Volume 6 Issue 2
Inside: The Fickle Finger of Fate Senior Learn to Sail program wrap
What’s Said in the Boat… Sailing with family and why it works
Lady Nelson: 4 Days in the South Brian and Susie channel their inner colonial explorer
State and National event wrap Javelins, Pacers and Minnows
Sail Croatia
Bruce and Lorraine head for the Med’
Beaumaris Yacht Club is proudly supported by Beaumaris Community Bank Branch
Commodore Phillip Connard
Minimising clutter
Vice Commodore Bruce Fraser Rear Commodore Will Sharp
Technical hints and tips to help improve your sailing from eight time Victorian Champion and ex Australian Pacer Champion, PETER KEMP
Secretary Silke Weber Treasurer Charmaine Smith
Committee Paul Hardie - Peter Sharp Thomas Ruether - Connor Gallagher Susan Sharp - Geoff Perkins Sarah McKinna
Learn to Sail team Peter Sharp - Paul Hardie - Dan Redman Thomas Ruether - Lachlan Sharp Ian McHugh - Bruce Fraser - Peter Kemp Phillip Connard - Conor Gallagher
HEN FITTING OUT MY PACER, I tried to bring the important sail controls back to be within reach of the skipper’s hiking position while avoiding having too many fittings in the boat. The Ronstan swivel cleat (RF5) gives you adjustment on either tack and it also allows you to run the control rope up either side by swapping the sheave and cleat. I tried adding a second sheave (available as a spare) and second cleat and then running a second rope through the one fitting. Even though the two ropes do touch, they still run freely and it works well. This way I have my vang and main downhaul on one fitting, and my main outhaul and spinnaker pole height
The Ronstan RF5 Swivel Cleat on another fitting. Four of the most important controls are now within easy reach with just two fittings.
Contact Us! Email: silke@beaumarisyc.com Post: PO Box 16, Black Rock Vic 3193 Phone: 03 9589 6222 beaumarisyc.com facebook.com/beaumarisyc youtube.com/beaumarisyc twitter.com/beaumarisyc Past issues of The Reef: issuu.com/beaumarisyc
The Reef Editor Will Sharp Email: will@beaumarisyc.com Phone: (03) 8819 0672
Contributors Nicole Jenvey, Bruce Fraser, Phillip Connard, Brian Doig, Susie Groves, Peter Kemp, Dan Redman, Peter Sharp, Mun Chin, Lachlan Sharp
Front Cover Minnow 988 Sparkle - Lauren Kemp Beaumaris, VIC (Photo: W. Sharp, 15 February 2015)
Cams vs. Clams - choosing cleats HERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE between a CLAM cleat and a CAM cleat. A clam cleat is a singlepiece cleat which has a grooved 'v' to hold the rope. They are cheap, compact, and require almost no maintenance however can be hard to uncleat under tension because the rope needs to be pulled back free of the grooves before it will release. Clam cleats come in a wide variety of designs and formats to suit most applications. Cam cleats have jaws which rotate to hold the rope. They are much more expensive but can be uncleated quite easily even when under very heavy loads. They are very useful for applications where the sheet or line is often under tension and needs regular adjustment. Cam cleats have small springs inside them which need to be checked periodically for corrosion. If the spring breaks, the cleat will be unlikely to hold. A good wash with fresh water after use will keep them in good order.
The humble clam cleat: cheap, simple and unbreakable. Also hard work under load.
The cam cleat. Easy to use but more expensive than a clam cleat and can occasionally fail. Much, much easer to use in a breeze.
Commodore PHILLIP CONNARD discusses some of the highlights of the season just been.
April 26 Closing Regatta End of season BBQ
ELCOME TO THE SECOND EDITION of The Reef for the 2014-15 season. Thankfully the wild winds we experienced early in the season were not repeated on the final sailing days as we enjoyed fair winds and clear skies. Few were put off by the cooler weather with the majority of the fleet enjoying great sailing right up to the season's end. One June 21 we will be holding our annual AGM and Presentation night. This will be a casual pizza night this year so please try to come along as the formalities are kept to a minimum and a good night is enjoyed by all. This is the time when the Committee of Management for the following season is elected - there is always room for a fresh approach so please consider joining the committee or taking on a role in the club – it can be most rewarding. We have benefited from the input of newer members and now enjoy a renewed website, Twitter activities and sailing partner matching services. If you have been chewing over ideas to improve the sailing program or have an event that could be included in the social calendar for next season this is the time to pass them on by speaking to a committee member about it. I’m currently booking accommodation for the Pacer National Championships being held at South Australia's Victor Harbour between 27 December 2015 and 4 January 2016 and I thought it would be opportune to recommend competing to every BYC Pacer sailor. It must be stressed that expertise is not needed and less experienced sailors are most welcome. The enjoyment of combining a summer holiday with a sailing championship must be experienced to be fully appreciated. There are opportunities to meet and learn from other sailors as well as developing friendships that can extend over the years from regatta to regatta. There will be a strong Beaumaris contingent attending so you will not be alone. For the newer sailor, the experiences gained from in sailing in a regatta over subsequent days can really accelerate improvements in sailing and racing skills.
often as they can plus Mike's reassuring presence in the tower. The Rescue Boat crews and Race Management team have had many challenges thrown at them this year by some of the wild weather we have experienced. They have ensured that racing has continued wherever possible but have cancelled racing if the weather dictates. This is often a hard decision and I thank them for their efforts as I think they have always made the right call with the information at hand. I look forward to seeing you all on the water.
June 8 Queen’s Birthday holiday
June 21 2015 Presentation
August 15 - 23 National Science Week MESAC activities at BYC
September 12 Bunnings fundraiser BBQ
Late September Working bee Clean up day
October 4 2015-16 Opening Regatta Championship Race 1 Commodore’s Cup
Oct/Nov Promotional displays at Beaumaris Concourse
November 1
The 3193 Cup which was scheduled for February 1 was unfortunately cancelled due to high winds. It will resume next year so please keep an eye out for it.
