Sydney 38 leads Singapore Straits Regatta.

by News Editor on 12 Jan 2001 Fred Kinmonth, owner of the Hong Kong based Stella, a Sydney 38 launched only 6 weeks away this morning told Sail-world.com on the phone from Hong Kong told of his new boats successes.

'There is a strong Etchell fleet up here 16 or 17 boats and we sail them through the winter. I wanted a larger boat for the Typhoon series.

Stella, my new Sydney 38 was the first in the region, so we were not sure how it would go. It has proven to be a great buying decision.

An as an IRC racer, we are discovering its very competitive. A week after Stella was launched, in our very first race we came third in the Kings Cup behind Neil Pryde's well campaigned Sydney 46 and Gavin Brady and the fully professional team on Karl Kwok's Beau Geste.

I could not be more pleased with the boat. Sydney Yachts have done a fine job and produced a very strong, well built boat which has exceeded all our expectations.

The Sydney 38 layout downstairs and upstairs is very good. It has a large cockpit, which is just great for social sailing around Hong Kong. It is such a pleasant boat to sail and such fun that I'm not having any trouble getting crew.

I knew before I bought the boat that I'd be able to sail in the Singapore Straits regatta. My next race will be the Presidents Cup in the Philipines.

Right now Stella with my fellow Etchell sailors Warwick Downes, Clem Hill and Nick Burns, is leading after the first two days of the Singapore Straits regatta. They are good sailors and I am expecting a good result.'