Sailing recognized at next month's boat show in Sydney - MarineBusinessWorld Oceania newsletter
by Peter Rendle 6 Jul 2023 15:00 PDT
Lisa Blair © Corrina Ridgway
With just weeks to go the Sydney International Boat Show is always an indication that winter has arrived in the eastern states. This year there will be an emphasis on sailing.
With close to 175,000 regular sailing participants in Australia, and NSW recording around 48,300 people loving to harness the power of the wind, the upcoming Show (3-6 August at ICC Sydney and Cockle Bay at Darling Harbour) welcomes a special focus on sailing, presenting everything from local club sailing to ocean-going yachts, and featuring live discussions with some of Australia's foremost sailing identities in the dedicated Discover Sailing & Paddling Hub.
Multiple World Champion 'The Sailor Girl' Nic Douglass (who also holds two grade one wins in Women's Match Racing, and more than ten Australian Championships in a variety of classes) will host one-on-one interviews with leading Australian sailors, paddlers and local clubs. Meet members of the Australia Women's America's Cup team including Nina Curtis, who is also a crew member with Sail GP Australia.
Sailing continues to make news this week with the announcement of the venue and dates for the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC). ORC has announced its Annual General Meeting will be held in Malaga, Spain over 10-14 November. This event is important because it is where the feedback from thousands of ORC sailors around the world - along with the expertise of the ORC technical teams - can be used to improve the system for the future.
Six committees will meet over 10-13 November: Management, Promotion and Development, Classes and Events, Race Management, Measurement and Rating Officers. Each will have an agenda of items that will include a review of the past year and suggestions for future improvements. Their recommendations then go to the ORC Congress for approval at its meeting on 14 November.
The ORC International Technical Committee (ITC), who develop and improve the ORC Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) among other tasks, will meet separately prior to the AGM to make final adjustments to the new year's VPP and decisions on Submissions made to their committee. ITC Chairman Andy Claughton will present their findings and recommendations to the Management Committee and to Congress for approval. Just as all ORC rules and formulations of the rating system are available for review, most ORC meetings will also open to the public for observation.
Preparations are also well advanced for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival Show. With just over 18 months until the next AWBF you might think the organisers would be taking it easy! Well, that is far from the truth. As they embark on the next phase of planning, it is important to emphasise the critical nature of the next six months and the immense significance they hold for the festival's future. Over the years, the festival has become an integral part of celebrating Australia's rich maritime heritage and wooden boat craftsmanship. It has provided an incredible platform for artists, enthusiasts, and the wider community to come together and enjoy the beauty and craftsmanship of these timeless vessels.
As we look to the future, organisers are dedicated to ensuring that the festival continues to thrive and grow, and provide unforgettable experiences. To accomplish this, they need to secure funding for our diverse and engaging programming. These funds will enable us to bring together renowned experts, host exhibitions, and organise interactive workshops, demonstrations, and rallies.
More news of boat show activity comes from Queensland. Leading Australian luxury motor yacht builder, Maritimo, are set to globally launch their newest flagship model, the M75 Maritimo Flybridge Motor Yacht at the Maritimo Boat Show at Sanctuary Cove marina, July 14-15. The Show is open to the public and visitors will be able to witness the very best of Maritimo from 9am to 5pm on each day.
The event will also welcome Maritimo owners, Maritimo staff, and media at special events over the two days. After the brand's most successful Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show in 20 years of attending the event back, Maritimo will now deliver the ultimate Australian designed and manufactured long-range luxury motor yacht at its own stand-alone event.
Another Queensland company making the news is ATL. ATL Composites has recently received renewal of its DNV- CP-0421 #AMPM000003M certification from highly-respected, international certification body DNV, following a comprehensive audit of the company's facilities, systems and processes. ATL's production facilities were approved for the Manufacture of Fibre Reinforced Plastics which incorporates the production of composite panels including CNC machining, joining and bonding, and the finishing process of core materials including cutting, sealing, kitting, machining, band sawing, sanding, scrimming, slitting, bonding, perforation and grooving.
New yachts announced this week includes news from European boat manufacturer X-Yachts. Based on the experiences with the X47E, the increasing focus on sustainability and demands from clients, X-Yachts has decided to build the first Xc 47 as a hybrid yacht. The boat will be named Xc 47E and will be equipped with a 30kW electric propulsion system, an 11 kW DC generator and a 46,4kWh Lithium propulsion battery bank. The propulsion system is based on the brand new Oceanvolt high power 30kW Servoprop enabling high generation possibilities under sail with the pitchable propeller.
Together with Oceanvolt, the overall DC system is beyond the newest ISO standards for yachts with electrical propulsion and is designed so the boat is more or less self-sufficient with power. X-Yachts are represented in Australia by X-Yachts Australia Pty.
New products! From the USA, safety and survival technology company, ACR Electronics, has announced the market launch of the mobile connected GlobalFix V6 EPIRB. Offering a full-featured and versatile option for recreational boat owners and commercial operators, the new ACR EPIRB with Return Link Service (RLS) is now shipping to global distributors. The EPIRB V6 is an effective safety solution, whether cruising, fishing, working or sailing offshore.
Compatibility with RLS alerting ensures the beacon owner will receive a notification to confirm that the international satellite system has received the distress message and location. With NFC (Near Field Communication) technology introduced with the free ACR mobile app, beacon owners can connect to a smartphone to check, current battery life, self-tests results, and beacon diagnostics.
Also from the USA, Garmin have announced the GMR™ xHD3 series open-array radars that combine high-definition imaging with the latest platform technology to deliver new levels of confidence, clarity and performance to cruisers and anglers alike. A first for Garmin magnetron radar, the xHD3 series incorporates scan averaging that helps filter out sea clutter and interference on the display to provide mariners with enhanced consistent targets.
Target size processing utilises pulse expansion to help optimise on-screen object shapes for better interpretation at all range scales, and true echo trails display a historical "trail" of boats on the water, removing relative motion influence to help quickly identify moving targets and potential collision threats.
More industry news at www.marinebusinessworld.com/Oceania
Sailing racing reports at www.sail-world.com/Australia
Powerboat news and tests at at powerboat.world/Oceania
Stay safe,
Peter Rendle - peter.rendle@marinebusinessworld.com