Volume 7 Issue 2
Inside: Moving On
Commodore Phillip Connard and Rear Commodore Will Sharp are stepping down
3193 Sailing Cup Our turn to host - and win!
The Pace of Change
Jon Pulham on the past, present and future while sailing Pacers in Adelaide
Javelin Sates
A long weekend in Gippsland gets loose
Commodore Phillip Connard Vice Commodore Bruce Fraser Rear Commodore Will Sharp Secretary Silke Weber Treasurer Charmaine Smith
Committee Paul Hardie - Peter Sharp Thomas Ruether - Connor Gallagher Susan Sharp - Sarah McKinna - Geoff Perkins
Learn to Sail team Peter Sharp - Paul Hardie - Dan Redman Thomas Rüether - Lachlan Sharp Silke Weber - Jon Pulham - Mun Chin Ian McHugh - Peter Kemp - Rod Smith Phillip Connard - Conor Gallagher
Race Management Team Rod McCubbin - Lesley McCubbin Geoff Perkins - Chris Perkins - Cam Bromley Mike Kenyon - Charmaine Smith - Dick Adair Mike Skinner - Sally Gallagher - Pam Sharp
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
Contributors Peter Kemp - Jon Pulham Phillip Connard - Mun Chin Lachlan Sharp - Dan Redman
Front Cover Current National Champion Pacer 3011 Bebop at the 3193 Sailing Cup, 7 February 2016. (Photo: W. Sharp)
T
he structure of ance, (club owned) sailing boat insurance,
sailing is unique. Clubs operate more or less independently of each other, as do class associations and in many respects, individual sailors. There are no local leagues as exist in cricket, soccer or football, and limited interclub competition. In many ways sailors, classes, clubs and state/national peak bodies operate as separate, independent layers with minimal interaction. This lack of interaction results in large amounts of duplication. Take insurance as an example. Ask virtually any club official anywhere about insurance and expect a resigned sigh, an eyeroll and a short expletive expressing their frustration. Here’s how it breaks down: Yachting Australia offers a level of personal accident insurance through their Silver Card program. This is extended to each sailing member of YA (you are registered through your club when you pay your membership fees) and provides each sailor with a degree of cover for personal accidents and injuries. Clubs have their own insurance policies to cover myriad activities which occur over the course of the season as well as the physical assets of the club. Public liability insurance (far and away the biggest cost impost), directors and administrators insurance, volunteers insurance, building and contents insurance, rescue boat insur-
the list goes on and can be extensive depending on the specific activities of individual clubs. Some class associations hold insurance policies to cover class-organised events and association-owned boats. This isn’t particularly common though as many smaller class associations don’t own significant physical assets and will hold events in conjunction with clubs, which cover the risk of the event under the club’s insurance. Most individual sailors also have insurance for their boats. All should, however unless a club or class makes the holding of an insurance policy an entry requirement for events this is hard to police. This insurance cover should be a minimum of third party damage cover, but ideally should be more comprehensive than that. That’s four levels of insurance as we work our way down through the organisational structure of sailing. Multiply that by eight states and territories, 379 clubs and more than 65,000 sailors (registered with YA, there are more who are not) and you get an idea of the insurance burden on the sport. Are we spending so much time preparing for events which may not happen that we are spending less time planning and supporting sailing itself? I am by no means advocating reducing or removing insurance cover for any area of sailing, however when thinking about the overall situation it is hard not to find yourself asking if there is a better way to approach insurance.
June 13
The boss is out of here. Commodore PHILLIP CONNARD with his final report from the top.
Queen’s Birthday
July 17 AGM and Presentation A short AGM will be followed by lots of trophies and a relaxed pizza night. All welcome!
August 5 - 21 Rio 2016 Olympic Games Can our sailors replicate their successes at the 2012 London Games? Sailing is scheduled to take place from the 8th to the 18th of August. C’mon Aussie c’mon!
Mid/late September Annual Working Bee and clean up day
October 2 Opening Regatta for 2016-17 Championship Race 1 (Commodore’s Cup)
Late October BYC promo displays at the Beaumaris Concourse
November 1 Melbourne Cup Day
November 6 Championship Race 2 (Lee MacMillan Trophy)
G
reetings again to all
members and friends of Beaumaris Yacht Club. This will be my final Commodore's report as I will be handing over to my successor at our upcoming AGM and presentation night on July 17. The last three seasons have flown by and soon the Club will be in the hands of a new committee to take it forward. The 2015 16 season has been kind to the Club on many fronts with exceptionally good weather for racing and the Learn to Sail programs and strong fleets of boats participating in our Sunday afternoon racing program. The junior Learn to Sail program was well subscribed however the adult program was smaller this year. Our club finances are sound, helped by the support given by members to our canteen and social functions as well as regular club house hirings. I want to thank all who contribute to the running of Beaumaris Yacht Club. We are small but strong thanks to the participation of our many dedicated volunteers. While too numerous to mention all of them here, I still would like to thank Will Sharp who is leaving the position of Rear Commodore after ten years in the position and Bruce Fraser who is vacating the position of Vice Commodore and stepping down from the committee after many years. These are large shoes to fill so it is also a time for members to consider taking on a role in the Club to help make it even better. We have been able to reinvest back into the Club this year with a refreshed training fleet – currently one completely refurbished fibreglass Pacer joined our fleet this season with another two to follow in time for next year’s Learn to Sail program. Paul, Peter and Will have the led the renovation of the three Pacers repairing fibreglass, sanding and spray painting. The junior Learn to Sail program continues to enjoy a mixture of Optimists and Minnows which lends variety to the program that the kids really enjoy. The committee is considering expanding with additional boats to allow juniors to continue to grow and continue with their sailing.
