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Safety Beach Sailing Club NEWS 5th February 2025

Committee News

Thank You to our VOLUNTEERS!

Can you picture the Safety Beach Sailing Club without volunteers?

There are countless things that happen in the club, that wouldn't be possible without volunteers. Our weekly races exist because the club rely solely on members help. When members volunteer, they are giving their time and wisdom to the club, for the benefit of other members. This is a selfless act. Volunteers come forward for many reasons and bring a varied range of skills to the role that they are filling. Race management, tower duty, rhib duty, and all behind the scenes happenings, are things that some members don’t give much thought to.

When things go well, we’d love for you to acknowledge those involved.

When things don’t go to plan, we’d like to remind you that our volunteers are only human.

Next time you walk past a volunteer in the club, please thank them for their time. If they look disheveled, ask them if they need a hand. If they look happy, ask them about the smile on their dial. And remember, these volunteers are part of what makes our club so great!

A glimpse at some of our wonderful volunteers.

If you have a great photo of a volunteer, please send it in so we can give them a thanks.

Membership Fees Due

Unfortunately, the club still has a number of members that have not yet renewed their memberships for the 24/25 Financial year. If the club has not heard back from you by COB 14 February 2025, the club will have no choice but to de-register you as members and remove all benefits of membership. This could include; sailing in club organised races (OTB or Keel Boat), storing kayaks, SDP’s etc in the yard and/or access to the dining room and membership discounts.

If there is a reason you haven’t renewed, the club invites your feedback and reasons for not renewing. This helps the club better meet members expectations and desired outcomes expected by members.

Please provide any feedback to the Membership Secretary as follows: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Off The Beach News

Junior Sail Training

The junior sail training program has started up again and we had the most amazing weather for day one. With 17 juniors turning up to come and try sailing, our instructors were kept very busy. The forecast temp of 35 degrees meant the water was perfect for instructors, volunteers and our newest juniors. We had 10 kids returning from our first program in November, and 7 new kids. The juniors all hit the water as the keelboats began their Sunday race, and the view was outstanding. All of the parents were thrilled to see so much action on the water and the buzz at the club was palpable. If you happen to arrive early at the club, please be sure to greet and welcome our parents, as we hope that they will continue to grow their relationship with our club. If we could also put in a request with mother nature for the same conditions for the rest of the program, that would be great.

Juniors with kb

Keelboat News

Results

Friday Pursuit - Series 2, Race 3

1st	Christela	Greg Clark
2nd	Le Tardis	Warrick Pearson
3rd	Bombay Sapphire	Michael Manson

Friday AMS – Series 2, Race 1

1st	Shimmer	Steve Twentyman
2nd	Patriot	Jason Close
3rd	2Xtreme	Andrew Clark

Full weekend results available HERE

Club Championship Series (Race 6) & Long Distance Race (Race 3)

Race abandoned/timed out.

Many thanks to Dianne Jackson (RO) and duty boat Adagio for manning the tower on Friday twilight, and Andrew Stocks (RO) and Whiskers on Sunday.

This Week's Racing

Friday 7 February 2025

Twilight Pursuit Series 2 - Race 4

Mustang Sally Anniversary Trophy Race

Race Start Time (AEDT):	17:30H Pursuit Start
Race Officer:	Lynlee Coutts
Duty Boat:	Patriot
Set up/Results:	Lynlee

Sunday 9 February 2025

Sunday Summer Series - Race 6

First Warning Signal:	09:55H Tower Start
Race Officer:	TBC
Duty Boat:	TBC
Set up/Results:	TBC

The Mustang Sally Anniversary Trophy Race is on this Friday, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to get your name on the trophy! The Mustang Sally trophy was first presented on the 7th February 2020 by Mark Lawrence and Dianne Jackson, which represented the 10th Anniversary of Keelboat racing at Safety Beach Sailing Club. The trophy is a half model of the yacht Mustang Sally (SB1), which was the first boat on the keelboat register at Safety Beach.

Look forward to seeing sailors back at the club for the post-race trophy presentation.

Sail Peninsula 2025 (21-23 February)

Please CLICK HERE to enter now - the Early Bird entry fee ends soon.

MYC Thursday Twilight Race to Safety Beach

As most of you are aware, there is a Mornington twilight race down to the Safety Beach finish line on the Thursday of Sail Peninsula (20 February 2025). If there are any Safety Beach yachts that would like to head up to MYC to compete in this twilight race, please enter via the MYC website as a 'Casual Entry' for the Thursday Twilight Series. Click HERE.

Exciting News...