Championship Race 2
Finally, I would like to welcome Cam Bromley to our Race Management team this year alongside the ever reliable Geoff Perkins. Also many thanks to Rod and Lesley McCubbin who help us out as
November 3
Lee McMillan Trophy
Melbourne Cup Day
Rear Commodore WILL SHARP sums up the season at BYC and reflects on sailing in the big wide world Pacer National Results NOTHER GREAT SEASON AT BYC has drawn to a close – thank you to everyone who made it a success. We have had our occasional challenges as usual, mainly in the form of uncooperative weather, however the weather overall this season has been reasonably good, and certainly better than recent seasons.
Fleets BYC has been experiencing a slow, but consistent rise in fleet numbers for the past few years and the 201415 season has been no exception to this trend. I hope everyone has been enjoying the sailing; the Race Management Team has been working hard to keep the sailing program on track and the racing running smoothly for everyone. It has also been good to see further diversification of the classes represented in our Sunday fleets. While the Pacer contingent remains the strong core of the fleet, this season has seen regular appearances from our two new Tasars, a pair of 125s, another Laser, and of course Lauren Kemp in her Minnow (who features on the front cover of this issue). Seeing Lauren sailing takes me back over fifteen years when we regularly had a junior fleet sailing in afternoon races. I encourage all of our young sailors to try sailing in the afternoon, racing on a larger course will help you develop your skills far beyond what can be done in a regulated Learn to Sail environment. BYC is committed to providing an accommodating environment for our young sailors including shorter courses, dedicated rescue boats, separate starts and more.
National/State results Congratulations to all our sailors who competed at their respective State or National Championships over the past few months. As I have written many times before, sailing in a multi-day event improves your sailing in a way that weekly sailing cannot. Lessons learnt one day are built on the next, with very little lost in the blur of life between Sundays State and National event results are listed in the breakout, right.
once learnt it will be a skill which will be with you for life. Even if you choose not to remain involved with BYC after this season, you will always be welcome if you return in the future.
The big wide world Away from BYC and the Australian sailing community never ceases to amaze me. Early in the year I went down to Sorrento to check out the Moth World Championships and eyeball some of the fastest boats and sailors on the planet. Virtually every big name in sailing was there along with some very special boats. Sailors from all four 2013 America’s Cup teams were competing in the event and famous faces were everywhere on the beach. Despite some rather fearsome reputations among them, every sailor I spoke to was happy to stop for a chat about the event, weather, the boats and life in general.
2nd – Peter and Lauren Kemp
Bebop th
10 – Paul and Judy Hardie
Limelight th
13 – Phillip and Janette Connard
Wildwood
Pacer Pursuit National Results 1st – Jon Pulham and Danny Marrinon – Spray (sailing for APYC) 4th – Ian McHugh and Conor Gallagher - Bluebottle
Javelin National Results
The next day I caught up for a chat with Julian Bethwaite, who was in Melbourne for the start of the Moth Worlds. Over a couple of hours we discussed the common challenges facing sailing, both on a local and international scale. Stay tuned, he is currently writing an article for the next issue of The Reef…
3rd – Peter and Lachlan Sharp
It sounds like I’m name dropping here but the point I’m trying to make is that across various classes, events, states and countries, sailing is a universal sport which unites people from around the world. Despite our various backgrounds, most sailors face the same challenges with regards to cost, access, weather and time. What unites us is a love of the water and a passion to win.
Pacer State Results
Razor th
9 – Rod Smith and Silke Weber
Spun Out
1st – Peter and Lauren Kemp
Bebop th
6 – Phillip Connard and Thomas Ruether – Wildwood 9th – Ian McHugh, Gabrielle Theron, Pat King and Robert Wood – Buttercup 14th – Silke Weber, Nicole Jenvey and Justine Walden
Pocket Rocket
Javelin State Results 1st – Michael and Will Sharp
Learn to Sail Once again both our Adult and Junior Learn to Sail programs were fully booked and very successful. BYC takes pride in the way we introduce people to sailing, preferring to spend more time with the one group to ensure quality instruction rather than running two shorter, less effective courses during the season. These programs continue to be highly successful with many of the participants remaining members after completion of the course. More than half the current membership at BYC can be directly attributed to our Learn to Sail programs. An in depth report on the Adult Learn to Sail program can be found on page 6 of this issue. Well done to everyone who participated in the programs, sailing can be challenging to learn but
Warren th
4 – Peter and Lachlan Sharp
Razor th
5 – Rod Smith and Jon Pulham
Spun Out
Minnow State Results 30th – Lauren Kemp - Sparkle
Impulse State Results 4th – Jon Pulham – En Bateau (sailing for APYC)
Frank Bethwaite Ten-time Australian Champion and seventeentime Victorian Champion PETER SHARP on the two upwind issues which affect us all: Height and Speed.
EIGHT AND SPEED ARE THE TWO aspects of upwind sailing which determine where you are positioned in the fleet by the time you arrive at the top mark. It is generally quite difficult to have both height and speed at the same time but that does not stop us trying! Issues with height and/or speed are extremely common for most sailors from the moment the race is underway.
2.
3.
Position your boat in clear air if possible. A disturbed airstream from the sails of boats ahead to windward (shadowing) or leeward (lee bowing) will (a) slow the boat and (b) affect pointing. Make sure the boat is in trim with the skipper and crew as far forward as possible for the conditions. If the crew are too far back in the boat the stern will drag unnecessarily which will slow the boat. The boat also needs to be laterally upright for the centreboard, sails and rudder to work efficiently and with minimal drag. Look at the sail controls. At the end of the day there are a range of settings that deliver a combination of pointing and speed to produce an optimum velocity made good (VMG) – the shortest sailing time between marks (in this case from the leeward mark to the windward mark).
Points 1 and 2 are relatively easy to put into place. However point 3, sail control can be challenging. The difficult part is finding the right settings. Unfortunately there is not a ‘one size fits all’ formula that works for all boats across the vast range of sailing conditions that we experience. The general setting points outlined in my previous article provide a good base to start from. Remember, appropriate sheet tension together with ensuring that you sail to the tell-tales are the critical primary steps. Then it’s a matter of trying subtle changes to get your individual rig working optimally.
