Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club is now home to two magnificent Grand Prix racing yachts, a Carkeek 47 and a new TP 52. The two yachts have been rivals on the water since Craig Carter purchased Indian. Now the rivalry is set to continue, but with both bearing the RFBYC insignia.
RFBYC member Peter Hickson, has ensured that the TP52, previously named Calm, will stay here in the West. Now known as M3, the team have their sights set on a great season of competitive offshore racing including one of the world’s most prestigious ocean races.
Both teams, will make the huge commitment and travel to Sydney to compete in the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. For Indian it will be her second RSHYR after finishing 17 from the 120 starters in last year’s 70th Anniversary of the great race south.
This will be the third consecutive year that RFBYC have had an entry in the RSHYR with Bryan Thurstan in This Way Up competing in the 2013 race.
Paul Eldrid from Onesails and Brent Fowler from Quantum Sails, continue with Craig and Peter as their boat captains.
Peter says, “We are hoping to infuse youth sailing into both crews.” Both Craig and Peter are working to increase the numbers of young adult sailors competing in offshore yachting. These outstanding yachts will certainly be a draw card to the youth crowd who wish to get in to some longer haul events.
While these two club teams will not be able to sail on the river, they will proudly fly our burgee offshore and share their tales here amongst our members.
Craig said, “It is sensational news for offshore and keelboat racing in WA that Peter has acquired M3. If we want to keep talented young Western Australian sailors in the sport then providing them with the opportunity for good racing, in well managed programs, on modern boats is a non-negotiable. And these machines demand youth and their skills.”
Watch the teams go head to head as we open the Quantum Sails Blue Water Series for the Siska Trophy off Fremantle from 9am on Saturday 10 October in the RFBYC Roland Smith Ocean Race.
M3 and Indian build on RFBYC’s reputation offshore and will join Gary McNally in Black Betty, Paul Eldrid and Scott Disley in General Lee, and Dave Walling in The Next Factor as our highly credentialed RFBYC racing yachts who are all previous winners of the coveted Bluewater Siska Trophy.
– Susan Ghent, RFBYC Offshore Racing
