Skiff sailor to cant his keel

Ian Grant takes a look at one entry in this years Hog's Breath Race Week

Peter Sorenson the former World 18ft skiff champion will shake the dust from his wet suit to sail in the fast lane at the 2005 International Hog’s Breath Race Week starting over the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses off Airlie Beach this Friday.

Sorenson has accepted a crew role to sail in the revolutionary new canting keel sports boat Margaret L designed and built by long term sailing friend Howard Lambourne of Brisbane.

The crafty Sorenson has had a crash course on what to expect after he successfully raced Lambourne’s former record breaking sports boat Skreencraft in the BMW Winter series on Sydney Harbour. He knows that the ride will be fast and very wet which is the reason why he has packed his race weary wet suit.

However while there will be plenty of speed generated spray splashing into the cockpit it will be warm eliminating the shiver factor and allowing Sorenson to enjoy the thrills associated with racing at Australia’s tropical shirt regatta.

Margaret L is favoured to win the line honours in the Sports boat class which has attracted a high performance fleet representing clubs from Australia and New Zealand.

Her design developed from original drawings by Bob Miller who changed the history of The Americas Cup as Ben Lexcen has the proven pedigree to be a down wind speed sailing machine and she will be suited to the moderate south east trade winds that blow through the Whitsunday Islands at this time of the year.

Margaret L is one of several exciting entries in the record 157 yacht fleet competing for the prestigious Boss Hog Trophy.