Frank joined the RNZAF during WWII, becoming a flight instructor and test pilot. Frank finished the War as a Squadron Leader flying bombers in the Pacific for which he was awarded the DFC. He met and married Nel Mills in 1945 while she was a cipher officer in the RNZAF. Shortly after moving to Sydney in 1959, Frank formed a small group who designed the Northbridge Senior (NS14), a light, fast sailing boat for women as well as men. The NS14 proved extremely popular on the Australian east coast and plenty are still sailing today.
There are always nervous or frustrating moments where other boats in the fleet are moving faster and/or pointing higher that your boat. So what can we do about it? There are really three main areas to look at: 1.
DFC OAM 1920 - 2012
ABOVE: As soon as the race starts many sailors will start having issues with height and speed relative to other boats. Knowing how to deal with these issues is the key to faster sailing.
Generally if a higher pointing angle is required, flatten the sails and increase leech tension on both the main and jib. But (and there’s always a “but”), trying to achieve too higher pointing angle will come at the expense of boat speed. Conversely if you can afford to sacrifice some pointing angle try easing the jib and deepen the main marginally to increase speed. Finding the right combination quickly for the conditions of the moment is the key to sailing fast. This takes time and perseverance to experiment, know and understand the settings for your boat and rig. Most importantly, if your boat is slower than other competitors in terms of VMG, look for the obvious: disturbed air, boat trim, basic sheet tension and tell-tales. If there is no improvement it’s time to make changes to sail settings (preferably one at a time if experimenting) to improve VMG. Remember the ‘do nothing option’ will not improve your situation so experimenting is good as long as you can quickly reverse a setting if you find your VMG suffering further. - PS.
Designed the Tasar dinghy specifically for adult men and women to sail competitively – a departure from the trend at the time towards smaller and lighter crews. Over 3000 Tasars have been built worldwide and they continue to be a strong, competitive class.
His first book, High Performance Sailing was published. The book drew heavily on Frank’s experience working as team meteorologist for the Australian Olympic Sailing Team in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
Frank Bethwaite awarded an OAM for services to sport. The 2000 Sydney Games were the first Olympic outing for the Bethwaite-designed 49er skiff. To date there have been over 2000 49ers built worldwide.
Frank’s second book, Higher Performance Sailing was published, this time drawing heavily on his experiences developing the 49er with his son Julian. Like his first book, this quickly became a bible for sailors from all types of boats and classes. Frank passed away peacefully surrounded by family on 12 May. Later in the year his third and final book, Fast Handling Technique was published and a modified version of the 49er, the 49erFX was selected as the Women’s skiff for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
HE LEARN TO SAIL PROGRAM THIS SEASON PROVED TO BE A HIT AMONGST THE participants. Together we embarked on a course that provided plenty of fun and laughter, space to enjoy each others’ company as well as our fair share of ‘serious’ sailing. Initially there was a combination of quiet anticipation, nervousness and friskiness within the group which consisted of both complete novices as well as sailors returning to the program for a second helping. Yet as the season went on, trepidation gave way to a sense of achievement, greater confidence and fun. The cooking classes were also an inspired addition to the program this year, but more about that later! We had a few false starts, mainly due to the consistently high winds on Sunday mornings, but relished crewing for the volunteer instructors in exhilarating/ treacherous, fun/scary conditions when the high winds kept us from steering. When not out on the boat we were entertained by the antics of the two most junior members of the group as they threw handfuls of wet sand down each other’s wetsuits,
egged on by one of the more senior sailors in the program who was also apt at handing out relationship advice when rigging. I’m sure I overheard him say, “you’ve got to treat it gently” and “treat it (the boat) like a woman.” There was more, but I won’t go on because I’m already blushing just thinking about it! In addition to life lessons, we were given sage advice from Peter and Paul about the theory of sailing, maneuvering techniques, boat building and the weather, which brings me to the cooking class. One windy morning we were all gathered upstairs, watching a DVD that Mun brought in to share. The commentator introduced us to a number of new and perhaps unique sailing terms, including Lachlan’s favorite, “the fickle finger of fate” which refers to…well… I’m not totally sure. Talk to Lachlan about that one! The DVD also introduced us to a number of ‘recipes’ for setting up the boat for various conditions. Apparently (but correct me if I’m wrong), you need to cook a Vindaloo if there are strong winds, Madras if the winds are moderate and a Korma in light winds. Right? Hmmmm – might need to watch it again. The DVD was nonetheless educational, and worth watching if you enjoy your sailing information marinated in lashings of metaphor and peppered with images. What the metaphors lacked in clarity, they surely made up for in terms of light entertainment. Despite the laughing in the theory sessions, the greatest amount of pleasure came from simply being out on the water. We slowly but surely stepped out from the safety of the crewing position and took charge of the helm, with it developing a sense of joy and accomplishment. As the season went on, it was nice to see more and more of the sailors from the program step up to crew and occasionally skipper in the afternoon races. Another notable aspect of the course that cannot go without mentioning is the fate of one particpant (let’s for the purposes of this article call him ‘Josh’) who managed to be in the only boat that capsized or encountered serious difficulties on three consecutive sessions (losing the rudder in one instance). He took it in his stride, enjoying the impromptu swimming sessions as much as the sailing. Once again this year, the instructors kept their cool and generously shared their vast knowledge of sailing. I for one am incredibly grateful for their guidance. Big thanks go out to Peter, Paul, Lachlan and all the instructors who assisted in the sessions over the season. So whilst the conditions might have been against us, we certainly made the most of the experience and learnt many life lessons in the process.
