Sunday was the first of the OTB Club Championship Series with an interesting weather forecast. Several keen sailors turned up early to rig well before the rain hit! And yes, it rained! There was a lot of discussion on shore between the race committee and the keen sailors regarding the thunderstorm warnings and possible impact. Greg was optimistic and told them the storms will clear by 2.30pm and all will be good. He was right! 10 boats hit the water at 1.30pm in search of some good racing. It was particularly good to see the Nacra 5.8 hit the water with David Padfield and his son for their first race, well done.

Setting the course proved very difficult as the wind was swinging 90 degrees often! The duty crew were very busy. Race started at about 2.30pm and off we went. Nick and Finn in the 420 were super keen and got called back to restart. Di Jackson in her first Sabre race was gliding through the water in the light wind, and she took the Sabre honours. Ewan with the tallest mast made the wise decision to return to shore when  the thunder rumbled. The overall fleet YS results had Nick and Finn pip Greg and James by 1 second (that will teach Greg to read the course diagrams!) followed by Duncan in his Impulse. Not long after reaching the beach the thunderstorms and heavy rain hit. Thanks to all the volunteers on the rescue boats that would have got wet in the pack up.

Weather is looking promising this Sunday, see you all there.  

Let’s talk about Sunday first. The pews must have been full as only five boats ventured out onto the waters of Dromana Bay. These were Vincitore, the two Sydney 32s, Summer Breeze and Ninjo. Course 20, giving us YP, SB1, SB2, YP and home. The wind was supposed to be a northerly but wasn’t - until later when it backed from east to north and gave all except Vincitore (who was already home) a beat into a lightish breeze and wet, cold, bitingly unpleasant rain. But that’s what we do for fun. Vincitore had managed to do the impossible, as usual, flying that kite so shy they managed to start with it and fly it all the way to SB2 (I think – they were so far ahead poor little Ninjo could hardly see them). They will be rewarded with Tower Duty this Sunday for Race 1 of the Margaret Hollamby. Thanks to Till and Mel of the 11:11 crew in the Tower.

So to Friday. Weather pleasant. Wind sou-sou-westerly and 10ish knots. Course 14, giving a wonderful beat from R1 to SB1. Nineteen boats on the water and excellent work by Bombay Sapphire helping Lynlee Coutts in the Tower. It was one of those races where the course is laid out before you like a moving carpet. After rounding R1 some went left, some right. Boats spread out laterally until they converged at SB1. We loved it.

You may have noticed that Fiona and Nick Jones showed off their Sydney 32 in both races over the weekend. Second, then second, then second AMS. Boat of the Week.

 

So we await the first of the three-race Margaret Hollamby Series. I think the consensus is that a yacht doesn’t have to have the same female on the helm each time, giving more women a chance to compete. Meanwhile the rest of the fleet will be given a Fun Friday Pursuit race run in parallel for boats that do not field a female helm so that they can sail too. I see potential for a busy time in the Tower running two races simultaneously. Good luck Amanda and Vincitore.

1st	Fransiska	Peter Morrison
2nd	Perception	Fiona Jones
3rd	LeTardis	Warwick Pearson

 

1st	Vincitore	Peter Russell
2nd	Perception	Fiona Jones
3rd	Empara	Peter Jones

 

 

Sunday Summer Series ORCc – Race 1

 

Full weekend results available HERE

Many thanks to Dianne Jackson for manning the tower on Friday twilight, and Amanda Malin (RO) and LeTardis on Sunday.

If you would like to participate in the Female Helm Series, get your entry in ASAP and please make sure that the name of your female helm is specified in your SailSys Entry.

If you would still like to sail on Friday evening but do not have a female helm there is also a Fun Pursuit Race being held at the same time.  Please get your entry in now if you are planning to sail. NO ENTRY / NO START TIME!!   

To enter CLICK HERE 

 

 

MOB Drills MUST be completed by the 31st of October, and time is running out for those that have not completed the drill.  The online MOB declaration form is available HERE 

If you haven’t popped your head into the training room lately, you’ll notice a few new additions! Members can now enjoy access to a fridge and complimentary tea and coffee-making facilities. In the coming weeks, a split system air conditioner will also be installed to make the space more comfortable for members, guests, and potential clients renting the room.

Please remember to leave the room as you found it and maintain food hygiene practices when storing or leaving food in the fridge.

This year’s Melbourne to Devonport race starts from Queenscliff on Friday the 31st of October at 14:30H.  We have two yachts representing the club being Steve Twentyman & the crew from Shimmer and Andrew McGrath and his crew on Unprecedented.  We wish them a safe and speedy passage.  If you want to follow their progress Click Here for the race tracker.

Join us for this popular trio of short sprints out Port Phillip Heads and home in time for dinner. Designed as short-distance ocean sprints to provide a crew development pathway for longer ocean races, and as a stand-alone coastal racing program, each Coastal Sprint race is 15-35 NM. 

Click here for race information. Entries close on Wednesday 19 November for Race 2.

 

 

Confidently support your skipper and other crew members by gaining a deeper understanding of safety and survival. Slots are quickly filling up, so reserve your place for the Full Course or the Refresher Course today.

 

The Lipton Cup is Northern Port Phillip's premier regatta, bringing together a wide range of classes for a weekend of competitive sailing and fantastic onshore camaraderie. With its rich history, inclusive race program, and vibrant social atmosphere, the Lipton Cup is designed to be both a serious sailing challenge and a great inter-club weekend.

What’s on over the weekend:

• An invitational twilight race to launch the regatta on Friday evening.
• Two full days of racing for keelboats, off-the-beach classes and classic yachts.
• Mixed fleet Performance Racing in multiple divisions, as well as Passage Racing for our Cruising and Classics fleet.
• A combined fleet passage race on Sunday, culminating in a formal presentation ceremony at RYCV to close out the Regatta.

Beyond the highly competitive racing program, participants can enjoy live music, delicious food and drink offerings, and the welcoming hospitality RYCV is known for.

Visiting competitors will be provided with free berthing from the previous weekend if necessary, making it easy to relax and take in the full regatta experience. Please advise your competitors to contact the office to book their berth as soon as possible.

The Notice of Race is published, and entries are still open to all.

You can find the latest updates at www.liptoncup.com.au

The Dromana Branch will be temporarily closed for refurbishment on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 1 PM and will reopen on Monday, December 8, 2025, at 9:30 AM. We invite you to join us for a street party on Monday, the 8th, starting at 8:15 AM, featuring a sausage sizzle, cake, balloons, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the chance to explore the beautiful new Dromana Branch. Karen and her team apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time but look forward to welcoming you back to the new branch.

During the closure, for all your banking needs, you can visit Renae and her team at the Rosebud Branch, located at 1087 Point Nepean Road, Rosebud, or Vannessa and her team at the Rye Branch, located at 2271 Point Nepean Road, Dromana.

Stay tuned to our social media platforms for updates on the renovation and the reopening party!

 

Please find this table below as a general reference for the committee structure.

If there is no email address against a member's name, please forward your enquiry to our secretary Veronica Psaila This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.