Peter Campbell, Friday, 11 March 2005

Melbourne’s Royal Brighton Yacht Club has received excellent support for its inaugural and innovative Top of the Bay Regatta to be sailed over this coming Labor Day long weekend, with more than 50 boats already nominated and other late entries expected today.

Entries have come from all northern Port Phillip Clubs and also from Royal Geelong Yacht Club on Corio Bay, with particularly strong support from the host club.  Long-range forecasts predict perfect autumn sailing weather on Port Phillip through the three days of the regatta.

The autumn regatta will not only provide excellent racing in IRC, AMS and PHD handicap divisions, but will focus attention on the club’s new multi-million dollar marina which, according to Commodore David Atkinson, “is the only marina in Victoria, apart from Royal Geelong, that can accommodate a large contingent of vessels.”

Commodore Atkinson said the Club’s objective had been to create another major annual event for keelboats on Port Phillip. “We only have Skandia Geelong Week, no other major regattas on the northern end of the Bay,” he pointed out.

Heading the Royal Brighton Yacht Club entry is Nigel Cunnife’s Iain Murray-designed Secret Mens Business, previously owned in South Australia.  Cunnife has elected to miss the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s Bass Strait Race to Grassy on King Island to support the new Top of the Bay Regatta.

Among the fleet are several new Beneteau and Bavaria production yachts, including Reverie, Caledonia, Instant Karma and Mrs Overnewton, which are increasing in popularity on Port Phillip, but there are some older boats in the fleet, including the aptly named Recycled Recreation, a former IOR half tonner launched in 1976 for the Half Ton Cup.

Owner/skipper Tim Campbell recovered the 30-footer from a watery grave in Corio Bay and has spent several years ‘recycling’ the hull and re-rigging the boat with new sails and running rigging for what will be only its second race and first series in the Top of the Bay Regatta.

Official opening of the Top of the Bay Regatta will take place this evening with competitors pitting their skills against the Commodores of each of the yacht clubs on Port Phillip in the Opening Twilight Pursuit Race.

Crews will include America’s Cup and Olympic sailors, Olympic swimmers and football team members from Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Hawthorn.

Serious racing will start on Saturday with two windward/leeward races for all divisions, followed by two more similar races on Sunday and a final race around fixed bay marks on Monday.

Apart from the yacht racing, Royal Brighton Yacht Club on Saturday will host a family day and festival on the new marina as well as offering Try Sailing and entertainment.

Royal Brighton Yacht Club next January will host the 2005-2006 Australian Championship for the International Etchells Class,  the most popular one-design keelboat class in Australia.   The Club itself has a strong Etchells fleet, with skippers including Commodore Atkinson and America’s Cup winning helmsman John Bertrand.

Full details: www.rbyc.yachting.org.au