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.

David is putting on a complimentary sausage sizzle for both Keelboaters and OTB'ers after racing this Sunday, 1.00pm onwards to celebrate the end of the racing season. The forecast is Sunny 23deg so it's a great chance to come together on the deck for a drink and enjoy the last of this amazing weather!!

Thank you to those who registered for the Rules Trivia Night. Unfortunately the number of people registered has not made it viable to run the event at this time so it has been postponed until a suitable time at the start of the summer season.

Sailing Committee

 

Howdy Gang.

Well, here we are nearly at the end of another season! I can't believe how fast they go. It seems like only last week we were complaining about how bad the weather was for opening day, and now here we are complaining about how it gets dark so early. What a pack of whingers! Honestly though, it has been a challenging season weather wise this year, from blowouts one week to dead calm the next. The older members have commented that they have not seen a year like it. You could say "unprecedented", if that word hadn't been done to death.

 

All that said, we have had some good days on the water, and last Sunday was definitely one of them. The prediction of sun and 10 to 15 knots offshore held true and it couldn't have been better for the last round of the Community Bank Southern Peninsula Club Championship. The day started with the juniors having a great day in the boats as a catch up lesson for some of the days missed due to the afore mentioned weather. They have been a great bunch of kids, and the time and effort put in by the trainers, Nick, James, Fi and all the rest is bound to pay off, with some great little sailors bound to become members. They are back again this week and at this stage, are likely to join in with our race in some limited format. Please make them welcome and give an encouraging word (not "STARBOARD!") as you go past.

 

After the kids packed up, it was on to the main event. Twenty keen and eager sailors were rigged up and ready to go and they weren't disappointed. RO Geoff set a nice close course that ran true to the wind from start to finish. It was the bits in the middle that had everyone guessing, with some radical lifts and knocks that were reminiscent of Lake Boga the week before. I saw some hilarious dunking of people out on trapeze when the wind took a hard left or right. I'm sure the skippers weren't doing it on purpose, but I'll bet it was tempting.

 

Normally with an offshore it's safer to sail towards the beach for the lift, but newbie Joe in a borrowed Sabre headed out to sea on his own for the second lap and went from last to first for the win, except he forgot to cross the finish line! Katrina M let him know( after she finished of course) so he was back to last. Gingerbread Bill M got such a good break and was so far in front that he thought he had started a division early. That's just rubbing the salt in Bill!

 

Race two started without having to change the course at all (a first for Geoff), moments after the last boat crossed the line in race one. A mass start of all divisions except div 4, was a bit chaotic when a knock hit and Huey turned off the fan seconds after the hooter. Pro's that they are though, they soon had it sorted and were all heading towards the beach. The second start, all Sabres, saw me miss the start (surprise,not!)so I decided to head out to sea on port,  only to have that earlier knock change to a lift and point me straight at the top mark. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! It didn't last though and a choice of going out to sea for the stronger breeze or tacking to take advantage of the 'Bill like' break I had gotten proved too much of a challenge for me. As I swapped from port to starboard, and back again, all the while watching James T riding that beach lift all the way to the top mark, I was thinking, "Perhaps I should join in with those juniors and learn a bit".

 

Geoff's plan was to try for three races, hence the two windward/return courses first, but the easing breeze and the time needed to change course, ran us out of time, sigh. So it was back to the beach for all, and one of the easiest days on the water for the RHIB crews, as there was no wing mark and no course changes for the wind, simples.

 

Speaking of the RHIB and Start crews, we had a large and varied selection this week, as I had said I would organise a swap for Greg and James as James and wife Michelle are heading off for 5 months and this would be their last sail. Then it was pointed out that Finn and Zac had already done a couple of duties, so a swap for them too, easy enough. Then Judy C, who was filling in for Super D (she was off on one of her gambling weekends), pulled up sick. Panic stations! But then as usually happens, the members stepped up, with the likes of Linda and Phil Wooley offering to help, Erik M coerced wife Jo out into the blue RHIB (to be known hereafter as 'the loveboat', (see pictures, sorry kids, cover your eyes). Grace L hopped into a RHIB, and Simon, the only original rostered member jumped onto the start boat with Geoff and Linda, phew! Thanks to you all, a great job, especially as a quick boat change was required when Sutherland's steering packed it in after launching. A mention there to Fiona L for her quick thinking to rush round the storage facility and organise the guys to tow the boat around to their dock and load it onto the trailer so Fi could tow it home to get repaired this week. 'A' for effort. 

