Now is the time to nominate your choice for Club Person of the Year and Junior Club Person of the Year.

If you've ever considered giving someone the recognition that they deserve around the club, now is the best time to do this. Club Person of the Year is awarded on presentation night and the recipient/s is determined by YOUR votes. There are lots of worthy candidates, and most are very much behind the scenes.

Send your nominations and a short reason why you nominated that member to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

A volunteer is needed to clean the trophy cabinet at the club before presentation night. It can be done anytime before 30th May. Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you can help.

 

The link for booking dinner at presentation night is HERE

 

And just like that, it's over for another summer season. Time certainly flew by this year, and it didn't seem like we actually got a lot of sailing done, due in part to the crappy weather. But, I've just gone through the program, and out of a possible 26 sailing days, we only missed out on 8. So that's 18 days of fun on the water at SBSC alone, and if you chuck in any titles that you did, or Lake Boga, that's not too bad. 

 

It seems like we saved the best for last as well. With the wind blowing pretty hard from the North last Sunday, it looked for a while like it might have been 9 days missed. RO Ross M sent the Keelboats off with an on water start North of the mussel farm and I'm pretty sure you are not supposed to see that much keelboat bottom unless you are redoing the anti-foul, those dudes were really heeled over! When Ross radioed in to put up the AP, more than one OTBer started rolling up their sails for the winter. Oh Ye of little faith, this was Ross out on the Start boat, if any one could get us a race, it would be Him. So, with a crack team in the RHIBs, a course was set that kept us away from the cliff eddies and the flying keelboats, so it was time to put up or shut up. With a bit of cajoling, we managed to get 10 yachts on the water including Ewan C in his A Class, gutsy effort there. 

 

Considering it was a strong Northerly (28 plus at South Channel), the waves on shore weren't as bad as I expected and everyone left the beach unscathed. Once out on the course, the wind didn't even seem that strong. And although the waves were big, really BIG,  they weren't breaking, more like a big roller coaster, with all the fun that goes with it!

   

Normally with a Northerly, it pays to go starboard off the start towards the beach to pick up the lift from those cliff eddies, but this time there seemed to be not much pressure in there and the favoured side was out to sea with the rollers. Katrina M showed us that as she gave Keith B and me a right flogging to the first mark. I catch on quickly (sometimes), so on the second lap I headed out there. Have you ever seen that movie 'The Perfect Storm' ? That part where George Clooney is chugging up a vertical face of water about three times taller than his boat ? That's how I felt (without the great hair), man those waves were big!

 

Around through the finish, nearly cleaned up by Ewan in his A Class going Mach 2 across the line. Didn't catch Katrina but did leave Keith well behind, definitely going out there again!

   

Once everyone had finished, Ross started another sequence pronto and nearly everyone lined up. We lost Tim B due to rudder issues and Ewan bailed as the wind had lifted a notch and discretion won out. The rest of us had a pretty similar ride as the first race, but the wind was definitely stronger, so surfing down those waves was quite a buzz. Zac and Finn went roaring past at one stage with Zac's usual cry of "Crazy!" ringing out. Talking with Greg L afterwards (He was on a RHIB with Fiona M), He said at one point they went over to rescue Katrina as they heard her yelling out, only to find it was screams of delight! Two firsts for her in Div 2, and well deserved. 

 

With Ewan gone, it was up to Rob F to represent the Cats, and he didn't disappoint. He even went on to say, "It was the best day of the season". Duncan M managed to stay mostly upright and Gingerbread Bill M even managed to keep his mast attached to his boat! James A went out with his son Nathan on their 420 and they both had grins from ear to ear.

 

In the end it was such a great day that the only rescue carried out was one of our yellow bouys that had escaped undetected and washed up on the beach outside the Dromana Pub! Someone rang the Club to report an underage bouy trying to order a beer from the bar. Greg called his wife Fiona L, (not his helper for the day Fiona M) who took a drive down to Dromana with her sidekick Zara J to retrieve the bouy before the police were called. Fiona had trouble undoing the valve to let the air out and was seen to be stuffing the fat bouy into her car. With this being unsuccessful, Fiona had to "hulk" the valve to undo it and finally deflate the bouy.

 

Back to the beach, wash down, pack up and a free sausage sizzle compliments of Dave Snooks and Co. The Keelboats were finished, so a large crowd was on the deck enjoying the sunshine with everybody comparing tales of derring do, what a way to round out the season!

 

A big thanks to Ross and of course Super D on the Start boat giving Nick M the lowdown on how to set up and run a race. Thanks again to Greg L and Fiona M in the Blue RHIB as well as Coast Guard Julian N with Muzza McN in Woodsy. Apparently Muzza was having so much fun out there that at one stage he was sitting on the bow dangling his feet in while lowing through the waves!

 

As well as the people on the water this week, I want to thank all the willing helpers that put up their hands, sometimes at short notice. We had a lot of non sailing RHIB crew this season and the general vibe I got from them is that they will be back for more. Brilliant!

 

A special mention to Simon Haslet, who fronts up every second week, driving down from the city, to go out on a RHIB just because he loves being around the Club and the members. And an extra special mention to the One and Only Geoff Eldridge. Without him running the races and setting up the sign on sessions, even when he isn't on duty, doing the SI's and NOR's for our races and titles, we would be in a sorry state.

 

Last but not least, put in your nominations for Club Person and Junior Club Person to the Secretary ASAP.

Presentation night is very close, 31st of THIS month.

 

Well, that's definitely enough from me for this season, see you all at Presentation with your wheelbarrow to carry off all your silverware.

 

Cheers, Pete Chippy, OTB Captain

Nine boats started and seven finished the final race of the 2024-25 season, in challenging northerly winds gusting over 30kts.  Thanks to the tower crew of Elaine Nicholas (RO) and Amanda Malin, as well as the OTB start boat and RHIB crews for their race management.

Winter Racing starts on Sunday 18 May and the Program has been published on the website here

Coming up on the ORCV Calendar 

 

The ORCV Beyond The Bay program is a 20-week course designed to give boat owners, crew, and aspiring sailors essential information and practical skills to plan and complete an overnight cruising passage or participate in a race. The program includes on-water training, plus Safety & Sea Survival, Weather, and Navigation courses - all at a competitive price of $995 for ORCV members and $1,295 for non-members.  

Reserve your place here: https://www.orcv.org.au/training/beyond-the-bay 

 

The Apollo Bay Race is a Category 3 race starting at Queenscliff and leaving Port Phillip Heads before turning right along the coast to Apollo Bay. It is an ideal race for those new to ocean racing with its shorter length, 52 nautical miles, and proximity to the coast. Early bird registration is open until 3 May 2025. 

Register here: https://www.orcv.org.au/apollo-bay  

 

If you wish to contribute anything to the Enews, please submit your content to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Tuesday 8pm each week to make the deadline. Please note submissions may need to pass through Executive Committee for approval from time to time. Love photography? Submit your Photo Of The Week to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in high res, (and it does not have to be about sailing). Follow us on our socials: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok