December 2006 ~ Of the 83 yachts already entered for the 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart race, there is one yacht whose campaign is, literally, being planned with military precision. Major Charles Roberts is heading up a crew of army personnel to compete on Adventure, a Challenge 67 which is circumnavigating the world as part of a British Army Sailing expedition called Exercise Mercury Challenge.
Adventure may be sailing with crew who have never competed in the gruelling Rolex may be sailing with crew who have never competed in the gruelling Rolex Sydney to Hobart race before, but they are all keen amateur sailors and have been picked for their previous sailing experience which includes the 2005 Fastnet Race, as well as extensive inshore and round the cans racing in the UK.
The crew will also be helped by the technology carried on board as Adventure has been kitted out with the latest high tech marine electronics from Raymarine. A key item is the RayTech RNS V6 navigation software which is linked to the E Series multifunction displays via a wireless router. This enables the crew to download GRIB weather files, with threeday forecasts enabling optimum route and course planning.
With an anticipated 33,000 mile 10-leg circumnavigation planned, Adventure has already completed the legs to Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town and Perth, and is now en route from Perth to Sydney. With over 100 different military personnel taking part in Exercise Mercury Challenge, it is vital that the electronics and navigation equipment on board are easy to operate and understand.
Adventure is fitted out with Raymarine’s ST290 instruments and E Series multifunction networked displays, which have proved to be easy to use by all the crew, and are intuitive to operate.
Major Charlie Roberts says: “The E Series and ST290 are used all the time by the crew and are intuitive to use with little or no formal instruction required. Having a fully integrated system allows the E Series to be configured in almost any way to suit the requirements of the user, allowing them to choose graphical information alongside numerical information. When coupled with the Platinum Charts from Navionics, giving high-resolution charts and object information, such as photos, tidal curves and 3D graphics of an area, it makes lowlevel navigation extremely easy. It has replaced a multitude of reference publications that
were previously required to make an entrance to an unfamiliar port. “
Now with their sights set firmly on performing to the best of their abilities in the highly competitive Rolex Sydney to Hobart race, Major Charlie Roberts is confident in his boat, crew and the technology on board. “Adventure will be well suited to the kind of offshore sailing that this race can provide. She handles heavy weather well which could be an advantage in this event. Each member of the crew has been picked for his or her abilities and all are keen to do well in the race. The Raymarine technology provides me with all the
information I need, in particular the RNS V6 route planning software, and the ability to interface AIS into the E Series, which is great, and reduces the margin for error when in areas of high shipping.”
Adventure is due to arrive in Sydney on 8 December. Major Charlie Roberts will skipper her in the race, and the first mate is Sgt Windy Gale who will skipper the majority of her next 6 months, completing her circumnavigation. After completing the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, Adventure will commence leg 6 from Hobart to Wellington. On this leg she will be navigated and led by Lt Col Richard Quinlan one of the two Project Directors who will be joined by Col John Ewbank, the second Project Director. Now we know why Leg 6 is known as the Directors’ Leg!
For further information contact Chloe Bartle, Raymarine UK Marketing Co-ordinator, Tel +44 (0)23 9269 3611 Ext. 1395 or chloe.bartle@raymarine.com or Alice Driscoll at ADPR, Tel +44 (0)1935 826451 or Fax +44 (0)1935 826551 or by email at alice.driscoll@adpr.co.uk.
This text can be downloaded from www.adpr.co.uk.
December 2006 (RM392)
