| MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA-(30-12-2003) In excess of 55 Flying Dutchman will face the starter’s gun in the Flying Dutchman (FD) National Championship starting on Port Phillip Bay today as part of the Sail Melbourne International Regatta.
Of the fleet, 38 international competitors are entered, getting in some practice before the start of the World Championship starting early January.
Former three-time World champions, Ian McCrossin/James Cook, arrived in Melbourne on Saturday to put in some practice time.
The pair recently finished third in the NSW State championship to winners, Norman Rydge/Richard Scarr and second placegetters, Brett Beyer/Rod Johnson, both pairs of whom are also at Sandringham Yacht Club for the National and World titles.
While McCrossin (55) from Ulladulla on Sydney’s south coast and Cook (53) from Balmain in Sydney are getting on in years, McCrossin says the FD is a ‘particularly forgiving’ boat, in more ways than one.
‘Yes, even at our age you can sail an FD with some success, in fact some blokes are still going, even into their 70’s. I don’t expect us to win the World’s, but we should place between third and tenth, depending on the weather. We are better heavy air sailors, but having said that, I find as James and I are getting older, it is getting physically harder in the heavier conditions,’ McCrossin, who finished 6th the last World Championship, said.
The FD is also good because it can take heavy weight, a crew can be 95 to 110 kilos, a skipper can weigh up to 85 or 90 kilos without too much worry, they are the best boat, so fast to windward, only an 18 footer is quicker’ he says.
Part of the attraction of the FD is the fact that you can roll the genoa, reducing its area by 50% in heavy winds, making it very stable and easier to sail. The other advantage to these boats is their life span. McCrossin says that if you look after your boat it will last you forever. His and Cook’s is now 15 years old and still very competitive.
Apart from his FD sailing, McCrossin is the some-time tactician for Jamie Wilmot on Warren Johns’ ocean racer, Heaven Can Wait and occasional sailor on David Urry’s Farr 40, More War Games.
When asked to name his top picks for the World title, McCrossin, who has sailed on Port Phillip a few times, said on the Australian side, he thought Norman Rydge/Richard Scarr, Brett Beyer/Rod Johnson, looked good after their recent State titles, the South Australian pair of Peter Higgins/Chris Warmer and the Sydney/Melbourne mix of Douglas Rawson/Cameron Hooper.
Internationally, he said, you could not go past the current World title holders, Hungarians Srabolics Maethenyi/Andras Domokas, along with Germany’s Hans-Peter Schwarz/Peter van Koppen and Italy’s Roberto Cipriani/Stephano Morelli.
There is only one all-female crew in the fleet, Dutch women, Tanja Heijink/Nettie van der Valk, whilst fellow Dutchman, Clovis Buijs has Marlene van Ballegooijen as crew and Sydney’s William Fenelon has his wife Maureen crewing for him.
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