Only 1 week away from the 2023 ASBA National Titles and the class of 2023 are already in talking it up, with the fleet preparing for 3 days of racing out of Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club. This year’s regatta has been sponsored by the great people at Evolution Sails, Vaikobi Ocean Performance and Pantaenius Yacht Insurance with the ASBA extremely grateful of their support. Remember support the businesses that support us! All their details can be found on the ASBA website www.asba.org.au.

The fleet racking up on the start line this year is made up of various sportsboat designs from the diverse ASBA fleet and it will be great to see the boats back on Moreton Bay carving it up. Breaking the fleet down into size ranges, the team of Vivace lead the way to date with their Bethwaite 79er. These guys will be pushing the limits to get their boat around the set courses in the fastest time. Up at that pointy end there will also be the REO designs ready to give them the hurry up if the conditions suit them. The REO boats measure in at 7.2 and 7.7 meters, but they don’t let the big boats push them around in the right conditions. Luke Ratcliff’s REO 7.2, Reheat will be campaigning for his 2nd National Titles win after winning the 2022 Nationals at Port Stephens. The same REO 7.2 has been campaigned twice before by Andrew York in previous National Titles to come away with the overall trophy. So, can Andrew get his newer design of the REO 7.7 on the top spot for the 1st time?

We have one of the all time great Elliott designs ready to race, an E780 named BRE. Peter and crew are ready to have a great weekend on the water and could quite easily keep the other boats honest around the track. BRE also claimed the ASBA LTP handicap trophy the last time the National Titles were in Brisbane. If conditions lighten off in their favour the mighty Elliott design could quite easily be pushing for top spot rights.

Now, to the bulk of the fleet. So far this is a Nationals within a Nationals consisting of 6x Shaw 650s, 1x Leech 650 and 1x Viper 640. All these boats are willing to put it on the line for bragging rights within the 6.5 fleet and the overall trophy. Any one of these boats are capable of putting on a winning performance within the 650s and overall fleet. In this range we have a Shaw 650 called The Stig which is a 2 time National champion when skippered by Malcolm Dean, but the boat has now been moved on to new hands who are keen to maintain that winning performance. But Malcolm Dean could not stay away. After selling The Stig he had a few months off but got the sports boat bug again. So, what did he do? Went and bought a Carbon Shaw 650 called Black Betty. At the last Brisbane Nationals Malcolm and his crew were made honouree members of the Darling Point Sailing Squadron for their commitment to the fleet. The state of origin has not started yet in the NRL but we are sure it will be alive and well next weekend and Mal will probably be wearing the blues jersey with pride.

Still within the 6.5m fleet we have pervious ASBA LTP winners Tickety Boo and Depthcharge Ethel ready to rumble once again and have a great regatta. Another boat to watch is Lickety Split owned and skippered by Graham Sherring. Coming off a win in the Surf to City the lads are on a high and we bet they are ready to put in another great performance.

ASBA President, Michael Brierley, noted “it is great to see our fleets growing again. With both short course windward/leeway racing close to shore and a longer passage race, it is a great opportunity to see some of the best sailors and fastest sports boats in the country vying to be 2023 National Champion.” 

He went on to add “this year’s host club, the Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club, has some top rated facilities on offer that are perfect for our fleet racing. We are looking forward to all crews enjoying some amazing racing on Moreton Bay and coming back to the Club for a great social program.”

This will also be the first regatta that the ASBA to use the Australian Sailing CBH (Class based Handicap) rating system and many are keen to see the results. The ASBA committee thanks all the measurers and Australian sailing for their work and commitment it this time while the change to the new rating occurred and look forward to working with them into the future. 

With all this fun and rivalry going on between the fleet it is shaping up to be a great regatta. Entries close the 21st of February so if you want to get involved there is still time. It would be great to see you and your sports boat on the water.

All the info can be found at www.asba.org.au