eye-catching colour on the course each day with their large numbers, with Performance Racing and Sports Boats divisions joining them on the water.
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“Looking at the long-range weather forecast, it looks like it’s going to be an excellent week of sailing. We’re looking forward to welcoming competitors and their guests,” says Race Director, Ross Chisholm.
That will suit competitors and those planning to follow racing from the stable deck of Sundowner, the official spectator cruise vessel, which has seating for forty people and an onboard bar.
For interested parties heading north, Chisholm says, “Between Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island Race Weeks we have organised a Safety and Sea Survival course and a refresher course for Friday 14 August at Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC).”
Onshore, Whitsunday Regional Council has kindly set aside ten trailer parking bays at the council’s Coral Sea Marina boat ramp. All tide-accessible boats are invited to launch and hall out daily. For those trailer boats that remain on the water, owners may store their trailers and vehicles at this convenient location.
Event Chairman Adrian Bram says, “Whitsunday Sailing Club will, of course, comply with social-distancing requirements, and we have put together a great onshore social program with something to please everyone.”
He continues, “I would strongly advise competitors to book early for dinners and functions at the club’s recently refurbished 20 Degrees South Bar and Restaurant. Because of current restrictions, we can only accommodate so many.”
On the calendar is a welcome function; a Beer and Bubbles Gourmet BBQ and tasting; the ever-popular Long Lunch and wine tasting; and a Blown to Bowen lay day tour featuring a Blokarting land-yachts demonstration event, followed by lunch at the Horseshoe Bay Cafe.
Northerlies Beach Bar and Grill is offering a pizza lunch on lay day, and will be supplying free bus transfers for Race Week crews to and from Coral Sea Marina Resort.
Back at the club on lay day, there is an all-day lunch and then dinner at 20 Degrees South for those who want to enjoy the views and local hospitality.
Each race day, a daily-winners hosted function for skippers and two crew members will be held at WSC. Numbers in the upstairs restaurant are limited to a hundred guests and competing boat crews from 6.15–7 pm on race days.
Crews, volunteers and WSC members will be welcomed at the downstairs bar during the above times and later into the evening. Presentations will be live-streamed downstairs and on Facebook to crews and followers.
Arrive early as guest numbers are limited.
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