Highlights of the past year include great sailing training with Peter, Paul and Thomas in charge, a smooth and efficient BYC website run by Silke;, a crew and skipper matching program arranged by Sarah; canteen volunteers coordinated by Susan; exceptional rescue boat operators in Rod, Lesley, Geoff, Chris and Cam; and Mike leading an amazing bunch of tower people. As far as sailing is concerned, I would like to think that every year we sail we can learn something and improve. Although there is a dominant Pacer at Beaumaris many others are wresting for positions which are hotly contested from week to week. It was no coincidence that at this season’s Pacer Nationals, States and the recent Pacer class day at Parkdale, Beaumaris is the dominant club. The Tasars are great to see on the water – I think the gap between them is closing and while the Javelins have been few, it is clear looking at the club championship results that Peter and Lachlan on Razor have not lost their touch. A large fleet of BYC boats participated in the 3193 Sailing Cup competing against Black Rock which was won this year for the first time by Beaumaris by weight of numbers and sailing talent. I hope you are looking forward to next season as much as I am.
That’s a wrap! Rear Commodore WILL SHARP is stepping down after a decade in the job.
T
his is my final Sailing
Report as Rear Commodore of BYC. I will be stepping down at the upcoming AGM in July after ten seasons in the job and Michael Brown will be taking over as Rear Commodore as of the 2016-17 season (unless another candidate nominates and we require an election…). Michael joined the Club a few years ago and right from the beginning he has shown a willingness and desire to be involved in more than just sailing. I know that I am leaving the position in a safe pair of hands and that Michael will do an outstanding job as the next Rear Commodore of BYC. The main event on the sailing calendar this season was the annual 3193 Sailing Cup, which we hosted this year after our attempt last season was thwarted by the weather. While it appeared much like a normal sailing day, there was a lot of work required in the weeks and months prior in order to organise Sailing Instructions, rescue boats, duty crews and so on. I would like to thank everyone who helped out on the day or in the lead up, it was a big effort for all of us and we pulled it off without any hitches. All reports from the visiting sailors and support crews from Black Rock have been positive and it seems that everyone enjoyed the day’s racing. Well done to the sailors of BYC who won the 3193 Sailing Cup! For the past two seasons we have been lucky to have the regular help of Cam Bromley on the rescue boats every afternoon. Cam joined the Club several years ago through the Adult Learn to Sail program and after a few years away decided he would like be become involved again in a nonsailing role. He undertook a semi apprenticeship on the boats, working closely with Geoff and Chris Perkins, as well as Rod and Lesley McCubbin. Unfortunately Cam has decided that his heart is no longer in it and will be moving on as of next season. I would like to thank Cam for sticking it out and giving the job a good go over the past two seasons, it’s not a role for everyone and I applaud him for committing to the Club and helping us out during his time on the boats. I wish him all the
best in his future endeavours and should he change his mind there will always be a place for him here. Our Learn to Sail programs continue to flourish, especially the Junior program which was fully subscribed yet again this season. The Adult program was down on numbers however this allowed the instructors to provide more personalised coaching as well as providing some further training sessions for other sailors in the Club. We’re confident that the numbers for the Adult program will return to normal levels next season. Also assisting the Adult Learn to Sail program will be the addition to the fleet of the second and third refurbished Pacers the Club purchased from Sandringham YC last year. Significant work on all three boats was completed last winter; however there was only time to paint one before the season started. The other two will be painted in the next month or two. This will allow the Club to retire the last two problematic boats in the BYC Pacer fleet and improve the experience for instructors and sailors in the years ahead. Lastly, there is one sailor I would like to single out in my last Sailing Report. That sailor is Lauren Kemp. Lauren has impressed everyone at BYC over the past few seasons and continues to impress every week as she sails her Minnow against the clock around some very long courses. Many kids would be discouraged by a lack of direct competition and would be asking for shorter courses which better reflect the speed of their boats. Not Lauren. Preferring to sail a Minnow around a 0.7nm course with the rest of the fleet, her guts, determination, bravery and sheer willpower are something to behold. This would be impressive in an adult, let alone a 12 year old. Lauren, you have all the hallmarks of a future champion. Thank you to everyone at BYC for your support over the past ten seasons, my time as Rear Commodore has been challenging, rewarding and fulfilling. I am proud to be a member of Beaumaris Yacht Club and I look forward to future challenges and many years of sailing at a place which is very close to my heart. Will Sharp signing off.
