Spring 2013

Inside: The 34th America’s Cup Big budgets, bigger egos and the sailing spectacle of the decade

Guide to buying a used Pacer Paul Hardie on the ins and outs of buying a used boat

MESAC An exciting project for the future of BYC

Canal boat adventures Ian and Avril McHugh head to Europe and experience life on a very, very narrow boat Beaumaris Yacht Club is proud to be associated with Beaumaris Community Bank Branch

Editorial Commodore Phillip Connard Vice Commodore Bruce Fraser Rear Commo- Will Sharp dore Silke Weber Secretary Chris Neyland Treasurer

Susan Sharp

Membership Committee Paul Hardie - Peter Sharp Thomas Ruether - Connor Gallagher Geoff Perkins - Sarah McKinna

Training Peter Sharp - Paul Hardie Thomas Ruether - Lachlan Sharp Ian McHugh - Bruce Fraser Peter Kemp Phillip Connard

Contact Email: silke@beaumarisyc.com Post: PO Box 16, Black Rock Vic 3193 Phone: 03 9589 6222

www.beaumarisyc.com www.facebook.com/beaumarisyc www.youtube.com/beaumarisyc Past issues of The Reef: www.issuu.com/beaumarisyc

The Reef Editor Will Sharp Email: will@beaumarisyc.com Phone: (03) 9878 1997

Contributors Phillip Connard, Peter Sharp, Lesley McCubbin, Pam Sharp, Ian and Avril McHugh, Mun Chin, Paul Hardie

Front Cover Pacer 2590 Limelight - P & J Hardie Laser 128530 Captain Puff - R Smith (Photo: W. Sharp, October 2013)

IDS ARE THE FUTURE OF of affluence and the impressions given sailing. This seems like a pretty obvious statement but bear with me here.

In 2011, Yachting Australia commissioned sports market research firm Gemba to examine people’s perceptions of sailing, and data about participation in sailing. Both sailors and nonsailors were canvassed. The researchers found that Australia’s sailors are generally older males from middle class or affluent backgrounds. Sailing has a similar participant demographic to golf.

Just let that sink in.

At the recent Yachting Victoria Club Conference in August this year, I was looking around the room at the other attendees during the opening address searching for any familiar faces. Then it struck me. Virtually everyone in that room was male and experiencing some degree of hair loss, greying or both.

And every single person in that room at Royal Brighton Yacht Club was white.

I’m not about to get on a moral high horse here and start railing against the injustices of the world, but one only needs to walk down the street of any local shops in any part of Melbourne to see that the mix of attendees at the YV conference was not completely reflective of the wider Australian population.

So we have an older, male (researched) and a predominantly white (completely anecdotal) participant profile. It’s not hard to surmise that sailing is failing to connect with a significant proportion of the wider population. This ageing demographic also presents some significant issues with class, club and wider management in the future, the same people cannot keep doing the same jobs for ever.

This is where YA and YV’s recent work developing the Discover Sailing program comes in. Discover Sailing has been a great tool for both the peak bodies (YA, YV et al.) and the clubs themselves to connect with local communities. Discover Sailing encourages people who have never been sailing before to have a go and see what they think with no strings attached. Essentially the program aims to break down the barriers between the perceptions

by “Members Only” signs and show sailing for what it really is, people in small, comparatively cheap boats having fun (obviously there are people in much bigger, more expensive boats having fun too).

Tackers is another tool in the apparatus of change for sailing. As a mass participation program, Tackers aims to introduce as many people as possible to sailing in a standardised, recognizable program. This sort of learning is not for everyone but by and large, it works.

By utilising Tackers and working through schools and local community groups, sailing has a better chance of reaching new markets and attracting higher numbers of new sailors in the future than if it simply relies on the ‘build it and they will come’ approach.

That approach may well work for the clubs who can afford to build ‘it’ (eg.

Sandringham and co.) but fails completely for smaller, off the beach clubs.

External funding is available to assist clubs to try to open up sailing to new audiences. This is demonstrated by BYC’s recent success in obtaining funding from Bayside Council to implement our Buoyed Up with Tackers at BYC program, whereby children from disadvantaged backgrounds are heavily subsidised to attend the Tackers holiday program in January. BYC is also utilising several local schools to generate interest for the program. With luck we will be able to engage children who would not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience sailing. While they may not be able to afford to continue after the program, the children may return to sailing later in life when their circumstances change.

Participation programs such as Discover Sailing, Tackers and targeted engagement programs such as Buoyed Up may not reap large returns in the short term. But by opening up sailing to more people from a wider sector of the general population we may in time experience a surge in public profile, popularity, participation and hopefully, a change in the widely held impression that sailing is a rich, white man’s game.

Here’s hoping.

Incoming Commodore Phillip Connard sheds some light on what’s going on behind the scenes at Beaumaris Yacht Club.

HE START IS ALWAYS THE BUSIEST TIME of the season and this year has been no exception. There has been a lot going on at BYC, much of it behind the scenes. Some things you may be aware of, others perhaps not. Below are some of the highlights of the year so far as well as some upcoming events.

Grant application successes We have been fortunate to be successful in a number of grant applications. These funds cannot make their way into the club's general revenue but must be spent only within the scope of the application.

They provide a great opportunity to build physical infrastructure as well as develop human capabilities.

Australian Sports Commission grant This grant provides funding for the BYC Women in Sailing program. The funding is specifically for training for women and girls across a variety of sailing and club-related areas. The expenditure is still being finalised so we are requesting any interested female member to apply for funding support within any sailing or club development capacity.

For example, the funding is applicable (but not limited to) courses for: Instructors, Powerboat Handling, food handling, Race Management, Radio Operator and so on. Please contact Silke Weber (silke@beaumarisyc.com) or Sarah McKinna (sarah@beaumarisyc.com) for further information.

Department of Justice Community Safety Fund This grant has provided BYC with funding to implement a number of security and anti-theft measures for the club assets. The measures include completely re-keying the building with a tiered master key system, installation of an alarm and reinforcement of external doors.

Several of these measures have already commenced and the project is due to be finalised by January 2014.

Bayside Council Community Grant Funding from this grant is allowing BYC to run our Buoyed Up with Tackers at BYC program in January 2014. Through the Buoyed Up program, children from disadvantaged families can apply for funding to significantly subsidise the cost of attending our week-long Tackers course in January. There are selection criteria for prospective participants and those who attend through the Buoyed Up program will mainly be selected with the assistance of local primary schools.

Beaumaris Community Bank grant Funding was received from our good friends at Beaumaris Community Bank to assist BYC in replacing the existing canteen fridge which is now at the end of its life. BYC has enjoyed a close relationship with Beaumaris Community Bank over the past few years and we look forward to working closely together in the future.

