Mid-Winters are go! Airle Beach Race week is go!
Mid-winter championship and Airlie Beach Race Week provide some much needed warmth and sailing whilst the southern states are chilled and out of season. RQYS is also hosting the next Australian Nationals and entries are building, so come along grab a boat and have some fun racing.
VX One International Committee
The VX One International Class Association (VXIOCA) has officially been formed. Our first general meeting was held on the 4th May and was well attended. Australia was represented by Rob Douglass (VXIOCA Oceania Vice President), as well as Michael Brierley (VXIOCA Chief Financial Officer), Greg Hall, Peter Conde (VXIOCA Technical Committee member), Steve Girdis and Mick James. Major discussion points were around the requirement to appoint a Technical Committee Chair and the timing and location for future World Championships. We have nominated Peter Conde for the Technical Chair, given his enormous contribution to the International Rules up to now. VXIOCA Management Committee meetings will be frequent up to 1st August, which is the required timeline for this year's applications for International status with World Sailing. The inaugural World Championships are likely to be held in 2026.
New Boats!
A container of three new boats is nearly ready to leave the Mackay factory in New Zealand and will arrive in Brisbane around mid-June. All boats have been sold to Brisbane owners, two of whom are new to the VX One Class. New boats have upgraded specifications in terms of systems for vang, jib sheeting, pole launching, outhaul cleating, UV Clearcoat mast protection and all three have taken up the newly offered factory-supplied EVA Cockpit Flooring optional upgrade.
The VX One
The VX One is a modern and light one-design sports boat that has great form stability instead of a deep heavy keel. It accelerates quickly and sails at wind speed downwind with speeds reaching up to 24 knots. The flat stern sections and chines make it easy to control. The layout of the VX One is clean and simple, the rig infinately adjustable but set in place for each race. The self-tacking jib and single line to launch and douse the spinnaker makes it easy to control for a crew of 2 or 3 in all conditions. This overall simplicity and "ease of use" allows sailors to focus on sailing the boat, on the competition, on the race, and not on minor tweaks that distract and may inevitably have minimal impact.
With a fast growing fleet in Australia, 50 plus boats sailing and 12 imported in the last year alone, there are no signs of this growth slowing down. A strict one design but "open" class mentality makes for a short learning curve, great open dock talk and fierce on water competition. This is definately a class to get in on!
The VX One is a class for the future, exciting, affordable and very competitive. A class for the sailors and it's gaining traction with sailors at levels.
What's not to love? Time to get on board.