Dear Australian Farr 40 Class member,
Firstly, it is with great pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to the following new members of the Australian Class:
Joachim Flurer and David Williams - Harlequin (RPAYC), Rob Pitts - Double Black (SYC), Gordon Ketelby - Zen (MHYC), Rod Jones - Kindergarten (MHYC), Bob Bennett - Enigma (RPAYC) and David Stevenson - Tilford Auto (RYCT). It will be terrific to have some fresh faces in the Class as well as some extra competition on the water!
The addition of six new boats to the Australian Fleet will certainly make a huge difference to participation this season, which is shaping up to be spectacular, with a minimum of ten boats at each State Title and up to sixteen boats for the Nationals.
Our Season Launch will be held 7 November 2014 in Sydney (invitation to follow) and I encourage you all to attend. This event is a great way to kick off the season with a celebration and a unique opportunity for all Owners to socialise, exchange views, and plan together how the Class is to move forward.
For some Australian boats the season is already underway. Kokomo, Estate Master and Voodoo Chile have just appeared on the West Coast US circuit, and finished 3rd (Voodoo Chile - Lloyd Clark), 4th (Kokomo - Lang Walker) and 5th (Estate Master - Martin and Lisa Hill) in the West Coast Championship, sailed out of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club.
Current World Champion Enfant Terrible (Italy) won narrowly from last year’s World Champion Flash Gordon, in a great lead up to October’s San Francisco World Championship regatta. To have three Australian boats in the top five, competing at an international level, against some of the best sailors in the world, shows what a competitive and substantial Class we belong to.
*NOTE: The 2014 Worlds are being held at the St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco on 15-18 October 2014 for anyone interested. The Voodoo crew has just proven that an amateur/corinthian entry can still mix it with the big pros and achieve a podium position.
Membership invoices were emailed in June and if you have not done so already, it would be most appreciated if you could please make this payment at your earliest convenience.
This year’s schedule coincides conveniently with some iconic sailing events, so please consider the following dates in your planning:
22-26 January 2015: Festival of Sails - Geelong, VIC (week prior to VIC State Title)
6-9 February 2015: Australian Wooden Boat Festival - Hobart, TAS (two weeks prior to TAS State Title)
The One Design Trophy will be held at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Pittwater on 6-7 December 2014. RPAYC is one of Australia's oldest and most prestigious yacht Clubs providing a world-class yachting facility, a state-of-the-art floating marina and first class function facilities. If you have not sailed on Pittwater, I can assure you of a most enjoyable experience sailing on one of the most pristine and exquisite waters in the world. With three new members based at RPAYC, numbers are looking great for a wonderful regatta so don’t miss out.
As most of you are aware, the International Class Association has issued a new rule regarding keel weights, narrowing the allowable tolerance on keel weight to 2245-2262 kg.
Approximately half the active boats world-wide have had to make an adjustment. Most boats in the Australian fleet have carried out this work however, if you are a new member, you will need to ensure your boat is compliant prior to racing this season. The measured keel weight is stamped on the top of the keel, just behind the mast step. For all enquiries, please contact Jen Hughes.
We are currently in the process of adding a ‘Second Hand Parts for Sale” register to our website. The register will list information on second hand sails and other used parts for sale. The register can be found on our website: www.farr40.asn.au under the “CLASS INFO” tab then select “FOR SALE”. Please email details of any second hand sails or parts to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
We can all look forward to a season of exciting and competitive racing and enjoying the camaraderie the Farr 40 Class is renowned for. We have been working closely with our wonderful Sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management to ensure a fabulous season of sailing coupled with a first class social schedule for all to enjoy!
Kind regards,
Andrew Hunn
Australian President (Acting)