FROM THE HELM
Well, much has happened since our March edition of Groundswell. The Club is now well into its 50th year celebrations having held the first significant events over the first week of May. Monday 1 May saw the exhumation of the Club’s time capsule laid in July 2001 to honour the inaugural Board and see in the new millennium. I’m confident a Club record for persons in our foyer was broken as 120 guests packed in to listen to formalities, witness the exhumation and emptying of the capsule along with speeches from key CYCSA dignitaries and rounded out with a cocktail party.
In order to mark the week of the 50th Jubilee we held a luncheon with over 130 attendees who enjoyed a two-course lunch, a premiere of the footage from the capsule event video, speeches relating to the Club’s formative years through to current times and all the usual birthday celebrations. Evident at both events was the fantastic atmosphere created when members come together, reflect and tell stories of years gone by. It is always nice to see a lot of smiles and laughter at events such as these. I will leave the more specific details to the articles featuring later in this publication and the videos posted on our social media and Club website. Other significant Club events since the last edition was the recommencement of our popular monthly Boating Conversation evenings, Kids Easter Egg Hunt, Quiz Night vs the Naval, Military and Air Force Club and on water events the HMAS Hobart Cup, the Fred Neill Trophy Regatta after an 18 year hiatus and Racing Presentation Dinner ensuring this issue is full to the brim.
Our YSF and Elliott program has been busy and it’s great to see consistent usage though winter is settling in. Three four person teams were sent to Sydney for the NSL Asia-Pacific finals series. The teams all performed well doing the Club extremely proud in the process at our first real outing at a major Elliott regatta.
As winter sets in I would like to take this opportunity to inform members of a few new initiatives that will be happening around the Club.
The Club BBQs are a rebadged version of the Cruising Association BBQs but it is important to state that these are well supported and attended regular social occasions aimed at enhancing member comraderie and are for all members no matter the nautical interest.
A new dining offer will be opening at the Club this winter called ‘Mariners Ristorante’. A newly presented version of the traditional Mariner’s area will be providing wonderful modern Australian cooking with an Italian flair. This area will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and available for private sittings aimed at the special occasion or big treat!
This year’s annual Italian Night looks to be better than ever. Thanks to the great support once again from Club sponsor, Stellar Solutions - International Foods, an Italian feast will be served in a wonderful setting created by our dedicated Social Association. The Italian entertainment will continue throughout the evening culminating in a special guest performance from former Zimbabwean cricketer, commentator, ‘The Voice Australia’ contestant and now professional singer/tenor, Henry Olonga, who is renowned for his strong voice and impressive ‘Nessun Dorma’. This year’s Commodores’ Dinner has been earmarked as the main 50th celebration and we hope to accommodate around 270 members and guests for the event on Saturday 23 September. We have plans to utilise the full footprint of the Clubhouse and promise a very different event from anything the Club has hosted previously. Bookings which will open soon, will fill quickly and with the ceiling number declared we would recommend getting in early to avoid disappointment.
I represented the CYCSA at the Yacht Club Managers Group for Australasia Forum hosted at the CYCA and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron recently. It was the first forum of its kind in five years and was predominantly organised by former CYCSA CEO, Craig Evans, with two full days of key Industry and GM presentations. The forum also provided full tours of both Clubs and an opportunity to build relationships with likeminded Clubs and the usual networking opportunities. Representatives from all over Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong attended. Wishing everyone a very safe and warm period.
Adam Hays General Manager
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We have been sailing through some epic times lately and it’s time to fill you in via this fantastic publication we know as Groundswell.
First off, it’s been a wild ride out on the water. Our sailors have been tearing it up and making waves in all the regattas and races we’ve been involved in. We’ve seen some fierce competition and some seriously impressive skills on display. Our members have been putting in the hard yards and it’s paying off big time.
Speaking of members, it’s great to see our membership base growing steadily. We’ve welcomed some fresh faces to the Club and it has been awesome to see new friendships forming and our community getting even stronger. Our social events have been a blast too with barbecues, parties and good times all around. It’s all about that camaraderie and culture, right?
It was an honour to assist in the exhumation of the time capsule that has been under all our feet in the foyer of our Club for the past 25 years followed by the revelation of all the items inside which was informative and amusing and no, CC the Club Cat was not in the capsule. As part of the evening it was great to hear from several prominent people within the Club from 25 years ago (and still today) including Tess McGrath, Past Commodore, Graeme Footer, Past President and Founding Member Dick Fidock bringing back great personal memories from the early 90s. As a freshfaced kid who would do anything to go sailing, my ride for that particular Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race was delayed leaving due to a very windy start. I ran down the dock looking to jump on anything and found myself with Dick and his crew aboard Paradigm for the race. Delaying the start would have been a good idea but sailing with a bunch of legends was something I will not forget.
Unfortunately I could not make the Racing Presentation Night or our Jubilee Luncheon due to a clash with sailing aboard Secret Mens Business in the Sail Port Stephens Regatta. But rest assured our burgee was flying proudly and it was wellappreciated by the eastern seaboard that Geoff assembled a team and got the boat over there to compete in not only Port Stephens but also the Sailfest in Newcastle.
On the horizon I see there are some exciting plans both on and off the water. Boating Conversations continues to grow, Italian Night is back, the Winter Series is in full swing and planning is well underway for the Jubilee Commodores’ Dinner on Saturday 23 September - mark it in your diary now as I can guarantee an absolute cracker of an evening!
Again I want to recognise our amazing volunteers. They are the unsung heroes who make everything happen behind the scenes and keep the cogs turning, from organising races to running events and everything in between. We’re forever grateful for their passion and commitment.
Before I wrap this up I want to remind everyone to stay safe out there on the water. Weather conditions can be unpredictable so make sure you’re prepared and look out for your fellow boaters. We want to see all of you back here in one piece ready for the next adventure.
That’s a wrap for now. Keep the sails full and the good times rolling. Until next time fair winds and great boating to all of you!
Image credit: Salty Dingo
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS...
Over the last three months the following people have joined the Club. Please make them welcome.
Pauline Acott, Darryl Atkins, Michael Battye, Holly Byron, Fletcher Barnes, Alan Carter, Brett Childs, Matthew Cook, James Dow, Rupert Dowd, Kristy Elfenbein, Terence Gallagher, Jessica Hargraves, Desiree Le Francois, Jay Rogers, Tony Schnaars, Brian Smith, Elle Violintzis, Jason Webb, Myles Woodhart, Garth Yeoman, Mitchell Young, Olivia Young
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FROM OUR COMMODORE
Nick Bice
SMB at SailFest Newcastle
MARINA AND BOAT SECURITY
Managing a marina presents many unique challenges to operators not the least of which is security. This includes extreme weather conditions, constant movement from marina jetties, water on all sides and access issues from land and water. Infratec Security Systems have been designing and installing marina security solutions since 1985 and during that time have learned some important lessons on how to protect the infrastructure of a marina and the vessels within it.
So, what is security when it comes to the marina environment? It is many things including physical security such as gates, fences, locks, and doors. It is manpower services with patrols and guards. It is electronic, such as electric fences, cameras, intruder alarms, smoke and fire detection, evacuation and access control. All these services assist in protecting, deterring, reducing and catching people doing the wrong thing.
Marinas such as the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia have invested, and continue to invest, in the security of the marina and its members. In recent times there have been upgrades to the cameras in Marina West, new cameras installed in Marina East, hard stand area and maintenance area, and maintenance of the intruder and fire alarm systems. In the coming months the access control and intruder alarm system will be upgraded to replace the end-of-life main processor that has been in operation since the year 2000. All of this goes a long way to securing your Club and your boats however there is more that can be done.
Members can take simple steps to protect their boats and valuables. As a long-standing member of the Club, it never ceases to amaze me as I walk around how many valuables are just left in or on boats just waiting for the wrong person to take advantage. None of us would leave tens of thousands of dollars of equipment on our front lawn at home, yet I see boats with fishing equipment, tenders, outboard motors, electronics and many other items sitting on boats with no means to protect them from theft. With today’s technology protecting your boat from an unwanted intruder is achievable at a reasonable cost. The same systems can also let you know if your boat is sinking, on fire, has lost mains power and has low batteries. Also, other services including visual inspections and even keeping a log as to how long your mechanic or tradesperson has been on your boat which can be handy when you receive an invoice.
So next time you go down to your boat, take 10 minutes to have a look around and think about what steps you can take to make your boat more secure and not be the next person to be disappointed. If you need some professional help then do not hesitate to contact us.
Kevin Brenner Infratec Security Systems
e: kevin@infratecsecurity.com.au p: 8338 6788
CYCSA MEMBERS DRAW
On Thursday evening, 9 March, our members, guests and visitors were all enjoying Chef’s popular specials with a jackpot of $1050 on offer for Members Draw number 188.
Miguel Alemao, was the lucky member drawn. He was there with friends enjoying dinner and collected the jackpot and generously shared his good fortune by tipping $400 of his winnings giving $100 to each of the bar staff working that evening. Miguel is our eleventh jackpot winner.
Thanks again to draw sponsor George Family Winegrowers and Koonowla Cellar Door for their continued support as we welcome onboard new draw sponor Capital Prudential.
CYCSA JUBILEE COMING EVENTS
To celebrate our 50th year the Club invites and encourages all CYCSA members and their guests to join us and be part of the festivities.
This year’s series of enhanced events will be sure to provide the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and share in camaraderie, a time for reminiscing and creating new special and fun memories.
Remember to mark these dates in your diary and book early to avoid disappointment.
Visit our website ‘Events’ tab for dates: cycsa.com.au/functions-calendar/
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CLUB NEWS
our members representing the Club at local, interstate and overseas events...
SAILFEST NEWCASTLE | SAIL PORT STEPHENS
Crowned the 2023 Australian Keelboat Champions after winning the Australian Championships in Port Lincoln, Geoff Boettcher’s Secret Mens Business (SMB) and his professional crew set off to compete in Act 2 and Act 3 of the TP National Race Circuit.
Act 2 was conducted at the Newcastle Yacht Club as part of SailFest Newcastle whilst Act 3 was held at Port Stephens Yacht Club as part of Sail Port Stephens.
In Newcastle ten TPs provided extremely close racing with the SMB scoreline reading 2, 4, 2 and 3 finishing a commendable third overall behind Matador (3,1,1,2) and Gweilo (1, 2, 4,1). Navigator Steve Kemp reported that the racing was extremely close commenting that “starting lines in particular now are ultra-competitive with all players having access to technology allowing amazing time on distance perfection”.
In Port Stephens the SMB score line read 1, 5, 5, 1 and 3. Another amazing result from the team given an on-water challenge presented itself on course when they were winning a race and the fact that SMB was the ONLY team from outside of New South Wales competing in the nine strong Division 1 TP52 event.
David Doherty and his Matador team scored three wins from five races to win the event by seven points from Chris Townsend and Matt Donald’s Gweilo which did not win a single race but sailed consistently in the five races scored under TPR. TPR is the rating system created by Terry Wetton, the event founder and class captain, and ensures a fair playing field and supports youth sailors under 25.
In summarising Steve Kemp added that “We were very quick upwind and downwind allowing us to get to the lead in many of the races. There was nothing in it when looking at the performance of the top three boats…. Geoff did an amazing job not only organising for the boat to get there and back but for also doing a commendable job in steering the team to success”.
Kemp also commented that “the CYCSA effort in Lincoln and at these two events on the East Coast has certainly raised a few eyebrows, has put the CYCSA well and truly on the racing radar and has pre-empted discussion about South Australia hosting like regattas for the TPs going forward.”
CYCSA TEAMS MAKE THEIR MARK
A strong contingent of two Open and one Youth team were selected to attend the National Sailing League Asia Pacific Finals at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club on 21-22 May.
