QUARTERLY JOURNAL FROM THE CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
TEAKLE CLASSIC
ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN & REGATTA
SYDNEY TO HOBART OUR LOCAL YACHTSMEN
2021
SA SAILING LEAGUE
MARCH 2022
1
South Australia’s Marine Services Precinct
Service Precinct Facilities Service Precinct Facilities
• Hardstand & fit-out sheds • Service berths • Your choice of contractor or we can arrange for you • Fully EPA compliant
• 24hr high speed refuelling (Diesel & Premium Unleaded) • High pressure cleaning • Pump out facilities
Call in for a tour of SA’s Marine Services Precinct. Enquiries: (08) 8423 6420 2
Allan Rice Court, Largs North
CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SA BOARD OF MANAGEMENT President Treasurer
Dominic Rinaldi David Roper Geoff Boettcher Keith Finch Mark Hutton Chris Cox Doreen Perrin
PATRON
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
5
AT THE HELM WITH OUR GM
6
FROM OUR COMMODORE
7
CLUB NEWS
8
RACING REPORT
9
PREMIER’S CUP YOUTH SAILING FOUNDATION NEWS
Jacqueline Heffernan Nick Bice Jeff Dinham
11
SA SAILING LEAGUE
12
MARINE ACADEMY NEWS
13
CRUISING ASSOCIATION UPDATE
The Honourable Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR
14
OUR LOCAL YACHTSMEN
18
ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN
21
FISHING ASSOCIATION
22
CRUISE KANGAROO ISLAND
24
SOCIAL ASSOCIATION
26
ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES
29
TUNA CHARTER
30
BOATS AT THE CLUB
32
KING OF THE GULF
34
CYCSA BERTH CLASSIFIEDS
STAFF General Manager Financial Controller Financial Administrator Marketing & Communications Berth Sales & Leasing Reception & Member Services Marine Academy Principal Youth Sailing Foundation Head Coach Racing Administrator House & Functions Manager Head Chef Port Vincent Marina Manager
4
10
FLAG OFFICERS Commodore Vice Commodore Rear Commodore
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Adam Hays Kerry O’Brien Ann-Marie Gaffney Mellissa Vahoumis Sarah Belton Desiree Le Francois David Royle Dale Geddes Inese Lainis Frank Mammone Camillo Crugnale Rob Marner
11
COMMITTEES Members Committee Chair Fishing Association Chair Racing Association Chair Cruising Association Chair Social Association Chair LIFE MEMBERS
EDITORS OF GROUNDSWELL
Advertising & contributions to Mellissa: mellissa@cycsa.com.au Registered by Australia Post Publication No PP565001/00184 ISSN 1039-4230 Printed by Newstyle Printing Graphic design by Mellissa Vahoumis Volume 39 | Edition 1
Jacq Heffernan Vlad Humeniuk Rob Human Marty Heffernan Rosemary Gould Arthur F Carolan (Dec’d) Geoffrey R Catt Craig A Evans Richard H Fidock AO Graeme L Footer John D Gerard James A Henry (Dec’d) Malcolm A Kinnaird AC (Dec’d) Peter J Page (Dec’d) Andrew D Saies Gay Footer, Mellissa Vahoumis, Pat Catley, Dianne Schwerdt Phone: 08 8248 4222 Email: reception@cycsa.com.au Web: www.cycsa.com.au Phone Port Vincent: 0414 611 110
18
Groundswell is the official journal of the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia Inc Lady Gowrie Drive, North Haven PO Box 1020 North Haven SA 5018
Cover image: Port Lincoln Week. Image credit: Down Under Sail
26 3
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Welcome to the March issue of Groundswell. CYCSA YOUTH SAILING FOUNDATION
No doubt many of you have seen the impressive looking Elliot 7s on the water over summer. The Foundation is progressing well with several fully paid courses being scheduled during the summer months. We have reached out to the community at large, including beach sailing clubs, to take advantage of the Elliotts and what the Foundation can offer which has resulted in several fully paid courses to be delivered by Dale and his team.
VOLUNTEERING AT THE CYCSA
Notwithstanding the AGM is still six months away I encourage all Senior Members to consider standing for a Board position. In my mind the more people standing for a Board position the more democratic the Board selection process becomes. We would like to see many more Members participating in various aspects of the Club. Please feel free to contact myself or the Commodore if you would like more information on volunteering at the CYCSA. SINKING FUND A summary of the Sinking Fund as at 31 December 2021 is as follows -
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
This Committee, chaired by our Treasurer, David Roper, continues to meet on a regular basis to critically examine the Club’s rules and regulation documents to see how they can be improved to facilitate efficiency, transparency and more accurate reporting. Some of the topics to be considered by various members of this Committee include 1.
2. 3.
Review the original Unit Trust Deed and Unit Trust Register together with all its amendments with a view to consolidate and simplify the information required
Sinking Fund Investment allocation (value at 31 December 2021 $6.5m) International shares 12% Emerging companies 6%
A review of finance and audit practices to see if the process can be improved and simplified
Cash 15%
Interest rate securities 24%
A strategy review of the IT systems to be undertaken during the year.
We will report back to the members on a regular basis as to the progress of this Committee. Australian core equities 43%
NORTH HAVEN AND PORT VINCENT DREDGING
I am sure most of you have been aware of the dredging taking place in our marina since late December. We have been in discussions with the Department of Transport and Industry with a view to having a more structured process to the dredging at North Haven. We agreed at a recent meeting with the Department of Transport and Industry that regular bathymetric surveys of the marina would be done at their cost so as to predict well in advance silt levels reaching dangerous levels and to undertake pre-emptive remedial work. A new subcommittee comprising Graeme Footer and Craig Evans has been formed to undertake a thorough review of dredging at North Haven and Port Vincent with a view to finding a mechanism which will secure a dredging program at both sites in a regular and timely manner with as little cost as possible to the Club.
Sinking Fund Value
SECURITY
The Board has recently resolved to update the security of the hardstand area. Obtrusive cameras will be placed on all sections of the hardstand with a view to deterring thieves and other unwelcome persons to the area. We envisage the cameras will be operational in the next few months.
4
Autumn provides many opportunities to enjoy boating and I hope to see you out on the water Dominic Rinaldi
FROM THE HELM
The Club continues to navigate its way through the ever-changing pandemic environment. To date we have encountered no less than 22 changes to trading restrictions, 11 weeks of minimal trade and one forced seven-day hospitality closure. I must commend the staff on the way they have conducted themselves during this period, constantly adjusting in their roles, adhering to and administering both legislation and in-club policies under some of the most trying circumstances.
In general the members also need to be complimented on the way they have assisted us with their continual patience and understanding and it has been greatly appreciated. The Port Vincent clubhouse extension has been completed and members feedback thus far has been very positive. The new facility has proved popular with those who have visited recently.
