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Bass Strait record

Michael Blackburn crosses Bass Strait in 13.5 hours on a Laser

Olympic class Laser sailors beats Nick Moloney’s funboard record

mercredi 9 mars 2005 – Christophe Guigueno, Redaction SSS [Source RP]

One of the most ferocious pieces of water in the world was today conquered by Australian sailing Olympic Bronze medallist. Michael Blackburn, sailed his 4.2 metre Laser Dinghy from Stanley in Northern Tasmania 115 nautical miles to Tidal Beach in Norman Bay, near Wilson’s Promontory, Victoria in 13.5 hours with max speed recorded on the trip was 19.7 knots down the face of a huge roller, and the average speed looks to be in the high 8’s. He beats the current small boat record for a Bass Strait crossing was set by Australian solo sailor Nick Moloney on a funboard in December 1998 wich was 21 hours and 49 minutes.


The perfect weather window opened for the Sydney sailor, with winds of 15-20 knots powering his tiny craft, with pocket-handkerchief 7 square metres of sail. ‘ I hoisted sail at 3:30 am. The first few hours before dawn was pretty hairy, I was planing downwind doing 8-9’s, with no moon and no stars, a couple of times I put the bow in the water and filled the cockpit. First light was a little after 6am and it was a relief to see the waves were not as big as they seemed in the dark. We knew we just had to be patient and wait for the right day and this was it. I always knew Lasers were fun down-wind, I reckon I caught a wave just about every 10 seconds for 13 and a half hours (4000+ waves). My average speed was 8.6 knots. Today has just been a blast.’

37-year-old Blackburn, who sailed in the Laser class at three Olympics, was a heartbreaking two points out of the medals in Atlanta, but won Bronze in Sydney. By 2004 he reached number one in the world rankings and again won selection but finished nineth. "I think the idea began when a few of us Laser sailors were sitting around, maybe a little bored with traditional racing, wondering what exciting things we could do in the boat" he wrote before the start to explain this challenge. "We came up with the idea of sailing the boats in large surf, trying to catch waves and maybe wiping out in the white water out and catching it all on film to watch later. So we’d have a series of stunts like that sailing in real windy and wavy conditions. Then, we needed a big stunt at the end of the film to add drama and tie it together. The stunt was sailing across Bass Strait in a Laser. I hope to get around to the surfing soon...!"

"I need the wind to blow from the SW to SSE at 14-25 knots to make for a fast crossing. The aim is to sail downwind only. Even with the most favourable conditions, the crossing will take 14 hours. So, depending on the conditions, I expect to depart Stanley in the middle of the night." GPS data from sailing a Laser downwind in strong winds suggests that Michael will be able to maintain speeds of 8-12 knots over a long period. Therefore, the trip will take approximately 14-18 hours non-stop. and that is exactly what has been done as Michael did it in 13.5 hours with top speed around 20 knots !

Blackburn has been freshening up with some big boat sailing, he has been calling tactics very successfully on one of the top Sydney 38’s in Australia, Estate Master and sailed south in the 60th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race. His aim now ? ‘This years Volvo Round the World race looks interesting.’

Source Rob Kothe / http://www.sail-world.com

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