Pacer National Results 1st – Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp - Bebop 7th – Phillip and Janette Connard - Wildwood 9th – Nicole Jenvey and Jon Pulham - Crossfire
Javelin National Results 12th – Peter and Lachlan Sharp - Razor
Pacer State Results 1st – Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp - Bebop 2nd – Paul and Judy Hardie - Limelight 5th – Phillip and Janette Connard - Wildwood 7th – Thomas Ruether and Nathalie Braussaud - L’o 10th – Steve and Lilah Ross - Pocket Rocket 11th – Nicole Jenvey, Sarah McKinna, Claire Parkinson and Sally Gallagher - Banana Split 15th – Mun Chin and Brigid Vaughan - Runaway
Pacer Pursuit State Results 2nd – Ian McHugh and Conor Gallagher - Bluebottle
Javelin State Results 3rd – Peter and Lachlan Sharp - Razor 4th – Paul Leitinger and Rod Smith - Aero 5th – Michael and Will Sharp - Warren
Tasar State Results 15th – Michael and Myles Brown - Funny As 32nd– Andrew Ryan and Michelle Theron - Harmony
The first Moth is built by Len Morris in Inverloch – an 11ft flat bottomed scow named Olive. The design was soon called the Inverloch Eleven Footer Class. In 1929 a similar boat was developed independently in Atlantic City, USA by Joel Van Sant which is named the American Moth Boat. The Moth Boat has a slightly smaller sail area but is otherwise striking similar. An article appears in US magazine The Rudder covering the American Moth Boat. Upon seeing the similarities between the two classes, the Inverloch Eleven Footer Class changes its name to the Moth. Due to the Great Depression and the 21,000km between them, no further effort is made to reconcile the differences between the classes for a further 30 years. Significant interest in the Moth grows in European sailing circles, with the class taking hold in many European sailing clubs. Both the European and UK fleets conformed with the US measurments and insignia, at the time slightly different from the Australian design.
29 years after the 1933 formation of the Victorian Moth Class Association, the AYF (Australian Yachting Federation – now Yachting Australia) recognised the Moth as a national class, the first small boat class in Australia to be granted official national status. The International Moth Class Association is recognised by the International Yacht racing Federation (forerunner to today’s ISAF) as an international class. Changes included the removal of the US-centric organisational structure, adoption of the Australian high aspect, fully battened sail and the inclusion of the controversial hiking wings which originally emerged from Swiss Moth sailors. The first Moth trifoiler was trialled but is quickly dropped as the three foils made the boat too stable. In 1999 Ian Ward tested a bifoiler design in Sydney which is preferred due to both the large increase in boat speed as well as the inherent instability which retains the Moth’s reputation as an exciting, challenging boat to sail. The Bladerider Moth from designer Andrew McDougall is released. One of the first massproduction foiling Moths, the Bladerider was the must-have boat for top sailors and dominated the class in 2007. The Bladerider was followed in 2009 by McDougall’s updated design, the Mach 2. McDougall released details of the Wazp, a cheap (er), one-design foiling Moth which was designed in response to rapidly spiralling costs as a result of professional teams and sailors competing in Moth events (such as four America’s Cup teams at the 2015 Worlds). The Wazp is also targeted at sailors looking to enter the class in a durable, simplified design.
Two time Australian Champion and seven time Victorian Champion PETER KEMP shares his knowledge about boat heel and it’s impact on overall performance.
Y
ou've finished work
for the week and are out on the water. You're unshackled, so to speak. Out of range. Sailing is meant to be fun. That's why we like to ignore that niggling voice telling us we should be sailing the boat flat. Seems like hard work. You've been told that heeling the boat means the water starts slipping underneath the centreboard, you lose lift, you lose height. But when that gust hits, you don't want to have to fight it, just roll with it, you'll get it back to horizontal soon enough. You can't help a big keelboat from heeling, unless of course you have Monty Python's Mr Creosote crewing for you. But dinghies are designed to be sailed flat. In a straight line upwind that is. In a very light breeze a bit of heel helps to put shape into the sail. Or if you're trying to get the boat to turn, or you're balancing out the weather-helm downwind so the boat steers straight, then some heel does
BELOW: Author’s daughter Lauren Kemp with a perfect example of keeping a boat flat to windward. Good sheet tension too judging by the bend in the boom.
makes sense. But otherwise it should be flat all the way. Heel is managed differently whether you are underpowered or overpowered. In a light to moderate breeze you will be underpowered and sailing flat is simply a matter of where you position your weight in the boat. Comparing your transom to the horizon is probably the quickest way to check your heel angle. I've seen some boats with small spirit levels glued to the transom for this purpose. As the breeze increases you start to find leaning out is not enough to flatten the boat. At this point keeping level is a combination of pinching (very slightly luffing) the jib through your steering, as well as flattening and easing the sails. Then there are the gusts. If you're ready for it and sailing flat, maybe even heeling a little to windward, then the gust has to fight you, rather than the other way around. If you need to, the mainsail and even the jib can be eased. With good technique you can even gain height and speed as the gust strikes. Practice sailing upwind concentrating on heeling the boat slightly to windward. Then during the race there is a better chance you've got the boat flat, while your mind is on other things. Flat is fast and just as much fun. As the renowned philosopher Dr Seuss says, fun is good.
