The Yacht
Whistler is an Andy Dovell designed racing yacht from the office of the well known Australian Naval Architects Murray Burns Dovell. Andy has a Masters Graduate of Naval Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and has been an acknowledged worldwide leader in technical yacht design for the past 15 years. Over these years his skills have been honed with his involvement in 5 America’s Cups: serving as Designer of Record for the last 3 challengers. (Ref: Murray Burns Dovell)
Whistler was designed in 1994 as a predecessor to the popular Sydney 38 class yacht. Her dimensions are 11meters (36 foot) overall length, 9.46 meters (31 foot) waterline length and 3.49 meters (11.5 foot) beam. She draws 2.31 meters (7 foot 8 inches) and displaces 4033 kilograms.
She is rigged as a Bermudian sloop with a 7/8 rig, and runs non overlapping jibs and masthead spinnakers. She is a composite consrtuction and fitted with a fin keel with a lead bulb and has tiller steering. She is normally sailed with a crew of 8 or 9.
Whistler was built in an apple shed as Castle Forbes Bay in the picturesque Huon Valley south of Hobart and launched in 2000. The hull is of a Kevlar and E-Glass laminate construction over a cedar core with foam laminated deck and interior. It was constructed by boat builder Rod Goode and Sons with the fit out by its owner John Hyslop. Since her launch she has competed offshore in 2 Maria Island races. Winning the 2005 race in the PHS division, 2 Bruny Island Races, coming 3rd on IRC in 2006 and winning the PHS division of the 2006 Sailing South Race Week.
Whilst known as Creative inTension the boat has competed in the Three Peaks Race, Maria Island Race, Bruny Island Race, a further Sailing South Race week and the Crown Series where she finished 2nd overall on IRC.
Creative inTension also had a very successful Sydney to Hobart finishing 47th across the line and 22nd overall as well as coming 6th in her division Creative inTension also collected the following honours, First Tasmanain Yacht on IRC, First Tasmanian Navigator (Jon Rees) on IRC and first Small Yacht 11m and under accross the line.
The crew are now in preparation for the next challange the Tasmanian Offshore Trophy and the Melbourne to Hobart.