Rear Commodore Will SHARP on what happened on and off the water during the season just been
NEW BYC MERCH New season BYC polos are available to order with new colours and logos on offer. We don’t have any celebrity endorsements to help sell them but now that Miranda Kerr is out of contract with Myer and David Jones we’re hoping she will sign on for the BYC range.
AILING FOR THE 2013-14 SEASON IS now well and truly over. 13-14 was one of the busiest seasons in recent years – starting with the madness of the promotion push, including several displays at the Concourse shopping centre which culminated in Discover Sailing Day on November 17 last year. Late in 2013 there were the usual Australian class championships and the success of Peter and Lauren Kemp at the Pacer Nationals at Christies Beach (see page 12 for more). In early January, BYC ran a January Tackers program for the second year with an increased attendance – this was a long, hot week for everyone involved with temperatures constantly in the high 30s. It was a big effort from those who sweated their way through Melbourne’s hottest week of the year ensuring that the program ran smoothly. The first weekend of February saw the inaugural 3193 Sailing Cup hosted in 2014 by Black Rock Yacht Club and proudly supported by Beaumaris Community Bank. This is a fleet event with results decided on handicap. The club with the greatest number of boats in the top ten finishers on yardstick wins the cup. Peter and Lauren Kemp in Bebop blitzed the fleet of more than sixty boats and were the fastest boat on the day on corrected time. The 3193 Sailing Cup will be hosted by BYC next season and we look forward to a big attendance from Black Rock YC to support this event. In March the Club hosted the Pacer, Pacer Pursuit and 125 State Championships. This was a huge three days for everyone which capped off almost a year of planning behind the scenes. There is a full report on page 8 but suffice to say we all pulled together to make it a great event and a showcase of what BYC can do. To everyone who competed or volunteered their time, you should be proud. It was our event, and it is our success. Closer to home and the saga of the moving reef marks appears (for the time being) to be resolved. New post marks have replaced the older ones which had a habit of disappearing every couple of weeks. They are now bolted in so hopefully this is the end of the dramas with shifting marks and edge-of-the-seat crosses of the reef. BYC sailors were also treated to a new addition to our waters in early March in the shape of a yellow and black pile marker signifying the edge of the Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. These piles have been installed along the edge of the 115ha entire marine park
Contact Will Sharp for ordering info (but not about Miranda).
OTB Marine
New members Michael and Myles Brown on their Tasar, Funny As. from Quiet Corner to Table Rock. They replace the old yellow floating markers (that look exactly like our course marks) which had a bad habit of shifting and breaking loose in big storms. Hopefully Parks Victoria will pick up the remaining marker currently sitting directly off the Club which will end the confusion with course marks during racing (it’s a long way from home having dragged all the way from Ricketts Point in a storm last September). Back to club racing and it has been great to see several new boats appearing on the beach including Silke Weber’s and Victor Tse’s new Sabres. The committee is keen to promote a single handed class again and the Sabre is a perfect fit. We hope to see more arriving at the Club over the coming seasons. Another new addition to the fleet came in the form of Michael and Myles Brown on their Tasar Funny As. The Tasar is a fast, challenging one-design boat which has remained virtually unchanged since its inception in 1975. A design well before its time, the Tasar provides close, competitive racing with a strong Victorian and Australian presence. It is a great class for anyone who wants a faster boat for two adults. Finally, keep an eye out for the Sailing Calendar for next season which will be released soon. The Committee is planning a few changes to the way racing is run which will keep things interesting. Thanks to everyone who made the 2013-14 season such a success and I look forward to seeing you all at our Presentation event on Friday, June 27.
Official supplier to Yachting Victoria, 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.