For many years the Club has run a popular and well supported event at Port Vincent over the ANZAC Day weekend. This year a special sub-committee has been formed to reinvigorate this event over the weekend of Saturday 23 April to Monday 25 April. The weekend will consist of a race and/or cruise over on the Saturday for both sail and power boats with an AllAssociation BYO BBQ that evening. Sunday will be a special opening and recognition event for the new area with both Club and local dignitaries invited to formally open the area. Monday morning’s ANZAC Day service will see our members and guests combine with the local community at the Port Vincent RSL service at the War Memorial followed by breakfast at the local Bowling Club. The major sponsor for the weekend will be the Lillis Group who are developing a commercial site at Port Vincent Marina. The Lillis group have commenced engagement with the local community and CYCSA members by way of a series of seminars recently in which they described the very exciting plans they have for across the gulf. The Youth Sailing Foundation has begun to build in the new year with several ‘Come and Try’, ‘Discover Sailing’, ‘Junior Squad sessions’ and even the commencement of some corporate activity keeping all involved very busy. One fantastic initiative that has re-emerged through the Elliott program is the Fred Neill Trophy. The state premier Club match racing championship has not been held for over 15 years and our fleet of one-design Elliotts provide a perfect opportunity for the CYCSA to hold this important regatta. The Fred Neill Regatta is scheduled for next season and it will be very interesting to see which other name will be added alongside the likes of Boettcher, Higgins, Deussen and Emery.
I would like to further promote the opportunity for any of our experienced sailing members with an interest in becoming an instructor for our YSF and associated programs to contact myself or the Youth Sailing Foundation’s Head Coach, Dale Geddes via email at: ysf.coach@cycsa.com.au. We plan to continue running Australian Sailing Instructor Accreditation courses and this would offer the perfect platform for interested persons to sail the Elliotts, pass on their love for the sport and be renumerated for their efforts.
Ít is a great opportunity to remind everyone that we are always looking for volunteers to join our fantastic Cruising and Social Associations. Both these committees run well-oiled annual events but are also always on the lookout for fresh ideas, thoughts and contributions. With the current vibrancy around the Club and our Golden Anniversary fast approaching in 2024 there has never been a better time to contribute. When speaking of volunteers and contribution, I must acknowledge Bryan Mellors and Howard Trotter for their weekly gardening efforts. Brian has been assisting the maintenance team when their attention is required elsewhere for well over a year now and has recently been joined regularly by Howard with the duo keeping on top of weeding and unsightly garden areas. I’m informed that their current record sits at filling five green bins in one session. Thank you gentlemen and I bet the beer tastes great at knock-off time. Wishing everyone safe boating, fair winds and following seas as we head into the autumn period. Adam Hays General Manager
Volunteers Howard and Bryan
5
FROM OUR COMMODORE
Christmas came and went so quickly as COVID-19 still impacts on our lives and continues to interrupt our plans. Nevertheless, we are learning to live with it and that includes our Club following the best practice for our members and staff in mandating COVID vaccinations for all who wish to enter our facility. This may have caused some issues when implemented but it was deemed necessary to protect our members and staff. Despite this, our Club has had a very successful season with events that had previously been cancelled due to the pandemic now back on, albeit with some restrictions. Our much-loved Children’s Christmas Party and the fabulous All Association Christmas Bash was well supported by members. Thursday night members draws are very popular and while the racing season has had a few glitches, that was more due to weather than anything else. At the time of writing this article I am looking forward to Crabbing Day and there is planning under way for a very exciting event co-run by the Fishing and Social Associations. Stay tuned for more information. The Cruising Association is ramping up and looking for more committee members to run some past popular and fun new events. Volunteering by joining an association is a great way to get involved with our Club. Making new, and sometimes lifelong friends and having fun along the way is very, very rewarding.
I am also looking forward to a time when the Club can have the popular ‘Sunday Sessions’ with dancing back on the agenda. I feel that good times are ahead as our Club continues to go from strength to strength under the great management of Adam and his team and the sound financial guidance of our Board. If anyone thinks they can contribute to the success of our Club then consider nominating for a position on our Board. I am happy to discuss the structure of our Club with you as would my fellow Flag Officers and Board Members. It is our aim to be inclusive and to keep members informed of what is happening at the Club so do not hesitate to approach one of us for an informal chat. In the meantime, stay safe. Jacqueline Heffernan
New Members Welcome, March
6
CLUB NEWS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Over the last three months the following people have joined the Club. Please make them welcome.
Chester Armstrong, Carter Baker, Fraser Baker, William Baker, Andrew Barr, Dave Batic, Pandora Carthew, Darcy Conry, Murphy Cowen, Sailor Cowen, Trevor Dinham, David Duncan, Peter Dyer, Paul Fidler, Edward Forbes, Lauren Gallaway, Ryan Godfrey, Thomas Gordon, Angela Grimaldi, Gary Hancock, Mary Hicks, Kim Hosking, Maxim Hosking, Nicola Jones, Andrew Kwitko, Sean Ladegourdie, Jason Meyer, Derek Morrison, Peter Needham, Michael Noy, Mark Nykiel, Robert Pedicini, Helena Sobulis, Ronda Wallis, Harry Wellington
PORT VINCENT NEWS
The Port Vincent Marina clubhouse redevelopment has been completed and has been well received by members.
Pictured right is a progress shot with Club members Graeme and Jack enjoying a drink to celebrate the new facilities.
CYCSA ANZAC WEEKEND REGATTA AT PORT VINCENT
Members, you and your guests are invited to join us for the official opening and recognition event to celebrate the new facilities at our Port Vincent clubhouse to be held over the Anzac long weekend from 23-25 April. To book a berth, please conatct Rob Marner, Marina Manager at Port Vincent on 0414 611 110.
The family friendly weekend will consist of both on-water and off-water activities and live entertainment on the lawn. For more details on the schedule of events please refer to the General Manager’s report on page five or our events calendar on our Club website at: www.cycsa.com.au/functions-calendar/
The event is proudly sponsored by the Lillis Group who have exciting development plans for the Port Vincent area including a floating café and floating homes, waterfront Torrens Titled townhouses and waterfront apartments and commercial tenancies. Conceptual illustrations are below. More information on the Port Vincent development and progress can be found on the Lillis Group’s newly launched website at: www.docksideportvincent.com
7
The summer racing season has certainly had its moments!
Series 1 of the Phil Hoffmann Travel Twilight Series was completed just before Christmas. In Cruising Division B Richard Lea on Sahara won with Adrian Wotton on School’s Out second and The Bottom Line with Lee Haakmeester, David Roper and David Fawcett third just ahead of Synergy on countback. In Cruising Division A Graeme Footer on Marnico was first with Mark Johns on Aquila second ahead of Brenton Pegler on Playground in third place. This year there are more races in the Club Inshore Series which is sponsored by Yalumba Wines. So far Division 1 PHS is being led by Playground followed by Sintara (Derek Morrison) with Pirate (Keith Finch) in third. Division 2 PHS is being led by Kinetic Energy (Andy Shipp) from Locomotion (Peter Hall) with Rock On, Young Einstein and School’s Out hot on their heels. The AMS Series results have Sintara ahead of Shining Sea (Andrew Corletto) with Doctor Feelgood 3 (Wayne and Jason Coonan) third in Division 1 with Outlier (Ken Abbott) ahead of Ocean Hawk (Steve Emery) and Kinetic Energy (Andy Shipp) leading the way in Division 2. It is only part way through the series and the results will change and some may be due to damage to the boats. The Short Offshore Series still has one race to run. At present Sintara is leading on PHS from Venom (Robert Dunn) and Pirate (Keith Finch) and on AMS the leader is Pirate from Sintara and School’s Out. Inese Lainis Racing Administrator
8 8
The Premier’s Cup was held in early December with strong winds and a choppy sea on Day One, while Day Two saw much calmer conditions. Fifteen boats contested the two day event with thirteen completing the four races. The race was sponsored by Georges Family Winegrowers and we were fortunate to have Matt Cowdrey OAM MP Member for Colton, step in on behalf of the Premier to assist with award presentations.
