Australian Sailing Aug-Sept issue - new boats, new go-fast tips

The August-September issue of Australian Sailing magazine features a wide range of topics vital to the serious yacht racer.

America's Cup-winning tactician David Dellenbaugh provides essential advice on when and how to protest, while Dave Flynn of Quantum Sails explains why the set-up is often different from tack to tack.

Five new IRC boats around 40ft in length are previewed. The designers say it is no longer necessary to design heavy, slow boats to rate well under both IRC and ORCi. Find out how they've managed to make fast, fun, down-wind fliers rate under the current rules.

For navigators, Will Oxley compares five nav software packages and laments that to have all the best features requires using more than one brand.

Skiff fans should enjoy the story of 12s sailors cutting up their hulls to make them go faster, there is a review of the first O'pen Bic nationals and a report on Flying Tigers in Australia and New Zealand.

Andrew Verdon offers three simple exercises to improve your winter strength and fitness, promising better performance next summer as a result, and Vanessa Dudley muses on lessons learnt from past sailing regattas.

Bob Ross tells offshore sailors everything they need to know about passing the annual safety audit, including all the new regulations that will come in over the next few years.

We also review Sail Port Stephens and the Top of the Gulf Regatta in Thailand, preview the Five Capes Race in the Indian Ocean (in 105ft trimarans!), catch up on all the international racing news including Extreme Series, World Match Racing and Louis Vuitton Trophy, and bring you three pages of new gear specially for racing sailors.

If your news agent doesn't have a copy, take advantage of the 40% discount offered to YA Silver and Youth Card holders by calling 1800 807 760 or go to www.yaffa.com.au.