- Nicole Jenvey
Originally I had plans for a two page spread about the 2015 3193 Sailing Cup. It was a feature of the 2014-15 program and was the focal point for the second half of the season at BYC. Unfortunately despite our thorough planning and preparation, Melbourne produced a day of strong 25 knot south westerly breezes, rain and two metre seas. In a south westerly breeze, the waters off Beaumaris have one of the longest fetches on the bay. Coupled with the rock shelf which is part of the Rickett’s Point structure covering more than half our course area and big, steep (often breaking) waves are usually the result. 1 February was a particularly bad day for this effect. A course was laid however conditions quickly become dangerous for small craft so the decision was made to abandon racing for the day. Unlike the State and National level events we are used to hosting at BYC, there were no subsequent days of the regatta to make up the racing. In a single-day event you have that one day and no more. Unfortunately that meant the 3193 Sailing Cup was postponed until 2016. A big thank you to everyone who helped out on the day, despite there being no sailing, a small army of volunteers worked tirelessly to make the day run smoothly. A special thanks goes out to John Kenley who kindly allowed us to use his 50 foot power cruiser Pearl as the committee boat for the event. This was very generous and greatly appreciated. The Committee has approached Black Rock Yacht Club and offered to host the 2016 event, the Committee is currently awaiting a formal response however early indications are promising.
N SUNDAY MARCH 8, ROYAL BRIGHTON YACHT Club hosted a Tackers Fleet Carnival. With 131 boats racing in the State Championships, the Carnival aims to show kids the fun of both Tackers and Green Fleet racing. The Carnival had a fleet of 24 boats from RBYC and The Boatshed from Albert Park. There was a lack of wind in the morning session; however there were plenty of VIODA (Victorian International Optimist Dinghy Association) show bags and beach games to help keep them entertained. The group of 24 kids were broken up into beginners (Tackers 1 and 2) and advanced (Tackers 3 and Green Fleet). The advanced group contained both Emily Mitchell and Ethan Redman representing BYC. Beach games are always a highlight of Tackers programs, with ‘Splash’ and ‘Octopus’ always proving to be big hits. With no wind arriving after the completion of the games, it was time to paddle out into the harbor to look for anything to fill a sail. Paddling around looking for wind was hard work, so soon it was back to the beach for lunch and more snacking from the show bags. After loading up on chocolates and staying out of the sun, the wind that was due in the morning finally arrived. A beach briefing was held before the OziOptis were back onto the water for the afternoon session. Supported by three RIBs, the kids got underway for a sail to Elwood Sailing Club. Holding up together as a bunched fleet they tacked their way along the beach landing area. Of course more of the beach games were played, with Emily and Ethan coming third in a ‘neatest folded sail’ contest. With low wind for the return leg, all boats ended up getting towed back to the swarm of parents waiting for their tired little sailors’ return to Brighton. All kids arrived back a little late due to the towing, but excited for another display of the fun mix of sailing and games. Who would of thought kids + boats = fun. Look out for the next Carnival in 2016!
- Dan Redman *Special thanks to Chelsey Taylor from Yachting Victoria
NE OF THE BENEFITS OF SAILING DOUBLE handed boats such as Pacers is that you can sail with a family member. In fact some families got into sailing with the idea that you can spend quality time with a loved one in a confined space where the only escape is a long swim back to shore.
Brave Reef reporter MUN CHIN delves into the murky world of sailing families to find out why family members sail together and why nobody gets thrown overboard.
There a number of husband and wife sailing teams at BYC, including the Commodore and the Commodore's boss, Paul and Judy, Dick and Jeanne, and others. It must surely be a testament to the strength of their marriage that they have not clobbered each other or destroyed the boat by now. Sailing in a double hander requires a tremendous amount of cooperation, communication, coordination and trust, not to mention a handy amount of anecdotes and jokes to ensure the other crew member does not resort to cannibalism when the boat is becalmed. Putting a husband and wife team in such a situation is akin to pouring petrol on a barbie on an extreme fire day. Multiply this by a factor of ten in a competitive situation where even the most benign sailor can turn on a raging torrent of abuse, and you would think the divorce lawyers would be lining up on the beach waiting for the fleet to come in. The fact that this does not happen must be nothing less than a miracle. So what is going on here? This intrepid investigator attempted to find out through careful questioning of various husband and wife teams: "He's a real angel on the water!" "We never argue, we may have a pleasant discussion or two!", and "I’d rather sail with him/her than anyone else in the whole wide world!" So, applying a "real-world translation" to these statements, they become: "He would not dare to do anything to piss me off or the dog will have a sleeping companion!" "Guess what he is having for dinner if he dares to raise his voice to me?", and "No one else can stand him/her. I have no choice - I am married to him/her". So there we have it, proof that marital bliss exists on sailing boats. What about siblings on a boat together? Sibling fights are a normal part of growing up (what, you never fought with your brother/sister? Contact me for the number of a good therapist). Wait till they get on a boat together! A new yardstick
ABOVE AND BELOW: The recipe for pure marital bliss as demonstrated by Paul and Judy (top) and the Commodore and the Commodore’s boss (aka Phillip and Janette - bottom). Two people, twelve feet of boat, a demanding competitive situation and no escape… how could this could go wrong?
loading for the Siblings Disagreement Handicap should be introduced. It would be fun to watch as the boat goes in circles while the two sailors go hammer and tong at each other. Or blame each other for coming second, hitting the buoy, nearly hitting the buoy, running into another boat (I can personally vouch for that), capsizing, eating the last jelly bean, telling mum about the magazines hidden in the sock drawer, etc. However siblings can also often be powerful teams. I heard of a case where a pair of twins was so quarrelsome that the instructors worried about putting them into the same boat but on the water they were the best team. As Will (who had plenty of experience and some bruises in this area) said, "what happens in the boat stays in the boat". Lastly we have the parent-child teams where fathers/mothers team up with sons or daughters. My personal experience as a parent is that this works very well... if you can do two things: communicate on the same wavelength and try very hard to resist the temptation to take the opportunity to "talk" to them about their boyfriend, homework, tattoos or nose piercing. If this fails, just agree to pay them union rates of $22/hr (inflation adjusted) with tea breaks. One father I know bought a Tasar to sail with his daughter. After a week, the Tasar was sold and two Lasers appeared in its place along with family bliss. Yes, there are family sailing stories which raise the hair on your neck. However, there are far more stories of joy and contentment from sailing with family members. Family members understand that they need to get along and work together (even grudgingly) if they wish to get back to the shore in one piece. Or win the next race. Pride in the family doing well will often overcome any reluctance or temper. However as was pointed out to me, if you sail with someone for long enough, they became part of your family whether you are related to them or not.