 

This week, sadly our last for this season, is an early start, 10.27 first warning. Yes folks, it was in the program, and the roster, and it was the same last year. So don't miss out, as the weather is going to be perfect I kid you not!

 

That's about it for this week, just some housekeeping. The advertised 'Rules Trivia Night' has had to be cancelled for now due to lack of response. We will try again next season for that one as it is sorely needed (mainly by me). The other thing is as Presentation night is rapidly approaching, please put your minds to work to come up with your nominations for Club Person and Junior Club Person of Year. There are lots of worthy people so take the time to send a nomination to the secretary.

Cheers for now, Pete Chippy

Sunday 4 May  **Morning Race followed by 1.00pm Club BBQ**

Club Championship Series - Race 11

First Warning Signal:	09.55H Boat Start
Race Officer:	Elaine Nicholas
Tower Set Up / Results	Amanda Malin

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

 

Join us for a fun-filled racing rules trivia night on Saturday 3 May 2025.  Whether you're a seasoned sailor or just starting out, come and enjoy an engaging evening of trivia while delving into sailing rules.  Cost is absolutely free - Plus enjoy light finger food on us!

 

Gather your crew or we'll join you with a team on the night for a lively pub quiz format, presented by the esteemed Rob Ware - 2023 Lifetime Achievement Awardee in Sailing.

 

Don't miss out on the fun and camaraderie.

 

Howdy Gang.

Well, there might not have been any OTB sailing at Safety Beach over the Easter weekend but as most of the fleet made the trek up to Lake Boga, we actually had more SBSC boats on the water than we had for any week at home this season!

   

I made the trip up for the first time in 12 years, with Tim B. We arrived with one boat on the roof, one in the trailer and enough gear to provision a safari to Africa, only to find we weren't even close to having the most stuff! Some of the long time Boga goers really were organised. From getting there super early to secure their rightful spot on the waterfront, with guard dogs and anti aircraft bunkers, down to those set up in the ghettos at the back. There were enough tents, awnings, caravans, solar panels and camp kitchens to rival a major disaster relief site. Bec R and her girls Mika and Jaidah had a tiny tent that was like a Tardis, with three double mattresses, a jacuzzi and a theatre room, amazing!

 

Speaking of major set ups with guard dogs, Mt Martha YC arrived in large numbers to challenge the SBSC superiority ( they did very well with their juniors ). Their guard dog was the off leash variety, with a talent for laying land mines everywhere. One in particular was set right at the bottom of one of our sailor's caravan steps ( name withheld) with the expected result. All it needed was the flaming paper bag. Just saying Mt M, if you're going to do it, do it right!

 

In among all this frivolity there was some actual sailing too. The weather was perfect, (not always the case I'm told) and 132 entries hit the water for the first race on Friday afternoon. The wind was fairly light, around 8 knots but with lots of localised gusts that would send your rival, two boat lengths away, zooming off into the distance and you sitting there scratching your head. I'm told Mono got hit by a willy willy that spun him around twice (or was he just doing a penalty?).

 

The light wind suited some (me, best result, peaked early, should have stopped), not so others, like the two Luke M's, who went out two up on a Cobra Cat with a combined weight over  200 kg. Gingerbread Bill M in his Impulse had some issues as well when he lost his main sheet, but still didn't come last.

 

Back to the beach for some serious partying. Quietest party ever! I was told things really went off at Boga, but it was not the case on Friday. Perhaps it was a religious respect thing, because it was a different story on Saturday night with the SBSC Disco in full swing. With flashing coloured lights, conga lines around the fire, some terrible karaoke, even worse jokes(sorry) and questionable senior dancing(sorry again)- this was more like it! I don't think it was the free wine and cheese tasting put on by the LBYC but it might have helped!

 

Oh yeah, there was some sailing on Saturday too. Much better wind as well, with all of the SBSC boats doing well, except Katrina M, who lost a side stay (again) but made it back to the beach without dropping her mast (again), and the Lukes. They decided the wind was going to be light again and didn't go out in the morning, big mistake. They went out in the afternoon and picked up a third place.