The National Sailing League was established by President Mark Turnbull OAM to recognise and reward the best sailing/ yacht club in Australia through its State-based League events. The South Australian Sailing League regatta is held in early December on the Port River as part of the Dockside Festival.
Carter Baker (Youth), Robbie Deussen (Open) and Greg Allison (Open) represented CYCSA with Robbie and his team (Matt Hansen, Rachel Paterson and Shevaun Bruland) finishing second overall and Carter finishing fifth overall. Greg and his team (Josh Hinks, Ashleigh Emery and Mia Schnaars) finished eleventh.
Both of the performances from Robbie and Carter were outstanding with a subsequent invitation from the NSL for the CYCSA to nominate a Youth and Open entry to the World Championships in Kiel (1-3 September) and Travemunde, Germany (22-25 July) respectively.
The championships in Pittwater consisted of a round robin series and a finals series with the top four making the cut. Carter and his team (Sophie Ward, Sailor Cowen and Murphy Cowen) narrowly missed the opportunity to make the finals after winning the day outright on day two. A tremendous effort from this young team! The Round Robin series consisted of an approximate 50/50 blend of upwind and downwind starts. The winner of the qualifying round is automatically presented a bonus win for the finals which meant Zac West from the RSYS had a heads up going into the finals. In true CYCSA fighting spirit Robbie and his team sailed a brilliant first race to win equalising the score at one each. The second race would decide which club and which sailors would be crowned the Asia Pacific NSL champions.
Race two of the finals commenced in a gusty 17–22 knot westerly with the Race Committee already making the call that this would be a no-spinnaker race. Robbie approached the start line as anyone would on starboard and in a seemingly secure position. However, the winner of the 2022 NSW Hardy’s Shield Match Racing Series had different ideas and put into place at around the 50 second mark some ruthless match racing tactics making it impossible for Robbie and his team to lay the starting mark. Despite a valiant
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Image credit: Salty Dingo
comeback on the last downwind leg, Robbie and the team couldn’t quite catch Zac and the team from the Royal Sydney Yacht Club.
Thank you to all those who contributed to the fund-raising initiatives driven particularly by YSF coach Maddy Salter and the Youth Team themselves. It has been a delight and an honour to see these CYCSA youth ambassadors conduct themselves professionally on and off the water. Thank you Maddy for your early morning training and late at night training sessions and for your tireless commitment to the CYCSA Youth Team as both a coach, mentor and friend to those you are engaging with.
Greg Allison Sailing Operations Manager
A CLOSE SECOND
Robin (Robbie) Deussen and his long-time team of Matt Hansen and Rachel Paterson were joined by Shevaun Bruland to represent the CYCSA in the Open Division. Flight delays left the team unable to take advantage of any training the day before the regatta but the team had trained on the Elliott 7s at the CYCSA and felt ready for the regatta.
At the briefing on Day One of the regatta it was evident that Robbie’s Open team was probably the most ‘mature’ in terms of average age. The room was full of young people as 10 out of the 16 teams entered were in the Under 22 Division and most of the competitors appeared under the age of 30. It was going to be a test of skill but the team was also hoping their experience and wisdom would pay dividends.
Robbie’s team performed well on Day One finishing top of their pool after ten races on a short course. They notched up several wins and were consistent with mostly top three finishes. Clean boat handling was a must and conditions were variable and shifty so there were tactical gains to be made on every leg. After Day One Robbie’s team had won their pool and was sitting second overall behind the winner of the other pool who had accumulated fewer points.
On day two the conditions were stronger. Whilst the style of sailing was already physical it was going to become even more so. It would also be a test of endurance with another minor round of eight races followed immediately by finals with no time off the water between rounds for Robbie’s team.
After the minor rounds were complete Robbie’s team was second behind Zac West’s team from RSYS although the pool draw meant that the two teams had not yet raced each other. The finals series was sailed between the top four boats with the overall winner (Zac West) taking an advantage of one win into the finals. The first boat to record two wins would take the title. Conditions had built and were very strong and gusty with gusts above 25 knots but big lulls too. Robbie’s team had a ripper first race of the finals series demonstrating superior boat handling and strategy in exceptionally strong conditions. They only just held the kite to cross the finish line for a convincing win with the second boat half a leg behind.
Team CYCSA had thrown down the gauntlet to the other finalists and the message was clear - we are the team to beat and we can handle these conditions. This win evened up the score with one win each to the CYCSA and the RSYS so it was game on. If either team were to win the second race they would secure the title.
After the first race of the finals there was a long wait while teams endured 30 knot gusts and tried to stay focussed and hydrated. The MarkBots (robotic, remote controlled marks) were having trouble holding their position and their motors were not strong enough to move against the wind so they needed to be towed. With conditions not forecast to abate teams were advised that the next race would be sailed without spinnakers. Having emphatically won the first race of the finals Robbie’s team had a target on their back. Aggressive pre-start manoeuvres in a match racing style by the RSYS team unfortunately held the CYCSA team out at the start. Robbie had to bail out and re-start giving the other three boats a large head start. Robbie’s team worked hard for every gain they could find, sailing smart and never giving up, working their way back through the fleet but unfortunately they finished second, (without spinnakers) unable to catch the team from the RSYS who won the second race and therefore the regatta.
Whilst it was disappointing to have been so close to taking out the title Robbie and his team really enjoyed the regatta and are proud to have represented the CYCSA. The sailing was fast, furious and physical and the competition was tight. Although the ‘mature’ bodies did take a few days to recover and blisters are still healing, there are smiles all round.
Shevaun Bruland
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Photos by Tidal Media for Down Under Sail
RACING ROUND-UP
The Post-Christmas Twilight Series completed with Division 11st Playground (Brenton Pegler), 2nd Venom (Robert Dunn) just ahead by two points of 3rd G-Wizz (Greg Patten).
Division 2 - 1st Ruffian (Michael McGlinchey) just 1 point ahead of 2nd Sahara (Richard Lea) with 3rd Cygnet (Tom Melville).
Combined Series, Division 1 - 1st G-Wizz, 2nd Playground, 3rd Venom. Division 2 - 1st Ruffian, 2nd The Bottom Line (Fawcett/Haakmeester/Roper), 3rd Magnum (Jim Heyen).
Ladies Helm races were part of the Twilight Series, not standalone races this season. Even so the ladies were competitive. Division 1 - Vulcan (Susie Jones), G-Wizz (Louise Hoendervanger and Dorothee Poole) Venom (Lauren Thredgold). Division 2 - Ruffian (Fiona Mansfield), Sahara (Anne-Marie Meegan and Tracey Hutt) Sir Les (Lesley Patterson).
Combined Women’s Series - Two CYCSA boats entered the series along with a few others entering as casual entries. PHS Division 1 - 2nd Clockwork (Mary Ann Harvey) Division 22nd Sahara (Anne-Marie Meegan & Helen Klingsporn). AMS Division 1 - 1st Clockwork.
Inshore Series completed with results: PHS Division 1Sintara (Derek Morrison) ahead of Clockwork (Harvey/Lloyd) and Playground. In PHS in Division 2 Kinetic Energy (Andy Shipp) was just ahead of Ocean Hawk (Steve Emery) and Rock On (Trevor Conyers) .
A big thank you to members and the public who have been Marine Academy customers during the 2022–23 season of activity. This season we trained 271 people in all types of sailing, powerboat and safety courses, up from 262 the previous season.
Why not spend some time this winter brushing up on your theory based skills? We are hoping to run a number of shore based courses during winter and spring and invite members who may be interested in undertaking our comprehensive navigation course and our radio course to contact me at the email address below. The RYA Day Skipper Navigation Theory Course, one evening a week for ten weeks (three hours face to face each week), covers the gamut of navigation, tides and seamanship. It is equally applicable to power boaters and cruising yachties and is a great investment in your peace of mind and safety just in case your electronics pack up on you at the wrong time.
As I write this we are finalising the details of next season’s training program which should be published on the Club website in July. Whilst we don’t do much on-the-water training over winter we can always look at some private one-on-one training if you like the idea of giving larger groups a miss. Please feel free to contact me before then if you have any questions.
As summer disappears in the rear vision mirror, April and May have seen a lot of activity with live aboard courses at the higher end of our training pathway of Competent Crew and Day Skipper. The weather has been very kind for these courses and below are photos from some of that activity.
David Royle Marine Academy Principal marine.academy@cycsa.com.au
AMS - Magic (Mike Holmes) ahead of Sintara and Clockwork in Division 1 with Ocean Hawk ahead of Rock On and Kinetic Energy in Division 2.
CYCSA Short Offshore Series. Some interesting races with boats pulling out due to gear failure. Kinetic Energy taking first on PHS from Sintara and Clockwork.
State Championship IRC Division 1 won by Secret Mens Business (Geoff Boettcher) ahead of Magic and Another Hooligan (Nicholas George).
State Championship AMS Division 1 won by Magic ahead of Dr Feelgood 3 (Wayne and Jason Coonan) and Clockwork.
State Championship AMS Division 2 won by Ocean Hawk ahead of Rock On and Blue Diamond (RSAYS Malcolm Denton).
I would like to thank the regular Duty Crew that volunteer to run all the races and those that help when extra is needed. The Club is grateful and if you would like to help, please let us know. Thanks to our sponsor Yalumba Wines for their continued support.
Inese Lainis Racing Administrator
10 MARINE ACADEMY UPDATE
I would like to start out by reporting on the success of our YSF Performance Team at the recent Sailing Champions League: Asia Pacific Final at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in the Pittwater, Sydney. Taking out third place in the Under 22s they have qualified for the World Finals in Keil, Germany. Well done to Carter Baker, Sailor Cowen, Murphy Cowen and Sophie Ward. This is a massive achievement for the youth squad and I’d like to say thanks for the support our members have given through their donations to our raffle fundraiser.
Congratulations to Robbie Deussen, Shevaun Bruland, Matt Hansen and Rachel Paterson for their second place overall and qualification for the Open finals in July. This is an enormous achievement and a testament to the Club’s foresight to invest in the Elliott fleet and the time and effort spent on the water by both teams.
In April we welcomed the Adelaide University Sailing Club to the CYCSA through the club partnership program. Lots of keen sailors and new sailors have been sailing on our Elliotts for come and try sessions and training sessions. Good luck to Sophie Davidson, AUSC Vice Commodore and her team who are competing at the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta in Victoria over the June Long Weekend.
We ran the Fred Neill Match Racing Trophy for the first time since the iPhone was invented! It was great to see ten teams battle it out on the water in very light and difficult conditions.
Congratulations to Ben Hinks and his team for their win. We’re looking forward to building this regatta for next year. It’s great to have match racing back on the program for South Australian sailors. Thank you to the volunteers for the long hours on the water throughout the event.
Although we’re out of the sailing season we will be busy with winter squad training and planning for next season! Watch this space.
Maddy Salter YSF Head Coach
CALLING ALL CYCSA BOAT OWNERS
The SA Women’s Keelboat Regatta Committee is appealing to Club boat owners to lend yachts for this year’s women’s keelboat regatta.
Held over the October Long Weekend, last year’s inaugural SA Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) was a huge success with a fantastic competitive racing program for 120 women. Over 20 keelboats raced on Gulf St Vincent and the Port River including CYCSA members’ School’s Out, Foxy, Sahara and the Club’s new Elliott 7s fleet. With planning already underway we’re aiming for another wonderful regatta in 2023 and we would love women who are CYCSA racing members to be more involved this year.