PHOTOS FROM TOP: Father and son, Michael and Myles in their Tasar; Sibling rivalry, Michael and Will in the Javelin; For fewer arguments and no physical altercations, buy a single hander.
ECENTLY, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY of enrolling for an Assistant Instructor course when Sailability Victoria offered to pay for me to attend. I have been helping out with the Adult Learn to Sail course at BYC and am regularly involved with Sailability at Lysterfield, where I had the pleasure of encouraging a couple of special needs participants and seeing them progress to a more advanced level of sailing. With the Assistant Instructor course under my belt, I am able to do more at the Club and able to do it properly (not that I was doing it improperly before...). So on Sunday 29 March, I showed up at the Boatshed at Albert Park promptly at 9am, eager to jump into the course with both feet. I approached an instructor who was talking to a group of kids and asked where the course is held. She looked at me and said "This is it!" Eh? These other participants were at most 16 years old. Did their parents know where they
were? Did I sign up for the "Junior" Assistant Instructor course by mistake? No, there was no mistake. My classmates were old enough to be my grandchildren (well, almost. If I married at 16 maybe). Oh heck, I may as well go through with this. Hey, maybe I can show them a thing or two, run rings around the instructor, and come out a hero (big applause). The instructor, Sonia, has been instructing for eight years (ok, maybe I can't run rings around her) and certainly knows her stuff. First off, some theory about Yachting Australia, roles of an instructors, methods of teaching, duty of care and code of conduct. For someone who reads the ingredients on his Cornflakes box, I was lapping this up while my "slightly" younger classmates' eyes were glazing over. Round 1 to me! Then we had to give a demonstration of teaching a class to tack. Well, I know a thing or two about tacking! Wait a minute. One of the 16 year old kids was giving a pretty good account
of it herself. And the others, though nervous, were not too bad at all. I looked at them closely, checking that there were no adults pretending to be 16 year olds. Sonia then ran through the methods of giving feedbacks to students. By this stage, I had quite a lot of feedback on my mind. The 16 year olds were quite gentle with their feedback so as not to deflate the imaginary student's expectations. Aww... my feedback melted away. Lastly, we had to write up a training plan and perform a demonstration of gybing. By this time, every one of the participants was confident and precise in their delivery. Even ME! I did learn a thing or two! We finished the course after eight long but fun hours. It just goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Even with young pups snapping at his heels.
- Mun Chin
BYC sailors take on the rest at the 2014-15 State and National Championships
ACK IN LATE DECEMBER AND EARLY January the Pacers and the Javelins held their respective Australian Championships concurrently are Chelsea Yacht Club. The Club was buzzing over the week-long event and Chelsea did a good job of running the regatta with minimal disruption to either class. The Beaumaris Pacer sailors were well represented with the Kemps, the Hardies and the Connards all bringing their Pacers for a tilt at the title. Conor Gallagher boldly donned the trapeze harness and jumped on board with Ian McHugh in his Pacer Pursuit (or did Ian boldly allow Conor on board?) while Peter and Lachlan Sharp, Rod Smith and Silke Weber flew the flag for Beaumaris in the Javelin fleet. Unfortunately Michael and Will Sharp were only able to get down for a cameo appearance towards the end of the series.
Like these photos? See more from professional photographer Shane Baker at
www.shanebaker.net
Competition was intense in the Pacers with two general recalls in just the invitation race. As usual the weather was a challenge with the lighter breeze days unfortunately bringing every jet ski in Melbourne to the course area while the heavier days were sometimes a little too heavy. However the Chelsea Race Management crew managed to get in seven races and class veteran Murray O'Brien took the title with his son Liam and daughter Anna in a boat they had already sold, but hadn't quite relinquished. Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp second a close second in Bebop. Meanwhile the Javelins were enjoying the seemingly-mandatory Race Officer hair-loss-inducing north-south-east-westerlies we usually get during an Australian Championships (regardless of location, the Javs always seem to bring the crazy weather). Out of the confusion, Brett Williams and Tim Fountain took the title, with Jamie Thomson and Greg Parsons in second, and Peter and Lachlan in third. Rod and Silke finished ninth, a good result
Words: Peter Kemp and Lachlan Sharp
Photos: Shane Baker and WSC
considering their first sail together was the invitation race. In March the Pacer State Titles were held at Williamstown Sailing Club, with its beautiful city views and 'stay dry' launching ramps. Peter, Lauren and Eliza teamed up again on Bebop, Phil and Thomas hit the water in Wildwood while Ian revived the old faithful Buttercup where he was joined by Gabrielle, Pat and Rob. Silke completed her first series in Pocket Rocket with Nicole and Justine. Light airs on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning meant the bulk of the racing was postponed until Sunday afternoon where we caught up with four short course races, only getting off the water at 7pm. Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp recorded six wins to convincingly retain the title. Despite some big challenges, Williamstown SC ran the series in a very friendly yet professional manner. Meanwhile, the Javelins held their Victorian Championships in a traveller series format, racing at Beaumaris YC, Parkdale and Elwood SC over several weekends throughout the season. Michael and Will Sharp on Warren took the title showing consistency across the year and through all manner of conditions, made all the more admirable considering that Will sailed more than half the series with a broken finger. Or so he will tell you. Colin Williams and David Boyle on Laragh finished a close second with Brett and Tim on Honky finishing third. The next Pacer National Championships will be at Victor Harbour, South Australia. It’s a pleasant coastal town with lots of accommodation options, but book early because it’s a popular holiday destination for South Australians. The Pacer Association has made some preliminary arrangements for accommodation; contact Peter Kemp for further information. The Javelins will again be heading across the desert to Perth Dinghy Sailing Club for the Australian and South Pacific Championships at the end of the year where the addition of several Kiwi boats should spice things up. Images © Shane Baker Photographs. Used under licence.