We are thrilled to announce a change in this year's format due to popular demand. The Friday evening pursuit race will now feature a spinnaker race! For more details, check out the regatta Notice of Race HERE

We are pleased to advise that the first 40 entries for this years Sail Peninsula regatta will be provided with one of our new promotional Bambak Canvas bags.

Bambak use old sails to manufacture bags like these and other products. Full details can be accessed here: https://bambak.co/pages/about-us

The sale of the bags goes towards community support projects and provides employment to people in Vanuatu. The name "Bambak" derived from the Vanuatuan language, means "reborn," symbolizing the new life given to discarded sails.

The bags we are promoting are about 30cm x 20cm with the SP25 logo on the front and a Bambak logo on the back, they are lined and have a zip closure at the top and carry handle. They are a very useful item for storage on your boat.

Get your SP25 entry in ASAP to secure your promotional bag.

Have you planned your next visit to Docklands? Click HERE To find out all about what's on offer at this wonderful destination.

ORCV News

Melbourne to Port Fairy (Friday 14 February)

For 2025, the ORCV’s traditional race to the historic and picturesque port of Port Fairy has been rescheduled to mid-February, taking advantage of more favourable weather conditions and providing a feeder race for yachts planning participate in the 75th Adelaide to Port Lincoln race.

The 135 mile course runs SW from Queenscliff past the coastal resorts of Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay, before rounding Cape Otway and entering the southern ocean. It’s also Valentines Day, so what better what better way to celebrate your one true love – sailing! Enter here: www.orcv.org.au/port-fairy

Safety & Sea Survival Course – (Sunday, 2 March)

The next in-person day is March 2nd. Participants complete an interactive online component of the course before attending the in-person day. If this date doesn’t work for your diary, reserve your place now for June 1, September 7 or November 30.

Confidently support your skipper and other crew members by gaining a deeper understanding of safety and survival. Reserve your place here:

Full Course: https://www.orcv.org.au/training/sea-safety-and-survival-course

Refresher Course: https://www.orcv.org.au/training/sss-refresher-course

King Island Race (Friday, 7 March)

Registrations are open for the 114nm race to King Island. It’s tactical sailing that brings us to this unique island whose hospitality and steaks are absolutely worth the trip. Berthing is limited, enter or find out more here:

https://www.orcv.org.au/king-island

Rip Tour Port Phillip Heads (Sunday,16 March)

You can read a book, diagrams and marine charts, but seeing it from the water with expert guidance is different. The annual Rip Tour is a practical on-water training event where experienced offshore navigators share information on how and when to transit safely. Everyone gets a headset so they don’t miss any commentary on navigation aids, tides, lead lights, shipping channels and a copy of the ORCV’s Rip Guide. The 2025 tour departs Queenscliff at noon on Sunday, March 16. For your convenience, you’ll be able to catch the connecting Searoad Ferry from Sorrento at 11 am. Book your place for this unique learning experience:

https://www.orcv.org.au/training/rip-tour-of-port-phillip-heads

420 Nationals Report

by Nick Meijer

For the 420 nationals 2025 Safety Beach was represented by 5 teams, the best-represented club at the event. Each team itching to hit the water after a long few days of wet and wild NSW weather.

On day 1 of racing, the teams made the hairy downwind trip to the course, weaving between moored boats, Shark Island, and ferries even before the racing began. After starting to acclimatise to the idea of ferries steamrolling through our course, the start began, and we were all off and racing. With the fleet unable to decide whether to go to the land on the left, where the locals recommended, or to Shark Island on the right, it was a constant 50/50 split throughout the day. On top of this conundrum, was the varying wind strength. Often times reaching strengths above 20 knots but even getting as low as 10 across the course. Because of this, everyone had a chance to show their brilliance throughout the day. In particular, Zac Lowe and Finn Meijer, who showed off the hard work they’ve put into improving themselves throughout the year, with great upwind speed and consistent results in all 3 races.

After finally becoming accustomed to the racecourse, we were moved further down the harbour. But whilst this proved a challenge, as we would have to get used to a different course again, it also provided some incredible photo opportunities in front of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. However, we couldn’t admire forever, there were races to be completed. Down comes the 420 flag, and it’s time to go. Unfortunately, Zac and Finn were forced to retire for the day after an incident at the beginning of the race. But for everyone else it was pedal to the metal. Again, the tricky Sydney conditions meant that no leg was the same, sometimes paying to go left, other times paying to go right. In the second race, a large portion of the fleet were over early and forced to restart. Condensing the fleet and bringing many of the boats who found themselves at the back end in the first race, fighting at the pointy end of the fleet. After 3 races again, and some damaged boats, there was a much need rest day to look forward to and recuperate for the rest of the regatta.

