January Enews

Welcome to the January E-News for the 2012 QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. The 2012 edition of this great race will start on Good Friday, 6th April.

Online Entry
Applications for Entry are now open via the Online Entry system on the Brisbane to Gladstone Race website. Those skippers who entered this year’s Surf to City Yacht Race will find a familiar format and where possible, the system will automatically reuse information.
The system allows you to create a username and password before you start the entry process. Whilst this is not mandatory, we highly recommend you do so that you can pause your application and return to it at a later date. Bear in mind however, that your Application to Enter will not be considered until the form has been totally completed.

Brisbane to Gladstone Legends Function
This very popular event will again be held on Saturday 31st March 2012 at Queensland Cruising Yacht Club.
This is an ideal opportunity for past and current race crews to catch up and expand on experiences so set the evening aside in your diary and more information will be available shortly.

Expressions of Interest
The Race Committee would appreciate early advice from yacht owners / charterers of their intention to enter the 2012, Qantaslink 64th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race by forwarding the yacht name and basic details along with contact details to rd@brisbanetogladstone.com.au as soon as possible please.
A list of yachts intending to race is also up on the race website and thank you to those who have sent this advice.

The Gladstone end
No doubt you have heard or read through the media about the major LNG developments within Gladstone Harbour.
At a meeting with the Harbour Master in Gladstone on the 2nd December we were assured that construction traffic on the harbour will not affect the running of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race however accommodation in Gladstone at this time is in great demand and we recommend that any competitor looking for accommodation ashore at Easter 2012 start making inquiries now.

We have received advice on accommodation available from the following;
Name Contact Phone number
Quest Apartments Dillan 07 4970 0900
Reef Hotel/Motel Betty 07 4972 1000
Harbour Sails Motor Inn Tony 07 4972 3456
Central Apartments Group Karen 07 4971 0000
Harbour Lodge Carol/Laurie 07 4972 6463

Category Changes
An ORCi Category has been included for 2012 given the number of yachts now being measured under this system to verify Stability and the Courier Mail Cup will still be awarded to the Overall Winner of the IRC Category.

Stability Eligibility
For 2012 there is a separate “Stability Declaration” document and to offset this, the “Risk Warning + Safety Compliance and Acknowledgement” document has been modified with the inclusion of the YA Category 2 Audit Certificate.

Yacht Tracking.
Pivotel will again be supplying the TracerTrak tracking devices with the continuing assistance of ESRI Australia for the Software and Server Hosting elements.
Last year’s volume on the Tracking Website was in excess of 14 million hits from all parts of the globe.

Crew Eligibility
Yacht Owners and Skippers are reminded to ensure;
1)crew are compliant with Clause 55 of Part 4 – Other Requirements when Racing
2) crew SSSC and First Aid certification are current.