McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship
(M2S as part of the MMOC)
Grandpa's Axe
The old euphemism starts with “It’s had six new handles and three new heads…,” which is certainly true enough of ‘Audi Centre Melbourne’. However, unlike the rest of the euphemism - “… but it’s still the same axe!” - the boat is now anything but the same. In fact ‘Audi Centre Melbourne’ has turned out to be more like a chainsaw, as she has ripped her way through the results tables during the Southern Winter. In turn, that is bound to have made the sponsor meetings far more palatable. Many thanks to Steb Fisher for the pics you see in this article. You can see more of his work HERE.
New square top main is very visible above the kite. That's a fair bit of area...
Always designed to maximise her opportunities in the IRC malaise, the latest round of modifications have not affected her rating. These changes are the new square top main and the resultant runner winches that style of sail requires. They’ve lost one spot on the rail from it, but the added power of that main should make her even faster off the breeze, which is where she is strongest and wettest. The other day I spoke with ‘Audi Centre Melbourne’s owner, Chris Dare, after he had got back from doing the Bird Island race aboard ‘Living Doll’ and he commented, “That extra freeboard sure does make it drier!”
Winches take a crew spot on the rail and those turning blocks are not cheap...
Wet or not, we hope that the weather allows for some fun for ‘Audi Centre Melbourne’, ‘Calm’, ‘Ocean Skins’ (the Rogers 46 that was formerly ‘Shogun’) and a few others of the Div Zero gang coming out to do the Melbourne to Stanley race. A fleet of forty will get underway in the early hours of October 31. If it is indeed off the breeze, then ‘Chutzpah’ and ‘Shogun’ will have to factored into the equation. ‘Chutzpah’ did a bit of a Malcolm McLaren (three Buffalo Girls go ‘round the outside) last year and scooped the pool accordingly. If it is on the breeze then the Farr52 ‘Goldfinger’ will come into view, which should make Andy Keep happy enough. Similarly, you can never rule out the DK46 pair of ‘Dekadence’ and last year’s Offshore Champions, ‘Extasea’ from a podium position.
Hhhhhmmm. Interesting afterguard there. Ross Lloyd of North Sails Melbourne hangs on to one of the new runners and YA President Andrew Plympton and Ross then survey the main...
Big square top very identifiable and so too are the winches. Work was undertaken by her builder, Steve Campbell's Composites Constructions, while she as on the hardstand at SYC.
So the front of the fleet will be an interesting time in the 2009 M2S. Well done and we wish you all the best for it, Chris and your crew, as you prepare for a full Summer assault. As you have said yourself Chris, “When we’ve done well in the MWS, we’ve gone on to have a great Summer.” At any rate, I gather that Chris is not done with ‘Audi Centre Melbourne’. Purportedly, there is some foil work is on the cards before Christmas. Now that should be interesting indeed…and turn the boat even more into an electronic ignition chainsaw – i.e. Starts and runs hard and hassle free every time!
The M2S is of course, the first race in the 2009/10 McConaghy Melbourne Offshore Championship, with that awesome Carbon Fibre Performance Wheel up for grabs.
By John Curnow
Pic © Steb Fisher