DAN REDMAN recaps another fun season of teaching kids how to sail
H
ere we are at
the
end of another successful season teaching kids how to sail. This year we had six kids in the advanced techniques group. The main topic was learning about marks of the course, and how to judge speed, distance and angle when approaching them. This is not as easy as it sounds, but the kids had fun trying to make it. Aside from the standard on water game of capsizing, this season we had the kids chasing sponges and tennis balls in the boats. Eliza and Raphaelle were equally skilled at collecting them; we may have to invest in a tennis ball launching machine for the coach boat as our throwing distances need work over winter. We were lucky to have a season of great weather and managed to hold all our planned sessions on the water. I guess the beach games and advanced theory will have to wait until next season. We used both Optimists and Minnows for the program this season. Everyone had a turn in each, with Izzy getting some great speeds along with Lauren. The group gets faster and faster after every session. Chasing the coach boat was fun, with the kids trying to match the speed and direction of the boat, but not crash into it (or more importantly, Peter and myself). The capsizing record for the season goes to Matilde who showed great skill at getting back in to the boat and getting on with the job of sailing fast and having fun. Ethan’s plan for getting more games on the water involving the rubber chicken will have to wait until next season, but at least the rubber chicken got to attend the sleepover. This year’s sleepover began with a serious game of ten pin bowling at the local AMF Bowling. All the kids had fun, even with coming second to the adults.
THE CLASS OF 2016 (L-R): Ethan Redman, Justine Nikiciuk, Peter Kemp, Raphaelle Loeper, Lauren Kemp, Eliza Kemp, Issy Jacques, Thomas Ruther, Daniel Flavian, Ron Flavian, Aiden Laurent, Conor Gallagher, Toby Clifford, Dan Redman, Austin Clifford. Absent: Matilde Loeper What could be more fun than having twelve kids stay over in the club to mark the end of the season? Two separate areas were setup with chairs as the demarcation line. The line was breached early, with shoes and pillows changing from the boy’s to the girl’s side and returning back home regularly. After a BBQ feast, the kids burnt off enough energy to fit in more chocolate and popcorn when the movies started. First movie was the 80’s classic The Goonies. Both parents and children enjoyed this film, and followed it up with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. While the parents waited for the kids to look even remotely tired, we kept ourselves busy as Justine had brought in a supply of blue cheese
and wine. Just after midnight we paused the movie, and got them off to bed. Most of the group were still in bed by the time Paul arrived to begin setting the club for a busy day of sailing. Pancakes were served as they awoke, and then the kids returned to finish off Harry Potter. The adults waited for the event to be over. On review all kids seemed to enjoy the night and it was fun having all the kids from both junior groups together. Thanks to Thomas Ruether and Peter Kemp for such a fun season this year, and with the next season only around 150 days away we are already working on plans to make next season even better.
T
he coastline of Port Phillip Bay has long been the inspiration for great artworks. With this in mind, it was a natural move for the Marine Education Science and Community Project (MESAC) and Marine Care Rickett’s Point to seek the assistance of local artists to help raise awareness of our marine environment by holding a local art exhibition at BYC.
Rickett’s Point is at the centre of an area that inspired impressionists such as Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Charles Conder to create some of our finest artworks. The coastal areas around Beaumaris, Mentone and Sandringham continues to draw local artists and, with its focus on the marine environment, MESAC stayed with this theme for its inaugural Marine Art Exhibition held at BYC over the weekend of 20 and 21 February. The event drew over one hundred artworks from over fifty artists. Ray Lewis, exhibition co-ordinator and president of MESAC, said “It was great to get all the local artists together. They were all excited about the exhibition and had a great time together setting up the event. We had around sixty people at the artist’s soiree on the set up night and more than three hundred people viewed the exhibition over the weekend”. Entries were open to professional and non-professional artists with the main requirement being a marine or beach theme. Free art classes were held on the beach which added to the relaxed atmosphere and enhanced the exhibition’s marine focus. In keeping with the community spirit, prizes were decided by exhibition attendees.
N
ational Science Week is an annual program
held in August which celebrates science and technology in Australia. Established in 1997, National Science Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of Australian scientists’ to the world of knowledge. It also aims to encourage an interest in science pursuits among the general public, and to encourage younger people to be fascinated by the world we live in. In 2015 MESAC, in partnership with BYC, hosted nine days of events, exhibits and activities which included 21 expert presenters from all over Victoria and eighteen separate activity sessions which exhibited marine science to over 750 visitors across the nine days. Sessions were delivered by experts across many subjects: marine research, geology and fossil beds, foreshore plants, Port Phillip Bay history, Aboriginal Heritage, the role of citizen science, the pre-history of Beaumaris’ geology and fossils dating back 5.5 million years, information about issues and threats to the marine environment, and a session exploring the marine and coastal programs supported by volunteers.