Day 3 began with little breeze in sight but a gale warning on the horizon. Back to the original course near Shark Island, it was a quick but tight race, with majority of boats incredibly close together. Because of this tightknit racing, much of the results were decided in the very last downwind or even reach to the finish. To add an extra layer of difficulty, a ferry conducting sea trials was anchored within our course. Whilst some sailors felt this inconvenienced them enough to take it to the protest room it was eventually ruled that no advantage or disadvantage was caused by its presence. Once the race was over, we were swiftly sent back to shore with news of 40 knots heading our way (great call by the RO). Unluckily for the 470s finishing a second race, some found themselves to be “sailing with style” (upside down) on their way back to shore.

With points close coming into the final day of racing, teams across the fleet found themselves in intense battles throughout all three races that day. After once again finding ourselves in a new course, this time just inside the Sydney Heads, which can only be described as a washing machine. And just when you thought the Sydney Harbour couldn’t throw anything else at us this week, we had a container ship come directly through our course (possibly trying to round the top mark and join in). With port authorities’ sirens wailing and the booming horn of the ship, the fleet was again split in two as the unlucky teams caught out at the back had to wait for the ship to pass before continuing racing. After learning a lot throughout the week, the “Loonies”, James and Nathan Anderson, put in their best performance of the week. A similar story for Jess Lowe and Kristen Koutsimpiris, who managed to sneak ahead of brother Zac in the first two races of the day. Once again however, disaster struck for Zac and Finn who had a trapeze breakage just before the last race and were forced to head back to shore. Abbey Everett and Matt Whitaker seemed to have left their best till last, as a masterclass in strategy allowed them to overtake countless boats in a single upwind, comfortably securing their overall position. For Gary Cameron and I, it was a final race showdown. After a difficult first leg we found ourselves thinking that perhaps we lead our rivals away from the rest of the fleet to the wrong side of the course, knowing that if it came to drops, we would come out on top. Of course, because of the incredibly predictable unpredictability of Sydney Harbour, this ended up paying for us and we found ourselves once again tussling for position. After a tough downwind battle, it was a reach to the finish and a sigh of relief as we’d pulled ourselves back to take the overall position.

Come presentation night, it was raining awards for SBSC. Zac and Finn taking the perseverance award for continuing to race after their struggles throughout the week. Nathan Anderson taking the award for youngest crew in the event. And last but definitely not least, Jess Lowe and Kristen Koutsimpiris won the Female National Championships! An incredible achievement by them. To hand out each prize (and give some great advice to all) was double 470 Olympic Gold Medallist Malcolm Page. I’m sure many were inspired by his many achievements and stories.

Placings overall:

Gary Cameron and Nick Meijer 5th

Abbey Everett and Matt Whitaker 8th

Zac Lowe and Finn Meijer 10th

Jess Lowe and Kristen Koutsimpiris 11th

James and Nathan Anderson 13th

Well done to all!

420 VIC TEAM

Submission's

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Latest News

Safety Beach Sailing Club NEWS 29th January 2025

Photo Of The Week

Well Done Junior member Mika Robinson for jumping into the water on Sunday to help with a 420 capsize.

Photo take by Fiona Lowe as Mika was heading back to shore for some warmth.

Off The Beach News

Howdy Gang.

What a weekend, eh? Sometimes this report just writes itself and this week is a standout. First off, it was Australia Day/ Club Birthday so we had two days of sailing to enjoy. Then there was the ordinary weather forecast for light wind on Sunday and a howling gale on Monday. Well, as usual you can't always believe the BOM; Sunday was a beauty.

A 10.30 start that caught a few out, gave the rest of us a ripper sail out near the mussel farm. A comfortable 8 to 10 knot breeze gave the 17 starters more than enough to get around the cans. It was so nice in fact that as I went through the finish, I jokingly suggested to RO Ross M that perhaps we could do four races then and not worry about Monday. He held up three fingers; good enough for me! Race two, more of the same, with a tight battle in Div three between all boats. Grace L came out on top, handing Dad second place again and the other boats swapping places left right and centre.

With the wind easing, it was clear that three races would be the limit for the day and that was ok. With lighter wind, the shifts seemed more pronounced, well they did to me anyway. As I finally, finally and legitimately went around the first three marks ahead of 'Gingerbread' Bill M and 'The Maestro' Rick P ( but still behind new member James T), I held a tack for too long instead of covering them, then tacked into a lull and lost the lot. Ah well, it was nice while it lasted.