Which brings me to the point, for the regatta to build we need more boats for skippers and crew with sailing references to race on. With so much attention following last year’s success we have interest from very experienced sailors who are wanting to take part. We are appealing to Club boat owners to lend your yachts for this year’s regatta. Alternatively, a boat owner could offer to run spectators around the course on their craft. It would be wonderful to see more CYCSA yachts racing in SAWKR 2023 and many more Club members taking part in this fabulous event. If you are interested in offering your boat for SAWKR 2023 or if you have more questions about this year’s regatta, contact Mary Ann Harvey who is recruiting boats and sailors on behalf of the SAWKR on 0416 099 384.
YOUTH SAILING FOUNDATION SA WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA
Photo by Tidal Media for Down Under Sail
Early morning training
Presentation Night at the CYCSA end of season event is always a lively night of celebration and socialising among those who have participated in the Club’s racing events and their partners and this year was no exception. A great crowd mingled in the bar area for pre-dinner drinks and canapés catching up with friends and crew members and reliving the highlights of the season before moving into the Horizons Room for the formal dinner and presentation.
Rob Human, Racing Executive Chairman, proved to be an excellent MC for the evening introducing the winners of trophies and awards and elegantly balancing speeches, presentations and the arrival of platters of delicious food to the room. The formal part of the night began with an appropriate acknowledgement of our CYCSA Sponsors and our Race Management whose contributions to our racing season make everything possible.
Commodore Nick Bice, who was interstate racing on Secret Mens Business, had prepared a much appreciated message for those gathered and sent greetings from Port Stephens. Thanks Nick, we enjoyed the video but do try to be here next year! Luke Burrow of Bravo Sails and Kate Wigan of Yalumba presented trophies and keepsakes to winning skippers. RSAYS Commodore Ian Roberts presented the Combined Women’s Series trophies as well as presenting the Commodore’s Shield to the CYCSA Vice-Commodore Mike Holmes.
The Corpor8solutions ‘Cock of the Walk’ Trophy went to Venom, skippered by Robert Dunn. The Chairman’s Trophy was awarded to Clockwork, jointly owned and raced by Mary Ann Harvey and Andrew Lloyd. The AG Walters Most Consistent Performer Trophy was presented to Outlier (Abbott/Riddle).
Two nominations were received for the important award of Crewperson of the Year – Mansel Milne and Guy Wogan-Provo were both highly recommended for their contributions to the boats they sailed on and the crews they sailed with and the way in which this enhanced the sailing experience of others. The winner for this year was Guy Wogan-Provo.
The CYCSA Yacht of the Year had several very competitive contenders this year, Magic, Sintara and Secret Mens Business. The winner was Sintara, the trophy being presented to the delighted and well-deserving owner and skipper, Derek Morrison.
The Racing Excellence Trophy was awarded to Secret Mens Business (Geoff Boettcher) whose achievements this year included placing first in the Australian Yachting Championships held in Port Lincoln earlier this year.
A huge ‘thank you’ was expressed to Inese for all the work she does as Racing Administrator throughout the season, often in the background making sure the numerous details of the racing season are all in order and good to go.
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Di Schwerdt
Crew Person of the Year
Clockwork
Sintara
Magic Venom
The Hobart Cup is in memory of the HMAS Hobart and her crew. Hobart was scuttled in Yankalilla Bay to form an artificial dive reef and its final resting place lies four nautical miles west north west of Marina St Vincent. The Hobart was nicknamed the Green Ghost for her reputation as a quiet vessel during three tours of duty of Vietnam. The Hobart Cup is awarded to the crew which best meets the proficiencies of outstanding teamwork, courage and professionalism.
A big shout out to Geoff Catt (CYCSA) and Stephen Lamb (Friends of the HMAS Hobart Memorial) for sponsoring the event, CYCSA Racing Manager, Inese Lainis, CYCSA PRO, Greg Borg, CYCSA Duty crews, John Collett, David Hughes, Adrian Wilson, Mark Greenshields and Neil Pentecost, Lesley Roberts (scoring) and volunteers and the CYCSA Sailing Ops team for ensuring the Elliotts were maintained and ready to go and all training opportunities at the Club were facilitated. This was the first CYCSA Teams Racing event in the Elliotts and involved three teams of two Elliotts thereby utilising the Club’s six Elliotts with Team Navy, Team Airforce and Team Army. Team Navy took the lead early with training initiatives which included recruiting coaches and even recording training sessions using drone technology - they were obviously keen to win this event!
Respective skippers for all teams were –
Navy One Mark Sinclair
Navy Two Rob Williams
Airforce One Darrel Grieg
Airforce Two Israel Dunk
Army One Candice Cushway
Army Two Mark Watters
Incredibly Mark and Rob were only 12 months earlier ‘battling it out’ in the southern oceans with Mark completing his Golden Globe requirement on Coconut and Rob attempting another global circumnavigation on Sylph VI.
As it turned out the results went down to the very last race with classic teams racing strategies being used by Team Navy to ensure they would be the ultimate winners despite a valiant comeback from Team Army.
Greg Allison Sailing Operations Manager
“That was utterly nail biting. I am so grateful to you for putting the CYCSA membership application form in front of me a few months ago. I haven’t enjoyed any sailing club as much as I am enjoying being a member of the CYCSA.” -
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Photo by Down Under Sail
CYCSA Duty Crew
L Roberts Team Navy
Following a successful Teams Racing Event with the Hobart Cup the CYCSA Racing Ops Team turned its attention to resurrecting the Fred Neill Match Racing event. This was the first Match Racing event for the CYCSA fleet of six Elliotts. The event was held over two days at the end of April and attracted ten teams from sailing clubs along the coast including Brighton Seacliff Yacht Club, Adelaide Sailing Club and the CYCSA along with an overseas entrant from the Vanuatu Sailing Club.
The two-day event comprised a Round Robin and Finals series, a total of 50 races in all! The event could not have happened without the diligence and patience of Principal Race Officer Darryl Emery and his support crew; John Collett, Neil Pentecost, Tim Cowen and David Hughes. The event also necessitated three umpire boats led by Head Umpire Wayne Thompson and ably supported by Simon Irving, Tim Went and Andrew Waterman. A big shout out also to Maddy Salter and Guy Wogan-Provo for their attention to detail in prepping the Elliotts for the regatta.
The CYCSA was well represented at the event with Club members’ overall results of fifth to Tony Schnaars in the Open Division, sixth to Greg Allison in the Open Division, seventh to Carter Baker in the Youth Division and eighth to Lesley Roberts in the Womens Division. It was great to see a broad mix of Open, Youth and Women teams competing in this event with camaraderie and banter at an all-time high on and off the water.
A highlight of the regatta was Team Vanuatu putting on a Kava night for all participants. Sadly Team Vanuatu recently lost their clubhouse to a cyclone and truly appreciated the facilities the CYCSA shared with them.
Ben Hinks and his Brighton team ultimately won the event from Alex Blacker from the Adelaide Sailing Club in a closely fought final series. Finally a big thank you to Harry Fisher and his media team who enabled the final series to be streamed live into yacht clubs and homes around Australia.
Greg Allison Sailing Operations Manager
Club member and Marine Academy instructor Vern Schulz shared the following comments –
“A sincere and hearty congratulations to all involved in an incredible Fred Neill Match Racing Championship. I was so incredibly impressed by the organisation, support, participation, commentary, camera and drone work. What an amazing event. It was a joy to see so many young sailors at the CYCSA to sail on our Elliotts.
Congratulations to Team Hinks and Blacker for their worthy results and all the other teams for being a part of it.
Coming off the back of SAWKR and the Etchells Regatta, we *really* do run a good event and it puts the CYCSA high up in the ranks of clubs in Australia. They will become bigger and better and are a huge win for the CYCSA and its members. Please pass on my thanks to all who worked so hard to make this a success. It makes me proud to be a sailor and member at the CYCSA.”
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It was fantastic to have Team Vanuatu SCL with us in Adelaide giving the revived Fred Neill Regatta some exciting international flavour! Justin Johnson and his team from the Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club made a pit stop in Adelaide for a bit of race practice ahead of the SAILING Champions LeagueAsia Pacific Final at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in May. In Justin’s team was Hiro, an indigenous ni-Vanuatu (Melanesian) sailor, who grew up in Port Vila. He was one of three sailors selected to represent Vanuatu in the Laser class at the Pacific Mini Games but unfortunately the program got scrapped due to funding constraints.
Off the back of that the Vanuatu Sailing Team project came together which has a purpose to provide a pathway for niVanuatu sailors to get exposure to competitive sailing events not available at home thereby making them more aware of the opportunities available to athletes who take up sailing as a sport. The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia and our major partners Harken Australia, welcomed Justin, Hiro and the whole VCYC team to Adelaide and thank them for being part of our event.
OUR VISITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
We travelled to South Australia for the Fred Neill Match Racing Regatta and three of the four of us had never been to Adelaide in South Australia before let alone sailed in these southern waters. We checked into an Airbnb, a renovated heritage fire station at Woodville, dropped our bags and headed to the CYCSA. The Sailing Operations Manager, Greg, showed us through the facilities which are nothing short of amazing! A stunning outlook over a harbour with dolphins, an enormous hospitality area and ample green rigging and drying spaces, it was far more that we had expected.
YSF Head Coach, Maddy, gave us a run through on rigging and sailing the Elliotts before we were off only to get stuck in the mud at the first turn. The rest of our practise sail was rather scratchy having not had to contend with swell for instance and then combined with light airs it made for interesting performances.
On Saturday evening around 20 people enthusiastically took part in our Pizza and Kava tasting night at the Club. Greg and the team were all ridiculously nice and turned on the hospitality tap to full. Somehow Maddy managed the boats and sailors and everything in between all at once.
The racing was extremely well organised although the two days were long requiring teams not racing to be waiting on the spectator boat which was well set up for the purpose. Light and cold conditions and somewhat random swells made the race track a unique proposal also.
Greg reassured us that the standard wouldn’t be too high - he was wrong. He told us that the most we should expect was that someone might luff us up. However during our race against him it was a complete dogfight from go to woe. The only thing friendly about it was the enormous grin on his face the whole time. Seriously though, there were some impressive teams and sailors involved in the event but we never felt unwelcome or intimidated in any way which I think is important for the growth of the event.
In the end our aim was to understand how to better sail the Elliotts and in that regard we were entirely successful. We never held any expectations of winning the event but we did hope to win a few new friends which we absolutely did.
While there we also had a chance to go to an AFL game at Adelaide Oval which saw Collingwood win a thriller by a point. According to the Collingwood fans it should have been a lot more but the umpires kept Adelaide in the game. We also had a lovely lunch at a Vietnamese café off Rundle Mall on our way to the airport. Apart from the weather we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Adelaide.
For any sailors throughout the South Pacific, Australia or New Zealand region looking to up their game the Fred Neill Match Racing Regatta should be top of your list!
Justin Johnson Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club
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Photos by Fletcher Media for Down Under Sail
There was a great attendance of members at the Club for the May Boating Conversations to hear about the No Tears trip of a circumnavigation around Australia in 2022/23.
It was a wonderful family presentation by Tony and Margaret Schnaars and the crew, their children Alexandra, Maia, Sophia and Dante, about the adventures on their 49 foot catamaran which included magnificent anchorages in remote northern Australian locations, meeting up with other cruisers and visiting places you can only access by boat. As you can imagine there were some hardships on their travels with water rationing, boat repairs, watch keeping and rough seas.
The whole evening was a great success and thank you to the kitchen and bar staff for their excellent service. Congratulations also to Peter Headlam for winning a good bottle of red wine jus t for sitting in the right chair.
Our thanks to the Schnaars’ family for their relaxed and informative presentation.