 

Sunday morning arrived shight and briney, with narry a hangover and even stronger wind ( shame on you Glen G). This was going to be Jamieson F's day. He had crossed the line first in every heat so far but had to give up 8 minutes handicap penalty to his arch nemeses (and science teacher) in a Mirror from Mt M. In a clear sign of determination, Jamieson back bottled, then swam under the boat to save time and was up and away in less than 60 seconds. Two firsts for him, take that Mr G! Not so lucky, the Lukes. With the stronger wind and their extra weight, they managed to pull the side stay chain plate clean out of the Cobra and had to paddle all the way home. Did I mention that the cat course was way over the other side of the lake? SBSC was well represented in the Tasar division and they were all looking good with two firsts for Mark and Will B, and Ross and Tash M hanging in there.

 

Bill M and Tim B were fighting it up for third place in the Impulses, while SBSC was dominating the 420's, with our sailors filling the top spots, except first, that went to Will and Stu Rose who won every heat. This was their first time in a 420 and Will was helming under the watchful eye of Dad Stu as he's only 9 (and already 125 State Champion at 8!). Stu and Wife Karen are really good friends of Tim B, so I think we'll claim them too. 

 

All of our kids in the 420s swapped boats and crew so much that they nearly did a full rotation! Sorry to say that of our 3 Sabres, only Fi M was showing any promise of being in the top half, but hey, we were having fun- until Monday!

 

With a quiet night around the fire (more bad jokes) and a dump of rain predicted for 1.30 am, most people packed up what they could and bedded down for the night. The rain came (not too much) and with it some honking wind. After packing up everything except the tents, Tim and I decided that an early getaway was in order( and they could post out our trophies ha ha!). But then the sun came out, the wind eased a bit and like a few of the others, we decided that it would be a good idea to sail, as that would give the tents a chance to dry out.

 

It was a good idea too, until it wasn't! Soon after leaving the beach, the wind increased in strength to at least 70-80 knots with gusts of 120 or more( well that's what it felt like to me). Probably more like 25 with gusts over 30. I couldn't believe how waves could get that big on such a small lake. After a screaming, and I do mean SCREAMING, reach out to the middle, not daring to turn at all, and seeing the underside of boats everywhere, I thought " bugger this" and headed back. Then there was a lull, and I thought "well, I'm already wet", so I turned back again, only for the wind to blow up even more and tip me straight in. Hanging on to the centreboard, feeling the boat going through the water faster than when I'm upright, I was saying my prayers (and a few other things). I heard the start boat hooter and thought that I'd missed the start so headed carefully back to the beach. I've never been so happy to see 'Our Man on the Sand' Jamie F, pulling all the drowned rats back onto shore. Even Gingerbread Bill said he finally had his Impulse "Out of control". Tim B went over at least four times and ended up with his mast stuck in the mud. When the rescue boat arrived, their engine conked out and Tim ended up rescuing them! Multiple SBSC helpers took his trolley and fished him out of the reeds half a km around the shore. And ashamed I am to admit, I was secretly pleased when Ross M said that he went for a swim as well, only to find out that he had jumped in to help another Tasar crew that were in trouble, while Tash sailed their boat around single handed, and then went over to pick him up! 

 

And that hooter? That was the abandon the race signal, as there were way more yachts in trouble than the rescue boats could handle, good move. Half an hour later, that squall had blown through and some people even went out for a last recreational sail- not this little black duck, I was just happy the tent was dry!

 

Off to presentation and SBSC did OK. 

In the 420 States ( held at Boga after the fizzer at SBSC)

That's about a wrap for Boga '25, there was plenty more than what I've put here. Sorry if I've missed out on anything, but basically, if you weren't there-Sucks to be You! See gallery at bottom of newsletter

 

Cheers, Pete Chippy

Mika Robinson, Most improved 420 crew, well done  

Keelboat Members - please use the link above to booking your spot at the Trivia night on Saturday 3 May - we need to get an idea of numbers now so please book!

 

While there's no SBSC racing for the next two (long) weekends, the MYC Hovell Pile Race is on Saturday 26 April - 10.00am start at MYC. Please look up the details on the MYC website HERE if you would like to enter (via Sailsys).

