1HE MAGAZIM! OF THE CRUISING YAClff CLUB OF A). America C HEATING U Super Ya torHob ,. Racing North - to the Gold ll Coastand ~ •5 Whitsunday • TU slands • Sailors wanted. Huge reward. What's more rewarding than a choice of superb six and eight-cylinder engines? A revolutionary Steptronic dual-mode transmission which can read the driver's mind? An advanced electronic BMW Sydney - Rushcutters Bay 65 Craigend Street, Ru shcutters Bay, Phone: 9334 4555 oL 14639 stability control system which seems to challenge the laws of physics? What's more rewarding? The satisfaction of driving the 1998 BMW 5 Series. Come and see. Come and drive. Sheer Driving Pleasure News AMERICA'S CUP HOTS UP 4 Exclusive interview with Australian Challenger Syd Fischer ECONOMY HITS KENWOOD CUP 8 Australia faces only four teams in its defence of the Kenwood Cup HEADING NORTH 1 o Previews of Sydney-Gold Coast race, SCOR. Hayman Island Big Boat Series, Ham ilton Island Race Week and other Queensland rega as SUPER YACHTS FOR HOBART 18 The CYCA is planning a Super Yach Division for the 2000 Sydney to Hobart OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN 20 Rushcutters Bay confirmed as shore base for Sydney 2000 Olympics, with firs O ,mpic Test Regatta in September 1998 CAYARD WINS WHITBREAD 24 The very last Whitbread Race Aro d • e World has ended with Paul Ca}a•d a crew of EF Language the winne'"S THREE PEAKS RACE 49 Tasmania 's rugged com bina tion o' ailir)g an d mountain running hit by ga 1e Special Features WINTER RACING RECORD 14 Pictorial coverage of e ,gh successful BMW Winter Series on S dne Harbour SYDNEY BOAT SHOW 26 Sydney International Boa Show continues to expand CLUB PROFILE 30 The changing face of membership at the CYCA FURLING SYSTEMS 44 Review of the latest in sai l furling sytems BOATING CLOTH 57 Review of the latest in smart gear for sailors Regulars FROM THE COMMODORE 16 Retiring CYCA Commodore Peter Bush reviews his past two years in office SAILING THE WEB 42 Compuserve sponsors Around Alone race DESIGNS OF THE '90s 52 Offshore sails aboard latest Beneteau 40.7 DESIGNERS IN DISPUTE 48 Destinations Australian yacht designers differ on IMS rules SYDNEY CHARTER BOOM 33 The charter yacht industry is booming BLAME IT ON EL NINO 55 on Sydney Harbour and Pittwater Offshore's weatherman explains the El Nino phenomenon MORE TURKEY FOR ME 35 Australian sailors go cruising along the OPTIMISING 61 coast of Turkey Designer Scott Jutson's regular column COFFS COAST SAIL WEEK 39 New regatta at Coffs Harbour offers NEWS FROM ALL PORTS 63 more than just sailing Farr 40 One Design to be built in Australia and other local and overseas news Credits OFFSHORE CALENDAR 72 Major offshore and inshore events COVER: One Step Ahead, Denn is McDonald's in Australia and overseas Jeannea u 36, is just that as she leads Graham Day's Stormy Petrel II during a BMW Sydney Winter Series race on Sydney Harbour. Up to 180 yachts competed each Sunday during the 13 race pointscore. (Pie - Ace Marine Photography) ABOVE: Discover sailing in Turkey (Pie - Trevor Joyce) l .EFT: Days of drifters or blasts from the west, sometimes rain but mostly sunshine ... that is what the sailors expected .. and got. .. in the CYCA's BMW Sydney Winter Series on Sydney Harbour. (Pie - Ace Marine Photography). NEXT BIG ISSUE: Fu ll reports on the Kenwood Cup, Darwin to Ambon race, Sydney-Gold Coast race, Hayman Island Big Boat Series and Hamilton Island Race Week; Who's heading for Hobart; Safety Offshore feature; Reviews of the rival Sydney AC 40 and the Farr 40 1D. R T for Fischer's Challenge Syd Fischer's Australian challenge for America's Cup 2000 has taken a significant step forward with national and international sponsorship for this tough campaigner. Exclusive report by Rob Mundie and Peter Campbell. yd Fischer, head of Australia's only ch allenge syndicate for SAmerica's Cup 2000, has announced details of what will be a maj or boost to his prospects of win­ ning the Auld Mug in Auckland. For the first time in five chal­ ' lenges, the veteran ocean racing yach tsman and Sydney businessman Syd Fischer f.l the helm frtr has been assured of extensive nation­ America's Cup 2000 (Pie - lax Mains/;ridge) al support and major corporate 4' sponsorship for his campaign . It will be a truly Australian Challenge, bringing together our most talented designers and sailors, rather than an individual "no frills" campaign that has characterised Fischer's past tilts at the Cup. As OFFSHORE went to press, two weeks before the announcement, the veteran ocean racing yachtsman and prominent Sydney businessman , exclusively outlined