Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.- Four years ago Townsville Cruising Yacht Club (TCYC) sailors realised the sheltered waters around Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island would be the perfect setting for another Australian winter season regatta and so Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week was born.
Some hundreds of yachts each year sail north to compete at Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week and Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.
As the post regatta south bound delivery crews have discovered over many years, if they leave straight after Hamilton Island the south easterly trades can make it a hard sail back down the coast.
Some leave their boats and come back a few weeks later when the trade winds have turned, but there is another northern adventure option – Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.
Keen Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week race supporter Bob Robertson explains ‘Spending more time on the Far North Queensland coast before heading south gives the breeze the time to turn. Heading to Magnetic Island just makes good sense.’
This year Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week runs from Friday 3 to Tuesday 7 September 2010. Last year’s event attracted 50 boats and as many as 75 could be on the water this year.
Regatta Committee member Mark Vickers explains ‘As more and more good reports about the regatta filter south, the numbers of sailors adding Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week to their winter schedule has been growing rapidly.'
George Snow happy at the end of another Hobart race. - Crosbie Lorimer
One of those sailors venturing to Magnetic Island for the first time in 2010 is George Snow, who raced the legendary Brindabella. These days George has moved into the Cruising fleet and he and his family will be sailing their Beneteau 50 Oceanis Argo Blue at Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week.
George explains ‘John Clinton from Holy Cow and Collin Wilson from Never a Dull Moment started talking to me about the regatta. I have done Hamilton plenty of times so I thought I would do something different. I was just going to do a cruise up the coast, and they said no you have got to do this.
‘I thought about crew and the family said they would all come. So we have a crew comprising all the family - four kids and their partners from all around the place are flying in. It’s turned into a family get-together.
‘Previously I had jumped on the boat and came back down the coast. I have only been to Townsville for about two hours so I am looking forward to the visit.
‘We will get there a couple days early and have a look around and getting a feel for the area and have a little cruise around Magnetic Island. Then after the event we are going up to Hinchinbrook and we will cruise around the islands. It’s going to be quite an adventure.
‘We had a hand powered cocktail maker on Brindabella but with the Beneteau we have 240 from the invertor, so we’ll have a cocktail maker and a case of rum.’
George will be on the pace with those last pieces of kit because this relaxed Far North Queensland event is a social mecca.
Shore side parties will be happening every day during the regatta and friends and family can get up close to the racing action onboard the Sunferries Spectator Boat.
The Zinc Shoreside Party was a huge success last year and there will be another big Saturday night this year. Also on Saturday, Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week shore supporters can enjoy a full day of entertainment with an exciting line up of live music from 2.00pm, community displays, an art exhibition, highlights from the days racing, prize giveaways and much more.
Visit the website for more Notice of Race, Entry and more information about this ‘must do’ FNQ regatta. Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week http://www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
by Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week media
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