Glamorous Galah is a US made 2005 Berret-Racoupeau designed Beneteau 393 sloop, owned by Bernie O’Hanlon and Ted Bainbridge from the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne, Australia.
She has a fully battened main with three reefing points and a self-furling jib. On the World ARC Rally we will carry a spare main and jib, asymmetrical and symmetrical spinnakers.
Powered with a 56hp Yanmar diesel, we have fitted an Aussie made Seahawk Autostream self-feathering propeller. Instruments are Raymarine. She carries 150 litres of fuel and 500 litres of fresh water. Her fin keel draws 1.9m with a beam of 3.96m and LOA 11.94m. She has three cabins entering on to the main saloon with navigation station to port and galley to starboard. She carries four surfboards, a 3m RIB and 9.9hp 4 stroke Yamaha. Check out Mark Jensen’s website http://ourlifeatsea.com/ to see a Beneteau 393 sister ship in action.
Glamorous Galah will have a crew of three; skipper Ted Bainbridge, co-owner Bernie O’Hanlon and crewman David Whiteley.
“David and I are heading to the British Virgin Islands in October, where GG is currently berthed, to fit some extra gear then sail ‘down island’ to St Lucia where we will pick up Bernie ready for the start of the World ARC,” says Bainbridge, “We intend fitting a radar arch to her stern, for solar panels and a wind generator. Bernie and I decided the World ARC Rally would be an excellent way to sail her back to Australia. The three of us are looking forward to meeting the crews from the many nations represented. We are also looking forward to surfing on faraway atolls!”
Bernie O’Hanlon, 49, owns Confix Pty Ltd which specialises in the refurbishment of concrete facades mainly on buildings of historical significance. He is married to Lesley with three boys; Nathan 20, Jarrod 17 and Ryan 15. A keen sailor since childhood, O’Hanlon learnt his skills at the Black Rock Yacht Club, south of Melbourne. He won numerous state yachting titles and a national title in the 125 class before giving it away to go surfing.
An offer to crew on a friend’s Seaway 25 off Phillip Island renewed his interest in sailing. Along with friend Darren Hart, he purchased a wooden Couta boat and started to sail competitively again off Sorrento. Eventually they built ‘Mystify’, a classic 26ft traditional gaff rigged fishing boat. O’Hanlon has skippered her to many wins with a crew of 4 to 6. For more information see www.sscbc.com.au.
O’Hanlon has his coxwain’s ticket. He was in charge of watch and assistant engineer on the S.Y. Manureva from Singapore to the island of Sumba in Indonesia and back to Bali, a period of 8 weeks in 2008, and has cruised the BVI aboard Glamorous Galah.
Dave Whiteley, 60, has recently retired from his deputy principle position at Pinjarra Primary School in the south west of Western Australia. He has two adult daughters, Maya and Jade, and lives with his partner Barbara south of Perth near Mandurah. A keen surfer, he is also passionate about competing in triathalon events. He was an Australian team member for the 2009 World Long Course Championships. He ran the 2010 Ironman in 11hr 10min, which combines a 4km swim, a 180km bike ride and a 42km run. Whiteley owned and raced a Spencer 28 ft yacht while living in Albany and was a member of the Princess Royal Sailing Club. He has sailed around the south west tip of Australia from Albany to Bunbury. He crewed on Windward Spirit, an Adams 40, across the Great Australian Bight to Portland, a distance of 1715nm. He crewed in the National Red Witch Championships on the winning boat in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Ted Bainbridge, 58, is co-owner of the Peninsula Surf Centre stores which he opened in 1974. He and wife Jane have three adult children, daughters Asha and Jessie and son Thomas. A member of numerous state surfing teams, he won gold in the 50 – 60 longboard division of the 2009 Australian Masters Games. He enjoys bowman duties on ‘Mystify’ where he met Bernie O’Hanlon. He was introduced to David Whiteley when they crewed on the COCAT surfing trip aboard the Atlantic 61 Iruvai, from Phuket, Thailand to the Andaman Islands and back; a distance of over 1000nm. Bainbridge has also sailed the Dodacanese in Greece on a 43ft Jenneau, cruised the BVI aboard Glamorous Galah and skippered his Farr 6000 to victory in the 1987 Victorian Championships. He is a member of Rye Yacht Club.
glamorous, glamourous adj
1. possessing glamour; alluring and fascinating 2. beautiful and smart, esp in a showy way
ga·lah n.
1. An Australian cockatoo (Cacatua roseicapilla) having pale blue-gray plumage and a pink breast.
2. Australian A fool; an idiot.
[Yuwaalaraay (Aboriginal language of southeast Australia) gilaa.]
* Former owners Norma and Wally Rees are avid bird-watchers, the glamorous part was for Norma and the galah part was for Wally, who is a wonderful wordsmith!