The PHS Division 1 winner was Another Hooligan (Nick George) with Secret Mens Business (Geoff Boettcher) second and Pirate third. In Division 2 School’s Out beat Outlier and Rock On (Trevor Conyers). In AMS Division 1 the winner was Secret Mens Business with Another Hooligan second and Sintara third. In Division 2 Outlier won from School’s Out and Ocean Hawk.
The Premier’s Cup (IRC) was won by Secret Mens Business followed by Another Hooligan with Pirate third. Inese Lainis Racing Administrator
Matt Cowdrey and Nick George presenting Geoff Boettcher with the Premier’s Cup
Another Hooligan, Nick George
School’s Out, Adrian Wotton
Outlier, Ken Abbott
9
Members Sprint Series winning team, SMB
The Elliotts had their first good racing shake down with the Members Sprint Series held in November. Tough and challenging conditions provided plenty of thrills as the fleet of six battled to get three races out of six completed before the wind limits ended the day early. Geoff Boettcher and his Secret Mens Business crew made it three wins from three races taking home the silverware ahead of Curtis Mitchell and company representing Another Hooligan. The podium was rounded off by a Youth Sailing Foundation Instructor, Trevor Dinham, and his crew representing a mix of sailors and boats from the Club. With the positive feedback and the postevent interest the Members Series could become a highlight of future racing seasons and we look forward to seeing a few more out there for the next event! Following the Members Series the fleet was given a once over to ensure any issues and teething problems were rectified. The last two of the boats were also branded up with Footers and Foodland rounding out the fleet and they all look great sitting out the front of the Club.
During the busy lead up to Christmas the YSF Summer Squad continued their Friday afternoon training sessions. Along with helping out with events such as the South Australian Sailing League, the Squad have been working hard developing their skills and techniques on the Elliotts. Focus has been on the
10
basics and fundamentals of boat handling on a new platform and training will start to introduce more advanced concepts as numbers grow. With the rush to train and prepare for the numerous national championships over the Christmas break subsiding, the YSF Squads look forward to gaining further numbers and momentum as we look towards the main winter training blocks. Other key sailing avenues the YSF continues to facilitate include providing opportunities to current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel through our Veterans and Defence Sailing programs. Two ‘Veterans Come and Try Days’ have been successful as this part of the YSF grows. This continues the existing relationship the Marine Academy has with Northrup Grumman, Invictus Pathways Program and other key community programs delivering ‘Setting a New Course’.
With the turbulence of COVID still keeping people on their toes, bookings for the Australian Sailing Keelboat Learn to Sail program have been slowly growing. For ages from 16 years old (12 with a participating guardian) and up, the program starts with crewing and finishing with racing and offers a perfect way to learn sailing without the worry of capsizing or swimming. To help this program develop, numerous ‘Discover Sailing’ sessions have been added to the calendar and these have converted many participants joining Marine Academy courses and YSF squads along with several new members and possibly new boats into the Club. As the second half of the season rolls on the YSF looks forwards to some exciting opportunities and events including the Fred Neill Match Racing Regatta planned for next season among others. See you on the water. Dale Geddes YSF Head Coach
The SA Sailing League is a club-versus-club short-course sailing event that helps find the best club in the state. The event lends itself to a spectator-friendly, stadium-like sailing environment held in the historic waters of the Inner Port River. The South Australian event is a feeder to the Asia Pacific Finals of the SAILING Champions League. Successful teams from the Asia Pacific event then travel to Europe to battle for the ‘Best Sailing Club in the world’ bragging rights.
The CYCSA and the Youth Sailing Foundation partnered with the SA SL to facilitate the inaugural South Australian event held in December 2021. The CYCSA/YSF not only provided the Elliott fleet but also all the on-water support including many of the volunteers. A few short lines make light work of the logistics involved and I must give a big thanks to John Collett, Greg Borg, the YSF Summer Squad sailors and everyone else who made it happen. Congratulations to the Largs Bay Sailing Club team of Ryan Huczko, Ryan Kelly, Luke Stephens and Shevaun Bruland for winning three of the first four Final Series races to clinch the event. They will compete in the SAILING Champions League Asia Pacific Finals which will be held in Newcastle in New South Wales on 26 and 27 March 2022.
Largs Bay Sailing Club team
Congratulations also to Robbin Deussen, Josh Hinks, Lauren Galloway and Chester Armstrong who represented the CYCSA and took out second place. I would like to take this opportunity to again thank all those responsible for aiding the program and events, especially all the on-water volunteers. Without these selfless volunteers events and regattas don’t happen and your help is greatly appreciated. Dale Geddes
Photos courtesy of Down Under Sail
11
MARINE ACADEMY NEWS As the sun sets on another summer of boating activity at the Club, The Marine Academy begins its planning for the 2022-2023 season. In particular I invite members who may be interested in undertaking our ‘big’ navigation course in the classroom to make contact with me. This is the RYA Day Skipper Theory Course, one evening a week for 10 weeks (3 hours face to face each week) that covers the gamut of navigation, tides and seamanship. It is equally applicable to powerboaters as well as cruising yachties and is an investment in your and your crew’s peace of mind and safety just in case the GPS system we nearly all rely on goes into a downgraded mode at some time in the future. As I write most courses are close to fully booked for the remainder of the season. To this end, please contact me if you are interested in weekday training opportunities either one on one or in a group. We do have the flexibility to package training for those who can make time available on weekdays. Lastly a shout out to the newcomers on the water experiencing everything that the Club has to offer. The photos below are from the Boating Essentials for Women course in December 2021 and Competent Crew group on 2-4 January 2022. David Royle Marine Academy Principal
marine.academy@cycsa.com.au
UB 12
CRUISING ASSOCIATION UPDATE
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Adrian Wotton for his great work in heading up the Cruising Association for the last seven years.
I recently had the privilege to host the second Saturday BBQ as the Chairperson of the Cruising Association. We had a good turn out and the raffle was run and won with many thanks to our sponsor Charlesworth Nuts. I reached out and asked for ideas and support to further enrich our experiences through our cruising community and am happy to welcome Howard Murton and Jack Didyk as new committee members. Our vision is to get more on-water events in the Club calendar on a regular basis. All ideas are welcome and Howard, Jack and I are happy to discuss any activity that you think would interest our members.