NEXT: Nationals Pacers: Victor Harbour, SA Javelins: Perth, WA Minnows: McCrae, VIC
2015 Minnow States The 2015 Minnow Victorian Championship started on the last day of February at Safety Beach Sailing Club. The sixty-strong fleet demonstrated that Minnows remain a very popular junior class in the face of stiff competition from the Optimist class. Lauren Kemp was at SBSC competing in her first Victorian Championship. She managed to grab a 6th in the first light air race after briefly hitting the lead and bravely finished most of the remaining races which were held in far heavier weather. Lauren said the best part of the weekend was getting some sailing gloves as a boobie prize for having her rudder box fall off the boat, tipping over, and then being carried in, boat and all, on a large inflatable Rescue Boat. Needless to say, dad quickly got to work on the rudder box attachment mechanism. Lauren finished 30th overall and is already planning he return next season. If you are interested in a Minnow there are plenty of second hand boats available. However if you are thinking about a new boat then the Victorian Minnow Association has developed a standard fibreglass hull and fit out to make it easy to get a Minnow on the water. The next Minnow Nationals will be at McCrae Yacht Club in 2016.
Words and photos: Susie Groves and Brian Doig
HE AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL
lost off Timor in 1825. The modern replica was built in Tasmania and launched in 1988. She was built in Hobart with keel and frames of Tasmanian Blue Gum, and planks and deck of Celery Top Pine. Her length is 16.7m, with a beam of 5.4m. She draws 2.8m, and has 12 tons of lead in her keel. Overall displacement is 60 tons.
(AWBF) was held in Hobart over the Hobart Regatta weekend, 6 – 9 February. Warm, sunny weather brought out some 50,000 visitors who enjoyed the wooden ships and boats, as well as the music and food. Among the happy throng were two intrepid Reef reporters, who have now been to four festivals.
The ship’s crew are all volunteers, and sail training on square-riggers is her major employment.
A feature of every AWBF is the collection of tall ships that come to Hobart and add even more history to a very historical port. This year, due to bad weather, HM Bark Endeavour, and the James Craig, both of Sydney, had to turn back to their home port. Fortunately, others made it, the Enterprize (Melboune), the Julie Burgess (Devonport) and the Lady Nelson (Hobart).
But not this festival. This time we decided to spend four days sailing south of Hobart on the Lady Nelson as passengers, or so we thought. The plan was to sail down the Derwent, then the d’Entrecastaux Channel, to Recherche Bay, d’Entercastaux’s landing and garden site.
The Lady Nelson offered AWBF attendees day sails around the Derwent, and longer trips after the festival ended. The original Lady Nelson brought settlers to found Hobart and Launceston, and was
Due to some delays due to no wind and erratic diesel engines, we spent some time on day one moored at Woodbridge, not far south of Hobart. Not once, but twice!
Your two Reef reporters usually spend the rest of the week, after the AWBF, touring the Tasmanian East coast, sampling the seafood, beer, and wine: it could be said that AWBF stands for Australian wine, beer and food!
The Lady Nelson left Hobart with a complement of eighteen, ten passengers and eight crew. At the beginning.
The second delay in escaping from Woodbridge was that we ran aground. The bay that Woodbridge overlooks was once a scallop-rich area that was assiduously fished until no further scallops existed. The practice of harvesting the scallops included throwing the empty shells over the side into the bay, and the Lady Nelson ran foul of one of the many ‘scallop banks’ in the bay. Apparently, these banks of discarded shells are easily subject to movement by tide and current, unlike sand banks which are more stable, and therefore more reliable. How did we get off the scallop bank? Not through the use of diesel power, nor wind, but by the efforts of the entire ship’s complement pulling on a line attached to the wharf! We were able, with some difficulty, to pull the ship back into clear water. The result of these delays was that it was decided that we would not make it to Recherche and return in the remaining three-and-a-half days. After some deliberation and consultation with all hands, the decision was to head down the d’Entrecastaux Channel, over to Bruny Island, and across Storm Bay to the Tasman Peninsula. So off we went under full sail. That first night’s procedures were to be repeated for the remainder of the voyage: find a quiet bay, drop anchor, drinks before dinner, dinner on the main deck, and then to bed. It sounds, and was, fabulous. However, beneath this veneer of an idle lifestyle lay a dawn to dusk of endless commands and tasks. Firstly, just after dawn came the need for breakfast duties: setting the table in the galley, and eating while the cook made up porridge, toast, eggs cooked any way, coffee and tea. Then the washing up, drying, and putting away. Everyone was exhausted and needed cake and drinks for morning tea. Lunches followed a similar pattern: help prepare, eat and enjoy. Then afternoon tea, then pre-dinner snacks and drinks! Last was dinner, which was always amazing given the size of the galley. We had fresh caught barracouda to supplement one dinner, and a magnificent roast lamb and vegetables on the last night. So, why didn‘t we put on weight? The work. Between these great meals, your Reef reporters toiled like the sailors of old. There were always
ropes to be pulled, let loose, and stowed correctly (looped on belaying pins). There were yardarms to be trimmed to suit the wind direction and where we wanted to go, and sails to be lowered, hoisted, and gasketted for the night. Anchors also had to be lowered and retrieved (thank heavens for motorized winches). Pastimes for those who shirked their duties included fishing, dolphin watching, gull and albatross watching, and seal spotting. However, by the end of day one, three of the passengers had ‘volunteered’ to become part of the crew. They were then sent up the rigging with the regular crew to maintain the sails in the way that the Master desired. Since they were no longer passengers, they suffered the fate of orders being barked at them by senior crew. So, now the Lady Nelson had eleven crew and seven passengers! This transformation of paying passengers into volunteer crew is a regular practice apparently, and at least one of the new crew members who was based in Hobart, wished to continue his service through the volunteer crew system. And the the mention of ‘his’ wishes prompts us to be say that only one female was on board, and she was one of your Reef reporters! Apparently this is somewhat of a tradition in the d’Entrecastaux Channel: Commander Bruni d’Entrecastaux himself is rumoured to have had a female crew member on board his ship the Researche, cunningly disguised as a matelot. Your Reef reporter was not disguised, but had to share a cabin with seven males.