Back to the beach ( that was a pretty nice sail as well ) and on with the festivities. 58 years and counting for SBSC and the party was going off! With such a beautiful day, it was standing room only on the deck and inside was pretty full too. With food, drinks and music, the atmosphere was great and when RO for Monday, Ewan C, asked me whether there were many that were keen for a sail, knowing that the forecast was for strong wind and 42 degrees. It might have been the bonhomie of the moment, but everyone that I asked was keen as mustard, " Where else would you want to be with 42 degrees than on the water with spray in your face?" they all said. Oh dear, be careful what you wish for!

Monday dawned hot and windy alright but not as bad as predicted. The Northerly was actually a Southerly, so the water in close was pretty flat, but those white caps were telling a different story further out! Ten crews were up for it , plus Taipan Tony, who was itching for a sail but sadly and wisely said that it was not a day for an A Class cat. " Take out 'Sabre 1435 Shadow' "I suggested. "John W said anyone was welcome and it was practically rigged and ready to go" What could possibly go wrong? Well not too much actually. After getting him set up and a two minute briefing on what to do when he capsized ( shut your eyes and hold your nose), he was off. With his cheer squad up on the deck chanting, "Tony, Tony, He's our man, if he can drive a Sabre, anyone can!" and Jamie F in the water as usual helping with the launches, Tony took to the boat like a duck to, well, water. I was ahead keeping an eye on him, feeling a bit responsible, and when we went past Duncan M in the water with his mast punched clean through his deck just from the force of the wind, and a couple of others heading back to shore, I thought "Hmm, perhaps this wasn't such a good idea". As I went past the start boat, I asked them to get the RHIBs to keep an eye on Tony. "Tony? Surely he hasn't come out in his A Class!" Then they saw him, ah, now it made sense, sort of.

No mucking around from the race team, course set, bang, let's go! Two Tasars, three Lasers and three Sabres, hit the line ( well, Tony went around it )and we're off. To be honest, it was strong, but the waves weren't too bad and all was good until you got near the top of the course. Those bullets coming over the hill really let you know who was boss! Round the mark and a good old screaming reach to the wing. I had so much water on board and at that speed, the suction of the venturi was so strong it nearly dragged me through the bottom of the boat! And that spay in the face? Yeah it certainly was keeping us cool! Not looking forward to the gybe, whack! made it, thank God for the helmet! Grace L came flying around the outside, not so lucky but up in a flash and away, dang She's good!

A quick look for Tony, there he is, oops, there he goes! But no, he's up again ( one of four capsizes he told me later and managed to get them all up on his own). Around the bottom and away again, still can't catch James T in his Sabre. Not to worry, staying upright is more important at this point! Up near the top mark I saw the Tasars go around and head off for the wing. I'm pretty sure I saw daylight under one of them. Around we go and a run for the finish, being very conscious of tipping in backwards after the day before's effort, I bore away a bit before working up the courage to gybe. There goes Grace again, Woo Hooing all the way!

Here's the finish, I think one race might be enough for me. What's that? The old blue and white flag, what a shame. Another reach for the beach, but hang on, where's Tony? I forgot to tell him that Div two is triangle/sausage and he was heading for the wing mark again, better go and get him. "Hey Tony, you've gone too far(again), do you want to finish after you've put in all this effort or head home?" "I don't mind either way, I haven't gone around any of the marks anyway!"

Back to the beach and plenty of helpers there which was greatly appreciated. Pack up, wash down, change and up to the deck. What a day. What a weekend! If you weren't there, well, sucks to be you, sorry.

I can't leave off without a huge thank you to everyone that made this weekend so enjoyable. From Dave and Deirdre Snooks and all the catering/bar staff as well as all the on water helpers Sunday and Monday. ROs Ross M and Erik M, Rob C, Simon H, Rob W, John M and Fiona L with Ben and Mika all in the RHIBs. It was Mika's second time out and she had to jump in to help with a rescue, great work. Also Geoff E behind the scenes getting the race set up in sailor app. Extra extra special thanks to Super D for her efforts on the Start boat, not just this week in such conditions, but every week without fail' rain or shine and even thunder and lightning!

That's about enough from me except to mention the absolute stand out play of the day on Monday. As good as Taipan Tony was, it paled in comparison to the one and only Mr Glenn Lazar, who, as he was leaving the beach in his Laser, spotted a JetSki that had stopped (almost), in his line. With some amazing skill, not seen since the days of the Holden Precision Driving Team, he kept his line and with just enough hiking to raise the boom to head height, managed to give the passenger a whack behind the ear hole and carry on as if nothing had happened without even looking back. Very smooth. No one was seriously hurt except Ross M, who nearly had a heart attack from laughing!

Sorry about all the exclamation marks, it was just one of those weeks.

Cheers, Pete Chippy

A Sabre Train taken by Fiona Lowe