MANGROVE TOUR
Marty’s Magical Mangrove Tour was a great morning over at Garden Island and surrounds. A big thank you to James Theodore and Port River Marine who lent a magnificent Highfield tender to lead the flotilla of rubber ducks. We were joined by Paul, Mark and Joy, Ian and Leslie and Andy and Mandy.
We launched at the Garden Island Boat Ramp and crossed the Barker Inlet to navigate along the edge of the mangroves and head up Broad Creek to the historic munitions loading wharf and railway line where a raft-up and morning tea took place. The flotilla continued back out of the creek and into the North Arm for a close-up look at the ‘Ships Graveyard’. The Port River dolphins did not disappoint as we had a visit from an inquisitive pod on our way back to the boat ramp.
The group met back at the Club for a BBQ lunch and a drink to finish a great day out and talk about the magnificent scenery, bird life and dolphins we had just experienced. We first did the mangrove tour many years ago and this is the second time I have led it. We plan to make this an annual event. We now look forward to Easter and Anzac Day. Keep the Anzac Day Long Weekend free for a special event in Port Vincent to celebrate our new facilities there. Safe cruising. Marty Heffernan
13
The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia has always been well represented in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The 2021 Hobart race was no exception and although we did not have a yacht entered this year, we did have many of our Club members and crew that sail from the Club crewing on various yachts. The CYCSA had Club members on both the Overall Winner Ichi Ban and Line Honours yacht Black Jack. James Paterson is an intricate part of the Ichi Ban crew and Silas Nolan and Ryan Godfrey had prominent positions on Black Jack. The following crew members shared a little of their sailing history and their latest Hobart experiences in the big race. Geoff Boettcher
History
I started sailing at the Glenelg Sailing Club in the Holdfast Trainer class at eight years of age. After moving through the junior fleets at Glenelg and Adelaide Sailing Club I started to look for opportunities in keel boats and was offered a trial spot on Secret Mens Business with Geoff Boettcher prior to the 2004 Sydney to Hobart Race. That was the start of my keel boat career, sailing five Hobart Races with Geoff including winning the race in 2010. In between racing SMB I campaigned in the Olympic Finn Class for six years in the SASI and AST program and sailed in many regattas around Australia and overseas and a highlight was winning the National Championships in 2012. More recently I sailed with Jason Ward and Shevaun Bruland on Concubine completing three Hobart Races and many successful regattas. After Concubine was sold in 2018 I picked up a position with Matt Allen on Ichi Ban on which I have competed in two Hobart races and multiple regattas and offshore races. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
We had a good lead-up to the 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race competing in the Sydney Bluewater Series and a number of training weekends. My primary role on Ichi Ban was forward grinder and crew boss where I managed the boat manoeuvres and sail changes and am the link between the front and the back of the boat. When sailing offshore I am second pitman and helmsman.
The race started off with a downwind leg creating a quick exit out of Sydney Harbour. The first afternoon and evening we experienced fresh breeze up to 35 knots and a short and sharp sea state which was created by the East Australian Current running at two knots against the wind. This made things quite uncomfortable with multiple crew getting sick and making it very difficult to eat and get any sleep. The next afternoon the wind moderated and the sea state abated as we sailed out of the current. We sailed our track to line up the next favourable current and to position ourselves for the Tasmanian coast. On the second night, while in the middle of Bass Strait, we were alerted by satellite phone by the race office and AMSA that Celestial had a personal EPIRB activated and they were not answering their satellite phone. We were the closest boat so were requested to contact them via VHF to see if all was okay and everyone was safe. After a while of trying to contact them with no luck we were instructed to light a white hand flare to get their attention but again no luck. After two hours we were given permission to let off a red parachute flare which are only to be let off in mayday situations. After nine minutes of trying to reach them they finally answered and indicated all was okay in a rather relaxed manner. It was an eventful experience that highlights the importance of always listening on VHF 16 and it was lucky we weren’t in danger and needed their assistance!
14
The next day we kept offshore while other boats hit the Tasmanian coast, the latter not paying off with boats parking for many hours. We managed to limit our park up to only five to ten minutes. Arriving at the southern part of the Tasmanian coast we were welcomed by a south westerly wind that built to 20-25 knots for the last 30 miles to Tasman Island. By that point it was a tight tussle with us and Celestial who managed to hang on behind us all the way to Tasman Island. Rounding Tasman we were blast reaching past the Organ Pipes to Cape Raoul then more reaching to the Iron Pot. From there we were able to pull up the spinnaker in 15 knots and sail up the Derwent to the finish line gaining time on Celestial. However, crossing the line in sixth place, we knew the distance to Celestial was not enough but after a number of protests were lodged regarding Celestial’s radio problems, we were declared the overall winners on IRC making it two race wins in a row! It was an amazing experience and we hope to make it three in a row at the end of the year!
History
My journey in sailing started when I was eight years old sailing Holdfast Trainers at Glenelg Sailing Club. After progressing through other dinghy classes of 303s, Lasers and Cherubs I moved to the CYCSA and made my first entry sailing keelboats with Chris Tillet on board his Mumm30. After a season with Chris I found myself sailing on Secret Mens Business with Geoff Boettcher. Over the next eight or nine years I learnt my craft with Geoff racing all over the country at all the big regattas and offshore races and my first five Sydney to Hobarts were with Geoff and the SMB team.
My foundation with Geoff and SMB gave me my start into professional yacht racing where I have spent the past 15 years competing in yachting’s biggest events across the globe from Asia, through America and the Caribbean to the Mediterranean. Classes include the TP52 Super Series, RC44 Cup, Maxi 72 Championship, Volvo 70, Super Maxis, Super Yachts and everything in between. I’ve experienced some great results over the years and some highlights include 19 Sydney to Hobarts winning Overall IRC in 2012 with Loki and Line Honours with Comanche in 2019 and Black Jack in 2021. Others include coming third in the TP52 Super Series season Championship, first in the historic One Ton Cup, season Champions in RC44 and Maxi 72 classes and multiple Line and Handicap honours in the Newport to Bermuda, Caribbean 600 and Rolex China Sea races. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
For this year’s Sydney to Hobart I was the bowman on Peter Harburg’s Super Maxi Black Jack. I have been a part of the Black Jack team on and off since 2008 and Peter gave me one of my first full professional gigs so it was special to be a part of his first Hobart Line Honours victory with his team.
