Congratulations to Michael Hiatt and his crew on winning Div 1 of Audi IRC series onboard his recently launched Farr IRC55
‘Living Doll’.

Michael Hiatt and his Living Doll crew had nerves of steel today, making a comeback to steal the Audi IRC Division 1 series from under the nose of Graeme Wood and his Wot Now crew – the two finished second and third respectively in Race 6 to finish the series on tied points, Hiatt coming out on top with one more win in his score to settle the series.

The final windward leeward race was put to bed this afternoon after a delayed start due to lack of breeze, but a nice 10-12 knot sea breeze filled in on Corio Bay just before midday, allowing racing to get underway. Going up the first beat, tactician Ross Lloyd took Living Doll (Vic) hard right and Wot Now (NSW) rounded the first mark well ahead of Hiatt and crew. However, by the time the yachts came up the work the second time, Hiatt, a Melbourne businessman, had a big lead over Wot Now and her crew could only look on as the Farr 55 kept up the momentum to score second place overall, Wot Now finishing third to seal the deal.

 Hiatt was thrilled. Having had a couple of teething problems with his yacht, which forced him to cancel competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, everything came together in Geelong.“We over rode Lloydy (tactician Ross Lloyd) on that first beat and Wot Now rounded in front of us, but we gybed inside them and caught up a bit of time on them on that first downwind leg. After that we picked them up bit by bit. We picked the shifts right – someone up there was looking after us.

The cover page of Boat International for September 2008, a prestigious magazine in the superyacht marine sector will feature one of cookson boats most recent and high profile projects ... Speedboat.

This project was kept quiet during the build phase to protect client confidentiality. The magazine has an extensive article about the boat which we are sure you would enjoy if you manage to secure a copy.
The magazine is available worldwide.

For more information visit the Boat International website http://www.boatinternationalmedia.com or for more information and the latest messages from Speedboat visit http://www.mike-sanderson.com

IRC-Grand Prix Race 4 was a great one for the Cookson Boats stable with  3 Cookson 50’s Quantum, Living Doll & Pussy Galore finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively.

 Overall race results see the TP52 Cougar, formerly Rush and now owned by Alan Whiteley is also having an outstanding regatta, currently sitting in 2nd overall behind Quantum Racing.

For more results, photos and information visit the official website.
http://www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au

Current Standings: 1st.) Quantum Racing 13.00, 2nd.) Cougar LL 16.00, 3rd.) Living Doll 19.00, 4th.) Quest 19.00, 5th.) Pussy Galore 19.00

As a result of winning the NZ MTC in Auckland earlier this year with a 4 man team comprising of Vaughan Roberts, Sam Israelson, Andrew Durie and Leighton Matthews, Cookson Boats were eligible to take part in the Australian Boat Building Competition hosted by the SBA (Shipwrights and Boatbuilders Assoc) of New South Wales and BIA of NSW Ltd which took place during the Sydney Boat Show on 4th August.

The challenge was for a 2 man team to build a boat, using your own design in 2 hours and paddle/sail it around a course in Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour.

This criteria meant we could have 2 teams entered but the challenge was on to build 2 boats in two hours instead of one boat paying special attention to a design based on max waterline length, innovation and fast without forfeiting their high standard of construction. Vaughan Roberts and

Sam Israelson made up CB Team 1 and Andrew Durie with Leighton Matthews made up CB Team 2.
Three categories were up for grabs, Quickest Boat around the course, Best built boat, and Best innovative design.

The Aussies were extremely generous in making sure both teams had some of the necessary equipment required for the build and Makita graciously sponsored the event by supplying each team with power tools. 3M Marine supplied the  build materials and Sika had an endless supply of sikaflex on hand.

Congratulations Artemis and her crew, finishing 4th in Brietling Regatta has moved to 2nd place overall in the Audi MedCup with two regattas to go.

Current points standing after 4 of 6 regattas.
1.QUANTUM 161
2.ARTEMIS    191
3.BRIBON 209.2
4.MEAN MACHINE 224
5.MATADOR    238

Cookson 12m High 5 (Built 1996) and her crew finished second overall on IRC and first in Class 1 on IRC in the Giraglia Rolex Cup 2008.

Overall Results of 243-mile Giraglia Race (IRC corrected time)

1. Fissa - Ettore Yachting (FRA) - A-40 RC - 13:59:52
2. High Five - Vinicio Petracchi (NZL) - Cookson 12M - 14:50:48
3. Tchin-Tchin - Jean Claude Bertrand (FRA) - A-35 - 15:00:40

For more information visit Regatta News.
http://www.regattanews.com/event.asp?id=194

Congratulations Artemis!

After another strong showing in the Sardinia Trophy finishing in third place just 8 points behind eventual winner Quantum  Artemis now sits in third place Overall in the 2008 MedCup after 3 regattas.

Quantum now lead the cup on 129 points with Bribon second on 135.2. Artemis sit just 1.8 points back in third on 137 followed by Mean Machine and Platoon Powered T.Germany on 158 and 190 points respectively.

The next event starts in just seven days time on July 21 in Spain.
More information is available from www.medcup.org

Race one from the Gulf of Cagliari is underway and you can keep up to date will the the action of TP52 Artemis and the
rest of the fleet at http://2008.medcup.org/home/

Below are communications from Mike Sanderson and the rest of the team aboard Speedboat during their recent Transatlantic Record Attempt.
More information can be found at www.mike-sanderson.com

Mike Sanderson from on board SPEEDBOAT ...

After much deliberation  over the weather and a pretty frenzied preparation due to the such short turn around from the boat having returned from Bermuda,  at 21-19 on a pleasant New York Sunday evening, twenty one of us aboard SPEEDBOAT  roared past Ambrose light at 23 knots with full main fractional Jib-top and a staysail on. We are off!!
Really the only mark of the course that is in the way of you sailing great circle from New York to the Lizard is the shoals off Nantucket, so to get out there we have a fast reach at 110 true wind angle before we can escape the shallows and set a gennaker for what we hope to be a quick ride north to Newfoundland.

 The Trans Atlantic record is a toughie, we have left on a forecast that has great potential for the first four days, and from there many moons will have to align to get us through to the finish off Lands end in less then the six days 17 hours that it took Robert Miller's Mari-Cha IV in 2003.  There are a few of us here aboard Speedboat that where there in 2003 and so we are well aware how well that trip went and that the average speed through the water of 19.8 knots that she did is quick and we will certainly need a few dice to roll our way to better that time.

Congratulations ‘Lee Overlay”, Adrian and all the crew on a great effort and wonderful result.

The C50 (Formerly Chieftain) managed to come home 1st in class both on the water and on corrected time and was the second boat home-behind Leopard!

This is a fantastic result finishing just 5 hrs short of the old record and with no excessive damage and no one hurt beyond lots of bruises!