3193 Cup What? An off the beach dinghy and skiff regatta corun by Beaumaris Yacht Club and Black Rock Yacht Club and sponsored by Beaumaris Community Bank.

Where? On Saturday February 1 2014 at Black Rock, and in 2015 on a Sunday at Beaumaris.

Why? A fantastic opportunity to sail in a big fleet, with several divisions and lots of classes as well as helping to promote sailing in the local community.

2013 December 15 Children’s Christmas Party and end of year function

Dec 27 - Jan 4 Australian Championships

Javelins - Perth, WA Pacers - Adelaide, SA Put it in your calendar as we want to have a strong Impulses - Adelaide, SA Beaumaris contingent heading to BRYC for the inaugural event. Racing will be division based (including Lasers - McCrae, VIC a junior division) and it should be a lot of fun so let’s 125s - Manly, QLD all make the effort to support a new, local event.

Optimists - Mornington, VIC Pacer and 125 Victorian Championships Minnows - Blairgowrie, VIC This regatta is being hosted by Beaumaris over the Labour Day weekend on 8–10 March 2014. There will be a large fleet of boats sailing over the three weekend days. Regattas such as the State Championships are open to sailors of all standards with various divisions including non-spinnaker and Masters.

It is truly a fantastic learning opportunity and BYC has a tradition of hosting an excellent regatta.

At the previous Pacer Victorian Championship at Parkdale, BYC sent the greatest number of sailors and boats of any other club, including the hosts.

Let’s keep that reputation going and ensure as many boats as possible enter the series and give it a go.

Tackers at Beaumaris A week of Tackers courses is scheduled for 13–17 January 2014 to be delivered by the Yachting Victoria Mobile Boatshed. Both Tackers 1 and Tackers 2 will be delivered. Places are limited so book early to avoid missing out.

Website A new website is being developed and will go online shortly – A big thank you to Rod McCubbin for his work on the new site.

Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings A sausage sizzle was held on 9 November at Bunnings Mentone and generated an incredible $1700 profit. Thank you to all the helpers for a hard day’s work, made even harder by the inclement weather and running a Concourse display on the same day.

I continue to be impressed by the level of enthusiasm from the committee and club members and thank them for their contributions. I look forward to a packed year ahead and seeing as many boats on the water as possible.

2014 January 13-17 Tackers summer sailing program at BYC

January 12 Discover Sailing Day

February 1 3193 Cup at BRYC - see back page for details

February 2 Championship Race 3 Kevin Peterson Trophy

March 2 Championship Race 4 Sharp Trophy

March 8 - 10 Pacer, Pacer Pursuit and 125 Victorian Championships at BYC

Rear Commodore Will Sharp discusses what has been happening on and off the water during the season so far.

Pacer and 125 States

S I WRITE THIS, NOVEMBER HAS just come to a close and it seems the change of season has also brought with it the long-awaited warm weather we have been longing for. Hopefully now we are finished with warmish weeks and 17 degree rainy Sundays and can get stuck into hot, sunny days, screaming northerlies and big sea breezes.

Accuracy of forecasts is still an issue with the fight for supremacy raging between the Bureau of Meteorology and seabreeze.com.au (which has proved to be surprisingly accurate lately). I might just stick to my usual method of looking at the two and choosing to believe whichever one looks better. Hasn’t failed me yet… not too often anyway.

On the subject of weather, BYC was recently successful in securing a grant from the Victorian Department of Transport, Planning and Local Industry (the new name for the Department of Transport) to purchase a new weather station and two new webcams for the tower. The webcams are installed and we are close to being able to show the local weather conditions on the same page as a direct feed from our own weather station. Jump on the BYC website or the Bay Winds webpage (www.baywx.com) and check out what has been done so far.

BYC recently participated in Discover Sailing Day on November 17, 2013. This is a nationwide initiative by Yachting Australia to promote “grassroots” sailing. Discover Sailing Day at BYC was a great success with almost one hundred people going out for a sail. The full report is on page 6.

It is now December and the thoughts of many sailors are focused on upcoming Australian Championships. The Pacers are sailing at Christies Beach in Adelaide, the Lasers are at McCrae Yacht

Ever seen a Mirror move this fast? Mick and Mun making tracks in a 18kt northerly

Club on the Mornington Peninsula and the Javelins are battling the Fremantle Doctor in Perth. Good luck to everyone who is sailing at their Nationals this year, it is a great chance to meet new people, find out what is going on in your class and learn a lot. I have long believed that sailing in a Nationals over six or seven days teaches you more about sailing that you learn in a whole season of club racing. There is no substitute for sailing almost every day for a week against a fleet of boats from the same class. So if you haven’t entered this year I strongly recommend you consider it for next year. You won’t regret it.

The adult and junior Learn to Sail courses are up and running this season with both courses close to capacity. Welcome to Peter Kemp who is now involved in the advanced junior coaching group.

BYC is currently investigating the possibility of acquiring more Optimists to replace some of the older, ageing Minnows. This is a long-term project but keep your eyes open, there are likely to be some fleet changes over the next twelve months.

To all our new sailors in these programs, well done for giving it a go. You will have fun as well as learn a lot about wind, waves and, without realising it, physics. Sailing is a lifelong sport so regardless of your age, there is a facet of the sport just for you.

Finally, it has been wonderful this season to start to see a few new boats appearing on the beach.

Buying a boat can be a daunting step but if you talk to some of our members who have been around a while they would be more than willing to help. It was great to see Mun Chin bring his newly refurbished Pacer down (see page 12) as well as Martin Cottrell and Dermot O’Sullivan who have recently bought a Pacer between them. Remember, if you are looking for a boat there is no requirement that you buy a specific class. All common classes have a yardstick rating (handicap value) which means any boat can race against any other boat, regardless of class. So if you want to sail but don’t have anyone to sail with, maybe look at a single handed boat such as a Laser, Sabre or Impulse. If you want something to sail with your family then a Pacer or a 125 is a great boat. Or maybe you have young kids who want to sail but you don’t? In that case consider a couple of Optimists or even a Flying Ant. Shop around, there are many classes of boat out there and one will be right for you.

BYC is hosting the Pacer and 125 State Championships over the long weekend in March.

This will be a BIG weekend with lots of boats and lots to organise. If you’re not sailing and want to be involved, please contact any of the committee members. There will be a job for you!

With everyone’s support we can make this regatta a success and maintain our reputation for running a great event.

OTB Marine OTB Marine is a specialist dinghy, skiff and SUP supplier stocking all manner of gear and equipment from the big names in sailing. Head on down and check them out!

Showroom: 6/347 Bay Rd Cheltenham (next to the carwash) Phone: (03) 9917 2554 www.otbmarine.com.au

ISAF iPhone App Want to know the Racing Rules but don’t want to lug a blue book around? Get the new smartphone ISAF RRS app. Just 99c in the App Store, have the Racing Rules at your fingertips.

