Bass Strait conquered
by Laser Dinghy sailor
One of the most
ferocious pieces of water in the world was today conquered
by Australian sailing Olympic Bronze medallist, Dr Michael
Blackburn, who sailed his 4.2 metre Laser Dinghy from Stanley
in Northern Tasmania 115 nautical miles to Tidal Beach in
Norman Bay, near Wilson's Promontory, Victoria in 13.5 hours.
The perfect weather
window opened for the Sydney sailor, with winds of 15-20 knots
powering his tiny craft, with pocket-handkerchief 7 square
metres of sail
' I hoisted sail
at 3:30 am. The first few hours before dawn was pretty hairy,
I was planing downwind doing 8-9's, with no moon and no stars,
a couple of times I put the bow in the water and filled the
cockpit.
First light was
a little after 6am and it was a relief to see the waves were
not as big as they seemed in the dark. .
We knew we just
had to be patient and wait for the right day and this was
it.
I always knew Lasers
were fun down-wind, I reckon I caught a wave just about every
10 seconds for 13 and a half hours (4000+ waves). My average
speed was 8.6 knots. Today has just been a blast.'
37-year-old Blackburn,
who sailed in the Laser class at three Olympics, was a heartbreaking
two points out of the medals in Atlanta, but won Bronze in
Sydney. By 2004 he reached number one in the world rankings
and again won selection but finished ninth.
His Olympic Coach
Arthur Brett, was on the isolated Victorian beach to meet
Blackburn just after 16:31 when the crossing was completed.
Blackburn has been
freshening up with some big boat sailing, he has been calling
tactics very successfully on one of the top Sydney 38's in
Australia, Estate Master and sailed south in the 60th Rolex
Sydney to Hobart Race.
'It seems my little
boat skills are translating well to big boats. Ability to
concentrate for long periods, good tactical and strategic
thinking and of course fitness, All those thing helped me
today too'
His aim now? 'This
years Volvo Round the World race looks interesting.'
Sponsors
include Estate Master - Hill PDA, The Sailing Scene (supplying
the Laser), Ronstan, Queensport Wetsuits, The Wooden Boat
Shop and Arthur Brett Sails.
(Sail-World.com)
CLASSIFIEDS AUSTRALIA