to us details of the great support he was about to get. However, OFFSHORE was sworn to secrecy as to exact details of his nati onal and international sponsors which wi ll give the Australian Chal­ lenge for the America's Cup syndi­ cate a real chance to win back the America's Cup for Australia. All was due to be revealed on July 28 at his challenging club, the Cruis­ ing Yacht Club of Australia, but OFF­ SHORE can exclusively report that Fischer would announce: • Extensive support from many of Australia's most experienced and talented America's Cup campaign­ ers, including yacht designers and builders, campaign administrators, sail designers and prominen t yachtsmen . • Plans to design and build a new International America's Cup Class yacht, using the latest design expe­ rience and data, as well as upgrad- August• September 1998 ing his unsuccessful 1995 ch al­ Cup challenges have also promised have obviously come to a highly sat­ lenger for crew training and sail their support. isfactory resolution - for Syd Fischer testing. A high profile board of directors and for Australian yachting. • Financial and services support will head the Australian Challenge "With the help of experienced from multiple prominent Australian for the America's Cup syndicate, Australians supporting this single and International companies that comprising: Australian Chall enge we will show will add to the Australian Chal­ Syd Fischer OBE as chairman, Sir the rest of the world again how to lenge's resources and provide a satis­ James Hardy, Hugh Keller LLD, Ian win the America's Cup and provide a factory campaign budget. Kiernan OA, Steve Kulmar, Peter great international event for dney The support for Fischer's cam­ Morrow, Iain Murray AM, Grant Sim­ and ustralia to follm the Olym pic paign is the result of people realising mer OAM and Ernie Taylor. Most Game " he told OFF HORE. that Australia has on! one chal­ have had vas t experi ence in past 'While defending the Kenwood lenger for the America' up for the America's Cup challeng and other up ocean racing eries in Hawaii in first time since 19 0. Instead of fra - major chtin e,·en Au · Fi cher' current yachting mented campaign , here is an out­ competito and or traco . standing opportuni to pool us­ Thi important mo,·e for _.\u - tralia's vast yachting re ource imo tralian \'achtin~ come pecula- what will now be a viable ndicate tion · rife to ho,,· man,· -ndicace 'This important move for with an excellent chance of regain­ "ill finalh from in ..\uckland for the ing the world's ul timate chtin tro­ America up in 20 - the curren t Australian yachting comes phy. tip · eir-hc to lO out of the original as speculation is rife as to Of major significance · that Iain l 6 challenr-e . Murray, the America' up kipper The face that the opening rounds how many syndicates will and designer, and Grant immer. of the hallenger Eliminations start director of North Sails and the na,;­ in le than 15 months and he had finally front in Auckland gator aboard Australia II in 19 3, ,,ill ..-ec co finali e a design team or nom­ for the America's Cup in head the design team. Both :M urra~· inate the nucleus of his crew, appear and Simmer playe d a maj or role in to haYe caus ed him little concern. 2000 - the current tip is the design coordination of the luck­ The e matters would be dealt with in less oneAustralia syndicate in 1995. good time, he told Rob Mundie in a eight to 10 out of the Other experien ced yachtsmen, recent excl usive interview for OFF- original 16 challengers.' designers and administrators HORE. involved in past Australian America's Since that interview, these matters August• September 1998 the New York Yacht Qub - which has world's oceans to the tight, testing the task of co-ordinating the cup and technologically advanced racing "The problem with the challenger selection process for that is the America's Cup? America's Cup, as I see it, is 2000. He remembers all too we ll the "A couple of times the design was clandestine activities and often a bit of a dud," he says with an obvi­ that most of the syndicates unpleasant actions of the NYYC ous look of frustration. 'You can't when it became obvious in 1983 that win the Cup if your design isn't good are n,n by non-business Australia II was going to take the enough. We put our faith in people people or people with Cup away after 132 years. who were not quite on the pace. He is sure the leopard has not "In Fremantle in 1987 we had limited experience in the changed its spots and is scheming, one of the fastest, if not the fastest, possibly with the kiwis, to eliminate yachts going around.