A New Sportscar!
One of the truly great aspects of SA is the ability for the community to know about and even be a part of boats and people that they otherwise wouldn't know anything about. One of our best anarchists has been Sportscar Chris and because of his involvement here many of us have felt like we've been a part of Sportscar without even having seen her! The news is there is a new Sportscar and here Chris fills us in.

Whilst we would prefer to concentrate on seeing off the current boat in style, we have almost been outed with regard to the next one on the Sportsboat Anarchy thread “ Toast to Sportscar” started up by Heaven can Wait. The next ride is a 4 year old Thompson (as The Ed guessed) T980! Currently named Gladiator ex- Lake Maquarie Yacht Club. She is currently lying in Sydney and will be shipped down to Melbourne in another week or so.

We are all very excited about the boat but feel we should put the effort into the old boat until she goes. That may be hard for some to comprehend but after 17 years of living and breathing with this one we reckon she deserves to be the focus of our attentions at the moment. We have invited as many of our former crew as we can find to join us for a huge farewell celebration at Sandringham on April 21, the day before she leaves us. Some cannot be there due to other sailing commitments such as Americas Cup, Volvo Race etc. and many are scattered around the globe. I have also invited all the Sandringham Anarchists aboard after the last race this Saturday to join us in a drink or six to drown our sorrows. It’s been a great ride on our beloved Sportscar these past 17 years and we all look forward to fun times with the new one in due course.

By the way, Heaven can Wait who I only know through SA and haven’t actually met yet, has been fantastic in assisting us about the new boat. He was heavily involved in putting it together new and sailed on it a lot until he fell ill with cancer. His knowledge and information was invaluable to us in making the purchase decision. He is an amazing guy who has battled major illness with a cheerful disposition and is trying to make a difference to the lives of fellow sufferers through his Heaven Can Wait 24 hr yacht race. It would be nice if SA could get behind his efforts (We will! - Ed).

Chris, on behalf of the SPORTSCAR syndicate

04/07/06

and A New Model

The venerable and long-campaigned Sportscar, based in Melbourne at Sandringham Yacht Club, has been sold and is about to have a major haircut.

Probably best recognized from its outrageously wide wings (5.1 meters wide on a 10 meter yacht!!) and it's bright red paint, Sportscar is heading into Robert Hick's factory in Williamstown for some hull surgery.

The custom built Elliot 10 'Excita' design was originally built and launched in 1988 from strip-plank cedar and remains, even by today's standards, very light. The heavy timber wings and wing attachments will be removed and the hull topsides faired to reflect a more conventional shape.

A new carbon rudder is being designed to sit under a 1 meter extended transom. Otherwise, the existing keel, deck, rig and sails will remain the same. The Sportscar Syndicate has maintained the yacht in excellent condition over the years and very little of the original yacht remaining as the local icon has been continually updated over the seasons.

New owner Tim Long hopes to provide a new chapter in the boat's successful sailing career and believes Robert Hick, builder and designer of some of Melbourne's most competitive yachts, is the right person to bring the revised yacht to life.

04/19/06