Images clockwise from top: Lady Nelson moored at Woodbridge awaiting diesel engine repairs; Brian up in the rigging shirking his duties until afternoon tea time; Lady Nelson in full sail. The waters of the Derwent and the d’Entrecastaux Channel were calm during the time we spent on them but Storm Bay was a little more interesting. Wave motion was a rhythm that we all became used to, but only one aboard was seasick. However, as we left the shelter of the Tasman Peninsula and ventured a little into the Southern Ocean, the difference in the ship’s motion was amazing. For the first time one had to grab onto fixed points to move around the decks, as the Lady Nelson rocked and rolled in a manner more reminiscent of a tinnie on Port Phillip in bad weather. However, such was the confidence we all had the Lady Nelson, that on orders to change the sailseven the ‘volunteered’ crew members went aloft. Anchored at night in the sheltered bays of the Tasman Peninsula, it was clear why sailors love this part of the world. Sunsets bigger than the tropics, sand as white as snow, easily visible fish in clean, clear water: what’s not to enjoy? So, will we do it again? Absolutely!
Want to sail on the Lady Nelson? Be in Hobart for the Hobart Regatta in 2017.
BRUCE AND LORRAINE FRASER explore the Balkan coast HE DALMATIAN COAST AND ISLANDS OF Croatia are a holiday destination with a big difference. The islands and coastal towns, some modern and some medieval, are ideal for those who love boats. Here you can sail aboard a small sailing yacht by yourself, with a skipper or join a Croatian crew on a traditional local vessel. Lorraine and I had a week aboard the Leonardo, a 100 foot motor yacht with skipper and crew that took 24 passengers in hospitable Croatian style over 214 nautical miles of adventure. Days were spent travelling from island to island, stopping off at bays for swimming or just lazing about in the sun. Nights were spent in a variety of characterful ports where the passengers went ashore to eat in local restaurants and enjoy a glass or two of local wine. We set sail from Dubrovnik on the first stage of our voyage. The first day’s cruise was to Mljet. We moored alongside a traditional site and headed for its national park, lakes and amazing Benedictine monastery. The next day was an early start for the cruise north past Korcula, the legendary home of Marco Polo, and then into the tiny island of Scedro, dropping anchor and then tethering our stern to the rocky terrain with a short line that one of the crew swims to shore. Everyone on board goes for a swim to cool off. The water is amazingly blue and very refreshing.
PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
Postcard-perfect Dubrovnik; Bruce on the Korcula waterfront; the Diocietian Palace in Split; Hvar harbour as seen from the castle; Lorraine on the historic Dubrovnik city wall.
From Scedro it’s a short cruise to Hvar. Hvar is a bustling, cosmopolitan town with Citadel 1000 steps high from where you get a magnificent view after a tough climb. Hvar is a lovely old town with a beautiful big town square and a very busy harbour with lots of boats big and small. A short trip got us to the village of Milna, on the Island of Brac. As we left Brac next morning we were awestruck by a fine motor yacht which had moored near us (it’s for hire at only $79,000 a week!). From Brac it’s on to Split on the mainland. Split was much bigger and more exciting than we expected. We were met by a local guide who took us on a tour through the Diocietian Palace which was originally built by the Romans in the 3rd century and then invaded in the 7th century. It was an amazing enormous place with the original walls and buildings still in use and walkways and little streets everywhere. We left Split and headed for Korcula which was built by the Venetians in the 16th Century. Marco Polo is claimed to have lived in the old city, though legend and fact are somewhat confused. From Slit it’s on to Sipan and Lupud via a swimming break in a remote bay. The trip ended in Dubrovnik, a world famous UNESCO heritage site. Originally from the 13th century it is one of the most famed and attractive Mediterranean cities, today known for its ramparts and towers. We joined a local tour of the old city of Dubrovnik. We were taken through the monastery which still had bullet holes in the façade from the war. We also went to the Rectors Palace which had beautiful artworks and paintings. After the tour we headed up onto the wall, climbed many steps and walked around most of the wall where we were treated to a beautiful view. We would recommend a boating adventure in Croatia to anyone.
CANDAL, MONEY, EGOS AND CONTROVERSY. ALL PERFECTLY NORMAL IN THE LEAD UP TO AN AMERICA’S CUP. In July 2014 the hotly anticipated Challenger of Record Team Australia syndicate withdrew from the 35 th Match citing a lack of clarity over venues, format, rules, equipment and virtually every other aspect of the competition. This was a big loss for sailing in Australia and left us to pin our hopes on the Kiwis yet again. Since then we have been treated to some very poorly managed PR from Team New Zealand which resulted in skipper Dean Barker being very publicly dumped from his job, bans reduced from the Team USA cheating issue in 2012, the withdrawal of long time Cup stalwart Luna Rossa, a late change in the size and overall design rules for the boats being used, qualifying regattas being moved from Sardinia and Auckland to Bermuda, plenty of public sniping from the teams via social media and a lot of rumour and unverified news. Here are the facts as they currently stand:
THE VENUE:
THE BOATS:
THE TEAMS:
After much debate and passive -aggressive public commentary from the city of San Francisco and the ACEA, San Francisco and San Diego were dumped as venues in favour of Bermuda. This is an event where the winner sets all the rules so Larry Ellison (owner of Team USA) was able to play prospective venues off against each other via the AC Event Authority. The rumoured $USD77 million package Bermuda presented was considerably more than the other venues were willing to commit. Bermuda also has a time zone which is more favourable for European TV audiences than the west coast of America (and a lot less favourable for Australian and New Zealand audiences…)
Like 2013, the boats will be large foiling wing sailed catamarans. Initially the AC class rule called for 62 foot boats, however in a controversial vote the teams opted for a smaller 48 foot design which will incorporate one design aspects such as the hulls, crossbeams and parts of the wings. While ostensibly a cost-saving measure, this meant that teams who had already invested millions of dollars in R&D over the past year were back to square one. This rule change was given as the primary reason behind Luna Rossa’s withdrawal from the event. With recent advances in foiling technology, boat speeds in excess of those achieved by the AC72s are likely. The smaller boats will also be far more manoeuvrable. Team USA’s Tom Slingsby recently stated that he expects most, if not all, tacks and gybes to be fully foiling – quite a feat in a 48 foot catamaran. While the AC72s were mind boggling in their size, speed and power, they were also unsustainable. Politics and personalities aside, hopefully the new 48 foot design allows more teams to challenge for the Cup on a level(ish) playing field. However if Cup history is anything to go by, money always talks loudest.