 

Race Report, Club Championship Race #9, 6^th April 2025 (Sorry that I forgot to add this on time Till)

Well, summer seems to have gone. At least on the race course that is. The stronger autumn winds are back, making up for any lack of wind throughout the season. The OTB sailors waived the white flag early and decided to stay on the beach rather than off the beach. For the keelboats (Club Championship Heat #9) it was game on though. Seven boats ventured out into gnarly conditions with a strong westerly gusting into the low thirties. And hang on, what were those two little lasers doing amongst them? Looks like a couple of the OTB sailors could not resist the temptation to set new speed records. Good on them! Back to the keelboats. 15 minutes before the start time the Tower folks did a final check on the wind conditions: 25 knots windspeed were borderline close to abandoning the race. But who wants to spoil a good party? Off to the start line. Ready, set,… oh no, what is 2Extreme doing on course side before the start signal? Well, back you go and try again, Clarky. Close behind, Shimmer is charging full steam ahead, crossing the start line with no second to spare. Call that perfect timing – Americas Cup style. With all boats on their way, Amanda (Tower duty) decided to get us a coffee and she returned 13 minutes later, no boat other than the two laser sailors from the OTB gang were seen. Where had the rest gone? Ah, there they are, flying on the horizon from R1 to SB1. Shimmer, Rawhide and Vamanos setting new speed records whilst surfing down the waves. Shimmer at 17.6 knots – (almost) American Cup style. After half an hour, Shimmer rounds the half-way mark (SB1) heading towards the Pier mark, closely followed by the rest of the fleet. I remember races from this summer when it took me half an hour to get from the start line to the yellow pile, let alone getting to R1 and SB1. And by the time I wrote this paragraph, Shimmer was already approaching the finish line…crossing with line honours in just 1 hour, 1 minute and 6 seconds. Vincitore next, then followed closely by the three Adams10 Rawhide, Vamonos and 2Extreme. Mr Bojangles and Marrakesh completed the rear with all yachts finishing within 12 ½ minutes of each other. Well done to all sailors who were not put off a good sail by a stiff breeze. My highlight though were the big smiles on the faces of skippers and crew when they returned to club after the race – exhausted but exhilarated. That’s what sailing is all about!

Congratulations to the winners of today’s race on Performance Handicap:

Last but not least, a BIG thank you to Amanda for managing the Tower and the race admin (and for the hot coffee). These races would not be possible without our volunteers.

Fair winds to all,

Till 

 

 

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  

 

More photos on the club Facebook page, 

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

 

Join us for a fun-filled racing rules trivia night on Saturday 3 May 2025.  Whether you're a seasoned sailor or just starting out, come and enjoy an engaging evening of trivia while delving into sailing rules.  Cost is absolutely free - Plus enjoy light finger food on us!

 

Gather your crew or we'll join you with a team on the night for a lively pub quiz format, presented by the esteemed Rob Ware - 2023 Lifetime Achievement Awardee in Sailing.

 

Don't miss out on the fun and camaraderie.

 

Howdy gang.

 

Huzzah! We finally got a sail in, and two races to boot! The day dawned bright and shiny with a nice Northerly breeze, so we were all keen to hit the water early. RO Ross M had the task of setting an on-water start for the keelboats and he had the RHIB crews out and about very early, 10.30 to be precise. Ross had Super D on the Start boat with Mika and Ben riding shotgun and learning a bit about setting up the race and running up the flags. In the RHIBs, the two Lukes, M & M, dropped the top and wing marks while Campbell M and first time helper from the Coast Guard, Nadine Huels, laid the leeward, pin and finish marks. 

 

Right on time we were away and the smart money was on the port tack to the cliffs. The wind coming over the hill gave a definite lift once you got into the top third of the leg. It was really nice to get some decent reaches in for a change too. While it wasn't exactly a bum clencher, it was a LOT better than we've had for the last God knows how many weeks. 

 

One race down and everyone agreed that port side was better, but of course you have to give the other side a try, just in case. I did in the second race, and where did I end up? Stony last, served me right too.

Part way through the second race the wind started easing off considerably, to the point where I thought we might have to abandon. Luckily, it held in enough for us to finish and even built up enough to give some of us a really good reach back to the beach. While not exactly screaming, it was a bit of a squeal. 

 

Highlights of the day, apart from actually sailing, was Doc Taylor inventing a new division, 2.5. He started both races exactly halfway between Divs 2 and 3. Then there was Katrina M who lost her starboard side stay and managed to keep the mast up all the way to the beach by keeping on port tack, nice effort. But my personal favorite was Patrick Lazzar, who came roaring into the beach, lifted his centre board and rudder, then cruised straight up onto the sand and stepped out dry as a bone! Lucky there were no rocks there Pat!

 

That's about all for this week, no OTB this Sunday over Easter but there will be plenty of sailing up at Lake Boga (I still think we should incorporate some of our series in with the Boga races!).

