| Australia. Running the Rhumblines |
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| Monday, 09 January 2006 | |
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Ian Grant: Internationally experienced Whitsunday Maxi Action skipper George Canfield recorded another important entry in his personal log book during the history making 2005 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. Canfield has sailed the notoriously rough, cold and wet rhumbline to Hobart before but this was his first on a Queensland owned yacht. The former Bulimba boy previously known as one of the ‘River Rats’ because of the time spent racing and socially sailing Thorpes and Sharpies on the Brisbane River early in his career happily accepted a watch captain role on the Peter Hollis owned Hugh Welbourne designed Heaven Can Wait. Heaven Can Wait a former winner of the Hahn Premium Big Boat series at Hamilton Island when raced by her original owner the popular Warren Johns has always been one of Canfield’s favourites. The invitation to join the Heaven Can Wait crew became a formality when her new owner Peter Hollis one of many famed ‘River Rat’ graduates who has the career distinction of winning a World championship double in the Bob Miller/Ben Lexcen designed Contender class needed to add the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart to his already impressive log book. Surprisingly Heaven Can Wait while being regarded as a successful offshore competitor had never raced to Hobart before, but she had the design and strength to survive the challenge and this was proved when George Canfield and the equally experienced crew of blue water sailors including 19 race veteran and dual Hobart race winner Ian Davis provided owner/skipper Peter Hollis with an outstanding debut result. Heaven Can Wait finished with an impressive 15th over the line completing the 628 n/ml course with the average speed of 9.52 knots in her course time of 2 days 17 hours 58 minutes 13 seconds. Skipper Hollis has accepted the notice of race for the Sydney to Southport race in March followed by the Brisbane to Gladstone classic over the Easter holiday weekend which means George Canfield the regular skipper of the famed Whitsunday Island charter Maxi Ragamuffin will hand over the helm of ‘Rags’ to answer the ‘prayer’ by racing on Heaven with his river rat mate Peter Hollis. |
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 09 January 2006 ) |
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