Oracle Team USA are the defenders of the Cup, having staged a sensational comeback against Team New Zealand to win in 2013. Challenging Team USA are familiar foes Artemis and until recently, Luna Rossa (hailing from Sweden and Italy respectively). Like Team USA, Artemis is bankrolled by wealthy team owner Swedish resources magnate Torbjörn Törnqvist. Four time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie has parted ways with Oracle Team USA and has founded a British challenge syndicate aptly named Ben Ainslie Racing. Partially government backed and with a board teeming with Lords and Sirs, BAR is mounting a quest to return the Auld Mug to its original home, 164 years after the Americans left with it. Light on detail is new challenger Team France. Headed by French sailing legend and multihull maestro Franck Cammas, Team France may be a team to watch closely. As yet there isn’t a huge amount of information about the challenge; however they have officially entered so we will likely be seeing more of them as the event draws closer. Lastly: the challenger under the biggest spotlight, Team New Zealand. Beaten at the final hurdle in San Francisco, the Kiwis were out spent financially and out sailed in a technological race which ignited all manner of theories. In what became the most thrilling and longest Cup final ever, ETNZ ignited the sailing passion of millions in New Zealand and Australia before being beaten in the last race of the series. Skipper Dean Barker won’t be behind the wheel in 2017, as the reins pass to Olympic silver medallist and Moth world champion Peter Burling. We’re all looking forward to many a ‘bro’, ‘ey’, ‘jandal’ and ‘spunnaker’ in the next two years.
THE PERSONALITIES TO WATCH: Sir Russell Coutts Once the blue eyed boy of the New Zealand sailing world, Coutts became the archetypal villain when he defected from Team New Zealand in 2000 and joined the Swiss Alinghi syndicate. His professional sailing days now over, Coutts spends his time heading up the ACEA and igniting controversy wherever he goes. Despised by most New Zealanders, Coutts is faced with the unenviable task of organising the event trying to keep multiple egos in check and finding the mega millions it takes to run an event like the America’s Cup.
Larry Ellison Painted as the architect of evil, Ellison’s main sins are being eye wateringly wealthy and reinventing a traditional event into something more exciting for TV audiences. Ellison has copped a huge amount of criticism for the changes the ACEA have made. While his critics were temporarily silenced when the 34th Match became a success, expect to see more criticism levelled his way as the 35th Match draws closer.
Grant Dalton General Manager of ETNZ, Dalton is never one to shy away from speaking his mind. Often critical of the ACEA and Team USA, he appears to relish his ability to get a rise out of Russell Coutts on a regular basis. No longer a part of the sailing team (he was both GM and a grinder on board ETNZ in 2013); Dalton has divided the New Zealand sailing community in his approach to the ACEA. At the sprightly young age of 52, it is likely we will see Dalton for several Matches yet.
Note: At time of publication a cloud was hanging over the viability of the NZ entry after the ACEA cancelled the Challenger Series event which was to be held in Auckland – threatening the release of government funding on which the team was relying.
WHEN? The AC World Series was due to start on July 4 in Cagliari, Italy. However with the withdrawal of Luna Rossa, the first event will now be held in Portmouth, England on July 25 and 26.. The ACWS then visits Gothenberg and Bermuda before the finals series and Match in Bermuda in mid-2017. Dates are still to be finalised and there are likely to be several more ACWS events announced in coming months in Chicago and a second event in Portsmouth.
Weird and wonderful bits and pieces from the strange world of sailing
VER SINCE THE BIG AC72 CATAMARANS BEGAN RACING AROUND SAN FRANCISCO ON FOILS IN THE LEAD UP TO the 34th America’s Cup in 2013, intrepid sailors everywhere seem to be bolting a set of foils onto ever more unlikely classes of sailing boat. While Moths, A Class catamarans and various sailboard classes have been experimenting successfully for a number of years (though the Moth experiment ended up being a complete transformation of the class), there are plenty of other examples of foiling experiments out there. Some of them appear to work well… others not so much. These are three of the most interesting examples.
MIRABAUD SKIFF (2010)
FOILING LASER (2014)
US NAVY/BAKER PROJECT (c. 1950s)
Swiss financial group Mirabaud sponsors a number of different boats around the world; however they seem to have an attraction towards the experimental and slightly unhinged variety.
Is there nothing the Laser cannot do? Already the most popular single handed sailing boat in the world with more than 205,000 in existence, sailors can now buy a foiling kit which attaches to a standard Laser hull with no modifications. Unlikely to ever progress further due to the Laser’s strict one design rules, this is an interesting take on the viability of foiling in boats which were not specifically designed for the purpose. YouTube videos show the foiling Laser to be very fast off the wind however you have to wonder whether the extra drag of the foils is worth it when sailing upwind.
One from the archives which proves that foiling isn’t a new idea. This was a 1950s engineering project which was experimenting with different foil configurations and the performance envelope of each type. Shown here are surface piercing ‘ladder’ type foils – the idea behind them is that as the boat increases speed the foils rise out of the water, reducing wetted area and subsequently drag. These foils give a large amount of lift at low speeds but were later shown to be rather inefficient when compared to their more modern relatives.
This image of what appears to be a large piece of foiling scaffolding being sailed by two men on trapeze began circulating in 2010. While the skin of the hull was likely omitted for weight reasons, the drag from that much carbon fibre tubing must have made it quite hard to generate enough speed to rise up on the foils in the first place. Nonetheless it is a striking, if impractical piece of engineering.
FOR SALE
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USED PACER, SABRE, MINNOW AND OPTIMIST SAILS FOR THE BYC LEARN TO SAIL FLEET.
CONTACT WILL SHARP will@beaumarisyc.com
CONTACT PAUL HARDIE (03) 9583 3363
FOR SALE JAVELIN 367 ‘Spun Out’
$ 6,500 ONO
Minimum weight Good racing record CST mast Irwin sails in good condition Aluminium beach trolley Registered road trailer Phone Rod Smith 0409 172 583