The event worked well in creating a relaxed ”meet and greet” atmosphere for artists while highlighting MESAC’s project to develop a multiuser facility to foster sailing, diving, marine science and associated community interests. With the success of the inaugural exhibition, and the enthusiastic support of the artists and local community, MESAC’s Marine Exhibition is set to become an annual event.
an you do it? That was the question from the Beaumaris Community Bank board after pitching an idea for an inter club regatta between Beaumaris Yacht Club and Black Rock Yacht Club in late 2013. “Absolutely” was BYC’s response, “But Black Rock will need to run the first one”. This was just a few short months before the 2014 Pacer, Pacer Pursuit and 125 State Championships at BYC, and with an expected fleet of over 65 boats and no Principal Race Officer after a late withdrawal, we had a fair bit on our plate already. BRYC was happy to oblige and with that, the annual 3193 Sailing Cup between BYC and BRYC began. On 7 February this year BYC hosted the third Cup, after BRYC agreed to our request to a second attempt when atrocious weather in 2015 forced the cancellation of the event.
The Clubs Beaumaris Yacht Club and Black Rock Yacht Club are very different places. Separated by less than 3km, one is a small, family oriented, volunteer run community club, the other is a much larger organisation which has several paid staff and runs its bar as a business. What both clubs have in common is that they are both full of mad keen sailors who love to race and want to see our sport grow in the bayside area. Black Rock YC was formed in 1899 as an annexe of Brighton Yacht Club (they weren’t “Royal” back then) and over the past 117 years has had three different clubhouses, moved from fleets of heavy fishing boats to dinghies and skiffs and now has a membership measuring in the high hundreds. Formed in 1950, Beaumaris YC was comparatively late to the party. The clubhouse for the first few seasons was a canvas tent which was erected each weekend. The main building was built by the members in 1954 and has seen several large extensions since including the Ron Richardson Room (and the storage and changerooms below), the tower and the rescue boat shed. If you have time, sneak a look inside the bosun’s locker next to where Mulloka is parked, the two cubicles on the right were the original club showers. Two of them. For well over 200 sailors each week. Must have been fun.
RIGHT: Overall individual winner Mark Kristic’s 14 Foot Skiff Too Late To Stop Now representing BRYC.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
The Volunteers
The Event
It goes without saying, but these events could not run without the help of many people behind the scenes. To everyone involved in the organisation of the event, those who spent hours in the weeks prior ironing out details and answering questions yet to be asked; those who assisted on the day, be it staffing the canteen, crewing race management boats, staffing the tower, sweeping the floors or packing up the chairs after everyone went home, well done. It takes a massive amount of work to hold an event like this and we should all be proud that the members of a small, volunteer club like BYC all pitch in and make it happen.
Melbourne turned on a perfect day for sailing, 1113 knots from the south west, bright sunshine and around 25 degrees. It was a long way from the 25-30 knots and two metre seas we had to contend with last year. All hands were on deck, a fully staffed canteen, chock a block tower, two rescue boats and a committee boat crewed by our own race management dream team of Rod and Lesley McCubbin with BRYC representative and International Race Officer Mark Taylor.
The Bank Beaumaris Community Bank has been a strong supporter of many community groups in the bayside area, and BYC is no exception. The Club has benefited from significant levels of financial support through the Community Benefits program, along with other forms of support and publicity such as articles and features in the Bank’s newsletter. BYC has banked with Beaumaris Community Bank since 2009 and currently holds several accounts at the Bank. Their service has been exemplary and we encourage anyone who is thinking about changing banks to consider Beaumaris Community Bank. We are proud to be associated with such a community-focused business and look forward to working closely with the Bank well into the future.
In 2015, approximately twenty boats were rigged up and ready to go at BRYC when we were forced to cancel the event (two brave Sabres made it to the course area and were rewarded with the reach of their lives back to BRYC afterward). So it was with high hopes we watched the horizon expecting a veritable flotilla of skiffs and dinghies to descend on the course area. If seven boats count as a flotilla then a flotilla we got, however it is fair to say we were all pretty disappointed by the low numbers from further up the bay, especially considering BRYC regularly has fleets in the high twenties. Nonetheless, those who made the effort were rewarded with an excellent afternoon of racing against the BYC fleet in a long singe race with the results divided into divisions according to yardsticks as well as an overall winner. The Cup (which is actually a glass plaque) would be awarded to the club which had the greatest number of boats in the top ten fastest overall according to yardstick. With three retirements from the BRYC fleet and one boat falling outside the top ten, BRYC was left with just three boats in the top ten and therefore unable to defend their 2014 victory. The 2016 3193 Sailing Cup was awarded to the sailors of Beaumaris Yacht Club.