Great for settling arguments and discussions quickly. Study the rules anywhere to know just where that boundary is and how far you can push it.

Shipmate iPhone App At a regatta and cant find a chandlery to replace broken bits and pieces? Get your hands on a Shipmate directory which lists all the chandleries and marine services in Victoria. They also have a great free iPhone app out so you have access to the entire directory anywhere.

Visit www.shipmate.com.au for more information.

International Optimist dinghy Ten-time Australian Champion and seventeen-time Victorian Champion Peter Sharp expands on last issue’s topic of mark rounding. The weather mark was covered last time, now he discusses how to deal with the wing and leeward marks.

Leeward mark OUNDING COURSE MARKS correctly can be the difference between first and second. This sounds like a big statement but speak to any top level sailor and they would agree. Get it right and you can pick up multiple boat lengths over those who get it wrong.

In the previous issue I discussed rounding the weather mark. In this column I’ll look at the process for rounding the remaining marks on a course, the wing mark and leeward mark.

Wing mark Courses are set with 45 degree internal angles at the weather and leeward marks and a 90 degree angle at the wing mark. So, in theory, the reaches from weather to wing marks and wing to leeward marks will be at the same angle to the wind – just on different tacks.

However, most often there is a bias to the course which results in one of the legs being at a slightly different angle to the other.

So when approaching the wing mark if there are not boat overlap or congestion issues:

 If the first reach is tighter than the second (ie sailing closer to the wind), sail at the mark to maintain the broadest possible angle and perform all the gybe preparation and execution actions (The Reef, Spring – Summer 2010) after passing the mark.

Losing some height after rounding the mark is not an issue if the second reach is broad anyway.

 If the first reach is broader than the second, sail slightly wide of the mark and at the last moment run down, perform the pre-gybe actions and gybe next to the mark (as close as possible). This will maintain the broadest angle possible for the second reach.

However, if there is congestion at the mark then maintaining the inside position is more important so that after the gybe your boat is in clear air. This means essentially performing all gybe actions as close to the mark as possible – which can be intense in a strong breeze!!

Protect the inside position when approaching the mark. To do this you need to be aware of other boats and whether they are capable of obtaining the inside advantage.

Prepare for the spinnaker drop (The Reef, Spring - Summer 2010) – allow enough time for the conditions and the skill of the crew. It is better to drop early than travel extra distance beyond the mark.

If possible push slightly wide on the approach to the mark so the boat comes out of the turn around the mark on a close hauled heading with the side of the boat as close as possible to the mark (without touching it).

If there is another boat and you do not have the inside position:

 Prepare for the spinnaker drop as above.  Keep the pressure on the inside boat to sail close to the mark – this is important as this will force the inside boat into a wide exit turn around the mark.

 At the last moment steer wide enough of the inside boat so that you can turn your boat so that your bow just clears the inside boat’s transom – if done correctly you will find that there is space between the inside boat and the mark for your boat to pass through. If your boat accelerates more quickly than the former inside boat maintain the heading - otherwise tack off at the first available clear air opportunity.

If you are faced with the situation above as the inside boat then, after rounding the mark, either:

 Sail high if you have the speed and height to force the other boat to tack. If you don't have the speed;

 Sail on a slightly low course for a short distance to generate speed quickly and then return to close hauled. Marginal distance to windward will be lost but you will be in clear air and will have avoided being overrun.

The Optimist is designed by American Clark Mills to be made at home from two 4ft by 8ft sheets of plywood, 2 inch dowel for the spars and a bed sheet for the sail. The design is requested by Optimist International, a not-for-profit organisation which promotes health and wellbeing in children.

The Optimist is standardised to ensure continuity of design and consistent manufacturing standards in order to maintain the Optimist’s look and feel.

The first Optimist World Championship are held in Great Britain and won by Sweden’s Anders Quiding. Four countries were represented in 1962. By 2013 the number of countries represented had grown to fifty-eight.

The first Optimist is introduced in Australia at Sandy Bay Yacht Club in Tasmania where KA1 still resides. It takes the next 30 years to register the first 300 boats but by 2010 there are more than 1400 boats registered in Australia.

The Optimist becomes a strict one-design class and is recognised by ISAF. It is one of only two classes approved by ISAF exclusively for sailors under the age of 16.

At the London Olympics, just under 80% of all skippers were former Optimist sailors.

Most of which sailed at an International level.

The International Optimist is sailed in over 120 countries by more than 160,000 sailors. The Optimist is the slowest dinghy in the world by all ratings systems. Its YA yardstick is 164.00

Discover Sailing Day ISCOVER SAILING DAY IS THE MAJOR PROMOTIONAL PUSH for sailing clubs around the country. 2012 was the first year the Discover Sailing program was implemented. Discover Sailing Days were held around the country and were a great success, no doubt owing in part to the (then recent) accomplishments of the Australian sailors at the London Olympics.

With this in mind we were somewhat apprehensive about the potential turnout for this year’s Discover Sailing Day, held on 17 November 2013. We needn’t have worried.

The weather was perfect, sunny and warm with a gentle (for a while too gentle) south westerly blowing through. While it was quiet at 9.30, by 10 the beach was humming. People were lining up to register, get fitted with buoyancy vests and to be assigned to a boat. Nine Pacers were doing the rounds taking people for a sail and they barely stopped for the next five hours.

Unlike last year, we made the most of the day by not holding Club racing in the afternoon. The committee decided that a fantastic promotional tool such as Discover Sailing Day shouldn’t be relegated to a morning session where everyone was watching the clock before racing and that we should devote the whole day to promoting our Club and our sport.

Last year we took out fifty-two people. This year it was ninety-two!

That’s almost a hundred people who are not connected with the Club who decided to come to BYC and go sailing. Two people have already signed up for the adult Learn to Sail course. The challenge now lies in converting a significant proportion of the others into membership or involvement in some way.

This event could not have been held without so many of our members and friends helping out. Thank you to the skippers, the registrars, BBQ crew, beach marshals, rescue boat and IRB crews, tower staff and everyone else who lent a hand to make this day work. We couldn’t have done it without you.

FACTS AND STATS: GENERAL NUMBERS 92: Total number of people 55: 45: 45: 52:

who went sailing Percent male Percent female Percent locals Percent never sailed before

AGE GROUPS 0 - 10 years: 11 - 20 years: 21 - 30 years: 31 - 40 years: 41 - 50 years: 50+ years: Unknown:

36% 13% 8% 5% 21% 10% 7%

Concourse Displays ISPLAYS AT THE BEAUMARIS CONCOURSE shopping centre are a regular feature of October and November at BYC. Two or three displays are usually held depending on weather. This year we got all three in and (aside from being almost washed away during the second) they proved once again to be a valuable tool for promoting sailing in the local community.

