HIGHWAY PATROL - BOAT HISTORY

Design

Dubois 1/2 ton

Sail No

Sm 773

Current Owner Name(s)
Designer

Ed Dubois

Build Year

1983

Draft
Construction

Fibreglass with a divinisal block foam core

LOA

9.44m (31')

Beam
Builder

Unknown

Displacement
Current Club

CYCA

Other Past Boat Names and/or Owners
1983 — 1986

Highway Patrol

Club: RPAYC
Owner: Jamie & Andy MacPhail
1986 — 1990

Highway Patrol

Club: SYC
Owner: Mike Welsh
Unknown — 2009

Highway Patrol

Club: Lake MacQuarie
Owner: Unknown
2019 — Present

Highway Patrol

Club: CYCA
Owner: Michael Blaxell
Notable Race Events
Year
Event
Division
Result
1988-89
SYC Club Champion
VYC-1
1st
1989-90
SYC Club Champion
IOR-1;VYC-1
1st
OTHER HISTORY
1986

After owning his previous Dubois 1/2tonner Madmans Woodward, Mike Welsh upgraded to the newer design Highway Patrol that was performing successfully in Sydney.

1988

Taken at the start of a ORCV Cock-of-the-Bay, a photo of Highway Patrol made news when it was knocked down in front of the media boat. Unable to drop the spinnaker, crewman Mark Welsh free-climbed the mast to release the shackle and safely descended. The photo made the front pages of The Age and Herald Sun, along with the video footage making the nightly news.

198?

In a Melbourne-Devonport race in the late 1980's, Mike recalls breaking a stay on the mast when half way across Bass Strait. The crew quickly dropped the sails, jury-rigged a temporary stay and continued on to finish the race. The crew flew back to Melbourne and a replacement stay was manufactured, flown to Devonport and the boat safely returned to SYC.

Image Gallery