What's On In December
Off The Beach News
Howdy gang.
Funny old day on the water Sunday wasn't it? First up, a huge thank you to the great effort from the race team of RO Drew M, Asst RO Deirdre S (as always), rhib drivers and crews Rob Campbell, Simon Haslett, Steve Daniels and Ciaran Snooks. Also on board Start this week was new member, Bruce Mansfield (no, not that one!). Bruce came to us after 30 or so years of sailing and race management at Williamstown Yacht Club, where he is a Life Member and has many years of experience in course laying. He has expressed an interest in becoming a permanent member of the race crew, so please introduce yourselves to him and give him the ol' Safety Beach welcome.
Back to the day's racing. It was great to see a goodly number of boats on the water (23). Everyone had come out to enjoy the first decent bit of hot weather and say hello to our jet skiing friends, bless their noisy little hearts! After an early start to try and get an extra race in after missing out on the first day of the Club Championship, Drew needed to set the course a looong way out to accommodate an on water start for the Keelboats (it's not all about us ya know). As the club house disappeared over the horizon, I thought, "I'm not going to make the start here", but as usually happens when I don't have time to think and therefor bugger it up, I had my best start of the season! Pity I couldn't follow it up for the rest of the race.
Others fared much better, there was enough breeze to get the A class guys foiling and the bods in the 420s showed their speed to the Sabre team. Speaking of teams,Team Pink, in our VERY bright new rash vests compliments of Glenn L and his association with the Hawaiian World Championships, meant there was no chance of getting lost at sea. I think even Bruce's friends at Williamstown could see us!
After a very long first race, due to the long upwind leg for the keelboats, race two was shortened considerably and we all got around in enough time to line up for race three. The wind had held steady at 315 degrees with 5 to 8 knots all day and there was no need to alter the course so off we went again, except for those few ( smart ?) ones who had had enough fun for the day. Well, you can guess the outcome of course. As we all got as far out to sea as we possibly could, the breeze dropped to absolute zero as often happens on a hot day. And although the various Apps showed 17 knots at South Channel and Frankston, it simply refused to give us even the slightest puff in our corner. In the end we had to suffer the ultimate humiliation of a very long tow home. A couple of Tasars and 420s even had to endure the final shame of accepting a tow from some passing Life guards- on jet skis of all things!
All in all, two races is better than one and one race is better than none and a day on the water is better than one off the water, so we'll all be back next week. It was great to see Natasha Martin back on the water after the birth of her and Mike's daughter and I'm sure Ross will find a way to fit a baby seat in the back of their Tasar!
Ok, that's way too much waffling on for one week. See you all this Sunday back at our regular time of 13.57 first warning (2.00 PM start)
Cheers, Pete Chippy
Try Sailing
Another great turnout for Safety Beach Try Sailing, we had around 10 kids and 1 adult. Great weather allowed some of our sailors to have a bit of fun capsizing and all smiles indicated that they enjoyed their time. Once again we had an amazing time with the kids in a Quest, Tera's and the RHIB all going at insanely fast speeds. Can’t wait to see you all next week!
This Sunday's session will be the last one for a while as we take some time for Christmas events. But please keep in touch with us if you are planning on coming to the club, and we might be able to throw you in a boat for some summer holidays fun. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jess, Abbey, and Nick.
Jess, Abbey, and Nick.
Keelboat News
Results:
Friday Twilight Pursuit (Race 9)
| 1st | Friday Harbour | Kon Cili |
| 2nd | 11.11 | Tim Braukmann |
| 3rd | Liberty | Mark Watson |
Sunday Summer Series (Race 4)
| 1st PHD | Marrakesh | Neil Hawker |
| 1st AMS | Anthea | John Wemyss |
| 1st ORC | Anthea | John Wemyss |
Division 2:
| 1st PHD | Fransiska | Peter Morrison |
| 1st AMS | E'toile | John Gordon |
See full results here for the weekend.
Thanks to everyone who helped out over the weekend – Sunday: the start boat crew, Amanda Malin and Graeme Ainslie in tower. Friday night: we had our stalwarts in the tower (Amanda, Judy and Elaine) who are always there to set up, be race officer, process results – or all three! And thanks to duty boat Amazing Grace and a new member to the club, Bruce Mansfield who also assisted in a busy tower that night.
This Week’s Races:
Friday 2 December – Twilight Pursuit (Race 10) & Margaret Hollamby Female Helm (Race 2)
| First Warning Signal: | 17.25H Pursuit Start | |
| Tower: | Race Officer: | Mark Bulka |
| Duty Boat: | Balance |
Please check your Friday Pursuit Time
The female helm series is held in conjunction with our normal Friday Pursuit Race, so all yachts are welcome to sail on Friday night – with or without a female helm. The rules are:
- When signing on for the race with the tower on VHF 69, please advise that the yacht will be entering the Female Helm Series, and provide the name of the nominated female helm.
- Helming is not restricted to one female during the race.