OUR LOCAL YACHTSMEN The lead up to the great race was extremely difficult and limited time was spent training due to COVID related issues amongst the crew and in Sydney in general. Black Jack also broke its mast earlier in the year during the Brisbane to Gladstone race so it was a tight schedule to get everything 100% before the race started, not our usual race preparation that’s for sure. The battle for most teams was just getting to the start line with all the COVID requirements and even though our team tested daily in the week leading up to make sure we could cross the start line, we still lost a crew member to COVID five days out from the race. For the Maxis the forecast was on the wind all the way to Hobart with the first 24-30 hours in a solid 25-30+ knots and a large seaway, not full survival conditions but quite uncomfortable and potentially boat breaking. Our focus and aim for the first 24 hours was to keep the boat in one piece and stay in touch with the other two more powerful Super Maxis, Law Connect and Scallywag, who were more suited to the hard upwind conditions. The harbour start was fast and furious with the Maxis reaching the Manly turning mark in five minutes at 20+ knots before settling into a hard upwind slog south with a J4 and a reef in the main. The first night wasn’t extreme wind wise but the main problem was the seaway. Large waves with no backs on them made for lots of slamming throughout the night but the boat held up well sailing with two reefs and a J4 jib but there were many crew members suffering ‘internal’ issues, mainly their stomachs trying to exit their bodies, myself included! By early on the 28th we had made it across Bass Strait and found ourselves neck and neck with Law Connect and a light air tactical battle ensued down the Tassie coast. It was a nervous day on board with the two Super Maxis within three nautical miles of each other with each team having their turn at gaining the advantage. I spent many hours at the top of the mast searching for wind and fortunately we were the first boat to wriggle ourselves into the new breeze and slip away. To huge relief on board we coasted past the Battery Point finish line to the sound of cannon fire in the early hours of the third day. The elation and emotion level was high as Black Jack has had some hard luck stories over the years and we certainly weren’t the bookies favourites this year. It was a special victory for the team and for our owner Peter Harburg who has put so much into the sport over the last 15 years. In typical fashion the Black Jack crew celebrated long and hard well into the following day at the Customs House Hotel with a few ice cold beverages.
The 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race was a hard slog with a step back to the more classical Hobart races of old. I will be happy though for a return next year to the sleigh rides we’ve all become used to recently!
History
My racing started in Holdfast Trainers at Largs Bay Sailing Club and progressed through to sailing keel boats at the RSAYS and CYCSA as a teenager in the 1990s. I then moved to Sydney to complete a sail making apprenticeship with North Sails during which I had the opportunity to crew aboard many of the latest boats to come out in that era including all of the Alfa Romeo/Shockwave maxis and competing in the strong Farr40 and Sydney 38 fleets that raced in Sydney and overseas at the time. In 2004 I signed up with the US challenger for the Americas Cup, BMW Oracle, as a sailmaker. I am lucky enough to have sailed on many fantastic yachts and fleets including TP52s,
RC44s, classic J class Velsheda and be involved in several maxi campaigns such as the Alfa Romeos and Comanche. I completed two full around the world Volvo Ocean Races including winning overall with Ericsson Racing Team in 2009.
Some sailing highlights include winner overall of the 2008/9 Volvo Ocean Race, third overall of the 2011/12 Volvo Ocean Race, current and previous holder of the World 24 hour Monohull Speed Record, current TP52 world champion, three times RC 44 world champion, multiple time Maxi world champion, completed 17 Sydney to Hobart Races including winning line honours six times and multiple line honours winner of the Transpac, Fastnet, Bermuda, Caribbean 600 and Transatlantic Races. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
For this race I was on board the line honours winner Black Jack in the role of trimmer/sail coordinator. We had a plan to stay to the western side of the other 100 footers in anticipation of a westerly shift for crossing Bass Strait. Fortunately this more inshore route also kept us out of the worst of the weather. The long skinny boat has a relatively comfortable motion in an upwind seaway and we did not have any major issues that first night despite upwind boat speeds of over 13 knots. We woke on the second day to find ourselves with a decent lead and continued to try and extend that in the light air reaching down the Tassie coast.
History
Having grown up in Port Lincoln sailing everything from Holdfast Trainers to Rainbows, the progression into keel boats was a natural one once I moved to Adelaide. During this time I was lucky enough to compete with some of the best sailors and owners in the sport. After several years sailing out of the CYCSA I spent the majority of my career competing and sailing in the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race, all of which put me in good stead to try to be part of a winning team in the Sydney to Hobart. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race - from the sidelines!
After the disappointment of the Sydney to Hobart not being sailed in 2020, a solid 2021 campaign was put together with the sole purpose of trying to win in 2021 aboard the Jim Cooney owned Volvo 70, Willow. Jim assembled some of the great names in the modern era of the sport and I was lucky enough to be part of this team.
After a month long lead in to the race and all teams testing for COVID19 prior to the start, we had four positive tests aboard Willow which included myself. From 1000 on 24 December I was in quarantine with the tough decision from the owner of the boat to not compete made on Christmas Day.
I certainly didn’t miss being out there on the first night but seeing the boats finishing up the Derwent was done with a serious amount of envy. In order to still be part of the race, as part of Bar Karate - The Sailing Podcast, I, along with my Bar Karate colleagues, over-analysed every manoeuvre down the east coast of Australia and up to the finish with our twice daily live Facebook updates. Whilst disappointing to not be out there, many a laugh and fun was had navigating from my armchair!!
15
OUR LOCAL YACHTSMEN
History
I stepped onto a boat for the first time in 2011 when a family friend asked if I wanted to come for a twilight race on his Jeanneau 34 at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club in Melbourne. The conditions for the race were not ideal for a first timer given it was blowing 20-25 knots with a choppy sea state but, regardless, I instantly fell in love with the sport and quickly found myself doing as many deliveries as I could to get as many sea miles as possible. Since moving to Adelaide and joining the CYCSA in 2014 I have been a part of successful campaigns as a trimmer on White Knight and now as the tactician on Magic. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
The 2021 Rolex Sydney to Hobart was my fifth trip south having completed every race since 2016. I was also the highest placed race entrant in the 2020 VirtualRegatta Sydney to Hobart finishing 96th out of about 160,000 total entrants. I competed in the 2021 Rolex Sydney to Hobart on the Reichel Pugh 46 Hartbreaker. Some members may recognise Hartbreaker as the former Hardy’s Secret Mens Business. Hartbreaker has been owned by Antony Walton and sailed out of the Royal Brighton Yacht Club since 2013 and has finished every Sydney to Hobart since 2014 making it one of the more reliable boats in the fleet. Initially I was brought on board as the bowman but after sailing a few Sydney to Hobarts with Hartbreaker, I have managed to graduate to the back of the boat, competing this year as a trimmer and helmsman.
