© 2011 Sundance Marine
Beneteau First 50 owner Phil Coombs and his crew from SYC on 51st Project, left Portsea on Sunday to take on nine other yachts in the Melbourne to Vanuatu race.
Over the last six months, they have turned their production boat into a long-distance, Category One yacht, thereby ensuring they were fully organised and ready for a race of this distance and calibre.
"We have a great crew and all of us are looking forward to getting away and having a fantastic sail together. Oh yeah. And getting a bit warmer", said Lex O'Connor, the boat's Navigator.
Sunday's race started in reasonably soft breezes and should be forecasted to stay like this for much of the week, but at this time of year, that is something you would neither wish to bank nor bet on.
Far easier to guarantee are the smiles the fleet will receive in Port Vila, once they have completed their chase across the South Pacific of the container full of humanitarian aid.
Schools and communities throughout the islands of the happiest nation on earth, Vanuatu, will receive all manner of items from books to paper and clothes to generators, which the ORCV, Rotary International and the community at large have collected for them.
Please see orcv.org.au for details and to follow the yachts progress on the tracker.
Article adapted from www.sail-world.com.
Click on the links below to see our previous newsletters:
New RMYS marina berths available.
Melbourne Beneteau Regatta.
Melbourne Boat Show wrap up.
Audi Victoria Week regatta report.
Boxing Day Bash and Melbourne to Launceston race report.
New Beneteau Oceanis promotion announced.
All new Beneteau Sense 43 announced along information on the new Dock and Go system.
Special offer on the Beneteau Oceanis 40.
New floating marina gets go ahead at Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron.
All new Beneteau Sense 50 released.
All new Beneteau First 30 released and support needed for Mornington Safe Harbour.
The first Oceanis 58 to Victoria and tribute to our friend Bruce Morgan.
Special offer on Raymarine handheld VHF.
Melbourne Beneteau Regatta Weathers The Storm.
Melbourne International Boat Show Success.
Audi Victoria report and results.
Beneteau First 40′s finish 1st and 2nd in 2009 Syndey to Hobart, and more!
Beneteau Oceanis 34 Christmas special, charter yacht investment opportunity and recent Beneteau race results.
Beneteau Oceanis 58 and First 35 releases, First 45 delivery and 2010 Melbourne Beneteau Regatta.
New staff member joins Sundance, new boat deliveries and new listings.
© 2011 Sundance Marine