Rod Hunter
Tony played a pivotal role as skipper, husband and father 24/7 on the 49 foot catamaran for a year. The No Tears crew started their journey from Sydney and sailed up to the top of Australia to Cape York at the beginning of June (the first point). A large amount of preparation was needed for the next leg heading down to Weipa to get the best angle to cross the confused seas of the Gulf of Carpentaria and anchor safely at Gove, a massive three day crossing completed.
This was the start of our epic trip from Gove to Darwin and then the Kimberley. We loved sailing through the Kimberley and spent over six weeks with no service communication to the outside world so had to be very self-reliant.
Our top spots in the Kimberley were the Berkley River including hikes with spectacular views, fresh water swimming holes, waterfalls and crocodiles; Twin Falls at King George River and Dog Leg Creek and Sliver Gull where we went swimming in the water tank, took in beautiful views and had a fuel stop. Other highlights included the DC3 WWII aircraft on Vansittart Bay, Careening Bay and Montgomery Reef and at Horizontal Falls we took a tender ride through the falls and saw lemon sharks.
For those who don’t know there are four key points of Australia; Cape York (crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria from Queensland to the Northern Territory), coming out of Exmouth down to Steep Point in Western Australia, the Great Australian Bight from Western Australia to South Australia and Bass Strait from South Australia to Victoria.
“Seeing places, I have never seen before, for example Percy Island” - Margaret
“Lifetime experience” - Tony
“Surprising family, Rainbow Beach” - Alexandra (quarterly crew member)
“Horizontal Falls, patting a lemon shark” - Maia
“Swimming with the seals at Baird Bay” - Sophia
“Having the year off” - Dante
Margaret Schnaars
On 1 July 2001, to celebrate the new millennium, the Club buried a Time Capsule in the Clubhouse foyer to be opened on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary on 1 May 2023. This coincided with the first Board Meeting of the Club held at the Naval Military and Air Force Club in Hutt Street on 1 May 1973. Some 120 plus invited guests consisting of Foundation Members and members who have contributed to the Club, gathered in the foyer at 7pm on Monday 1 May 2023 and the celebrations began.
They were greeted by the Club President, Dominic Rinaldi, who introduced the current Commodore, Nick Bice, and they both addressed the gathering before the ceremony was handed over to the Club General Manager, Adam Hays, and the builder of the capsule, Tim Marsh. Much play was made about whether the capsule would come out cleanly and after some drilling and talk the capsule was lifted out to great excitement.
Everyone adjourned to the Bistro area where a table was set up to receive the items. Rosemary Gould, the Financial Controller and Assistant Manager of the Club at the time of the interment, amassed the items for the capsule and assisted by Adam Hays, they went through the processs of extracting and discussing some of the items and what an assortment there was.
Tess McGrath, the Commodore at the time of the interment and Graeme Footer, the then President, spoke to the gathering, Tess related much about her time at the Club and her racing particularly and Graeme gave a more historical aspect. Graeme then introduced Dick Fidock, the longest serving member of the Club. Dick is responsible for the way our Club is governed as he conceived our Constitution which has served us remarkably well. After Graeme presented Dick with a commemorative 50th Anniversary Burgee as a momento, Dick addressed the gathering and his speech is reproduced adjacent.
The idea of the Club was first discussed while four of our original members were ‘mucking around in boats’ - these being Malcolm Kinnaird, Deane Smoker, Creagh O’Connor and Keith Lawson. Only Creagh is still with us but unfortunately was an apology due to ongoing problems after a fall. Dick and Creagh are the only two original Board Members still with us.
Besides Dick other notable members who were present were Sir Eric Neal, a former Patron and our current Club Patron, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce.
While Rosemary and Adam removed the contents of the capsule the evening continued with drinks and finger food being served and much reminiscing was the order of the day. It was a delightful evening and there was much debate about when the time capsule will next reappear.
Gay Footer
Thank you ‘Foots’ for this framed 50th year pennant. I am most honoured as I’ve flown a few pennants in my life and this will be my most treasured. I’m pleased it’s framed as my son Richard threatens to fly it the moment he can.
‘Bull’ Kinnaird is rightly known as the founder of our Club and he approached me to gather a group of ‘yachties’ of note who might be interested in his proposal.
So, as the last of the Founding Members still warm and vertical, I would like to name a few of the original ‘gang’ these being Chappie Charlesworth, Bryce Kinnear, John Harrington and Deane Smoker.
I recall when Arthur Carolan and Johnno Johnson went to Sydney to convince Kerry Packer to hand over an interest he held in this area.
We had a dream… to be able to walk on to our boats and just sail away.
I am particularly proud that this Club has given so much to so many who, like me, have endured the challenges and have a passionate love for life with the sea. Nothing is ever achieved without hard work and dedication and a dream.
If there is ‘a life in the hereafter’ I look forward to telling all those Founding Members that what is here now has very much surpassed that dream.
Thank you.
Dick Fidock
Fifty years ago in May 1973 the CYCSA Founding Fathers hatched a plan to create the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia. It was a bold decision then and those visionary gentlemen of the day must be applauded.
In May 2023 the CYCSA membership came together to celebrate those early days and following the successful exhumation of the time capsule on Monday 1 May the Jubilee Luncheon was celebrated on Saturday 6 May where highlights of the time capsule disinterment played on a video loop with the capsule articles on display for viewing.
Despite a sudden surge in Covid which caused a number of late cancellations, 140 members and guests celebrated 50 years. CYCSA General Manager Adam Hays opened proceedings with apologies from Life Member and Past President Graeme Footer and his wife Gay who had succumbed to the dreaded Covid. Apologies were also received from Commodore Nick Bice and Board Member Geoff Boettcher who at the time were interstate participating in SailFest Newcastle and Sail Port Stephens Regatta. Via a pre-recorded message Nick sent a heartfelt message to the gathering and wished all attendees and the Club well.
L to R: Andy Buchan, Stan Quin, Don Sarah, Andrew Saies, Dominic (wife of the late Norm Butcher), John Gerard, Geoff Catt and Graham
Following a delicious entrée and a glass of bubbles Foundation Member Rob Sellick spoke of the early years and challenges of starting the new marina and yacht club. Over the main course many ‘old’ members mingled and caught up with past members of all categories. Of the thirteen active Foundation Members five attended the day’s festivities. After the main course Past President and Life Member Dr Andrew Saies spoke of the early days of sailing at the Club and the challenges of creating world standard yacht racing at the CYCSA. He also spoke of his experiences in the Sydney to Hobart race. He commented on how far the Club has progressed with its much-vaunted sailing programmes currently on offer including the Marine Academy and Youth Sailing Foundation.
Foundation Members Andy Buchan, Stan Quin, Graham Patterson, Don Sarah and Rob Sellick came together with
Life Members Geoff Catt, John Gerard and Andrew Saies for the official photo and cutting of the Jubilee birthday cake which was served as dessert.
It was a grand day with old friends, camaraderie, gossip and reminiscing of tall tales and past exploits. Happy birthday to the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia.
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Rosemary Gould
Dominic Rinaldi, Jan Butcher Graham Patterson.
Another very successful CYCSA Crabbing Day was held this summer in late February. The weather was perfect for 15 boats and over 100 participants but not so good for some 140 crabs!
All boats succeeded in bringing in their catch by the noon deadline. Our chefs (the Fishing Association boys) were ready and by one o’clock all that could be heard was the sound of red shells cracking and lips sucking the best of South Australian seafood.
Our guest chefs were Orlando, the CYCSA Hospitality Manager and his lovely wife Fan, who both generously gave up their one day off a week to cook the most delicious Chilli Crab west of the Master Chef kitchen. Thank you, it was a huge hit with our guests. Complemented by BBQ meats and a great selection of salads, our guests were well fed by the time presentations were made to the winners which included our inaugural Bear Grylls award for the most ‘hands on’ catch of the day!
Thanks to our long-time sponsors James and big Jim Theodore from Port River Marine who not only provided lots of prizes for our crabbing day winners but also raffle prizes to add to our day of fun. Thanks to the Fishing Association committee for hosting another memorable crabbing day and we can’t wait until next summer to do it all over again. Will you be our next Bear Grylls?
Vadis Rodato
CYCSA Fishing Association
WINNERS
Most Crabs
Nathan McArdle on his power boat with Joe Mezzini with 23 crabs.
Largest Crab
Bula and her crew with a crab measuring 601mm from claw tip to claw tip.
Largest Crab Junior Awarded to Nico on Black Pearl.
Bear Grylls Award
Hamish, crew member of No Tears, catching a crab with his teeth! (photographic evidence was provided to the judges… sort of!!)
NACA Award (Not a crabbers A*@!)
A tie - awarded to The Bottom Line and Kudos with both boats scoring one crab.
We had a small group of CYCSA Fishing Association members and a few new friends joining us on board Fishstalker where we were greeted by the skipper Scotty Weaver and new charter operator Jarrod Glaister. It was the usual early start at Marina St Vincent and the weather was looking good.
We rounded Cape Jervis and headed east to fish between the Pages and Cape Willoughby. We had some time to kill before the tide would be optimum for fishing Backstairs Passage on the bottom and hearing that there were still numbers of tuna about not far off we all agreed to take advantage of the opportunity to catch a few ‘Blue Fin’. With four trawling lines out we very quickly got into action with multiple hook-ups one after another. With a fish each on ice in less than 60 minutes we set off to bottom fish. Most people would know that Investigator Straight is one place that the tide really needs to be at its slowest to get a baited hook to the bottom so it took a little while longer before the action started. When it did we had an impressive array of fish being landed, Snapper, School Shark, Nannygai, Flathead and some good size Whiting. With a good feed of fish across the crew we headed back to Wirrina in calm seas for a 4pm finish on schedule. On arrival at Wirrina Jarrod awarded Joe LaForgia with the Fishstalker trophy for the best fish of the day, a 51cm King George Whiting. Joe had won his charter trip as the Fishing Association lucky draw prize at the All Associations Bash back in December.
Peter Schembri CYCSA Fishing Association Chair
Our most recent Boating Conversation held on 12 May was hosted by the Fishing Association and saw a gathering of fishing enthusiasts and sailors with a keen interest in fishing. The subject was a controversial one!
I am certain you are all very aware of the need for effective fisheries management to ensure the ongoing viability of fish stocks in the future especially when it comes to one of South Australia’s most iconic fish species. We were very fortunate to have Dr Mike Steer, Director of Research at SARDI, come and talk with us on this most important topic. Some of you may know Mike who has had a long-time relationship with the CYCSA having been a past member himself. Mike gave a most interesting and informative presentation on the current and historic Snapper situation in South Australia including current strategies to build fish stocks. It is certainly a complex situation and it was made quite clear to all that preserving the current stock and growing it to a viable fishery with appropriate strategies is essential for the future of Snapper fishing in the state.
Mike’s presentation finished with some robust questions and answers. We then had some fun with questions for the audience with Mike judging the answers. Four lucky participants went home with generous vouchers provided by the Fishing Association.
We should also make special mention of the kitchen for some brilliant $15 specials on the night, most notably the seafood pies which were spectacular.