Attendance was down somewhat this year due to some shocking weather and a scheduling conflict with the Australian Masters at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. However our message is still getting out into the community as the attendance stats from Discover Sailing Day show that many people heard about the day from the Concourse Displays. Several of our new sailors in this season’s Learn to Sail programs are also a direct result of these displays.

Thank you to those who came along to help promote sailing at BYC. It’s always a demanding time during our promotion period with displays, the Bunnings BBQ and Discover Sailing Day all occurring in a matter of weeks. Well done to all our volunteers at these events, you assistance is greatly appreciated.

Race Officer Training Lesley McCubbin faces her fears and attends a YV Race Officer course

O BE TAKEN ASIDE BY Bruce Fraser is a little daunting. What have I done now!? It must be the life jacket I threw out at the working bee, was it the one with the working zip and not the salted up one? But no, Bruce was inviting me to go to a Race Officers course. I’m not sure which is worse.

The Club has a grant for the Women in Sailing program that Bruce was keen to make a dent in. Perhaps he thought that after many years (I’m not counting); it was about time I learnt what I am supposed to be doing out there. I like to think it was the former. Bruce lent me the notes he was given when he did the course. I’m not sure that was a good idea – I could see what I was in for… gulp. I was hoping there wasn’t going to be an exam.

So it was with a mixture of fear and trepidation that I rocked up. I was the second to arrive. To my great relief was told I had won my first point… by being punctual.

Was this something to teach our sailors? A

good start… only several more hours to get through.

I had noticed mention of an O flag in Bruce’s notes but was unable to find what it was used for.

Here was my chance. After much hesitation one of the lecturers remembered it was a preparatory flag associated with the pumping rule and only used by certain dinghy classes in winds less than 12 knots.

Don’t get too excited – I think that one will stay in the box.

Next was course laying. I was ok with this up to the point where angles had to be calculated… Maths was never my subject.

Will we have to use a GPS? This was going to be a big stumbling block for me. But I needn’t have worried. They told us all GPS units are different… just learn your own!

Which was fine – I don’t even own one.

When they took us outside and asked us to calculate distances, I hid. Due to some quirk of fate I don’t have binocular vision so gauging distances is not so easy for me.

Fortunately my whereabouts was not discovered during this session.

To cut a long story short, I discovered that there wasn’t a lot I hadn’t already figured out. At least I knew what the Blue Book was. And there was NO EXAM!!

Words: Will Sharp

“I need something you cannot buy, cannot learn, and cannot train for. I need men who, in addition to all of the [skills], have a God-given killer instinct to win, who naturally perceive themselves as winners, who believe unquestioningly in our own invincibility.”

John Bertrand on his requirements for the crew of Australia II

HE AMERICA’S CUP is the oldest active trophy in international sport.

It is the most prestigious trophy in sailing, pitting nation against nation and billionaire against billionaire in a contest of egos, tactics, technology, engineering, legal wrangling and occasionally, espionage. The America’s Cup has always been a contest of technology and speed above all else, and the 34th Cup was no different. But there was a lot about this event which made it very different and much, much better than before.

Brief History 162 years ago on a foggy August afternoon Queen Victoria was watching a yacht around the Isle of Wight between a visiting American schooner named America and fourteen British yachts, representing the cream of the Royal Yacht Squadron. As America sailed through the finish line in first place, Queen Victoria asked one of her aides who was second.

“Your Majesty, there is no second,” came the telling reply. Those words best summed up an event in which winning is everything.

The 1851 victory brought possession of the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 100 Pound Cup. The trophy, held until then by Great Britain, was to cross the seas to the then-young United States of America to reside in America’s home club, the New York Yacht Club.

Above: Team New Zealand cruising at more than 40 knots downwind in Race 3 Left: The Auld Mug. The same trophy has been in use since 1851 Above right: Oracle and New Zealand face off in the 34th AC finals

Shortly after America’s victory, New York Yacht Club Commodore John Stevens, along with the rest of his syndicate, sold the winning boat and returned to New York. In 1857 they donated the Cup to the NYYC under a Deed of Gift which stated that the Cup was to be “a perpetual challenge for the friendly competition between nations.”

Thus the America’s Cup was born, named after the victorious schooner, as opposed to the country in which it resided for the next 132 years.

Great Britain has yet to win the Cup back.

The Deed of Gift The Deed of Gift is the primary instrument governing the rules to make a valid challenge for the America’s Cup and the rules of conduct for the races. The Deed is a legal document first written in 1852 and has had three major revisions since in order to tighten the rules governing the conduct of the Cup and to remove loopholes. The Deed of Gift has been a source of much public, private and legal argument, including two challenges in the New York Supreme Court (where the Deed is held in trust) over boat designs, rights to challenge and venues. The first concerned the 1988 Cup and the second the 2010 Cup. Both were acrimonious battles which caused significant tension and somewhat tarnished the regattas that followed.

The 34th Match The America’s Cup is an ever changing and evolving event. The Defender and the Challenger of Record have the right and privilege to determine the rules, format, boats, dates and venue of the coming event within the terms of the Deed of Gift.

Oracle Team USA (then known as BMW Oracle Racing) won the 33rd Cup in Valencia, Spain in 2010. The 33rd Match was fraught with scandal and legal action was a feature for the years preceding it. It was during the 33rd event that the sailing media began to discuss the death of the America’s Cup, such was the toll it had taken on fans’ patience. The 33rd Cup was fought out with enormous, insanely expensive multihulls, in light breeze, far offshore in the depths of the Mediterranean winter. This, and the fact it was very one-sided meant the 33rd Match was almost a non-event. The engineering and technological advances were admired by many but the racing itself was boring.

As winner of the 33rd Cup, the owner of Oracle Team USA (OTUSA) Larry Ellison (the

third richest man in the world with a personal worth of $44 billion) found himself in control of the next iteration of the America’s Cup. He decided to shake things up.

Ellison took the traditional Cup format used since 1871 and cast it aside. The large monohull keelboats with traditional soft sails, symmetrical spinnakers and sailors dressed in the standard attire of shorts, polo shirts, sunglasses and splendid moustaches were out. Specialised 72 foot fully foiling catamarans which use rigid wings in place of sails and crewed by professional athletes dressed in wetsuits and helmets were in. Indeed not much more than the match racing format was retained. This was a radical reinvention of a very traditional regatta.

Ellison was derided for his plans for the 34th Match. There were many who said that catamarans would be no use in match racing because they can’t turn quickly, that the tight confines and strong currents of San Francisco bay would be a nightmare for sailors, that the planned “Summer of Racing” would be boring and the America’s Cup Event Authority would never be able to sell the TV rights.

