$4.95 NZ $6.50 (inc. GST) Comfortable seats and long-travel suspension cushioned the rest. 'it Coober Pedi the parking Right on lunchtime we reached William Creek, which is just a dot on the map and just a pub in reality. is never on the house!' Then it was on to Coober Pedy. Travelling the back way to more suspension travel than you ever Either the road was better or Coober Pedy mightn't be everyone's thought possible, we set about the job idea of fun. · of threading our way through the But it was certainly ours. stunted bushes to the road on the We headed out from Marree to other side. William Creek, fully prepared to put The road we now discovered our new Range Rover through the was an altogether different road. torture it had been designed for. One that was corrugated, pot­ But instead, we found ourselves holed, ungraded and exactly like on a newly graded dirt road. we'd expected. With the air-conditioning on, The Range Rover's high driving and Emylou Harris sharing her · hard position and power steering proved lunch had improved our humour, times through all four speakers, we because we made excellent time, the settled down for the ride. fuel-injected VS engine revelling in the All was bliss until we topped a conditions. rise to discover the grader stationary Two hundred kilometres later we at the side of the road, with the driver arrived to find a landscape that would and his mate wistfully contemplating have been right at home on the moon. a washout you could hide a herd o( Obviously the place was loaded buffalo in. with opals, and all we had to do was The 4-wheel disc brakes did find them. their job brilliantly, bringing us to a Once we'd parked the car. stop in a very undramatic straight line. a blessing enabling us to pick our way Then with low ratio gears and around the worst of it. 49 Range Rover. Write your own story. Range Rover is distributed by JRA Limited. For further information, or the name of your nearest dealer, send your business card to Range Rover, Freepost 15 , PO Box 59, Liverpool, NSW 2170, or call Sydney 908 0822, outside Sydney (STD Free) 008 252 022. JRR6723 .FCB FIRSTG>S. AHEAD BY YEARS, WINNING BY MILES. Discontinuous rod shrouds. No runners. Double luff reefing genoa. Ton Cup lines. Fine entry. Mylar sails. Bonded inner hull for strength and stiffness. Honeycomb construction for lightweight rigidity. The First®5 is a truly beautiful yacht, designed and built to pertorm like a champion. Beneteau saw it this way : Jean Berret for the design, Philippe Starck for the styling. Below, an atmosphere that is wholly new : resolutely modern, yet in the tradition of the great yachts of the past. Deep red mahogany woodwork. Silky aluminium. Satin-smooth marble. The First® 5 is a whole new concept where beauty of style is not just a cliche, where light,shape and space combine in harmony. F;rst®S is an invitation to new experience : to beauty, to pleasure, to speed,to power.To freedom. For more information aboutthe First®5of your choice, write or call : Beneteau Australia, Pty Ltd, D'Albora Lovett Marina Complex, New Beach Road, Rushcutters Bay 2011 -Sydney- Tel. :(02) 327 2088. First4t ® s First3s® S First3fID 5 BENETEAtr$ THE SEA DEMANDS THE BESI The Magazine of The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES Britain outsails the world, Australia falters to finish fifth in big-boat dominated Admiral's Cup ..... ...... ... ... ................. 6 Flag Officers and Directors COSTLY COWES Commodore: David Kellett - "The Coach", Mike Fletcher, sums up Vice Commodore: Les McClean Rear Commodores: Maurie Cameron what went wrong at Cow~s .. .· .. .......... 23 David Fuller Treasurer: Leigh Minehan Directors: Alan Brown NO~TELSYDNEY-HOBART Donald Graham New sponsor, new starting line, big IMS Garry Linacre interest and Southern Cross Cup all add up Max Ryan Gordon Marshall to a great Hobart Classic .............. .. ... 17 David Hundt General Manager: John Terry Assistant General Manager: WITCHCRAFT II CASTS SPELL Peter MacMorran INJUPITERS Sailing Secretary: Bob Brenac Bruce Staples and Witchcraft II finally win Club Committees Management & Finance: Sydney-Gold Coast after three near Commodore David Kellett misses ....... .... ....... ... ... .... .. ... ..... .... 28 House: Vice Commodore Les McClean Sailing: Rr. C'dore Maurie Cameron Sponsorship: Treasurer Leigh Minehan THE FIFTY FOOTERS Yard & Marina: Two Australians are joining the latest Max Ryan (Deputy Chairman) trend-setters in offshore IOR racing in ' Development: Max Ryan building high-tech SO-footers ......... ... 34 Membership: Alan Brown Publications: Garry Linacre Youth Ocean Training Scheme: Rear Commodo..re Maurie Cameron Safety Inspectors: . / Rear Commodore Maurie Camc;ron Australia-New Caledonia Race: Alan Brown Sydney-Airlie Beach Race: Alan Brown 7 Sydney-Hobart Race: Greg Halls ' NEWS- From America's Cup to club racing ...... .. .. .......... .. ... ...... .. .. .... ... 