Straight back to work for MC38 class as national title looms
The MC38 class is straight back to work
after the Christmas break with their
Australian title planned for the long
weekend of February 5-7, 2016 on shifty
Pittwater, an hour north of Sydney’s CBD.
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club will host
the three day inshore series and class
President John Bacon expects at least
seven of the high performance one
designs to compete, including Howard
Spencer’s Auckland based Menace, the
2016 season point-scoring champion, and
Leslie Green’s Ginger, aiming for a trifecta
of national title trophies.
In 2014 Ginger reigned at the class’ major
title at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week
and last year they won out against the
tough one design fleet, beating Marcus
Blackmore’s Hooligan and Bacon’s Dark
Star. In 2016 the Menace that’s been
absent from the last three Australian
Championships is fronting, and the
tough-talk has begun.
“Howard’s Emirates Team New Zealand
stars are always the favourite on paper,
but they are just another boat on the
water and we will manage ourselves,” says
Ginger’s tactician David Chapman. “By the
last race hopefully we’ll be in with a shot
of a three-peat for Leslie.”
“We are cranking up with the same team;
absolutely we are going for it,” owner/
skipper Green concurs. On temperamental
Pittwater as the racecourse he says, “you
get what you get. Fingers crossed!”
Bacon says his RPAYC team is quietly
working towards the nationals, and taking
it very seriously. “We haven’t been able to
quite cut in over the past couple of years;
Howard took the 2015 season series and
Ginger the national title. We are fired up
to make amends in 2016!”
Bacon’s coming to this year’s competition
brandishing some new hardware. His
brains trust has worked with one of North
Sails top designers to develop a new
mainsail, within the strict one design class
rules, that is geared to making them a
couple of boat lengths faster to windward.
“The class is so tight, if we can find a
couple of lengths that could be the
difference in taking out a regatta, or not,”
Bacon said. “Our not-so-secret weapon
is going on the boat next week for some
trials. We are looking forward to dialling
into the nationals with a brand new set
of development sails, both the main and
new set of headsails.”
Coming off last year’s inaugural MC38
Australian Season Championship there
was a strong push from owners to make
the annual series span summer rather
than the whole year. The 2016 series will
be a three round pointscore following
the nationals and Middle Harbour Yacht
Club’s Sydney Harbour Regatta, on March
5-6.
The dates for the 2016 MC38 Australian
Season Championship rounds are:
•
•
•
April 16-17: round 1, venue TBC
May 14-15: round 2, venue TBC
June 18-19: round 3, venue TBC
The 2016-17 season will begin in the
second half of the year and continue
through summer into 2017. Discussions
are ongoing between the class and
Hamilton Island for the fleet to make an
appearance at Audi Race Week in August.
RPAYC has offered MC38 crews wanting to
hone their skills coming into the national
showdown a series of lead-in events
starting on Tuesday February 2 with a
separate start for three short inshore
races.
On Wednesday February 3 MC38 crews
are invited to compete in the afternoon
Pittwater race commencing at 1400hrs
and on Thursday the class will conduct
a full race training session from 16001800hrs. Following training all MC38s are
welcome to stay out on the water and
compete in division 1 of the Thursday
evening twilight race, commencing at
1805hrs.
The 2016 MC38 Australian Championship
begins on Friday February 5 for three days
offering northern Scotland Island and
Clareville waterfront residents, plus those
out boating on the weekend a unique
viewing opportunity. Harken has thrown
its support behind the class once again,
as sponsor of the final presentation BBQ
on the Sunday afternoon.
By Lisa Ratcliff - MC38 Media
Photo: Bob Folwer