Nobody is denying that the regatta encountered problems. The withdrawal of funding from the City of San Francisco to redevelop the waterfront, the tight telecast times making for some interesting race management decisions, the eye watering cost of competition and the lack of challengers in the Louis Vuitton Cup posed some logistical and PR challenges. But nothing came close to the death of Andrew “Bart” Simpson during training on board the Artemis AC72 on 9 May 2013. During a simple bear away the boat suffered catastrophic structural failure of the front crossbeam causing the port hull to snap in half and the wing and all its associated rigging to collapse. Simpson was caught underneath the wreckage and was unable to be released.

The Artemis incident prompted a sweeping review of the event rules for wind limits, safety equipment, rescue procedures and boat design. A raft of new safety measures were implemented. While the sailors were much safer under the revised rules nobody was under any illusions that America’s Cup racing had entered a new, much riskier, age.

Continued on Page 10

Continued from Page 9 But move away from the problems and the 34th America’s Cup was a massive success.

The tight, short course made for fast and exciting racing, the AC72s provided a sailing spectacle the world has never before seen and the quality of the telecast made the America’s Cup accessible to a huge new audience.

And then there was THAT comeback.

OTUSA was being outclassed at every turn

by Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ). At the end of racing on Day 8 ETNZ was on match point, needing just one win to take to Cup back to Auckland. OTUSA needed eight wins. At each press conference OTUSA skipper Jimmy Spithill told the media pack that OTUSA still thought they could win. Nobody in the room believed him. Indeed the eleven sailors on board USA17 were likely the only people in the country who thought the American boat had a chance.

Then Day 9 dawned and with it the start of the most gripping comeback in sailing history. Oracle needed to win eight races without conceding a single one, all against a faster boat and superior crew. Aside from a few lucky breaks (such as the time limit being exceeded when the Kiwis were over a kilometre in front and just minutes from the finish line), Oracle sailed flawlessly showing superior speed and huge improvements in boat handling and crew work. The Kiwis could only look on as their dreams of victory faded with each and every race.

Credit must go to Oracle’s design team and boat builders. While the sailors went home to sleep, many of the design and build

Oracle Team USA Skipper Jimmy Spithill celebrates with the rest of the Oracle team after being presented with the America’s Cup in San Francisco team didn’t leave the team base for the duration of the eighteen day final. Oracle had a new measurement certificate issued by the race management authority for each race, meaning they never stopped changing the boat. There were obvious alterations such as the removal of the bowsprit, raking back the wing, changes to the daggerboard and foil design as well as many small changes which may or may not be made public in time.

The 34th Match was sensational. What started out looking like being a Kiwi whitewash ended up breaking all kinds of records. It was the longest final ever, Oracle made the biggest comeback, we saw the highest speeds, some of the closest racing and there was more technology than ever before. The naysayers who disparaged the plans for the 34th America’s Cup saying that

th

Oracle Team USA crosses the finish line in Race 19 to win the 34 America’s Cup. An estimated 75,000 spectators filled America’s Cup Park on the final day of racing.

catamarans can't turn, that it would be a drag race with no tactics, that it would be boring to watch, all were proved wrong.

Jimmy Spithill, Ben Ainslie, Tom Slingsby and the rest of the Oracle crew deserved to win. Oracle sailed faster on the day and was gracious in victory. They believed in themselves when nobody else did and overcame significant adversity in their two race penalty and removal of wing trimmer Dirk De Ridder just four days out from the Cup final. There can be no doubt that these eleven sailors are among the world’s best.

Team New Zealand has taken a fair amount of flack in the media. This is unfair, the Kiwis came in to the regatta as the top Challenger team and were so close to taking the Cup on three occasions when the race was abandoned for various reasons. The Kiwis sailed an extraordinary regatta but in the end were simply out-sailed, out-designed and out-spent by Oracle (New Zealand General Manager Grant Dalton admitted in the final press conference that ETNZ spent $100million on their campaign.

Oracle won’t reveal what they spent but industry pundits suggest a figure in the vicinity of $180million would be close). The Kiwi team will take a long time to get over this defeat but the 34th Cup would have been a lesser event without them. The image of the master of stoicism, Dean Barker, in tears at the helm on the way back to the dock after the final race shows what this meant to the men on board Aotearoa. Barker, tactician Ray Davies and their team should hold their heads high. They did their country proud.

So now we look towards the 35th Match, likely to be held in 2017. The Defender, Oracle Team USA in conjunction with the

The moment that almost finished ETNZ. A hydraulic issue mid-tack stopped the wing from moving. Hearts were in mouths around the world until the boat somehow came back from the brink of disaster.

Challenger of Record (recently announced as Hamilton Island Yacht Club) have the right to determine the rules, boats, timing and format for the next Cup. Tighter nationality rules were discussed ad nauseum during the 34th Cup and would be welcomed by much of the sailing community but are unlikely to eventuate. What is certain is that there will be an Australian entry in the America’s Cup for the first time since 2000 and that alone is exciting. Couple that with the recent announcement that the New Zealand government has guaranteed funding for the next America’s Cup campaign and it looks like the good old Australian-New Zealand rivalry will be back in earnest.

One big question hanging over the Defender and Challenger will be how they plan to get the cost of competing down to a more affordable level. To require around $100 million to mount a challenge is unsustainable. As is only having three teams challenge. The future of the Cup depends on more competition from more teams with a lower financial impost. While the massive AC72s have been amazing to watch and have undoubtedly reinvented the image of sailing for the wider population, the sheer cost in developing them (especially the wings) means that this Match may have been the first and last time we see them.

If that is so, what a send-off they gave us.

Luna Rossa

Artemis Racing

Representing Sicilian yacht club Circolo della Vela Sicilia and owned by the founder of Prada, Patrizio Bertelli, veteran campaigners Luna Rossa again fell short of the mark in 2013. The team is adamant they will be back but there are question marks over Luna Rossa’s future in America’s Cup campaigns.

The 34th Cup was the first time Artemis mounted an America’s Cup challenge.

Representing Sweden’s oldest yacht club Kungliga Svenska Segel Sällskapet, the team was bankrolled by Swedish resources billionaire Torbjörn Törnqvist.

Resplendent in their striking silver wetsuits and big chrome boat, the Italian team were never favourites to make the final. After a protest and public spat with the event organisers at the beginning of the regatta, Luna Rossa bowed out gracefully at the conclusion of the LV Cup – acknowledging that New Zealand was a class above.

Emirates Team New Zealand Partially state sponsored, the team from New Zealand was the only one in San Francisco who didn’t have a billionaire team owner hanging around. With the hopes of a sailing-mad nation resting on their shoulders, as well as the very real prospect that a poor showing in the regatta may spell the end for future America’s Cup funding, Team New Zealand certainly had their work cut out.