Phil and Janette battling it out with Paul and Judy; Silke pushing Erna for all it’s worth; Lauren racing the clock; victorious BYC sailors and Beaumaris Community Bank board members; Rod going on to smash the OKs on corrected time.
Words: Jon Pulham
Pacer Australian Championships 2015-16 at Victor Harbour Yacht Club, SA
INETEEN NINETY SIX. THAT’S THE DATE from one of my old Pacer trophies on the shelf at home. Then I did the math – nineteen years. Nineteen years since I had last crewed on a boat at a Pacer National Championships. In ’96 I crewed for my Dad in our second Pacer In a Hurry. The Pacers were sailing in Glenelg, Adelaide that year. We all had blue sails, most boats carried spinnakers, and Beaumaris YC boats led the way, David Angus edging out Peter Sharp for the title. Jumping forward to this year, I crewed for Nicole in Crossfire, most boats had white sails (I was secretly barracking for the two South Australian boats with blue sails!), and almost half the fleet didn’t fly spinnakers. Peter Kemp kept the Beaumaris flag flying high though. Along with morning crew Eliza and afternoon crew Lauren, Peter steered Bebop to seven wins out of nine races. He even had the time to respond to Eliza’s complaint that Lauren had capsized with Dad, but Eliza hadn’t. With three boats, Team Beaumaris made up more than half of the Victorian fleet. Aside from the Kemps we had Phillip and Janette Connard in Wildwood, and Nicole Jenvey, Michelle Theron and I in Crossfire. It really was a team effort this year. Samantha Kemp’s sharp eyes spotted a missing nut on a spinnaker pulley on Crossfire. (She was also helpful with a sponge after the races!) Michelle was able to stand in for Janette as chief sub-mariner (sorry, crew) for Phil in one race. Janette was
in fine form this year, replacing a torn spinnaker chute on Wildwood with a long sleeve skivvy tied to the foredeck. Keen followers of her MacGyveresque exploits can only dream of what she would have done had she been on board when Wildwood almost sank due to Phil not checking the hatch covers were tight. (Though after Peter recounted how he won a Sabre Nationals by punching a hole in his boat so water would drain out faster, Phil has confiscated all instruments that could be used for such a drastic solution on Wildwood). Michelle did a fine job without resorting to those lengths, helping guide Wildwood safely to shore, bail out the water (with help from some picnickers on the beach) and re-join the race to finish with two minutes to spare before the time limit expired. Within the Beaumaris contingent the team sailing Crossfire skippered by Nicole with Michelle and I as crew settled on ‘The Ricketts Pointers’ as a team name. While the name was eventually adopted by the Beaumaris team as a whole, only Crossfire sailors were permitted to use the sign (two arms crossed, pointing) and although they were discovered, no one got the secret codes quite right. (My sister has no idea, but her skills at pavlova cookery and clay pigeon shooting are now the talk of the Pacer community!) The series at Victor Harbour was well run by the club volunteers, and the location was fantastic both for sailing and for a holiday. We only had fourteen Pacers sailing which was a little disappointing – hopefully we will see more next year in Canberra. You may discover some interesting facts about your fellow Pacer sailors if you join us. Some things we discovered this year: Peter Kemp obviously knows how to play cards (with the possible exception of UNO); Michelle reckons getting back into a Pacer after a capsize is dead easy (compared to a Tasar anyway); Eliza likes capsizing and getting up early (future swimming champion perhaps?); Nicole can cling to a boat like a barnacle on a rock (I was surprised to see her still on board after a couple of near capsizes); Janette is still the undisputed Queen of bruises gained whilst sailing (ouch); Despite being in high school Lauren still has a rubber ducky (I’m sure the school holiday project is just an excuse); Philip will pay top dollar for a good vanilla slice (he’ll have to try that pavlova); Samantha is an ace at table soccer (we’ll have to get a table for Beaumaris); and me? Well, it’s been a while but I really enjoyed crewing for a change (though anyone who saw my grin when Canberra was announced as next year’s venue knows what end of the boat I’ll be on next year!)
IMAGES CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The crews of the top fourteen ranked Pacers in Australia; Jon Pulham and Phil Connard discussing questionable boat repairs and the merits of pre race vanilla slice; Nicole and Jon out foxing the competition, Peter and Eliza on their way to another title win; Jon crewing in Adelaide in 1996; the fleet rigging up on the lawn.