21 FISHING ASSOCIATION UPDATE
Peter Schembri CYCSA Fishing Association Chair
Dr Mike Steer
I am Bel, 27 years old and perhaps one of the Club’s youngest boat owners. I am a naturally spontaneous person, so much so that the decision to purchase a little yacht was made together with my husband, Israel, impulsively over a cappuccino in early 2022 with no prior discussion having taken place around the topic and extremely minimal sailing experience. Don’t worry! While impulsive, it wasn’t a decision made entirely at random. Having recently lived and studied overseas the prospect of settling into our office jobs in Adelaide was beginning to weigh on us. Yearning for more travel and adventure one of us proposed learning to sail as we couldn’t imagine a greater challenge or a more enjoyable and achievable way to witness beautiful South Australia and abroad. While searching for a trailer-sailer to get us started we found a project Lexcen 32, Raucous Behaviour, located at the picturesque Copper Coast tourist town of Wallaroo (northern Spencer Gulf) for a bargain price which therefore made it affordable within our humble budget at the time. Back then she was the true definition of a sailboat, not even an engine was fitted, nor a bilge pump, holding tank, lighting or running water. The instrumentation, headsail and winches needed repair. The propeller was stuck in an encasement of sea growth and windows throughout were leaking water into the saloon, the upholstery reflecting this. The anchors, stove, various spare sails and other fixtures were lost or stolen. We definitely received the project we paid for... nevertheless, she was solid, 32 foot in length with a separate head and anchor locker and a foot of headroom over my 6’ husband. SOLD! One vital lesson that YouTube tutorials fail to mention is that you never save money on a project. But while we have for sure spent a small fortune over the last year, the standard of workmanship Israel has accomplished is amazing. After all our efforts it’s such a luxury to have designed things just so. We’ve also learnt how to sew cushions as part of a variety of new skills. After the restoration had progressed beyond the basic standard of seaworthiness we had gone for a few day-sails locally. Nevertheless I threw up vigorously, all day, after we cast off for Adelaide last September. We bashed forward into two metre waves learning all about what it is like to sail and eventually motor long distance in feisty upwind conditions. With meticulously conservative weather planning from that point onward and guidance from Rod Hunter (CYCSA Marine Academy Instructor), three days, two sleepless nights and 200+ nautical miles later we pulled into the CYCSA on shaky legs. Here we’ve since met so many amazing sailors, partaking in both the cruising and racing communities. Israel recently skippered an Elliott 7 at the Hobart Cup and I am fresh off a Marine Academy course which I can certainly endorse to anyone wanting to learn or hone their skills. More than ever I can say that our little yacht is erring on beautiful, especially after being bestowed new canvas and we have been so eager to further explore our local waters under more relaxed conditions.
Fast forward to 2023, “Go cruising to Kangaroo Island at Easter” they said, “it’s always steady, sunny, southwesterly weather”. I reflected on this while anxiously looking over the windy predictions, 25-30kt northerly winds upon front after front sweeping through from the southern Indian Ocean. Gusts in the red... 40kts! Yikes. My next conversation with Israel was
along the following lines: “Okay, let’s shelve KI. A few boats are headed for a night down the river. Sounds relaxing. Let’s do it.”
The first night was Friday spent barbequing at Adelaide Marina, Israel and I having cheekily climbed from the docking pontoon to the landside of the walkway to shortcut to the toilets before realising the marina gate that separated the two was open all along. Mark and Kate on Elouise joined us that night with some spectacular gin before heading back to the Club in the morning.
Day two - after suffering a blocked sea-strainer inlet (artfully cleared with a precision engineered coat hanger) and almost missing the lifting bridge, we ducked under the Port Adelaide Expressway as part of the CYCSA flotilla feeling a combination of guilt and self-satisfaction for holding up so much traffic.
Berthing beside the lighthouse we all walked to coffee at the Banksia Tree Cafe before wandering around the local antique stores, bars and restaurants. That evening our group enjoyed charcuterie and wine aboard Greta, the one big power boat in our group owned by the lovely Scott and Julie.
Day three was spent tacking out of the river avoiding cargo ships and the shallow banks at the edge of the channel innocently below the waterline. It was a brilliant feeling having developed our skills in racing – finally we could make a decent angle and relative speed upwind! Out the mouth of the river, Rod and Sal aboard Tarni Warra passed us with a wave heading south back to the Club. As they left we set off to sail into the sunset, literally, for Port Vincent.
The wind was not as abeam from the south as forecast and we had to continue exercising our upwind sailing skills. Though we were close-hauled at least we were able to make a direct line across the gulf. It died off for a good part of the voyage and the sun was sinking below the horizon about an hour and a half out of port.
Entering the unfamiliar marina at night for the first time was a challenge perhaps we won’t repeat if we can help it! The difficulty was heightened by the lights of boats anchored for the long weekend blending into the township along our path. Way out in deep water where we expected no boats to be moored, we had to divert around the towering anchor light of the famous 79’ racing yacht Brindabella which was visiting Port Vincent and positioned to accommodate her massive 4.3m draught.
The next few days and nights we spent assessing how to possibly get to KI from Port Vincent but ultimately the fronts and strong wind warnings that followed created marginal weather windows for us to sail directly. We decided to stay put and enjoy the local beaches, cafes and hikes around Vincent. On one of our hikes we encountered seashells scattered through the soil on cliffs 40 metres above the waterline.
Darren and Christine aboard Free Fallin joined us as well as Chris and Ali aboard Burgundy with their energetic golden retriever Turbo. Snow and Sarah arrived on their new Catalina 42 Basanti they sailed around from the east coast last year (see the September 2022 issue of Groundswell for their story, including how they survived a tsunami - I’m not joking). We all got together for walking trips to town and had a delicious curry night onboard Basanti.
With those guys headed back to Adelaide at the end of the week we turned our bow south to the stunning cliffside village
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of Stansbury. As we motored into light wind, the south-easterly conditions that day made for an easy afternoon on the moorings with a comfortable 2.5m depth at low tide. The water was clear enough to see the thick ribbon weed on the seafloor. Our little dinghy had a few leaks so we were paddleboarding ashore for this trip. Arriving at the jetty we noticed a crowd surrounding some black figures in the water. On getting closer we discovered a pod of seals lazing around in the shallows with their fins held aloft to the afternoon sun. Seals have exceptionally good insulation so this is a way they thermoregulate. I could have watched them for hours. With northerly conditions for the early part of the following night (and not yet ruling out a short hop across to KI), we decided to go south to Edithburgh which has some amount of protection available from Sultana Point or the Cutter Patch. The tidal flow there caught us unaware however so in wanting to remain bow to wind we instead headed directly for the Club moorings and had a very gusty and bouncy night, albeit secure as can be. A westerly came in at around midnight and we were fully protected at that time.
The next day we woke up to dolphins playing in the anchorage and once ashore saw another seal amongst seabirds and other wildlife. We visited the historic baths and museum learning all about the salt export industry which defined Edithburgh in the early 20th century from a local whose ancestors owned one of the prominent businesses of the time, conducting trades as far abroad as New Zealand and Russia. We hastily paddled back to the boat to avoid a series of squalls that afternoon and had a lovely dinner on the water. Wanting a relaxed trip home rather than dashing to and from KI within our remaining days off we decided to make the most of the easing westerly conditions. We set sail for home the next day with the headsail poled out on the port side. It was beautiful, calm and fast sailing. For the first four hours neither Israel nor I wanted to relinquish watch instead gazing at the waves, chatting about inconsequential topics over coffee and reflecting on our adventures so far. It occurred to us at this time that we were retracing a century old salt trading route. Upon arrival we were keen to stretch our legs and without thinking about it walked 15 kilometres to and around Semaphore and return. We stopped at the historic Largs Pier Hotel along the way to enjoy a drink and appreciate its opulent art-deco design.
If this trip has taught us anything it is that sailing is all about going wherever the wind takes you, being patient and enjoying the journey. We had a lot of fun and are so thankful to own this awesome boat and be part of such a supportive community. A special thank you to those who checked in with us throughout the trip and stepped in to give us welcome wisdom when the conditions demanded. You know who you are!
The Bay of Shoals Winery will have to wait till next time.
Bel Dunk
24 DESIGN. MANUFACTURE. CONSTRUCTION. Call us today 1800 655 539 (07) 3376 6955 (02) 9439 9066 (03) 9646 6744 (+64) 9 273 5311 Queensland New South Wales Victoria New Zealand 1800 655 539 All Other States Keep up with the latest news Follow us on @bellinghammarineaus HORIZONS functioncentre
EPISODE 5
Greetings CYCSA readers. It’s been a little while since the last update on the good ship Allusive and lots has happened. Our last episode saw us sitting in Weipa waiting for some spare parts and planning our run across the Gulf of Carpentaria to Gove and Indonesia.
Throughout our adventures we have been sailing loosely with three to five boats that all have a similar mindset as us. They have kids aged between six and fourteen and have either put life on hold for a few years to enjoy family time on a yacht or they have sold everything to be long term cruisers. It’s a good relationship as we don’t feel bound to sail with each other if we have slightly different desires and time frames but generally we end up in the same anchorages pretty frequently and have become very good friends with them all. This has also allowed the kids to have time socialising which is an extremely important aspect of this lifestyle.
Two of these boats, Excelsior and Saltys, were about two weeks ahead of us on a similar path up the Cape and across to Gove. They reported horrendous conditions crossing the Gulf of Carpentaria with strong winds and a large beam on swell which made their catamarans very uncomfortable. Our crossing was the polar opposite with wind less than 15 knots and a slight swell which made the 300nm journey pretty straightforward completing it in about 50 hours. The only real excitement was being buzzed at very low level by the Border Force plane.
Gove is a fisherman’s paradise. We were quickly shown a couple of good locations and would take the dinghy and hook up on countless longtail and bigeye tuna and the occasional mackerel. We stayed there for a couple of weeks while looking at the required documentation for exiting Australia. Excelsior was heading off straight from Gove to Saumalaki which is only 400nm to give them ready access to the stunning but extremely remote Raja Ampat while our plan was to head from Darwin to Kupang and explore central Indonesia’s surf then take the northwest monsoon winds east to Raja Ampat later. We all left Gove together with the timing critical to head through the ‘hole in the wall’. This is a very small gap in a long thin stretch of islands called the Wessel Islands. Going through the gap can save a 50nm run around the islands but the tide can run through the gap at eight knots so you must time the tide correctly or risk being turned around. We arrived at the entrance a bit early so hove to for an hour or so waiting for the other boats to catch up. This gave me some time to fillet the 125 cm Spanish Mackerel that Will had caught on the way. Once happy that the
tide was not too strong we entered the gap and motor sailed through the passage still pushing a little tide but well within control. Julie steered the boat while I flew the drone to get some spectacular footage. The gap is only about 1.5nm long so we quickly popped out the other side and anchored in a beautiful bay to the south of the gap. Here we rendezvoused for a sundowner on the beach. Returning to the boat at dusk we had our dinner and started to watch a movie. I was lying on the floor and felt something touch my leg and with a quick brush to shoo a bug away I thought nothing more until a snake slithered over my leg. Obviously we had picked up a stowaway on the beach in one of our bags. A whole lot of screaming and running around looking for where it was hiding suggested we were as scared as it was. We found it in Oscar’s school tub and managed to carry the whole tub outside and turf the snake overboard. The next morning we said some teary goodbyes to Excelsior for their passage to Saumalaki and we headed off to the next stop west towards Darwin.
A couple of days later we got a call from Brendan on Excelsior saying they had arrived in Saumalaki and their passage was eventful. At almost the mid-way point (200nm offshore) their 13 year-old son went to the bathroom and stepped on a snake which bit him twice on the ankle. We are not sure whether this was the same snake that joined us for dinner or whether they too picked up a stowaway on the beach. They could not identify the snake but strapped Brodie’s leg and monitored him very closely for the next 24 hours. Brendan tried calling for help on the VHF but being so far offshore had no response and I think he was regretting not having a satellite phone. However, with some good luck of a non-venomous snake and good management (Brendan is ex Special Forces), Brodie was fine but it was a real eye opener for how remote things can be.
