Due to the inclusion of a double handed division at the 2020 Sydney to Hobart along with a mixed double-handed offshore event at the 2024 Olympics in France, Sandringham Yacht Club have been quick to change their Saturday racing program to encourage new and existing members to challenge themselves racing double-handed on Port Phillip Bay around the sticks.
The ORCV already allow their competitors to compete double-handed in any of their coastal and offshore races, however it is likely that they will be putting a lot more energy and focus on double-handed racing in the future and will be encouraging SYC members to take the next step to race outside Port Phillip Heads.
As a result, two SYC members Richard Ekberg and Marinus Van Onselen, decided to purchase a new Sun Fast 3300 last year, and join Tony Hammond on his Sun Fast 3600 ‘Maverick’ that was recently aquired from Rod Smallman for some double handed club & coastal racing.
By September 2020, a third Sun Fast 3300 will be arriving at SYC for members Jade Cole and Barney Walker, who have recently teamed up to campaign for the 2024 Olympics. We have also just ordered a fourth Sun Fast 3300 for delivery and sale late 2020/early 2021. All four boats have an identical factory fitout, as so we can also have one-design racing.
Jeanneau’s Sun Fast yachts have a very specific focus on short-handed IRC racing, and the new Sun Fast 3300 is very much at the forefront of design. It is also quickly becoming the perferred choice of boat for Olympic campaigners such as Ken Read (USA) and Henry Bomby/Hannah Diamond (GBR) and therefore the likely favourite for the Olympic equipment selection trials in 2023.
But it’s not just in offshore sailing where short-handed racing is growing. The biggest double handed fleet in Australia is in Hobart where they ran a winter short-handed series in 2019 which had 45 entries! And it is possible that due to COVID-19, double handed yacht racing will become even more popular.
One of the aspects that Sun Fast owners love about their boats, is that the designs are very stiff and balanced, so that you can get a really good level of performance without carrying a big compliment of crew or sails.
However this isn’t the only reasons why Jeanneau have sold around 500 x Sun Fast’s over the last 15 years, it is also because they offer the best value-for-money of their type in the market and they constantly achieve podium results on IRC & AMS when sailing short-handed against fully crewed boats! To top it off, Jeanneau now offer a 7 year hull warranty + a 3 year parts and labour warranty.
If interested in a closer look at the new Sun Fast 3300 at Sandringham Yacht Club, please contact Rohan @ 38southboatsales.com.au or 0414 538 959, otherwise we have a number of second hand race yachts set up for double-handed racing available for sale. Click here for more details…