Melbourne Latitude Series (MLS)

This one goes to eleven!

How could one not use the classic Spinal Tap line?! That's right. One could not. It's simply that good a line.

Moving on then, we have eleven starters in the MLS this weekend. They are as wide and varied in there reasons for partaking, as the types of vessels they are brining. Ultimately, that is exactly what the MLS is all about - training and preparing for bigger adventures.

Boats like BBB (aka Gusto) are going out to find out more about the boat and their sail inventory, even though they did use everything that was onboard when they took Line Honours in the recent M2S. They're booked in for the mighty Westcoaster at Christmas and must be praying for strong winds from the West to Nor'west to speed them on their way and have a cracking go at Shortwave's über-impressive record (in 2008, the Judel-Vrolijk penned TP52 took an impressive five and a half hours off the old record and set 1:17:28:59 in the process). Alas, BBB's one boat that could do it!

Steve Campbell supervises the re-launch and velow, Addiction came home in the 2010 M2S under trisail.

There's also the RMYS Inglis pair of Beyond Outrageous and the newly back in the drink after her significant re-fit at Steve Campbell's Composites Constructions, Addiction. Addiction will be skippered by Janina Goethel, who heads the Organising Committee of the Australian Womens Keelboat Regatta. Deja Vu are slated for this year's new M2L Cruising Rally and Chikara Outlaw, who have been great ORCV competitors, are booked in for an Eastcoaster this Christmas. Deliverance is an S&S 30 and we've seen her doing some of the preparatory races just recently on Port Phillip. We had Avanale head out the Heads last year and she's the same sort of vessel and was the smallest by a whole foot, from our original HCOTW and current, Most Sporting Crew On The Water, the wonderful, Godzilla.

Two boats who are no strangers to these pages are Ninety Seven and Yoko. Ninety Seven are doing the M2L Racing Division this year and a chance at the record. They're heading out as they have some fairly new crew and using it all as a bit of shakedown before the Xmas fun. As for Robin and Yoko, well I have simply no idea how many sailors Robin, the crew and Yoko have helped go and stick their nose out in it, over the years. It must be in the hundreds. 29 consecutive Westcoasters for them this year - and that's well and truly another record and quite likely, one that will never be broken.

Note to self - Titling at Windmills is back from a global voyage of some number of years - must ask Thorry Gunnersen for some details....

So there you have it. The MLS goes to 11. As for the big weather thingy - well, we'll just see what the Brass turns up on that matter soon.

So kick back and turn up the amp to 11 - for that final kick to move the crowd along...

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

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