Over the next week we continued west with some early starts to catch the tide. Arriving in Darwin we submitted our paperwork and had to wait the two weeks to clear out. Darwin is an ideal launch spot for heading to Indonesia as it has all the chandlery needs of a cruising sailor: Bunnings, BCF and plenty of pubs. Here we enjoyed some tourist trips including a trip out to Berry Springs and the HumptyDoo pub, the Military Museum, Natural History Museum and the underground oil storage bunkers. We also found the pubs that had swimming pools to let the kids swim while we had a meal. We had pushed quite hard to get to Darwin but delays throughout the trip meant that we were later than we had wanted to be. Our two weeks turned to four waiting for the right weather as the south easterlies had started to dissipate and a large windless hole had formed between Darwin and Kupang. It took a while but we finally had a reasonable forecast so did our clearance paperwork and left Australia.
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The first day we had some nice breeze but the trip out towards Melville Island is about 70nm so at some point you will not have the tide with you. This made for slow going but once clear of the island we made some reasonable progress alternating between sailing and motoring. I have found that my tolerance for slow sailing is getting better with a minimum of three knots boat speed before the motor comes on where previously it was four knots along the east coast and while under time pressures of weekend cruising in Adelaide it was five knots. The passage was uneventful with only a stop in 1500m of water for a swim. We timed our arrival into Kupang for daytime but it was the weekend and all the government offices were closed so we could not check into the country. I will not bore you with all the bureaucratic nightmares only to say that their whole system is designed to extract as much money out of you as possible. This is not necessarily through corruption (although this was present) but also through legal requirements. Prior to COVID entry visas were relatively cheap, now to get a B211 tourist visa (six month entry) it costs about $3,000 for a family of four. So, what was once a cheap place to travel, is now becoming quite expensive. If anyone is keen to travel by yacht to Indonesia then please get in contact as there is very little accurate information online. What is online is either encouraged by the agents to facilitate their work or out of date as things have totally changed since COVID. We found that many of the government officials did not know the processes either, which resulted in confusion, frustration and more delays.
It took three days of running around until we were officially cleared into the country (yes, three full 12 hour days). Kupang is not a very good anchorage so we were keen to get moving. As things always go we went to raise the anchor and nothing… Our less than 12 month old anchor windlass was dead. Pulling it apart I could see the problem was a broken connection between the positive terminal bolt and the motor. Australia, like most of the first world countries, are very quick to say replace, not repair. Fortunately Indonesia has excellent skills in fixing electrical and mechanical items with very few spare parts. I headed into a shed in the middle of Kupang littered with alternators, starter motors and electrical motors across the floor and on shelves in every available space. These guys pulled apart the motor, refurbished the connections and soldered the terminal back on. For about two hours work it cost me AUD$30 and we were back in business.
Before leaving Australia we had made a decision that we would not sail at night in Indonesia, particularly close to land.
We had heard countless stories of unlit and unmarked FADs (fish attracting devices) and very long nets laid haphazardly. Upon fixing the anchor windlass motor we left Kupang headed for a small bay on the northwest tip of Rote. It wasn’t a long trip but the 35 knots on the nose didn’t help our progress and we arrived at Bibi at about 5pm. This was too late in the day to clearly see bombies and reef edges. We couldn’t get to the mark in the guidebook (thanks 2.4m draft) and the reef edge came up very quickly rising from 45m+ up to 3m in about 20 metres irrespective of what was written in the chart. We poked around looking for a sandy patch to drop the parking hook but alas we couldn’t find a suitable spot so headed off towards Ba’a some 25nm further southwest. A gentle 10 knot breeze filled in and we were ghosting along at four knots without the motor. About 10nm from Ba’a we started seeing lots of fishing boats and moved very cautiously along fearful of fishing nets. We were in about 500m of water but still only a couple of miles offshore. I went lookout on the bow with a torch while Will steered the boat and I periodically shone the torch onto the sails so the fishing boats knew what we were. We were approaching a very small fishing boat who would shine a torch on us so I would shine ours back and this continued for a while… scratching our heads we continued slowly until we were maybe 50m from him. I was shining the torch on the water in front but the darkness meant we could light up only the water immediately in front. Calling out to the fisherman and shining the torch looking for some guidance (we got none) we kept going. I then saw a perhaps 500m long net with no lights and just very small brown floats straight in front of us. I called back to Will for an emergency tack and we slowly spun around catching the net on our side. It went under the boat as the stern moved past and with our momentum we pulled it with us for a short while on the rudder until it popped out the back. We had heard that fishermen may try to extort money from sailors if they run into a net by asking for far more money in compensation than what is required to fix the net. Perhaps this was what the fisherman was thinking. Perhaps he did not know that we had appendages below the boat that would catch the net. Perhaps he didn’t think a warning would help. Now with alert levels even higher we plodded on towards Ba’a and with only one more emergency turn to avoid another net we made it and again vowed to not sail at night in Indonesia. Nembrala was heaven. The anchorage was adequate but with excellent surf either side of the boat we tolerated a little roll for a week or so. We spent these days surfing twice a day with the adults surfing the bigger waves at low tide and moving into the smaller waves further inshore for the kids. Nembrala is a surf resort village with numerous resorts lining the beach and we saw our first westerners since leaving Darwin. We sat at the beachside bars talking to the resort owners who said how they have struggled through COVID and are still at minimal occupancy. They were quite happy to let the kids swim in the pools while we enjoyed the odd Bintang. As it is with the cruising lifestyle, all good things must come to an end and as the swell dropped we left the anchorage and headed off for Suva, a small island between Rote and Sumba. This was a 65nm passage so we left early in the morning to arrive in daylight. We anchored in a small keyhole in the reef which was
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surprisingly calm as there were two surf breaks on each side. We again were surfing twice a day but this wave was a bit nasty for the kids so they sat on the inside watching and occasionally caught a wave further around the corner.
Suva was very remote. We found a lady, Elsa, at a homestay nearby who spoke a little English and we rented scooters to explore the island and get some provisions. We quickly found out that they do not get tourists here as we were very much the main attraction with hordes of kids following us everywhere asking for photos and adults (not very subtly) videoing us as we walked past but everyone was extremely friendly saying the one or two words of English they knew and us doing the same in Indonesian. However, while the attention was amusing at first, the relentlessness of it for the younger kids was taxing. Oscar and Darcy (a six year old girl from our buddy boat Clair de Lune) bore the brunt of it with old ladies pinching their cheeks until they were red and disturbingly wiping their hands across our kids’ faces just to touch them so pretty soon the kids were reluctant to come to shore.
We had befriended Elsa and used her to hire a car which we drove to explore further afield including some beautiful caves. After a few days of chatting and occasionally eating at the homestay, Elsa asked us to come to the local wedding of her niece. We thought it would be a great opportunity to really interact with the locals. Unusually, this island is heavily Christian (the majority of Indonesia is Muslim) and it was a full ceremony including a 30 minute sermon. We understood nothing but got the idea of what was happening. We found that we were the star attractions with Elsa showing us off to the guests. We were given front row seats with some family members pushed back and we were VIPs at the reception including being invited to get our food before much of the family. This made us all quite uncomfortable as it really took the attention off the bride and groom so after a short time we left but still had a good time and enjoyed the experience.
After a week or two the swell dropped and we felt the desire to move on. We left Suva and headed for Sumba which is home to many fantastic surf breaks. However, anchorages along the south coast are few and far between and have been described as adequate at best and only recommended if you are looking for waves. After discussion with our buddy boats we made the decision to skip the south coast and head for a small harbour called Waingapu on the north coast to reprovision. Here I again visited a random backyard for an anchor windlass electric motor overhaul and enjoyed a few days exploring the town. This town was heavily Muslim and we were awoken at four each day with the call to prayer blaring over the loudspeakers. Typically the mosques are right next to the harbour and a visiting cruise ship decided that we could experience this in stereo.
Feeling that crossing between the large islands was safe at night we did an overnight passage to cross the straight and arrived in the Komodo Islands at a small bay on the south end of Rinca. We pulled into the anchorage at dawn and anchored in a sand patch between coral. Within ten minutes we were watching two Komodo Dragons loping along the beach amongst the plastic rubbish. We also saw several deer, pigs and dozens of monkeys along the beach. This anchorage was well away from the tourist spots with only a few local fishing boats and a dive charter phinisi to be seen. The water was crystal clear and we were soon snorkelling around the boats and at the famous Cannibal Rock. It was only afterwards we found out that the Komodos are actually very good swimmers and will occasionally harass boats. A few days later we made our way up to Labuan Bajo, a major tourist town catering to day trip and liveaboard dive charters throughout the beautiful Komodo Islands. Here we found many westerners making us feel less of a spectacle, rediscovered some favourite foods we had been lacking (cheese and wine) and thoroughly enjoyed the town, which was lucky as we were stuck here for a month waiting for some parts for the engine.
Sam Gaylard
ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES
Eyes of Marbela Caves
Giraffes, they’re not just tall animals with funny shaped spots anymore!
At Purple Giraffe, they’re a team of experienced marketing consultants who partner with local, national and international businesses to conceive, plan and implement marketing and communication strategies.
A commitment for fostering relationships within the local community led to Purple Giraffe becoming a proud Silver Sponsor of the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia (CYCSA); an affiliation which began in 2021.
If you’re not familiar with Purple Giraffe, here’s your chance to learn more about the tower and the strong relationship the giraffes have created with CYCSA.
CYCSA and Purple Giraffe
Led by Head Giraffe, Lynda Schenk, Purple Giraffe’s passion is to help businesses grow by providing exceptional marketing services to their clients and to assist in relationship-building by connecting businesses.
For the Cruising Yacht Club, Purple Giraffe’s assistance has led to successful connections being made with other local businesses such as Pennant Distillery and Capital Prudential; cultivating a supportive local community and paving the way for growth and success for each business.
“We have a lot of admiration for the Cruising Yacht Club and Purple Giraffe is both proud and incredibly excited to be a part of the Club’s growth. In fact, we recently had the immense pleasure of joining CYCSA to celebrate their momentous 50th anniversary at their members’ lunch, where a capsule was raised. It was a truly unforgettable experience, and we offer our congratulations to the Cruising Yacht Club on this admirable achievement,” Lynda says.
The Purple Giraffe Difference
At Purple Giraffe, the team embrace a distinctive approach and their philosophy centres around a simple yet powerful motto “When you win, we win!” This guiding principle has been the cornerstone of their success for the past nine years and contributed to the growth of many South Australian businesses. With a team of seasoned marketing professionals, Purple Giraffe offers an extensive range of outsourced marketing services, including marketing strategy, traditional marketing, digital media management, social media management, graphic design, and more. But what truly sets the team apart is their unwavering client focus.
Lynda goes on to say, “we understand that one size-doesn’t-fitall, which is why we provide personalised solutions for each of our clients. We invest time in understanding their unique needs and goals and tailoring our marketing strategies and services accordingly.”
The Purple Giraffe Approach
When businesses engage Purple Giraffe, a dedicated Marketing Consultant serves as their primary point of contact. But behind the scenes, the entire team works together to ensure that every client has a seamless, coordinated marketing experience. It’s this collaborative approach that allows clients to benefit from the collective expertise and specialised skills of the Purple Giraffe team.
The goal of Purple Giraffe has remained the same since the tower was founded by Lynda in 2014; to help as many businesses grow as possible through the provision of excellent marketing services. Now, that goal has not only been achieved, but surpassed.
Relationship and Results-Focused
Purple Giraffe is dedicated to developing strong relationships and delivering outstanding results for its clients. Lynda emphasises, “We highly value our partnerships with clients and carefully select businesses with values that align with ours. Everything we do is focused on delivering exceptional results for our clients. We collaborate with those who are committed to business growth and achieving results, which is what our enduring relationship with CYCSA is founded upon.”