Without the Kiwis the 34th Cup would have been a non-event. Oracle would have decimated all before it and retained the Auld Mug with little fanfare. With them… well the spectacle speaks for itself. Crewed mainly by nationals of the country their boat represented, the Kiwi team took on the might of Oracle and came so, so close to winning.

After a strong showing in the America’s Cup World Series sailing the AC45 class, Artemis was looking like being a viable competitor in the Louis Vuitton Cup. A horrific capsize during practice in the months leading up to the LV Cup resulted in the death of sailor Andrew Simpson and the write off of the team’s only AC72.

With no boat it was going to be an uphill battle for Artemis to even make it to the LV Cup start line.

It is a credit to the team that Artemis managed to get a second AC72 built, assembled, fitted out and sailing midway through the LV Cup round robin series. By the time they competed in their first race the team had been sailing the new boat for just ten days and had only been foiling for six.

Their rivals, Luna Rossa and Emirates Team New Zealand had been sailing and foiling for months. New Zealand had also built a second boat in the meantime.

Artemis was trounced in the LV Cup semifinals. The fact that they were able to race at all and then won many of the starts against the more experienced Luna Rossa vindicated their efforts. Skipper Nathan Outteridge and tactician Iain Percy will be names to watch in the 35th Cup.

The aftermath of Artemis’ fatal capsize which claimed the life of Andrew Simpson.

This was the end of Big Red and the beginning of a host of new safety measures.

Skipper Dean Barker, Tactician Ray Davies and General Manager Grant Dalton were the epitome of sportsmanship. There were no egos, just grace under pressure, pride in their team, pragmatism when things didn’t go their way and utter devastation when it all went wrong in Race 19.

Jeremy Lomas comforts a shattered Dean Barker after the end of Race 19 and the loss of the America’s Cup

Team New Zealand returned home to a hero’s welcome and an entire nation of fans. They won the respect of sailing fans around the world while in San Francisco.

And in 2017 they’ll be back.

Big Blue, Artemis Racing’s second AC72 which was launched midway through the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Series

DIY Dreamtime Mun Chin dives into the second hand boat market and emerges (almost) unscathed HAD BEEN LOOKING through the For Sale sections of eBay, Gumtree and pacersailing.org.au, searching for that forgotten National champion boat which was being offered for a song. Then I saw it. A beautiful boat with a fibreglass hull and the unusual combination of red cedar tanks, deck and gunwales. Of course, I promptly forgot the basic rules of buying a boat. Did I bring another pair of eyes to inspect the boat? No. Crawl underneath, check the keel and look through everything to check that it is sound? Nooo.... A quick check with Peter Sharp, a few days of thinking about it and an offer made and accepted. As close to impulse buying a Mars Bar as you can get.

Bringing the new boat home was exciting.

Now to see what I bought. Hmm... half the fittings look like they came from Lord Nelson's time. I started by removing as many of the fittings as I dared, after taking numerous photos and carefully labeling the parts. Although the boat was in fairly good shape, I decided to freshen it up. First up was the deck with a gritty no slip paint (Interdeck, 750ml, $45). Then off to Bunnings for sandpaper and paint brushes ($20). Need to keep the wood looking good (Goldspar varnish, 1L, $52).

Lots of sanding, scraping and back breaking contortions as I tried to reach every nook and cranny. Back to Bunnings again for an electric sander ($69, haha new toy!). I realise now that as a rule of thumb, every time you touch a boat it will be a minimum of four hours of back breaking work and lots of joy to Bunnings shareholders. Time to turn the boat over.

Fibreglass hull had a few scratches and dings... managed to wrangle a free jar of gelcoat and acetone from a boating store.

Applied the gelcoat about four times before I gave up. Don't think I can get the hull to a piano surface this time.

Now for the rest of the boat. Sails don't look too bad, but all the sheets and halyards need replacing. It is remarkable how much rope there is on a Pacer (about 60 metres in total at $2-3 per metre…

Adds up), not to mention the confusing variety of ropes available. The bent tiller had to be changed ($85) and I decided to

Refurbishing a boat gives you a great feeling of satisfaction when it is complete. It can be a long, frustrating process but you will learn more about your boat and how to fix it quickly when things go wrong if you do it yourself.

There are always people around to ask for help if something isn't working out. Doing it yourself is also much cheaper than taking the boat to a professional.

Second hand boats are plentiful but it always pays to speak to someone in the know about ones you find before making an offer. Doing a bit of homework can mean the difference between buying a winner and getting saddled with a clunker (see p15)

put a bolt through the rudder rather than just jamming it with a rope. The fittings went back on with sealant properly applied. Outhaul and vang controls now run to the back of the boat. Interesting - cunningham for the mainsail? Nope, had to rig one up with a new block ($28). The last owner did not use the spinnaker so I had to set the whole system up again. One of the two spinnakers had a small rip which was quickly repaired (spinnaker repair tape, $10). The old wooden ramps on the pole were replaced by a simple steel eye. Measured out the spinnaker sheets and ended up two metres short… Back to the shop.

The cleats for the barbahauler had a spring missing but still worked. None of the shops had a similar fitting ("haven’t seen one of these for years....") so back on it went.

Where did the spinnaker halyard go? Another block and cleat required on the mast ($56).

At last, it was ready. I ended up learning a lot about dinghy systems and yacht chandleries . A lot of time was spent getting information from speaking to club members, looking at Google, in books, and visiting chandleries (e.g. OTB Marine, 6/347 Bay Rd, Cheltenham, 10% off!). With every step taken, decision made (rightly or wrongly), I grew more confident about making changes, removing fittings and replacing with simpler systems. On its maiden voyage, it sailed beautifully. Compliments about its looks showed that the work done was well worth it.

Inflated ego from the praise? Priceless.

MESAC Marine Environment Science and Community Centre

OR THE PAST YEAR, TWO MEMBERS OF THE BYC committee have been working on a side project in conjunction with other users of the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. Peter Sharp and Bruce Fraser are founding members of a steering committee which includes representatives from Marine Care Ricketts Point, Bayside Council, RMIT, Victorian Government and Parks Victoria.

This is an update on how the project is progressing, what its ultimate aims are as well as some background about the MESAC concept.

What is MESAC? A consortium with representation from BYC and Marine Care Ricketts Point formed to explore the concept of creating a not-forprofit, multi-use, disability friendly and environmentally sensitive facility to foster sailing, marine science and associated community interests. There are 3 key considerations for our location:

 Our building is on the foreshore looking over a substantial portion of the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary

 Our location is one of the best around the Bay for disabled diving access

 Our existing footprint and building bulk is of a size to sufficiently support refurbishment/expansion to cater for other uses.