MUN CHIN talks about planning to stay safe on the water
A
few years ago on the day our family was
moving house, there was a fire at our new house. We are not sure what happened; maybe our son decided it was fun to set fire to the packing papers. Our daughter was alone at home with our son. What has this got to do with sailing safety? We had discussed many times with our daughter about what to do if there is a house fire - she was to drag our son out of the house and then call for help. I was reading a book called "Suddenly Overboard, True Stories of Sailors in Fatal Trouble" by Tom Lochnas. This book is scary because the stories are NOT about major storms, or man against the ocean. Quite a few of the stories involved dinghies. "Often the water is calm. Adrenaline is not flowing. Usually, things happen quickly and unexpectedly... Almost always the victims or survivors are enjoying their time on the water before disaster strikes." (p. xv) Quite a few of the stories involved simple things like not wearing PFDs (especially seasoned sailors who did not became old seasoned sailors), not telling anyone about sailing plans, not learning basic skills like righting an overturned catamaran or not keeping equipment in good condition. In one case, a young couple decided to go for a short sail on their Sunfish and ended up capsizing and losing their daggerboard. They were rescued after several hours in the water because a neighbour noticed them going out and not coming back (Chapter 8, No way to call for help). Not wearing appropriate clothing is another major cause of problems. Hypothermia can set in quickly even in water which appears to be warm. "People in cold water may have as little as ten minutes of functional movement...." (Chapter 3, A Good day's sail goes bad) and when a person is incapacitated, it becomes extremely difficult if not impossible to lift them out of the water into a boat or even into an inflatable. As the book says "For most sailors, sailing in a good wind on a day with good weather is one of the great joys in life... But in the back of our minds, we must remember that water is not humans' natural environment and that whenever we are on the water we are at some risk. This mindfulness isn't fear and needn't detract from the pleasure in any way..."(p. 35). So what should we do? The book suggests that it begins with an attitude of thinking ahead and asking "what if?". Take some simple steps. Always wear a PFD (Duh! Even if you are in shallow wa-
IMAGES: While never completely avoidable and sometimes just purely bad luck, with a little pre planning and good equipment maintenance these situations can often be avoided. Check your gear often, and know what to do if the situation takes an unexpected turn.
ter!) Always wear appropriate clothing. Sailing is more fun if you are not freezing your arse off. Remember that children lose more heat than adults because of their greater surface area/ mass ratio. Learn the basics like righting a capsized dinghy. Secure that daggerboard! A few of us have taken out non-sailors or children in our boats. What happens if you fall overboard? They should as a minimum learn to release the mainsheet and the jib so the boat does not merrily go its own way. As happened in our house fire, our daughter just did what we discussed before (and then screamed for help which brought our new neighbours out who helped to put out the fire). "Thinking fast is a myth. Show me a person who thinks fast and I'll show you a person who has thought the situation through beforehand." (p. xx)
PETER KEMP with crews Lauren and Eliza defend their Victorian Pacer title
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xactly half the fleet of eighteen boats who
contested this year's Pacer State Championships hailed from Beaumaris YC. It almost felt like a holiday sailing on our 'other' bay, down at the beautiful Westernport Yacht Club. But it’s always the tides there that shock us out of our complacency and give the local rescue boats entertainment at the top mark with the banging, scraping, and circling, virtually every single lap. Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp kept their States record intact and went on to win again. Paul and Judy took away the Masters trophy. Geoff Wood and his daughters Skye and Isabella finished an impressive third overall and first in the non-spinnaker division. Phil and Janette Connard on Wildwood found the thwart repairs done at the Victor Harbor Nationals held together for a fifth overall. Thomas Ruether and an enthusiastic Nathalie Braussaud, who we have seen more of in the Pacer recently, took seventh. Stephen and Mackenzie Ross competing in their first championship finished tenth. One of the original Peter Sharp masterpieces Banana Split was back on the water sailed by Nicole, Claire, Sally and Sarah. Mun, Brigid and Sarah took to the water in the timber gem Runaway. In the Pursuits Ian McHugh and Conor Gallagher pushed the winner Jonathan Pulham, but may have pushed too hard in the last and ended up with a mast that needed straightening.
IMAGES CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The reigning champs, Peter, Lauren and Eliza Kemp; Steve and Mackenzie Ross in their first State event; lunch time at WYC; cool and breezy conditions on the beach
It was disappointing having very few local boats sailing, but the club put on a fun and well run regatta. The weather was very kind and we completed 8 races, possibly a first for a State Championship.