As a proud South Australian business, Purple Giraffe’s reach stretches to clients locally, nationally, and globally, and with high importance being placed on playing an active role in the local community, the team are proud members of organisations such as Business SA, Australian Grape and Wine Association, and Tourism Industry Council South Australia (TiCSA) among others.
Find out more
If you’d like to learn more about Purple Giraffe and the services they offer, visit www.purplegiraffe.com.au or give them a call on 08 8425 2970.
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New Caledonia - how can a place so close to Australia be so unfamiliar? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that its inhabitants speak a language that few Australians master. I was vaguely aware of the country as a place where Francophiles went to hone their language skills but until I started researching South Pacific sailing destinations four years ago I knew very little.
Geographically New Caledonia is one of four land masses that once comprised Australasia. It separated from Australia, along with Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, about one hundred million years ago and is the third largest island in the Pacific. Politically it is the closest part of France to Australia with French as the official language and croissants or pain au chocolat with cafe au lait as the official breakfast. It is also home to a vibrant Melanesian culture, the indigenous people (who make up 40% of the population) referring to themselves as Kanaks. The combination of French and Melanesian cultures is a delightful blend that can be found nowhere else on earth which is reason enough to visit. The natural beauty, both above and below the water, is another reason. Finally, it takes only one week or less to sail from Australia. In contrast, New Zealand is three times further and decidedly cooler.
In theory you could sail to New Caledonia from anywhere on the Australian East Coast between Sydney and Mackay. In practice however you are limited to an official port, Southport (Gold Coast), being the most common. Most sailors allow seven days for the 700 nautical mile passage. This would be Arriba’s first ocean-going passage and preparation took several months. There are many excellent articles on preparing your vessel such as ‘Preparing Yourself and Your Boat’ by Cruising World. To view my full article covering the government requirements visit my blog at: https://blog.arribasail.com
I booked our customs clearance for 09:30 on Saturday. Additional crew members Liam and Lindsay had joined Merri and me the previous evening and we enjoyed dinner at a local Indian restaurant, our last meal on terra firma for a while. Imagine our surprise then when two ABF officers appeared at 07:30, keen to make an early start. After rousing the crew from their berths we presented our passports and official papers. The officers were professional and friendly. The most memorable part of the conversation concerned Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), which are scattered throughout the Coral Sea. Apparently smugglers sometimes use FADs for drop-offs and pick-ups so we were told to give them a wide berth.
By 09:30, freshly showered and fuel tanks full, we bade farewell to the Southport Yacht Club. Once clear of the Gold Coast Seaway we found a ten knot breeze and started sailing with our main and gennaker. We averaged 5.8 knots through to midnight covering 84 nautical miles in 16½ hours.
We were blessed with smooth sailing conditions. In fairness, I’d pored over PredictWind weather forecasts for days in advance to pick the best weather window. Arriba’s maximum range under motor in calm conditions is about 600 nautical miles but headwinds and rough seas can make a huge dent in that range. I wanted favourable winds for at least the first half of our voyage and was not disappointed. Over the next 48 hours we averaged 6.8 knots, covering a respectable 162 nautical miles each day. The only minor setback during this period was a small tear in the gennaker which we promptly patched.
On our third day, shortly before sunrise, we passed the halfway point. Alas, the winds subsided and our average speed fell to 5.0 knots as we eked out 120 nautical miles that day.
The following day the wind returned and swung abaft so we furled the gennaker and sailed with just the mainsail. Averaging 6.2 knots we covered 149 nautical miles in 24 hours.
For our fifth and final day at sea we enjoyed our best run ever averaging 7.35 knots and covering 143 nautical miles in 19.5 hours. The mountains of Grand Terre first appeared at 15:00 and we passed through Passe de Dunbea 55 minutes later. We were now within the protected and flat waters of the New Caledonia Barrier Reef enjoying sailing at its finest. In anticipation of landfall I raised our yellow quarantine flag above the flag of our host country. At 19:40 we dropped anchor in Baie de L’Orpheliant, a large bay within the city of Nouméa that is also home to Port Du Sud Marina. The bay was filled with yachts at anchor but we claimed a space of our own without much difficulty. Once secure we toasted our arrival with Tasmanian Brut Rosé as is tradition on Arriba. Suddenly, the night sky was illuminated by fireworks and only then did we realise that we’d arrived on Bastille Day, the national holiday. We were now in a part of France although over 16,000km from Europe.
Alan Noble
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This is another in the series of articles aimed at providing you with an insight into new boats and other boats of interest at the Club. Contact Patricia Catley through the Club if you are interested in having your boat featured here.
I usually feature boats in Groundswell that are fairly new to the Club or be of other interest. For this edition I decided to feature two ketches that have been in the CYCSA since the Club began fifty years ago. Both boats were designed by John Alden and built by Duncanson Yachts. I am delighted to write about Tirriki and Balamara. Note - A ketch is a two-masted sailboat whose main mast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast) and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. If the mizzen mast is stepped so far aft that the boom overhangs the stern it is known as a yawl.
Balamara is a timber ketch that was originally built for Deane and Marjorie Smoker. Deane was one of the CYCSA Founding Members and served on the Board from 1973-1976 and again from 1993-1997. In 1974 the Club decided to allow female members and Marjorie Smoker, along with Dianne Kinnaird, were accepted as full members. Balamara was one of the first boats to move into Marina East when the Club was first established. Her name is an aboriginal word meaning Morning Star and she was christened that when she was first launched in 1968.
Deane had verbally ordered the timber for his boat while visiting Tasmania and later put it in writing. Suddenly two deliveries of timber arrived at the Duncanson boatyard in Port Adelaide, enough to build two boats. He was talking to Chappy Charlesworth about the situation who said he would take it off his hands as he wanted a new boat also.
Balamara is a John Alden design built by John Duncanson. She is a ‘Lady Helene’ cruising ketch and with foreman Peter Lauridsen they created an elegant ketch with stylish lines made from Huon pine with laid teak decks. Instruments on Balamara consist of the usual suite of compass, wind speed, yacht speed, angle of lean and the same navigation screen is also in the wheelhouse. She has two bow thrusters, two electric winches and an up-to-date audio system. In the wheelhouse are two lounges that can be converted to four bunk beds.
Below the wheelhouse is the galley with a 4-burner Roden Lido stove, sink, fridge and cupboards. Opposite the galley the dining table can comfortably seat six people. When not in use the table folds down to create a double bed. The golden teak surroundings give a feeling of warmth and comfort and striped seating creates the nautical look. Moving forward is a bathroom including the electric head, vanity and shower. Further on there are two single beds, one on the right and the other on the left. Finally in the bow is another small bathroom with electric head and sink. Originally this area had two more single beds but some time after Balamara was built the area was converted to become another bathroom. Eight people can comfortably sleep on board.
Sadly Deane Smoker passed away in 2006. His son David briefly considered selling the boat but decided it was Dad’s boat and she should remain in the family. He had the boat re-rigged and spent a lot of money getting her into shape. Her carvel double-wood hull is very solid, the laid teak deck remains in excellent condition with the coachhouse made of varnished mahogany. When the wind dies the Yanmar 76 hp diesel engine keeps Balamara moving through the water with ease. She is 14.7 metres long with a 2.00 metre draft and long cast lead keel. The rudder is keel hung jarrah. Both timber booms have slabbed reefing. David makes sure that Balamara is kept in top condition with the maintenance of the varnish and woodwork originally done by Kingsley Haskett from Searles Boatyard and then Andrew Smith at the CYCSA. Due to work commitments David doesn’t use the boat as much as he would like.
Marjorie Smoker is still enjoying life at the age of 90 and has many fond memories of spending time on Balamara. She and Deane were keen sailors and regularly sailed to Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, Edithburgh and Port Vincent. Their son David, who now owns the boat, recalls many happy times during school holidays and New Year’s Eve sailing around Kangaroo Island. David started sailing as an infant when his parents ‘lashed him to the mast’ when they went away! Over the years he learnt to sail in a Flying 11 yacht with Prince Alfred College and when going away in Balamara they would strap the small boat onto the fore deck so David could sail around Kangaroo Island when they went there over Christmas, New Year or Easter. David progressed to a 470 until family life took over but he sailed on a Pogo 40 for a Hamilton Island Race. Apart from that David’s sailing has been recreational on board Balamara.
Thank you for sharing Balamara with me David and I hope you get to do more sailing in the future
Pat Catley
30 BOATS AT THE CLUB
Pictured above: Balamara and Tirriki on the slipway
One balmy autumn evening while watching the sun set I sat on the deck of Tirriki with her current owner Jarrod Stratton, her previous owner Andrew Smith and Mark Charlesworth who took the boat over in 2008 after his father and original owner Chappy Charlesworth died. They all agreed that they consider themselves custodians of this magnificent boat which will always be known as ‘Chappy’s boat’. The three men reminisced about stories of old and each had special memories of times spent sailing Tirriki.
Tirriki is not just a ketch, she is a motor-sailer with plenty of character. Designed by American Naval Architect John Alden, she was based on his famous ‘Lady Helene’ yachts. Tirriki is a classic example of the very high standards that can be delivered with properly constructed timber vessels. Built in Port Adelaide by Duncanson Yachts over a period of two and a half years and under the constant supervision of Chappy Charlesworth, she was launched in front of a crowd of over 200 people on 23 May 1970 and was the final timber vessel constructed by Duncanson.
Around 20,000 man hours went into her creation and she is a very comfortable and safe cruising vessel and gives great performance whether using power or sail. A six cylinder Volvo Penta 150hp diesel engine with a fuel tank that holds 1,000 litres keeps her moving when the wind has died. She has 1.5 inch planking in Jarrah up to the waterline and Huon Pine above. The guard rails and bulwarks are all Teak. The interior finish is of Honduras Mahogany and the two masts are made of Canadian Spruce, a wood that has the best flexibility but which is no longer available. The two booms are made of Oregon.
Tirriki is an aboriginal word that means Joy, the name of the Chappy Charlesworth’s wife. When she was first launched Joy did the traditional naming of the boat by smashing a bottle of champagne on the hull but somehow broke her thumb in the process. There was a great amount of fascination from the boating community to see the large two-masted boat with a shower and fridge slipping into the water. The deck saloon has inside and outside helms but is mostly helmed from the deck. Beneath the on-deck table stands a metal box with a lid that now holds odds and ends. Back in the days when Chappy had the boat he was very skilful at catching crayfish. The crays would initially be kept in a bin under a seat at the stern that had been filled with sea water. When it was time for dinner a suitable cray was selected and put in the smaller metal box then taken below to the stove and cooked. When he had too many crays to use himself Chappy would trade them with other boaties for items that might be useful. Every cupboard and drawer on the boat is full of spares collected over the years for whatever emergency might occur.
Tirriki was initially moored on chains at the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron where Chappy was a 50 year member. The CYCSA was in the early stages of being built but as soon as Chappy saw the future of marina life he put his money down to be one of the first boats in the new marina. The continuous maintenance on Tirriki keeps her in top condition. She has 316 stainless steel rigging and a 24 volt switchboard. In 2017 all varnish, including the masts, was brought back to bare timber and then eight coats of varnish were applied and many Club members will remember Chappy down on Tirriki whenever he had some spare time with sandpaper, varnish and a paint brush busily working away helping with the varnishing. New batteries, sail covers, topping lifts and headsail sheets were installed. LED lights were fitted while deck and cockpit grates were sanded and deck oil applied. The ketch is 14.02 metres long with a 3.81 beam. She draws two metres and her displacement is approximately 18 ton. She has B&G instruments, a fridge/freezer, two large inbuilt ice boxes, pressurised hot and cold water and a gas oven and cook top. She is a home away from home vessel and, with a few adjustments, can sleep up to ten people.
