Senior Citizens (Boat) Day on Lord Howe Island

11:05 PM Mon 27 Oct 2008 GMT

'Polaris of Belmont - 2008 Hempel Gosford to Lord Howe Race' Jeremy Hancock Click Here to view large photo

Two of the older boats in the Hempel 35th Gosford - Lord Howe Island Yacht Race, the 50-year-old Sanyo Maris and the 38-year-old Polaris of Belmont, look set to take out top handicap honours today as they sail the final few sea miles to the island.

Polaris of Belmont, a Cole 43 skippered by Chris Dawe and representing the organising club, Gosford Sailing Club, was 8.6 nautical miles from the finish line at this morning's 0705 sked. She virtually has only finish to win the PHS division.

Sanyo Maris, Ian Kiernan's yawl-rigged Tasman Seabird, designed by the late Alan Payne, was 24.7 nm from the finish of the 414 nm race across the northern Tasman Sea.

She has until 1435 (2.35pm) to finish and make yachting history as the oldest yacht to win the Lord Howe Island Race. Overnight she has maintained a good boat speed to windward, with a race average speed 5.89 knots.

From the 0705 sked this morning she has 7 hours and 35 minutes to sail the final few miles to the finish line off Lord Howe Island's coral lagoon and a huge welcome to the island by fellow yachties already finished, island residents and tourists. Provided the breeze holds throughout the morning, Sanyo Maris should do it comfortably.

Both Sanyo Maris and Polaris of Belmont have been nominated for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with Ian Kiernan, founder of Clean Up Australia and his fellow owners bringing the old timber boat back to ocean racing trim to mark the 50th anniversary of her launching.

The famous marine artist, the late Jack Earl, originally had Maris built to replace his globe-girdling ketch Kathleen, which he also sailed in the inaugural Sydney Hobart in 1945. Ian Kiernan bought the boat 38 years ago and his partners now include two grandchildren of Jack Earl.

Eleven of the 14 boats in the fleet have now finished the race to Lord Island with Occasional Coarse Language, Patrice Six, The Bigger Picture KM&T, Copernicus, Pacha, One for the Road and Kioni crossing the line overnight.

Inner Circle finished at 06:01:25 this morning and Polaris of Belmont crossed the line around 8am. (exact time to be confirmed).

The 80-footer Andrew Short Marine-Shockwave 5 took line honours early yesterday morning, followed early in the afternoon by Getaway-Sailing and More Witchcraft.

Based on finished boats and the position of Maris at 0705, the IRC handicap order is now: Sanyo Maris, Occasional Coarse Language, One for the Road, Pacha, Andrew Short Marine-Shockwave 5, The Bigger Picture KM&T, Patrice Six and Inner Circle.

In the PHS division, Polaris of Belmont heads the order from More Witchcraft, Copernicus, Kioni and Getaway Sailing.

by Peter Campbell

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Senior Citizens (Boat) Day on Lord Howe Island

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