WORDS: Lachlan Sharp PHOTOS: GLYC
This season the Javs descended on sleepy Paynesville for the 2015-16 Victorian Championships
ue to other commitments, or perhaps due to the unappealing prospect being abandoned on a gravelly beach while your lesser half sails out into the distance only to be later assailed by sailing stories you don’t understand, don’t really care about and always wish were over sooner; Joelle, Leah and Kate decided not to make the trip up to the lakes with their Sharper partners. So there we were. Mum, Dad and the three not-so-little boys, staying in a holiday unit that would make Dale Kerrigan’s day. Bunk beds, tiny soaps wrapped in plastic, a tray of individually wrapped tea bags and Blend 43. A step back in time. Down at the club, boats were rigged, Warren’s skipper went missing (as usual), and the crew was left to put the boat together, put the trailer away and pick up some lunch for the team. The sailing was frustrating. The weather was bleak. The course was bloody long. And like many Javelin regattas before it, ten boats sail around for a couple of hours and Brett Williams goes home with the silverware. Discord was brewing aboard Warren and Razor. Crews, comrades of the pointy end, tired of their cramped working conditions at the less spacious end of the boat, stuffed into harnesses that were so uncomfortable they must have been designed by a skipper, tired of skippers questioning their second sausage roll before a light weather race, began to see their lot for what it was. By the final race, the crews on Warren and Razor, so over worked and undervalued, could not go on. They decided to take action and strike for better conditions. It was of course a coincidence that comrade Will had a sprained wrist from splitting firewood and Lachlan was suffering from a basketball-induced elbow injury. The veritable waterfront dispute left the skipper of Razor (the better placed of the two Sharp boats) with no choice but to seek scab labour, which came in the form of the skipper from Warren. Michael Sharp, long considered the runt of the litter,
IMAGES ANTICLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The fleet lines up for Race 2; GLYC’s James Frecheville ran a smooth and organised event; Post wine bar family photo; Nothing warms the heart like seeing a skipper push a trolley; Michael Sharp discovers the joys and comfort of a trapeze harness; Victorian Champions Brett Williams and Tim Fountain; Rod and Lachlan have a race to see who can drop a spinnaker fastest.
too skinny and weak to take up the harness, finally had his chance to prove his manliness. Or at least to squeeze his manliness into the harness. Nothing warms a crew’s heart more when two skippers wheel a boat into the water, unhitch the trolley, and stare at each other waiting for the other to take the trolley back to shore. Eventually the two skippers figured it out and Michael had to work out what to do with an empty trolley. It must have been the first time in years he had seen one up close. And so the two crews waited on shore while the two skippers successfully sailed Razor out of second place in the series and into third. In the end, all this frustrating sailing got in the way of a good weekend. Saturday night saw the Sharp family hit the town with intent. Peter wore a shirt he didn’t get at a regatta, Michael left the polar fleece vest at home and Will even wore shoes. A Bacchanalian blow out was on the cards. After the club bar kicked the Javelin rabble out for raucous behaviour, or because it was 8 o’clock and this is a retiree town after all, the Sharps kicked on till the wee hours. Or at least until it was time for Lateline. They headed to a wine bar in order to sample some of the lakeside high culture and donate a King’s ransom to the band via an outrageous cover charge. Peter Sharp quickly decided that these Paynesvillians needed to be taught a thing or two when it comes to cutting the rug however in the interests of public safety he was restrained from starting a dance off. But after a banshee of a woman with a ‘can I speak to your manager’ haircut howled at us (apparently this was “singing”, though we’re still yet to confirm it) for an hour we decided it best to seek the comforts of the motel, its panoramic views of the roundabout and reruns of Midsomer Murders.
391 - Warren
393 - Razor
394 - Aero
Michael and Will Sharp
Peter and Lachlan Sharp
Paul Leitinger and Rod Smith
Broke or damaged most systems in the boat, including the crew’s wrist. Couldn’t sail upwind to save themselves. Missed the final race due to injury. Poor showing for the defending champions.
No gear breakages but an elbow injury stopped the crew from performing his usual heroic deeds. New jib worked well but substitute labour for the final race was a clear breach of union rules.
Significant room for improvement.
Reasonable and consistent results.
The skipper/crew positions were swapped with Rod donning the harness and releasing his inner hero while Paul pointed the boat in the right direction. Good result with limited time sailing together. Impressive upwind height and speed. The boat to watch on a lake.
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UPSIDE DOWN AND INSIDE OUT No idea what the events were which lead to this event but there is no question that the result was a very bad day for both parties and likely a few running repairs.
he boom vang was popularised by the Danish Sailor Paul Elvstrom. Initially he kept it secret by only connecting it when out on the race course and would hide it when ashore leaving competitors mystified at his superior boat speed.
The boom vang helps to tension the leech of the mainsail. Lots of leech tension can also help to flatten the sail in strong wind by bending the mast. After the mast forestay and sidestays the vang is usually the fitting with the most tension so it’s important that the fittings are in good condition. I have found that ball bearing blocks that seemed to spin nicely actually started jamming under the load of the vang, either because the rope started sliding off a damaged sheave, or the internal roller bearings were worn. So it pays to inspect all of the fittings closely and replace the blocks that have had a lot of use. However it’s hard to tension up the boom vang if the rope is slipping through your gloves. A stopper bobble will help you to grip the rope. A loop tied at the end of the rope will give even better purchase but the best is a rigid handle which can improve the power of the vang by many times. A trapeze handle can be adapted to a good vang handle, or a piece of aluminium tube with a hole through it will work just as well.
- Peter Kemp
IMAGE:
HEAVY HAULAGE How do you get nine NSW Lasers to an event in WA? Stick ‘em all on one trailer of course. This photo was taken midNullabor a few years ago on the way to Mandurah. Hope the straps were tight...
Trapeze handles are cheap, simple and very effective additions to vang systems. The control line becomes much easier to grip and more force can be exerted on the line much faster by the sailor.