Jones / Hart 14

Alex – Team MacAdie is a performance offshore racing yacht originally designed by Don Jones and built by Hart Marine. The Jones/Hart collaboration resulted in a series of strong all‑round offshore racers in the 40‑plus foot range, blending thoughtful naval architecture with robust Australian boatbuilding. Jones, an engineer‑turned‑designer, produced a number of successful race boats built by Mal Hart, many around the 40‑foot mark that have performed competitively in a variety of offshore and ocean racing conditions.

Launched in 1993 as Cadibarra VII, the hull now known as Alex has a long competitive history. The design is characterised by a powerful hull shape capable of maintaining speed across a wide range of conditions, alongside a relatively stiff structure suited to blue‑water racing. In 2000, the yacht underwent significant modifications including a bow extension and other refinements, and was relaunched under the name Kontrol by a later owner.

Among Alex’s most notable achievements is its line honours win in the 5,500‑nautical‑mile Melbourne–Osaka Double‑Handed Race (2007), sailed by Jock and Hamish MacAdie. In that campaign the yacht completed the long offshore course in a time of 32 days, 18 hours, 12 minutes and 2 seconds, overcoming gear failures and varied conditions along the way.

Jones‑designed yachts like Alex and others in the same generation reflect a focus on competitive performance, seaworthiness and adaptability, attributes that have kept them active in club, offshore and international racing events over many years.