We had a smooth lead up to the race delivering the boat to Sydney five days prior to the start with no major issues. Unfortunately this all changed 15 minutes before we docked out on Boxing Day when our 2IC was informed he was a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. He made the decision to remain behind as he could not guarantee that he didn’t have the virus. This was a huge blow to morale and we all felt a bit flat leading up to the start. This didn’t last long as we had a roaring start. We hit the line on the gun, unfurled the Code-0 and left a good chunk of the fleet in our wake. The boats on the first line beat us out but we were the first out of the rest. We made our turn south(ish) and settled in for the long beat. We were quite comfortable in 20-25 knots on the nose for the first few hours but eventually we hit the wall of wind that was forecast. I was helming when we saw the rain coming. We were expecting up to 35 knots underneath it so we got to work shortening sails. We had just started putting in the second reef when it hit. The sea state immediately became a handful as we had made it into the current with two to three metre short fetch waves with very little behind them. It was a challenge not falling off the back and slamming the bow, especially given visibility was near zero and not helped by the activity trying to reef the main. Once the main was taken care of we set up to peel from the J3 to the J5. This is when the conditions took a real turn for the worse. I saw one gust to 41 knots but one of the other crew swears he saw 45 knots. However, the rain was the worst of it. The rain was being blown into us with so much force it felt like 1000 needles stabbing you at once. I was asked to stay on the helm for as long as possible as my glasses meant I was the only one that could actually look forward as my eyes were somewhat protected. Despite this the bow team performed a flawless peel and in no time we were setup for the conditions and pushing the boat to its limits. We stayed with this setup for the next 24 hours until the conditions started easing as we approached Bass Strait. Eventually we were back onto the J2 with a full main pushing through the light air. We did get one fantastic squirt of 25 knots from the north at the top of Tasmania which let us have a bit of fun for a few hours with the A4 spinnaker and a staysail. This
16
is where our top boat speed for the race of 21.7 knots was set. Sadly the fun only lasted three hours or so before we were back to beating. We eventually made it around Tasman Island on the fourth morning before being gifted with a great run up Storm Bay in a 20 knot south westerly wind which let us carry the kite all the way to the finish. We crossed the line after four days, four hours and 51 minutes in 15th place, the best ever result for the boat. All in all it was a hard but thoroughly enjoyable race. I am already counting down to Boxing Day 2022!
History
Like so many young sailors it was always an ambition of mine to compete in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. I started my sailing journey at 12 years old through a school program at the Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club and continued through high school. After a brief hiatus while I was at University I got back into the sport through the Adelaide University Sailing Club and its affiliation with the CYCSA. Starting in J24s for a few years I was then lucky enough to get a ride on Academy 1 for the 2017 Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race and my sailing grew from there. I have been sailing regularly with The Tribe since late 2017 and sailed the 2021 Winter Series on Magic. Through some networking I was lucky enough to get involved with Carrera S in early 2020, a Martin 49 based at Sandringham in Melbourne. Carrera S has provided me with some amazing ocean racing highlights with winning the 2021 Melbourne to Port Fairy Race and competing in the Brisbane-Gold Coast qualifier this year, the first time it has been run. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
In terms of the race for 2021 I think it was half the challenge just to get to the start line. After going to Sydney for the Cabbage Tree Island Race on 3 December I was unlucky enough to catch COVID 19 and end up in hotel quarantine for two weeks. Sitting in a hotel for two weeks was not exactly how I had envisaged preparing for the pinnacle of yacht racing in Australia but, as we all know, over the last two years the only certainty is uncertainty and sometimes you just need to roll with the punches. I was the mast-man on Carrera S and when the foredeck was settled with no sail changes I would assist with trim. Earlier I mentioned the 2017 Lincoln race which was coincidentally the last time I got sea sick. Getting through the first night was the toughest one to get through and everything seemed to get a little easier after that. The highest wind we saw was 40 knots so all the reefing points got a good workout.
It is a difficult feeling to describe in a way as even though I was a bit unwell I knew this is what I had been working towards for the last few years and that it was time to dig deep and get on with it which, on reflection, is probably the most amazing thing about the race. You need to look within yourself and find some gears to shift to that you didn’t even know you had. After making it though the first night the rest of the race was reasonably pleasant for us. We had some issues that needed to be sorted out after the first night which probably saw us fall a little further back in the fleet than we liked. We had a good tussle up the coast with a good friend of mine on Heartbreaker who ended up crossing the line around 1.5 hours ahead of us. We finished 18th overall and 8th in Division 2 IRC. I would like to take this opportunity to firstly thank all the owners, skippers and crew who have supported me and
OUR LOCAL YACHTSMEN my sailing development and ambition over the years at the CYCSA, too many to mention here individually. Secondly I would like to thank Gerry Cantwell and the crew of Carrera S for taking a chance on me with the Sydney to Hobart crew.
Finally, a word of advice to all the young and aspiring sailors out there, just go for it. The Sydney to Hobart is a really tough race but the training, preparation and the race itself will show you a side of yourself you didn’t know you had. It is certainly one of the most challenging but most rewarding experiences I have ever had. See you out there!
History
I started sailing in a Holdfast Trainer at Largs Bay Sailing Club at the age of ten progressing through 12ft Cadets and on to 420s. My first keel boat was an Admiral 21 to cruise the Swan River and Rottnest Island at 22 with my mates. This progressed to an S80, to a 31ft offshore boat, a Mumm 30, an Etchell in parallel with Aikin, a Ker 11.3 with David Oliver (Oli). This personal sailing enabled external opportunities resulting in Hobarts and national competition initially with Bob Francis on Renegade and my first Hobart settling into a constant touring role with Geoff Boettcher on SMB and the odd opportunity out of Sydney and Melbourne.
History
I started sailing when I was eight years old and have loved the sport of sailing in Herons, Lasers, Sharpies and Solings. I was fortunate enough to be selected in South Australia’s America’s Cup Defence Campaign as navigator. After the Cup I navigated in two Australian Admirals Cup teams, three World One Ton Cups, three Fastnet Races and 19 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races and was fortunate to navigate Secret Mens Business in Geoff Boettcher’s 2010 overall win and have continued to sail on Secret Mens Business for the last twelve years. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
I was navigator on No Limit, a 63-foot Reichel-Pugh design. We had a fair start and were tenth out of the harbour. The plan was to get well offshore into the East Coast current (warm water) that was running south at up to 2.7 knots. Conditions in the late afternoon freshened to 30-35 knots with heavy rain. The seas were about four to five metres with waves with ‘no backs’ in the warm water. We fell off a big wave just on dark and one of our guys off watch was in the centre top pipe berth. The berth collapsed off the wall of the hull and catapulted him six metres across the yacht into a ring frame and he fractured his arm/shoulder in three places! We retired and returned to Sydney arriving back at 1am.
The Ker 11.3 allowed myself and Oli to offer some of the same opportunities to others that Bob and Geoff gave us. These rides and boats have enabled a few wins in Geelong and Hamilton Island, a few Hobart records and two Tattersall wins that have made the ride thus far even more rewarding but, most importantly, the camaraderie and true friendships that have been made is what I treasure. 2021 Sydney to Hobart Race
This year’s Hobart was not as planned and I joined Gordon Ketelbey’s TP52, Zen, again following their win in the Cabbage Island race. The lead up to the race, apart from the pending southerly belting and complexity of getting round the high pressure system at the bottom of Tasmania, was all about COVID and the associated protocols both in getting into Tassie and protecting the boat’s right to enter right up to Rapid Testing before leaving the dock knowing it was all off with one positive reading from the 13 of us in the crew. Following a great start on the east end of the line with a Code Zero to A2 peel to the bottom mark rounding with plenty on, we managed to be the first TP52 out the heads. We had a great first five hours short tacking a fleet of 52s in a building southerly breeze in torrential rain with about 100m visibility as we headed east for a favourable current, more breeze and sharper swell. While it was unpleasant, it was hard not to have a smile on your face when racing that hard. Having said all of that, the boat was launching off of two to three metre waves with no backs to them and the physical rodeoing was brutal to all. Unfortunately our owner was thrown across the forepeak of the boat below deck and sustained multiple breaks to the arm and dislocation to his shoulder and after applying first aid and strapping him into a bunk with appropriate pain relief, the call was sadly made to return to Sydney to seek more substantial medical care.