What is conceptually proposed?

A not for profit, multi-use, environmentally friendly facility, designed to foster sailing, marine science, disability, and associated community interests.

A wish list of core requirements has been prepared. This will be developed as the design progresses. An important part of the plan is to increase the building utility within its current area footprint.

BYC remains the Lessee (and therefore controls the facility) under current lease arrangements with Council and DEPI. Representatives on the MESAC working group fully support this.

Potential BYC benefits  A substantially upgraded facility at no cost to BYC members.  Increased revenue opportunities from facility hire     

(arrangements with MESAC participants to be worked through) Increased attractiveness for State and National championship regattas.

Income stream to offset operating and maintenance costs Improved opportunities for funding grants Stronger relationships with local and state government and local interest groups Increased community profile (potentially national)

Potential community benefits Bayside residents will benefit from multiple uses and an environmentally friendly enhanced facility which will be available for community activities.

Residents will also benefit from an enhanced Centre which promotes marine science and environmental sustainability.

What support is there for the concept?

The MESAC initiative has so far been endorsed strongly by senior management at Bayside Council, Parks Victoria and DEPI. Multi use of foreshore buildings is also a key plank of the Council's recent coastal management plan.

What stage is the proposal at?

RMIT architecture department has agreed to manage on a probono basis the design process for MESAC - the first step was to seek Expressions of Interest to design the facility. They received five responses by the end of May 2013. A stakeholder’s panel was established to evaluate the EOIs. MvS Architects were successful in the selection process after a detailed presentation to an expanded stakeholder panel in July 2013. MvS is now tasked with producing a detailed concept of a facility which would accommodate BYC and other users. MvS understands that BYC would suffer no loss of facility space or usage under the new design.

The concept design process is continuing to evolve. A detailed survey of the land and features in the vicinity of the Club has recently been completed. The information gathered from this work will assist the architects in the development of their plans. It is expected that concept plans will be available in the first half of 2014.

MESAC continues to enjoy a consistently high level of support for the proposed multi-use of the Club facilities and was fortunate to receive a $5,000 grant from Bayside Council recently to assist with minor establishment and operating expenses.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has also been prepared to clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of Council, MESAC (of which BYC is a member), BYC and Bayside Council. Although the MoU is a non-binding document, it does represent a further step in demonstrating the commitment of the key parties to the proposal.

We hope that with appropriate community, council and state government support, the MESAC project will become a reality and benefit all BYC members as well as the wider Bayside community.

Double

Dutch

This is an extract of an email Avril McHugh sent home in June during her and Ian’s adventures on a canal boat in the Netherlands.

E

ARE

HAVING

A

fantastic adventure in the Netherlands.

We are currently moored in a jachthaven (a small public marina common on the canals) in Maasbracht on the river Maas waiting for the washing machine to complete its cycle. You can only reuse clothes so many days!

Jachthaven provide good facilities for about €20 per night, it’s just like camping but on a boat. Some nights we stay at Passanthavens (Moorings on the sides of canals which provide electricity and laundry facilities) which are often in the middle of the town and usually provide basic toilets and showers.

serve beautifully. The north is yachting heaven. You don't tend to see so many yachts south of Amsterdam, more large motor cruisers and house boats in this jachthavan! (Maasbrucht We only stayed two nights, couldn't stand the houseboats – Ian).

So far we have stopped at Sneek, Emmerlord, Elberg, Naarden (Amsterdam), Loenen, Utrecht, Vreeswijk, den Bosch, Veghel, Aarle Avril steadying the boat as the lock operates Rixtel and Maasbracht. We will leave the boat in Maastricht which is which has helped me with my mooring about five hours by boat from here. Alex technique but there have still been a few and Katherine (our son and his partner) tense moments, as you can imagine. After Our trip started in Leewarden in joined us last weekend in Utrecht which is leaving Vreeswik we have been on the ZuidFrieseland in the north, where Friesian a delightful old town with many low bridg- Willemsvaart Canal. It is straight, long and cows come from. The Friese have their es over the canal right through the middle boring with a highway running beside it own language which is more Slavic than of the city. Along the canal are old ware- with lots of trucks. At least the Dutch plant Dutch (but of course speak Dutch too). houses built into the banks and street level lots of trees beside their canals in avenues Leewarden is in the Polder region which is above them, most unusual. They are to break the flatness of the countryside. No has beautiful lakes, old, pretty towns with now mostly used as cafes and by artists. more looking in pretty front and back garremnant fortifications and well organized Centuries ago Utrecht was a city of greater dens of homes in towns or meandering farms with huge barns and animal smells canals! Yesterday we went through four importance than Amsterdam. as you travel along the canals. Also lots sluices before lunch. We were in a little of wind turbines. We travelled on the Our glimpse of Amsterdam didn't impress convoy with three other boats and a barge Ijsselmeer and Markermeer which us, as compared to other European capiso there was no waiting for the sluice. The are huge inland lakes which used to be tals. We did have a wonderful afternoon first sluice rose about four metres and othpart of the Zueiderzee (a large body of however in their Rijksmuseum looking at ers two metres, and you have to change water in the north of the Netherlands works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other your ropes on the bollards and steady the which was open to the North Sea. A netbeautiful paintings. We also visited museboat as the water rises. The skipper finally work of dykes have now sealed off the ums in Leewarden and Utrecht. The Dutch praised my efforts but just before southern section into two meers, or concentrate on museums, church spires, Maasbracht at the last sluice, but instead of lakes; Ijsselmeer and Markermeer) before clocks and bells. Churches in the north are going up we had to go down about six or the Dutch closed it off. There were lots of predominantely Protestant and very ausseven metres! Actually it was alright as the wonderful sailing yachts including old tere inside but have beautiful architecture. boat didn't move as much as when the wawooden sailing boats that the Dutch preWe are in the south now with many more ter is rising but being first boat in with Catholic churches which these huge lock gates in front of you was are much more ornate but rather confronting! nothing like Italy!

It has taken me a fortnight The weather has been mild, warm to hot to feel relaxed on the boat and humid. We have used our waterproof with so many things to coats a few times but mainly for the wind. learn.

Mooring tech- My bike riding skills have improved, but niques, reading canal maps only in smaller quieter towns. The Dutch and signs, going through ride with determination, there are lots of locks or sluices and waiting them and traffic travels on the opposite for bridges to open (bridge side of the road to ours. A local lady told keepers need their tea!) It me 'they are born a bike' and when you see is light until about 10pm pregnant women, grannies, children, in fact here. Ian learnt to handle everyone riding even in the countryside I Scenery from the moorings in Leeuwarden, Friesland the boat fairly quickly am sure it must be true.

