There’s less than ten days to register for the 2016 Festival of Sails before close of entries on Friday January 15.
South Australian yachtsman Geoff Boettcher has just added his TP52 Secret Mens Business to the Rating Series list and two Farr 40s are recent additions.
Steven Richardson’s F40 Local Mocean will sail for RGYC and Andy Baker and Rob Davis’ Nutcracker II is a new partnership and purchase for the Sandringham Yacht Club members across the bay. Davis once owned a Farr 30 and he and Baker as his crew enjoyed the choice between the one design format and handicap club racing. Given there is talk of a Sydney Hobart Race in the future they needed a bigger offshore boat and the Farr 40 met their criteria at a reasonable cost.
The pair had Nutcracker II completely refitted for relaunch last June. The crew is still settling in making the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Sydney next month unrealistic, however Baker says the desire to compete internationally in a few years’ time, either in Australia or overseas, is there.
“The Farr 40 had a lot of appeal given its been around for so long and is still popular thanks to a really strong association with well organised events,” Baker said. “We look forward to meeting and racing against the other Victorian crew at Geelong. It will be handy to go up against another Farr 40, to gauge where we are at.”
The Rating Series, incorporating the IRC and AMS Victorian state titles, is one of the 11 divisions covering multihulls, cruising, classic, performance racing, two one design state championships and more options open to eligible boat owners.