Overall Winner Ichi Ban. Photo credit: Salty Dingo
Our race was over after only 10 hours and with a quick ‘send it’ back, we made it the 80nm we had already sailed. It was time to drown our sorrows with some fellow retirees and sit back and watch how others played the race out.
17
Teakle Classic 72nd Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race and Lincoln Week Regatta 18-24 February 2022 This year’s race had none of the Covid disruptions that impacted on over-the-border competitors last year. South Australia was well represented as always in the iconic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race and many stayed on for the Regatta with the Port Lincoln Yacht Club welcoming SA boats from the CYCSA, RSAYS, and Goolwa Yacht Club. We were pleased to see the interstate boats included from NSW, Matt Allen’s Botin 52 Ichi Ban, competing for the fourth time in the race, this time after a record-breaking third win in the recent Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race in 2021, and increasing the numbers to three in Division 1 along with the two South Australian boats Geoff Boettcher’s PAC 52J/V Secret Mens Business and Nick George’s TP52 Another Hooligan, a wellmatched division destined to draw intense interest during racing. Victorian boats, all from Sandringham Yacht Club, included Rob Date’s new Carkeek 43 Scarlet Runner, Brett Averay’s popular Peterson 44 Bacardi here for the 5th time, Robert Green’s Pacific 50 Dream and Mike and Mark Welsh’s Beneteau First 40 Wicked, bringing strong challenges to the event which made for an exciting week of racing for both competitors and spectators. Two multihulls, Cicala and Venom, competed in their own series. The Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race began well in brisk south to south westerly winds and the strong run down Gulf St Vincent to the first corner promised a great race for the faster boats. The reach across the foot favoured the brave (and strong of stomach) and good times were recorded for many in the front half of the fleet. With the wind swinging round to come from the south east, the bigger boats had the advantage and once round Cape Spencer had perfect downwind runs to the finish, Ichi Ban taking line honours over Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan.
18
The rest of the fleet made its way through the night under a cloudy sky with occasional glimpses of a full moon until the wind dropped out in the morning making it difficult, especially for the smaller boats in Spencer Gulf, to make it to the finish line for breakfast. This is despite the long spinnaker runs up to Donington between the usual rocks, reefs and fish farms in the area. Cape Spencer undid a small number of well-laid plans and there were a few spinnakers that made their way to the local sail-maker for a stitch in time before the first race of the upcoming regatta. The regatta, held over four days, included two days of windward/leeward courses (Monday and Thursday), a long passage race on Tuesday - Division 1 round Taylors Island (39 nms) and Division 2 round Carcass Rock (30 nms) - and the Bay Race on Wednesday. Monday’s windward/leeward races took place on what can only be described as a perfect day for sailing on Boston Bay with winds between 10 and 15 knots and flat seas. Both races were set for two laps round the course. In Race 1, close competition in IRC in Div 1 saw Ichi Ban take first place 38 seconds in front of Secret Mens Business and in Div 2 Shining Sea take line honours but yielding first place to Wicked on handicap. AMS results put Secret Mens Business in first for Div 1 and Shining Sea in front of Dream in Div 2. On PHS Another Hooligan narrowly beat Ichi Ban in Div 1 while a tight lead on handicap placed Wicked in front of Dream in Div 2. In Div 3 Bacardi took a first on AMS and a second on PHS. Race 2 saw similar results with the addition of Papillon in Div 2, new to the RSAYS, taking second on
Photos courtesy of Down Under Sail
handicap to Wicked and in front of Dream. Kinetic Energy and School’s Out placed second and third behind Bacardi in Div 3.
Tuesday morning shone with the promise of another great day’s sailing - perfect for the passage race with plenty of easterly winds around 14-15 knots. In Race 3, Div 1 boats were set for Taylor’s Island and impressive views of the coast out and back. Divs 2 and 3 embarked on the Carcass Rock course, some 30 nautical miles along the same coast up to Carcass. The kite run back to the Southern Beacon preluded a battle for first in each division. On IRC, Ichi Ban led Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan in Div 1 while Shining Sea outshone Wicked and Scarlet Runner with a clear first. On AMS local boats - Another Hooligan then Secret Mens Business - finished in front of Sydney boat, Ichi Ban (the order of placings being repeated on PHS). Shining Sea took first over Papillon and 3 Cool Cats in Div 2 (Audacious beating Shining Sea and 3 Cool Cats on PHS). Div 3 saw Bacardi come in first ahead of Lincoln Mentor and Nerana on AMS while Lincoln Mentor finished before School’s Out and Nerana.
Expectations were high on Wednesday for Race 4, the traditional Bay Race to Spalding Cove for an afternoon on the beach and Megga’s BBQ. Perfect weather. Perfect racing conditions. Perfect course. On such a day one has to agree that Lincoln Week in the waters off Port Lincoln provides a world class arena for yacht racing. With views of the National Park and a pristine beach to relax on at the end of the race we were very spoiled for both beauty and fun. While some ventured in for a swim, most stayed on the beach and socialised. All too soon the day came to an end and local ribs began to ferry us back to our boats for a leisurely run home. Results for the day show Ichi Ban and Shining Sea strengthening their grips on podium finishes in the overall regatta with other results remaining flexible.
Thursday’s two windward/leewards made for strong competition on the last day of the regatta. Race 5 demonstrated the eagerness of a number of boats to get on with racing in 17 knots and this led to a black flag start in Division 2/3 and relatively more caution on the start line with one boat disqualified for an over-eager start. On IRC, clear Div 1 regatta rankings continued to emerge while PHS results suggested these could still be overturned. Race 6 - a great finishing race - demonstrated the competition was still fierce at this end of the week. On IRC, Ichi Ban cemented its position in front of Secret Mens Business followed by Another Hooligan in Div 1; Shining Sea proved too good to beat in Div 2 and took first with Wicked and Scarlet Runner coming in second and third. On AMS: Div 1 Ichi Ban won over Secret Mens Business and Another Hooligan; in Div 2 Shining Sea won over Dream and Papillon; Bacardi in Div 3 claimed first place followed by Lincoln Mentor and Born to Mentor. On PHS: Div 1 Another Hooligan turned the tables, winning, as did Dream in Div 2, and Bacardi in Div 3.
