2009 Melbourne to Stanley Race - Get ready... Get set! Go Calm?

11:32 PM Sun 20 Sep 2009 GMT

'’Calm’ gets the big (probably around 270m2) ’Audi Centre Brighton’ Bag filled and flies off to pass her fellow SYC boats ’XLR8’ and then ’Goldfinger’' John Curnow

Eh? What does that all mean then? Well, 'Calm' only had her first ever coat of anti-foul a few months ago and now's she's getting her first ever ocean main sorted, as the crew prepare her for the 2009 Melbourne to Stanley.

Recently, 'Calm' took out Line Honours in the inaugural Melbourne to Geelong and there were a lot of smiles around then and today. So the crew appear to be all set and ready and on a grey Melbourne morning, we snuck out of the pen to go and put the spreader patches on her new Ocean Mainsail. Just like she'd never had the need for anti-foul, the former Mediterranean based, Gen3+ TP52 did not come with such a heavy duty rag in her 33 sail arsenal.

So to do all the work South this year and finish Graeme Ainley's Hobart business, the new North Sails main is essential. Her sponsors at Audi Centre Brighton are very keen to see her take the challenge up to the other TPs and well-rated IRC Racers, so all the preparatory work is mandatory for a well organised campaign getting the necessary items ready and set for Bass Strait.

Ocean Main blades out beautifully when the second slab goes in - 66% now down at the boom and in the lazy jacks! (when they’re there...) - Melbourne to Stanley - John Curnow

Now as we all get ready for Melbourne to Stanley, please remember that it is a Cat 2 race, which the new rules require you to have a PLB and 121.5s will be illegal from next February. The ORCV has arranged for three models of PLB to be on special at Anchor Marine for you, the Members, so go and see them to get the best deal. We'll have an article on them up on the ORCV site, shortly. Safety comes first at the ORCV...

OK then - apologies to Mike Williams, who I recently named as Mark in the Big Winds article here on Sail-World.

Sorry - 50% correct. The sherbets must have been doing the listening when I was talking with you at Geelong.

Also, thanks must go to Brett Avery from Quantum Sails, who made this little jaunt possible. Well done. Cheers and 'GO 'Calm'!'

Click HERE to _ get_the_2009_Melbourne_to_Stanley_NOR!new

Click HERE to go straight to the online entry

It’s all eyes forward and up as the second slab goes in... - Melbourne to Stanley - John Curnow

North Sails Melbourne is run by Ross Lloyd, who is marking the places for the spreader patches. - Melbourne to Stanley - John Curnow

It was while Ross was up here that Rob Burns commented that now would be a good time for Slotty, Willow and GA to finalise the pricing with Ross! - Melbourne to Stanley - John Curnow

by John Curnow