- If not a member of SBSC, we ask that they register for a Sail Pass at no charge. Sail Passes are available HERE
- Have fun!
Sunday 4 December – Club Championship #4
| First Warning Signal: | 09:55H Combined Tower Start | |
| Tower: | Race Officer: | Ross Churcher |
| Tower Assistant: | Adagio |
Get your crew together and head back to the club for dinner Friday night (book a table with David on 0439314179 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and after Sunday’s race for Tapas and Drinks.
MYC Navigators Trophy
Saturday 10 December - 9.00am start
SBSC boats are welcome to join in the MYC Navigators Trophy Race on Saturday 10 December starting from MYC at 9.00am. If you are interested in joining this race, please check the MYC website for Sailing Instructions (and Special Sailing Instructions uploaded closer to the race).
ORCV News
Ocean Sailing Events
This year the Cock of the Bay race will run from Port Melbourne and will finish at Mornington. With already 70 entries into the race, we do expect this year to be a big fleet with interstate crews joining the race before they head off on the 50th Melbourne to Hobart the next day. Please note, entries close on December 16th. The shorter distance will allow those not entered in the Hobart race or joining the Petersville regatta to enjoy a great day out on the water to work off those excesses of Christmas and allow time to sail home or to another location (other than BYS) in time for sunset drinks.
ORCV Rip Tour of Port Phillip Heads
“The Rip” is the narrow entrance to Port Phillip, where underwater reefs limit the navigable entrance to just 0.6nm and provides a restricted tidal flow between the ocean and Port Phillip, where over 4,000 commercial vessels transit annually.
Once a year, the ORCV runs an on-water tour from a large ferry looking at the navigation aids, tides, how to and which channels to use, radio protocols etc for a safe transit of the heads.
The tour runs inside the bay but travels around the head's region, and offers not only an educational experience but a great day on the water. A great Christmas gift, learn more and book here Book your Rip Tour here.
Media Release
Last weekend's race and qualifier for the Melbourne to Hobart 6th December 2022
Ginan’s perfect start to a Summer of Offshore Racing.
It was a clean sweep for co-skippers Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie on their J111 yacht ‘Ginan’ in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint 2, where thirty yachts enjoyed what could only be described as a perfect summer’s day of sailing in Bass Strait.
“The race was good preparation for us all in the lead up to Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster” said McKenzie “allowing us to get into the swing of things, hunting down the bigger leading boats, as we worked hard on sail trim and sailing tactically to the boat polars.”
“We’d noticed pre-race, that the pin end showed effects of an adverse current, with the tide through the heads still running strongly,” said McKenzie. “Our decision to start closer to the shore and shallows and out of the current gave us a lead over the fleet who stuck to the middle of the channel, as we edged ahead of Walton’s, Reichel Pugh 46 ‘Hartbreaker’ to clear Port Phillip Heads first.”
“The conditions were ideal for the J111, for its ratio of sail to wetted surface area.” McKenzie went on “Soon as we were clear of the heads, we moved to the A1.5 which is great for sub 10 knots and hardened up to the turning mark swapping only to the code zero when the breeze started to move just prior to the mark.”
“We’ve got some great experience onboard Ginan today” said McKenzie “with five of the seven crew sailing together in the 1999 Westcoaster race on Cadibarra 7. A great race and tactics and introduction for my nineteen-year-old son Will to see, for his first offshore race.”
“A little surprised to claim third on AMS and 2nd on ORC” explained Mark Welsh skipper of the Beneteau First 40, ‘Wicked’. “Wicked is quite heavy and normally isn’t suited for light wind, reaching conditions.” “The winds were as predicted, moving from N to NE and finally SE as we changed between spinnaker, code zero and finally to the jib. We were lucky to reach the turning mark just prior to the winds changing to the SE and building to 15 knots, with our symmetrical spinnaker it was then one gybe as we pushed the angle right to the finishing gate.”
“The well-behaved Bass Strait, gave us that run to ensure everything worked,” said Mark, “as we prepare for the upcoming Westcoaster”.
The results are just “icing on the cake” commented Alex Toomey, skipper of the Sayers 12 ‘Ryujin’ still buzzing after a great race where they pushed hard all day soaking up the joy of just being back on the ocean again and claiming 2nd on AMS.
Most of the fleet using this last race to fine-tune or complete their qualifying passage. They now set their sights on the 50th Melbourne to Hobart ‘Westcoaster’ which starts midday on December 27th.
Top 3 Results being:
AMS 1st Ginan (M111), 2nd Ryujin (1570), 3rd Wicked (SM4)
ORC 1st Ginan, 2nd Wicked, 3rd Alien (R880)
PHS 1st Ryujin, 2nd Ginan, 3rd Hartbreaker (B330)
DH: 1st Xenia (SM1250)
Line Honours Extasea (G10007)
For all the results https://www.orcv.org.au/results/2022-23/
Spinnakers filled as the fleet race through the heads.
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