Tirriki is a British registered yacht and one of the last vessels where the owner (Chappy) had a warrant to fly the blue ensign. His full name was Elliot Westley Charlesworth but as a baby people would comment “what a cute little Chappy” and the name stuck. His proper name was only used when he was in trouble with his wife Joy! Chappy passed away in February 2008 at the age of 81 and Joy was 96 when she joined him. Tirriki was taken over by his son Mark who, together with his wife Lisa, enjoyed their time sailing her. Mark recalls as a young boy waking to see the reflection of the ocean gushing past as they sailed away on an adventure and the happiness it brought him hearing the sound of the waves. The Charlesworth family nut business has always supported the CYCSA, donating prizes that bring a smile to the winner’s face. Charlesworth Nuts have also been Silver Level Sponsors of the Club for many years with funds going to the Cruising Association.
When Mark’s wife became very ill he decided it was time to sell Tirriki and Andrew Smith came along at the right time. For 23 years Andrew’s business was AJ Marine Services and many Club members will remember him as the CYCSA slipmaster. Andrew is proficient in all things nautical and in December 2019 became Tirriki’s new custodian. He enjoyed sailing and maintaining the vessel to the high standard she deserved. Andrew had the boat for about 18 months before deciding to sell but feels a strong bond with her and is now part of her history. Jarrod Stratton had been looking for a boat to buy and with Andrew making other plans for his future negotiations soon resulted in a sale and Jarrod became the next custodian. One of Jarrod’s favourite voyages is to Port Lincoln and back. His log book shows many nautical miles of rough and calm seas, a Jurassic backdrop, coves and exotic wildlife. He said “Tirriki shows us SA’s beautiful backyard”. It was a shared experience with great friends including former owner Andrew and strong friendships were made. Jarrod has been sailing all his life and in 2011 fulfilled his lifelong dream to race in the Sydney to Hobart and did so on a Volvo Ocean 60 named Merit. Now as the owner/custodian of Tirriki he plans to sail as often as he can. My evening on board Tirriki included a delicious roast dinner and was topped only by the boat’s theme song blasting through the speakers. Frank Sinatra’s unmistakable voice sang ‘That’s Life’ and ended an amazing evening. Thank you Jarrod, Andrew and Mark for sharing so much with me. I hope many more adventures await you.
Pat Catley
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Pictured above: Mark, Andrew and Jarrod
On the first Sunday of April we were graced with perfect weather to welcome 32 very excited children for a day full of fun at the Easter Egg Hunt.
The Committee started early setting up the craft tables where the children were encouraged to make their own Easter cups in preparation for the egg hunt. The colourful craft tables were very popular with the children, not to mention the fun the adults had helping them be creative.
All was going really well, the children were busy with their craft activities and with the Bistro open early, the adults enjoyed beverages and muffins. A big thank you to Bridgit and Chelsea for their outstanding customer service.
But then… squeals, laughter and so much excitement as the entertainment for the morning arrived. Farmer Darcy’s Travelling Farm started to set up the pen and bring out various baby animals, lots of them! The children were allowed to pat, feed, cuddle and brush the animals and were also taught how to safely hold the animals. It was two hours of exhilarating fun. It was then time to round up the children. With beautifully decorated Easter cups in hand, the children were very eager to start the hunt - it was time for chocolate! Two age groups were organised and off they went egg hunting. The children had fun searching for the small eggs scattered among the Club grounds which were later exchanged for a large chocolate Easter bunny and a few small chocolate eggs.
After the morning’s excitement the children were offered drinks, snacks and watermelon whilst watching Farmer Darcy pack up the petting zoo and maybe a chance for one more cuddle.
Thank you to everyone who helped with the set up and special thanks to the Social Activities Committee of Rosemary Gould, Jacqueline Heffernan, Jenny Murton, Ann-Marie Wallage and Adrian Wilson. It was a wonderful fun family event.
Thank you to the CYCSA members who attended the event and for the fabulous feedback.
The Easter Hunt is a free event for members and their children and is made possible by the funds raised by the Social Activities Committees social events. We now look forward to seeing you at our next Social Event, Italian Night on Saturday 15 July 2023.
Giorgina Gauci (Giorgi) Chair, Social Activities Association
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SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
ASSOCIATION
THE BATTLE OF THE CLUBS
Naval Military & Air Force Club versus Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia Quiz Night
Following some enjoyable joint Twilight sailing last summer, the latest instalment of the now traditional ‘Battle of the Clubs’ was hosted recently by the Naval, Military and Air Force Club on Friday 21 April with a well-attended Quiz Night.
As usual it was a pleasure to experience the décor and ambience of the NMAFC in Hutt Street as well as a most enjoyable dinner and friendly service.
Each Club arranged four tables to determine individual table winners along with the super important overall Club winner. Many thanks to my guests as well as those on the tables of Howard and Jenny Murton, Peter and Tina Schembri and Mark and Joy Hutton.
Attendees answered a round of questions compiled and presented by the MCs for the evening, NMAFC Club Secretary Mark Jennings and CYCSA General Manager Adam Hays. Interesting topics included sport, geography and general knowledge.
As in previous battles, competition was very fierce and after a tight tussle the Naval Military and Air Force Club again claimed victory over the Cruising Yacht Club thereby retaining the trophy for the time being until the return fixture at the CYCSA on Friday 4 August 2023.
To date the NMAFC have won three rounds of the battle and the CYCSA only one so watch out for the next battle!
Senior CYCSA members who are interested in the reciprocal membership arrangement at the NMAFC are encouraged to contact CYCSA Reception for details.
Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the Club.
Geoff Catt
We are now into the winter cruising season and the cooler autumn we have been through has not put a hold on cruising activities both on and off the water.
The popular Second Saturday Cruising BBQ is now to run all through the year with no winter break. We are also going to refer to the BBQ as the ‘Club BBQ’ to represent the inclusivity of these gettogethers. Just a reminder that when the second Saturday falls on a long weekend the BBQ will happen on the following Saturday.
The improvements to the Port Vincent Clubhouse facility continue with heating installed and successfully trialled by the crews who recently participated in the Follow the Fleet Gulf crossing. A microwave oven has now been purchased and is ready for use at Port Vincent. These upgrades are possible thanks to the support from our association sponsor Charlesworth Nuts.
Moorings in Gulf St Vincent have been a discussion point of late. There is still a proposal from the State Government to install and maintain a number of moorings at various locations, predominately around Kangaroo Island. This is ongoing and progress is slow. On a positive note the CYCSA moorings at Edithburgh, Stansbury and Black Point continue to be serviced on a regular basis and are annually inspected and cleaned, funded by the Club. Some of these moorings are to be moved further apart and into deeper water. The CYCSA is currently investigating laying two moorings at Blanche Point to add to our Club mooring options.
The Cruising Association Mangrove Tour is being organised in conjunction with the Port Adelaide Sailing Club and is scheduled for Sunday 27 August. The format will be to meet at PASC with your dinghies and outboards for launching and we will then proceed through the ships graveyard in the North Arm and up the North Arm creek. It will be a BYO lunch and the PASC will have their bar open upon our return. Keep an eye on the Cruising Association Facebook page and Club emails closer to the date for launch time.
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce a new segment to our updates, Cruising Tips and Etiquette. This edition’s topic comes under the etiquette heading and covers the use of unoccupied marina berths. If you are going to use a berth other than your own please seek permission from the berth owner. This permission should be sought even if you know the berth owner and know that they are away as arrangements are often made to lend the berth to a fellow Club member that you may be unaware of. Please feel free to offer any tips for future articles. Happy and safe cruising.
Marty Heffernan Chair, Cruising Association
33 CRUISING ASSOCIATION UPDATE
Pictured above: CYCSA Board Member Mark Hutton and NMAFC Board Member Ann Lees
MARINA EAST NORTH HAVEN
CYCSA Marina East has berthing for 240 vessels up to 22 metres and 150 hardstanding berths up to 12 metres.
(Note: ‘s’ denotes single berth, ‘tw’ denotes twin berth and ‘T’ denotes berth at T Head).
BERTHS FOR SALE - MARINA EAST
8m s: C01 - Reduced $35,000 ONO
8m tw: F01, F02 - from $35,000, C11 - $35,000 all offers considered
C13 - $33,000, C02 - $22,000 all offers considered
C07 - all offers considered
10m tw: A09, A10, A14, A22, A34, A40, F04 - from $30,000
A17, A18 - $28,000 each, suits catamaran, all reasonable offers considered
A28, F09, F19, F28 - all offers considered
F18 - $20,000, A20, F26 - reduced to $20,000, A29 $18,000
F34 - reduced to $12,000, F36 - reduced to $10,000
A31, A32 - $10,000 all reasonable offers considered
A27 - reduced to $9,000
10m s: A03, A12 - from $73,000, A05 $35,000 all offers considered
A25 - all offers considered
11m tw: A42 - $25,000 all offers considered, C16 - $25,000
12m tw: D20, D35, D36, D37- from $29,000, D28 - $35,000 all offers considered, D38 - reduced, all offers considered
E13 - all offers considered
E26 & E27 - $50,000 together or $30,000 each if sold separately
12m s: D08, D17, E07, E10 – from $60,000
D04, D21, E03, E04, E05, E22, E23 - all offers considered
D07, D18 - reduced to $60,000 all offers considered
E01 - reduced to $55,000 all offers considered
D30 - reduced to $50,000 neg, D23 - reduced to $40,000
E11 - reduced to $35,000
13m tw: C23 - $60,000, A44 - reduced to $35,000 all offers considered
13m s: D40 - $60,000
14m s: C24 - $120,000, C27 - $95,000 ono, C25 - all offers considered
15m s: C35 - from $145,000, B32 - $125,000 all offers considered
A47 - $80,000 urgent sale,all offers considered,
B31, B36 - all offers considered
16m s: B17 - $160,000 ono/all offers considered, B20 - $159,000
B16, B22 - $150,000 all offers considered
B18 - $120,000 all offers considered, B15 all offers considered
20m s: A49 - $120,000 urgent sale, all offers considered
HARDSTANDS FOR SALE
9m: H70 - from $3,500
10m: H108 - $10,000, all offers considered
MARINA WEST NORTH HAVEN
It is the larger berths that make Marina West appealing to many potential buyers. Berths range from 11m to 35m, (Note: all berths in Marina West are single berths).
BERTHS FOR SALE - MARINA WEST
11m: M01 - all offers considered
M03 - reduced to $60,000 all offers considered suitable for a catamaran
14m: M07 - $120,000 all offers considered
15m: N03 - reduced to $100,000 - offers invited M08 - all offers considered
17m: J19, J20 - from $150,000, J09 - $100,000
J08, J10 - all offers considered
20m: K04, K07, K08, L02 – from $135,000
K01, K05 - all reasonable offers considered
K10 - all offers considered
25m: M14 - $290,000
27m: M16 - all offers considered
30m: K16 - $475,000
BERTHS FOR SALE AT PORT VINCENT MARINA
10m tw: A01, A02, A05, A18, A22, A23 - from $15,000
12m tw: B33, C53, C63 - from $28,000, B29 $25,000
C60 Reduced to $20,000, B34, B40, C61 all offers considered
12m s: B44, C47 - from $29,000, B25 $25,000 all offers considered, C68 $20,000 all offers considered
B46 Reduced to $15,000
14m s: D70, D78 - from $45,000, D77, D79 - offers invited
15m s: D84 $39,000, D87 all offers considered
20m T: A12, B35 - $200,000
24m T: C58 - all offers considered
All berth sales and leasing enquiries to Sarah Belton: Ph: (08) 8248 4222 | berthing@cycsa.com.au all prices include GST
Information correct at time of printing and is subject to change
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