E-NEWS March ED II 2006 1.  46 Boats Sail Through Brisbane City in Classic 2.  Class Based Handicap for Bay to Bay 3.  Need Accommodation for Easter Regattas? 4.  Keppel Bay Scholarship Program – A Success 5.  Corsair River Titles 6.  Cyclone Larry Hits North Queensland Clubs 7.  Record Queensland Entries for Sydney Gold Coast 8. Careful Boating will Preserve the Reef 46 Boats Sail Through Brisbane City in Classic Forty-six sailing boats packed the Brisbane River for the Onga Pumps River Classic marathon sailing race from the South Brisbane Sailing Club to the Brisbane 18 Footers Sailing Club at Bulimba on Saturday, 18 March 2006.   A split start and a large collision lead to an exciting afternoon of sailing. For the full story visit: http://www.qld.yachting.org.au/?page=22417 Class Based Handicap for Bay to Bay The 26th Bay to Bay race is on the May Day long Weekend, April 29-30, run by Hervey Bay Sailing Club and Sponsored by the Wide Bay Water Corporation. Last year’s 25th Silver Jubilee event was a great success with 176 boats experiencing the delights of sailing the protected waters of the Great Sandy Straits inside Fraser Island. Principal race officer Colin Verrall highlighted the new handicap system that is set to improve the race, “Significant effort is being made to produce a set of back-calculated Bay to Bay CBH (Class Basic Handicap) ratings for 2006.  These will facilitate separate fair and competitive CBH corrected time racing between all attending classes for each boat type.”  For the full story visit: http://www.qld.yachting.org.au/default.asp?Page=22282 For more information visit www.herveybaysailingclub.org.au Accommodation for Easter? Yachting Queensland members have the opportunity to stay in waterfront accommodation for a regatta, training course or coaching camp during Easter. The Yachting Queensland facility is within the grounds of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly and contains modern backpacker style accommodation for 20 people. For the full story visit: http://www.qld.yachting.org.au/default.asp?Page=20139&MenuID=About/11358/0 Contact Yachting Queensland for booking enquires (07) 3393 6788. Keppel Bay Scholarship Program – A Success Keppel Bay Sailing Club Sailing is at a significant time in their successful Instructor Scholarship Program.  The program is a project of the Keppel Bay Sailing Club to assist young people gain qualifications and experience in the boating industry while providing assistance to the Club with coaching and the training of club members. On April 5 Keppel Bay will say farewell to successful Scholarship Sailing Instructor Ben Callard.  Andrew Coates, from Sydney will be commencing a new Sailing Instructor Scholarship with the club in April.  For information on Keppel Bay Sailing Club visit www.kbsc.com.au Corsair River Titles Photos Now available at http://www.qld.yachting.org.au/default.asp?Page=22400 Cyclone Larry Hits North Queensland Clubs Spare a thought for North Queensland next time your event receives bad weather.  Cyclone Larry caused the cancellation of multiple sailing events in North Queensland last weekend with Mission Beach Sailing Club receiving the worst weather. No reports of significant damage to North Queensland Clubs have been received.  www.nqsailing.yachting.org.au Record Queensland Entries for Sydney Gold Coast Following multiple successes in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart, the largest Queensland contingent in many years is set to try its luck in the annual Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race which will start on 1 April with a 41-strong fleet.  This is the first year of the new timeslot for the Sydney Gold Coast which now feeds into the Brisbane to Gladstone Race.  For more information visit http://goldcoast.cyca.com.au Careful Boating Will Preserve the Reef When boating in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park you can do your bit to help look after it by following these responsible reef practices: o Be on the look out for marine animals and travel slowly in areas where they are known to be present. o Use the voluntary speed limits and transit lanes in the Hinchinbrook area. o Look out for shallow coral, or other environmental hazards, and take into account tidal changes. Leave at least 30 centimetres clearance between the propeller and seabed. o Slow down to minimise the wake when you’re approaching reef edges, shorelines and beaches. o Take all litter (for example, rubbish, food scraps and cigarette butts) with you and responsibly dispose of it on shore. o Be considerate of others when motoring or anchoring near them (e.g. avoid wakes and do not anchor too close). o Keep noise levels low to minimize animal disturbance. For more information visit www.gbrmpa.gov.au.