Farr 40s to test the waters in Porsche King of the Derwent
by Peter Campbell 20 Dec 2012 09:38 GMT
2 January 2013
Wild Oats XI took line honours in the 2012 King of the Derwent © Peter Campbell
Australia's top-performing Farr 40 owner/skippers and their crews are expected to use the Porsche 2013 King of the Derwent as a final tune-up for the inaugural Tasmanian championship for the high-performance one-design keelboat class.
Derwent Sailing Squadron has agreed to run a separate result sheet for the Farr 40s in the KOD, along with IRC, AMS and PHS handicap results for the expected large fleet.
The DSS and the Porsche Centre Hobart today announced the sponsorship partner for the prestige event on the River Derwent on January 2.
"Porsche cars are synonymous with high tech engineering, functional design and form," Porsche Centre Hobart managing director Adrian Brown commented. "Like many of the entrants for the King of the Derwent the pedigree of the boat design and builder is essential to ensure the most competitive outcome."
The Porsche 2013 King of the Derwent will draw yachts from the Sydney to Hobart, Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston to Hobart ocean races for this traditional one-off race around the harbour against the local harbour racing fleet.
First held in 1979, the KOD is the final and deciding race for the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's Sovereign Series for yachts in the Westcoaster Race and the Salamanca Series for boats that contested the East Coaster.
It is also the final for the Tasports Trophy Series for yachts that sailed in The Good Guys Launceston to Hobart Race.
The addition of at least seven Farr 40s racing boat-for-boat around the course will add to the spectacle of the Porsche 2013 King of the Derwent which is expected to attract more than 60 entries.
In addition to the five boats in the local Hobart fleet, visiting Sydney Farr 40s Estate Master and Forty are expected to compete as a lead-up to the Tasmanian championship on the Derwent from January 4-6.
So far the DSS has not been advised as to whether the super maxi yacht Wild Oats XI will again sail in the KOD, as she did last year.
The 2012 King of the Derwent title, decided on IRC scoring, went to the Victorian yacht eXtasea while the IRC winner was Invincible with PHS first place going to Kaiulani. The Porsche 2013 King of the Derwent racing fleet will start at 2.00pm on January 2 with the fleet scheduled to sail twice around a quadrant course with rounding marks off Castray Esplanade, Sandy Bay, south of the John Garrow Light and Punch's Reef off Howrah. The start will be mid-river, depending on the wind direction, with the finish off the Wrest Point Casino, Sandy Bay.