Paul’s Pacer Guide Paul Hardie briefly discusses the ins and outs of buying a used Pacer DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO BUYING A Pacer this is not. This is more a list of issues which should be considered when buying a Pacer, particularly your first one.

You should consider the purchase of your boat as a long term investment. If you buy right the hull will last many, many years.

However sails will require replacement a number of times over the expected life of the hull, so make sure when you buy your boat the most important consideration is a good hull. Don’t buy a poor boat because it has good sails.

There are a number of Pacer hulls available on the market: OLDER TIMBER HULLS Unless you are handy and have a garage to sand, varnish and generally maintain a timber hull it’s probably best not to buy one.

Timber boats are more fragile and are damaged more easily. There are still some very good timber boats racing competitively today, but they require regular maintenance.

ANCHOR MARINE HULLS Old fibreglass hulls. Some have fibreglass gunwales and some have timber gunwales.

These boats were produced in the early 70’s and are usually well worn, not very rigid and often quite heavy.

SMACKWATER HULLS Fibreglass hulls locally made in the 90’s.

Being made of chopped mat fibreglass many of these hulls flex a lot and are quite heavy.

JIM FRENCH HULLS Foam sandwich fibreglass hulls locally made. A number of small variations in models have occurred over the years but some 400 have been made. Jim French hulls are very stiff and strong. Ten year old boats are still in excellent condition after many years of sailing.

Having said that, the minimum weight for a Pacer Hull, excluding centre board, rudder, rudder box, tiller mast, and boom is 59 kilograms, so whatever hull you buy, try to get one that is near minimum weight.

Your decision will be influenced by what you want to do with the boat. Ie: social sailing or racing. If the boat is not fully fitted out,

adding items later on can increase the purchase cost considerably. If racing, make sure the centre board and rudder are straight and in good condition. Check that the mast gate is strong and that there is a spinnaker bar fitted. Check the mast/boom for corrosion, particularly at the hounds, gooseneck, and vang fittings. Check to ensure the stays are not frayed. Try and get good shroud adjusters so you can easily tune the mast.

Check all the fittings for condition and try and get a boat with two of the larger self bailers (Riley type preferably) fitted.

Above and below: Jim French hulls sell for a premium. If you can afford them they are far and away the best hulls available. Characterised by excellent build quality and big rolled gunwales.

The better the sails the boat comes with, the better off you will be initially. See if the previous owner has a measurement certificate (required if you are racing in State or National titles) and if it has a good beach trolley and a road trailer.

Experienced Pacer sailors at BYC will be only too happy to give you some advice and assist with boat purchases. Many second hand boats will be known to Club members.

If you’re looking for a boat the best thing to do is ask someone. There are many classes of boat and somewhere out there is the one for you so get looking!

Check out these websites for starters: www.pacersailing.org.au www.gumtree.com.au www.ebay.com.au Club websites with For Sale sections are also a good start as many boats never make it onto the bigger sites and are sold within clubs for years.

Above: Anchor Marine hulls often have timber gunwales and thwarts on a glass hull.

Old, heavy and soft, steer well clear of these.

Below: Smackwater hulls are identified by the short, narrow gunwales. Produced in the later 90’s, these were heavy, poorly made boats. Again, keep well clear of these.

3193 Cup EAUMARIS YACHT CLUB, BLACK ROCK YACHT CLUB and Beaumaris Community Bank have teamed up to deliver the inaugural 3193 Cup, to be held on February 1 at Black Rock Yacht Club. The racing will be on a yardstick division basis with up to four divisions including a junior division.

The racing and trophies will be sponsored by our friends at Beaumaris Community Bank who are long-time supporters of sailing in the Beaumaris community.

Big fleets are expected and as parking is always scarce at BRYC it’s best to get down early. Further information including Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and entry details will be made public soon.

This inaugural event needs our support - let’s make sure we send a good sized BYC contingent on the day, the 3193 Cup will be at BYC in 2015 on the first Sunday in February and we want a big fleet from BRYC to make the effort. Put it in the diary and let’s get behind it!

Musings from on high Pam Sharp’s observations from the tower NE PERFECT BEACH AND sailing day, just to lull us into thinking that would be the way of the new season. Then a blow-out and next, a blow-out that wasn’t! At least we can’t complain of monotony!

Once the seasonal gales have finally abated we in the tower would like to see all those newly painted and varnished boats out at once. We can count to more than ten and there is nothing we enjoy more than watching a fleet of spinnakers rounding the weather mark so we can see who has left who in their wake!

As most of our sailors know, the tower staff for some years has numbered just two, plus the DO of the day when he or she has time and anyone else we can pressgang. Now it seems two may have become three. Charmaine Smith has decided she was tired of domestic chores on Sundays and was going to watch Rod sailing his Javelin or Laser instead. She innocently mentioned this to one of the eyes in the sky upon her arrival at the beach on the Opening Regatta and found herself pounced upon. You’ll enjoy it so much more if you can see it all from where we sit, she was told. So she has come up to join us, we welcome her and hope we behave well enough for her to stay! Then Mike would be able to visit granddaughter Miranda in Sydney and Pam could accept an occasional invitation to visit family in Mansfield without either of us

feeling as if we are deserting our posts.

As well as watching and constantly counting boats during races - and we know who is on the water, having checked you as you leave the beach - one of us is in charge of the radio and if you capsize we alert the rescue boat to your plight if they have not seen it for themselves. We are also responsible for your results – the committee boat confirms the start time we have taken visually and we time you through the finish line. At the end of the race we check sail numbers as you return to the beach and soon afterwards you will hear us begging you to help bring Narina - and Mulloka if she is out ashore. They are heavy boats and need more assistance to retrieve than you may think.

Up all those stairs - an extra one every year, the most senior eye has been heard to complain - is the safest place to leave valuable possessions while you are out sailing. We are not aware of anything having been stolen from the change rooms recently but it is best to avoid an unwanted visit from a passer-by. Don’t think you will be a nuisance or disturb us - it is good to meet you and have a quick chat if there is time before we start work. In particular you might be interested to see the procedures and technology we use to help keep you safe on the water.

FOR SALE JAVELIN CLASS BRANDED SOFTSHELL JACKETS PROFESSIONALLY PRINTED $85 EACH CONTACT WILL SHARP 9878 1997 will@beaumarisyc.com

WANTED USED PACER AND MINNOW SAILS FOR THE BYC TRAINING FLEET. MAINSAILS, JIBS AND SPINNAKERS. CONTACT PAUL HARDIE (03) 9583 3363

FOR SALE JAVELIN 367 ‘Spun Out’    

Minimum weight Good racing record CST mast Irwin sails in good condition  Aluminium beach trolley  Registered road trailer

$ 6,500 ONO

Good sailing to you all for season 20132014.

Pam, Mike and Charmaine.

Phone Rod Smith 0409 172 583