 

Good luck to everyone that is heading away and be safe in your travels, and don't pig out on the chocky too much!

 

Cheers for now, Pete Chippy

  

Keelboat Members - please use the link above to booking your spot at the Trivia night on Saturday 3 May - we need to get an idea of numbers now so please book!

 

While there's no SBSC racing for the next two (long) weekends, the MYC Hovell Pile Race is on Saturday 26 April - 10.00am start at MYC. Please look up the details on the MYC website HERE if you would like to enter (via Sailsys).

 

 

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

 

 

Howdy gang.

Well, yet another blow out last Sunday. This is getting to be quite a habit of the old Weather Gods and I think we should all think about changing religion. Not to the Dark Side though! Those JetSkis would be the death of us all. It kind of feels like the weather has changed already and I don’t know about you, but I looked at the clock on my phone yesterday and it got dark about an hour earlier than it did last week, weird eh?

 

We all rolled up on Sunday hoping against hope that the forecast was wrong, or that it might at least ease a bit at least. With a 20 plus knot wind blowing, it was decided that the on water start for the keelboats would be changed to a tower start rather than send out the Start boat and a RHIB when it was unlikely the OTBs would be happening.

 

When I rocked up to the yard, Muzza McNeil, (just about the coolest dude in the Club), was rigged up and ready to go! He said he was itching for a sail as he hadn’t been on the water for weeks. So, with many hands helping him on to the beach, our daring test pilot, AKA, sacrificial anode, (certainly not the ‘crash test dummy’ that some cruel bugger said), hit the water and was off like a rocket, straight for McCrae. And he kept going, straight for McCrae, no turning around for this boy. I thought he was going for the sand, as it got to the point where his sail was indistinguishable from the beach huts. Eventually he tacked around and in pretty quick time he was back with us. With a near perfect dismount, he strode up the beach to riotous applause and was met by Grace L, who said “ Well Muz, you’ve well and truly scratched that itch!”

 

In the mean time, Zac L, not to be outdone, had also gone out in his Laser. And while Muz had managed to keep upright, Zac, with a bit less discretion, went in more times than we could count. Talking to him when he came in, with a big grin on his face, he said “ It was crazy out there!” Coming from one of the craziest kids in the Club, I think our decision to abort racing for the day was justified. 

 

One more day of sailing next Sunday and then a week off for Easter. Most of the Club will be heading to Lake Boga so perhaps we should incorporate some of our series’ into those races, just sayin’.

 

That’s about it for this week, but I can’t sign off without mentioning one of the greatest losses to SBSC for a long time. Those dirty rats in Western Australia have stolen Natasha Martin! As we speak, Tash, Fiona and Jasmine are driving over there, where they will meet up with Mike to start their new life. I’ll bet any money that Fiona will be shedding so many tears on that trip that they will have to rename the Nullabor Plain the Nullabor Forest!

 

Good Luck to Tash, Mike and Jasmine. I’m sure we will see them back at the Club at some point.

 

Cheers for now, Pete Chippy

When it comes to protesting an incident that occurs during a race, there are a number of steps a competitor must take for a protest to be considered valid when it gets before a protest committee for determination. Some of the required steps occur on the water and others back onshore when actually submitting the protest. Each of these aspects is covered here.

First up, on the water, if you feel you’ve been infringed against and may want to take it further you must hail ‘PROTEST’ immediately so the other party hears it and has an opportunity to absolve themselves. Word such as ‘do your turns’ will not cut it! Secondly, if your boat length is greater than 6 metres you must display a red protest flag at the first reasonable opportunity, unless there are extenuating circumstances (see RRS 60.2). Under normal circumstances, World Sailing considers 20 seconds to be the outside. With a keelboat, you should have your protest flag to hand in the cockpit when you are racing. If someone has to go below, rummage in a drawer to find it and it takes you 2 minutes to display your protest flag, then it’s very likely when the protest gets to a hearing it will be deemed invalid.

Just because you’ve hailed ‘Protest’ and displayed your protest flag (if appropriate) does not mean you have to go ahead with it when you get ashore. If the boat that infringed against you, unless there is damage, has taken a penalty then you can generally forget about it at this stage.