62 Cruising Division: Vice Commodore Les McClean Cruising Yacht Club of Australia RIK DOVEY - NOT THE CUSTOMS HOUSE AGAIN New Beach Road, .. and its not that far away,says Rik ................. ...... ...... .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .... 20 Darling Point, NSW 2027 Telephone: (02) 32 9731 Telex: 72278 SEA YSEA DESIGNS- Smart performance from Western Australia .. .. .... .... .... ... .... .. 67 Fax:(02) 32 9745 4 - OFFSHORE - October/November 1989 Publisher MAX PRESS KEEPING DRY AT SEA Editor Rob Williams surveys the best PETER CAMPBELL wet weather gear for offshore Art Director GREG MEEK # .... t.. sailors .......... .. ... .......... ...... 40 Production JERRY HALABY TOURING TASSIE Photography DAVID CLARE Pre-Sydney-Hobart guide on what to do and where to go on the Apple Isle Published by with your family after the big races finish ................. ... .... ..... .. ..... 70 ATIONAlr · N PO,BLICATION~Jld 1000 MILES TO THE 191 Arthur St, Homebush West, 2140. (PO Box 297, Homebush, 2140). WHITSUNDAYS Phone: (02) 764 1111 Fax: (02) 763 1699. Subscriptions: (02) 764 1111. CYCA announces a new race-cruise Editorial: from Sydney to the Whitsundays in Sydney: Peter Campbell, 31 Albany St, Crows Nest, 2065. May 1990 .............................. 50 Phone: (02) 439 4514 Fax: (02) 439 8517 Telex: AA 74612 BOATCO Melbourne: Rob Williams, (03) 646 5877 Hobart: Peter Read, (002) 278 155, TWO IN DEPTH BOAT TESTS Bob Gear, (002) 67 2327 Adelaide: Geoff Kingston, (08) 218 9218 Jon Parrington, (08) 294 2009 Perth: Hugh Schmitt, (09) 321 0161 Frers 38 Northshore 38 John Robeson (09) 430 4944 Brisbane: Ian Grant, (07) 349 9147 - designed for IMS racing ........ 52 - proven cruiser/racer ............. 56 New Zealand: Robert Love, 864 831 England: Bob Fisher, 590 68 2267. Advertising: Sydney: Offshore magazine - National Publications, Max Press, (02) 764 I 11 I. Peter Ryan, Ryan Media Services Pty Ltd 33 George St., Sydney, 2000 ' Phone: (02) 252 2402, Fax: (02) 252 2403. Melbourne &: Hobart: Rob Williams, 36 Nelson St, Port Melbourne, 3207 Phone & Fax: (03) 646 5877 Brisbane: Claud Olive, The Media Workshop, 28/30 Balaclava St., Woolloongabba, 4102 Phone: (07) 391 6633, Fax (07) 891 5602. Adelaide: Gill Sinkinson, The Admedia Group of SA, 24 Kensington Rd, Rose Park, 5067 Phone: (08) 332 8144, Fax: (08) 31--0185 Perth: Gerry Howard, Frank Hall ,Media, 4th Floor, 102 James St, Perth, 6000 P,hone: (09) 328 2539, Fax: (09) 328 2911 New Zeati,nd: Anthony Reeves, Pacific Building, 127-129 Hobson St, Auckland, NZ Phone: 77 5120, Fax 34740. USA West Coast: Lane E.: Weiss & Assoc. 582 Market Street, San Francisco Cal. 94104 USA. Phone: (415) 986 6341 UK &: Europe: Paul Dimmock, Intergroup Communications, 286 West Barnes Lane, New Malden, Surrey KT3 6LII, England Phone: (01) 949 0354. WHAT'S NEW - Summer season brings new products ...................... 79 Distribution: Network Distribution Co., 54 Park Street, Sydney 2000. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not OFFSHORE CALENDAR- Races & regattas for '89-90 ................. 49 necessarily those of the 11ublisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the COVER PIC- Start ofthe 1989 Jupitcrs Yacht Classic from Sydney to the Gold Coast written permission of the publisher. * { he cover price of $4.95 (SNZ6.50) is the with line honours winner Rager powering down the Harbour. Blue boat astern is overall recommended maximum charge for this publication. ISSN 0819-7479 winner Withccraft II. (Pie- David Clare) Typeset and prioted by Rotary Offset Press Pty Ltd, 119 Arthur St., Homebush West, 2140 (02) 764 1111, 1989 Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup Britannia Rules by Peter Campbell The Waves Again ~he1 Admiral's Cup still remains the premier event of international offshore yacht racing - the 1989 Champagne Mumm 1. regatta at Cowes reaching new heights of design, construction and equipment techniques and providing magnificent boat-for-boat competition between the 14 nations taking part. For Britain and the Royal Ocean Racing Club, which presented the gold cup for international teams competition in 1957, it was a great victory, fighting against tough big-boat competition from the Danes, along with the New Zealanders, and the French coming to the fore for the first time. Also in there, with a strong Fastnet Race bid until the dismasting of one of their team, were the Americans (with some notable assistance from Australia). Australia finished fifth, certainly disappointing after the team had led at the start of the six-race regatta. But the competition was tougher than we have ever experienced before and no-one could say the team of Madeline's Daughter, True Blue and Great News was disgraced. In fact, the Australian team came back home for the first time with the Champagne Mumm World Cup, based on results of major international offshore team regattas between 1987 and 1989, including the 1987 Southern Cross Cup, 1988 Kenwood Cup, 1988 Sardinia Cup and 1989 Admiral's Cup.