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.