Once you get ashore, if you are going to proceed with a protest it must be submitted in writing within the time limit specified in the Sailing Instructions. If no time limit is specified in the Sailing Instructions then under the RRS it is 2 hours from when the last boat finishes the race. For other protests it is 2 hours from when the protestor becomes aware of the situation. The Safety Beach Keelboat Sailing Instructions have a 2 hour time limit after the last boat in the Division finishes. The OTB Sailing Instructions are 90 minutes after the last boat in the Division finishes.

The basic contents for a valid protest are as follows:

• The protestor and protestee,
• The incident,
• Where and when the incident occurred,
• The name of the protestor’s representative.

This does not need to be on an official Protest Form. So long as it is in writing it can be on a piece of toilet paper, in an e-mail, in a text message or any other form of written communication and lodged within the time limit (see RRS 60.3).

In the case of OTB protests at a club event, this would most likely be written on a piece of paper. And in the absence of the race committee being back at the club or anyone being in the Tower, it could be handed to the OTB Captain. There are Protest Forms in the Tower.

With keelboats, submitting a protest within the time limit may be a bit more problematic though not impossible. In some cases, it may be possible to submit the protest whilst still racing if you’re sufficiently tech savvy. Probably the best method (if you can’t get back to the club) is to send the details to the keelboat e-mail address clearly stating that it is a Protest and include all the basic contents listed above. The e-mail will be date and time stamped when it is received, so that will cover the issue of when it was received regardless of when it is actually read by someone. Also remember, it does not need to be the skipper or owner who lodges the protest, so one of the crew could bring a written protest back to the club after racing if the skipper or owner are unable to.

Some of the above is being reviewed and will be specified differently in the Sailing Instructions for next season, where appropriate.

 

Regards Geoff Eldridge

  

The bi-annual Skippers and Crews is on this Sunday morning - prior to the afternoon Club Championship race.

Whether you're racing in the afternoon or not, we would really appreciate you all coming along to hear what's happening, particularly over the Winter racing season, and it is also your opportunity to provide input and feedback.  See you there!

1st	Christela	Greg Clark
2nd	Anthea	John Wemyss
3rd	Limelight	Bernard O'Hanlon

1st PHS	Rawhide	C. Barwick & G. Sergeant
1st AMS	Rawhide	C. Barwick & G. Sergeant
1st ORCc	Vamonos	Fiona Jones

Friday was a great evening to finish off the summer twilight season with a 'fun' pursuit race (optional spinnakers).  24 starters, but only a handful of boats opted to run a spinnaker (8-10kt WSW) out to SB1 with a kite run home.  Most of the fleet finished before the sunset but a few timed out unfortunately!  I'm sure they still enjoyed the sunset.  Thank you to our tower crew of Elaine Nicholas (RO), duty boat 'Amity' and our tower stalwarts Amanda Malin and Lynlee Coutts.

 

Sunday was a different story with a robust 25-30kt W, gusting 39kt at South Channel!  With no OTB boats taking to the water (except for a couple of adventure seekers), it was a Tower Start and shortened course. Thank you to Till Brauckmann (RO) and Amanda Malin for their race control.

Race Start Time (AEDT)	12:55H Boat Start
Race Officer	Rob Rainsford
Duty Boat	Easy Day
Tower Assistant	Dawn Clark

 

Shimmer and Unprecedented represented SBSC in the ORCV West Offshore Coast Sprint (Cat. 3) race on Saturday.  By all reports it was very bumpy getting out the heads but the rest was a lovely sail.  Shimmer finished 1^st PHS, 2^nd AMS and 3^rd ORCc, and Unprecedented also did well with 3^rd PHS, 3^rd AMS and 2^nd ORCc.  Not the conditions for photos, but Shimmer snapped one (below) of the happy crew! More info here.

The next Cat. 3 race is the ORCV Apollo Bay race on Saturday 24 May 2025 (see more details below).

The below photos are courtesy of Adam Stan Photography and were taken on Saturday when the ORCV West Offshore Coast Sprint was happening.

Come and join us at Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club for our Easter Regatta, Saturday 19th April and Sunday 20th April with Monday 21st as a resail option. Something for everyone, a Cat 7 event, providing two racing divisions - Queenscliff Cup ( Division1) series with 5 races over two days and the Commodore's Female Helm Trophy Trophy ( Division 2), a two race series for female crew to take up the helm for Races 3&4.  Plus hot roast dinners and fired up pizza ovens at the end of the day for hungry sailors - not to be missed!  Enter now for the Easter 2025 Queenscliff Cup, Commodores Trophy and Celebrations as berths will fill quickly.

 

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  

 

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