As always we thank the Port Lincoln Yacht Club and its large team of volunteers for making the event possible again this year. As always the organisation was excellent. We are always welcomed and always well-looked after, reminding us each year that we are very fortunate to have this race available in South Australia and it was great to hear, in the interviews and videos circulating during the week, that so many competitors were keen to express their own huge appreciation for this great event. Di Schwerdt
19
ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN
TEAKLE CLASSIC ADELAIDE TO LINCOLN RACE & LINCOLN REGATTA RESULTS RACE RESULTS Monohulls
School’s Out Venom
IRC D1 AMS D2 AMS D1 PHS D2 PHS ORC AP
Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan Bacardi, Audacious, Lincoln Mentor Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Three Cool Cats Audacious, Bacardi, School’s Out Ichi Ban, Scarlet Runner, Dream Multihulls - only two multihulls competed
PHS OMR
Cicala, Venom Venom REGATTA RESULTS Monohulls
D1 IRC D2 IRC D1 AMS D2 AMS D2 AMS D1 PHS D2 PHS D3 PHS ORC AP
Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan Shining Sea, Wicked, Scarlet Runner Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business, Another Hooligan Shining Sea, Dream, Papillon Bacardi, Lincoln Mentor, Born to Mentor Another Hooligan, Ichi Ban, Secret Mens Business Dream, Wicked, Shining Sea Bacardi, School’s Out, Lincoln Mentor Wicked, Dream, Scarlet Runner Trailerable and Sports Boats
D4 SMS D4 PHS
Shining Sea 20
Serial Pest, Punisher, Bohica Punisher, Serial Pest, Bohica
Photos courtesy of Down Under Sail
FISHING ASSOCIATION UPDATE FISHING AWARDS 2021
Each year the CYCSA Fishing Association runs a perpetual competition for all Fishing Association members. This gives all fishers the opportunity to submit their best catches for judging no matter when or where they made their catch. It could be your prize catch on your favorite local fishing grounds or from a holiday fishing venture or charter. If you have a catch you would like to submit, what we would like to know is the species, how long it is, weight, where you caught it and on what date. You will also need to provide a photo of you and your fish, preferably on a measure for length verification. This past year we received 11 submissions covering fish species such as King George Whiting, Snapper, Tuna, Cow Fish, Leather Jacket, Mulloway, Barramundi and Spanish Mackerel from locations like Coffin Bay, The Pages Islands, Saunders Bank, Port Vincent, the Northern Territory and Fitzroy Island in Queensland in addition to local Adelaide waters.
Snapper winner, Vlad
Scale fish winner, Peter
With our various events being so disrupted during the year due to COVID-19 we eventually got to announce our award winners at the ‘All Associations Christmas Bash’ on Saturday 11 December. Our award winners for 2021 were – •
King George Whiting – Adrian Wotton
•
Game Fish (Spanish Mackerel) – Sam Gaylard
• •
Snapper – Vladimir Humeniuk
Scale Fish (Black Jewfish) – Peter Schembri
I have seen some great fishing photos from Club members in recent times and I strongly encourage anyone who has a favorite fish catch to submit an entry into this year’s fishing competition. Entries will close on 31 October. Peter Schembri Fishing Association - Chairperson
KG Whiting winner, Adrian
Game fish winner, Sam
THE WORLD’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE MARINA BUILDER Build for future generations. With over 60 years' experience nationally and internationally we are the most respected name in marina construction in the industry. Bellingham Marine specializes in the construction of marinas, ferry facilities, wave attenuators, berthing facilities and a range of marine related infrastructure. Bellingham has always been a unique player in the marine industry. With 6 registered trademarks and patents on our products, let us run through our FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer) next generation walers, thru rods and composite reinforcing. Our Unifloat® system is site specifically engineered, stronger, longer lasting and more customizable than ever. Bellingham’s single-source design/manufacture/build approach is unique within the industry. Our fully integrated service model along with our vast knowledge and network of leading professionals in the industry provides our clients with comprehensive turn-key marina solutions from conception to completion. Come and talk to us about how Bellingham Marine can assist with any aspect of rebuilds, extensions or developments. Nobody has built more venues globally than Bellingham Marine.
T: +61 7 3376 6955 E: sales@bellingham-marine.com.au W: bellingham-marine.com 21
If medals were awarded for car packing my Boxing Day 2021 effort might well have qualified. I succeeded in squeezing in a three week supply of food and beverages into the back of my Pajero while leaving enough room for four passengers. By 09:00 we were on the road to Marina St Vincent (Wirrina Cove). Ignoring pleas to stop for coffee en route, we were at the marina by 10:15 and loading supplies aboard Arriba. This included a heavy tub of rich soil growing my favorite herbs; coriander, basil, and mint. Dubbed the ‘boat garden’, this is the first time I’ve attempted on-board cultivation. Two hours later Meredith, Vela and I were underway headed for Kangaroo Island while Cathie was driving back to Adelaide. The south-easterly winds and seas continued to build throughout the afternoon with Backstairs Passage punishing us with 35 knot gusts on the nose. I should have reefed the mainsail sooner as the strain on it caused the bottom batten holder to crack in two resulting in the luff violently separating from the mast track. The plastic part was clearly fatigued and would no doubt have failed eventually and it meant we would be sailing reefed until it could be repaired. More annoyingly, two of the mast trucks also ripped out of the mast which was entirely avoidable and I cursed myself for not checking their condition earlier. We motor-sailed to keep our boat speed above five knots and 7½ hours later we limped into Antechamber Bay on the island’s north-east coast. The wide sandy bay located between Cape Coutts and Cape St Albans can be approached safely in all conditions. We anchored in the south-eastern corner, known as Redhouse Bay, which is the best spot in southeast winds. Even so, a strong swell was wrapping around the cape that slammed our beam all night. A monohull would have responded by rolling but Arriba shuddered and wobbled. I awoke before six the next morning and while my crew slumbered I replaced the broken mast trucks but the batten holder repair would have to wait. The south-easterly had
22
strengthened overnight and our destination, Robe, lay 115 nautical miles directly upwind. Continuing as planned would require a very long day and night (or more) of bumpy sailing. Instead, I decided to sail for Victor Harbor, about 32 nautical miles away. Weighing anchor at 07:34 we slogged away barely managing five knots motor sailing but it was all worthwhile when 6½ hours later we anchored in the lee (north) of Granite Island. While the water was flat, Granite Island was not large enough to completely block the strongest gusts which wrapped around the rocky island and assaulted us from time to time. Eventually a particularly strong blast dislodged our hold on the weedy bottom and set us adrift. For peace of mind I resolved to move to a mooring for the night. We hooked onto an excellent candidate near the jetty but appearances can be deceptive. Shortly before midnight the anchor alarm started shrieking. Perhaps the wind had shifted direction causing us to spin around the mooring as often happens at anchor. I went up to the bow and tugged on the mooring’s buoy and it came loose. The mooring had failed. I fired up both engines and re-anchored about 200 metres east of the causeway this time letting out 30 metres of chain in only four metres of depth.
The next day we enjoyed a leisurely day at anchor and a beach walk towards Port Elliot. Late afternoon we were joined by our fourth crew member, Liam, and over dinner we discussed our options. By sailing to Victor Harbor we were now actually ten miles further from Robe which was upwind 125 nautical miles to the south-southeast. Conditions were forecast to start to subside overnight so we decided to get a head start and sail through the night. Weighing anchor at 20:42 we enjoyed half an hour of twilight before settling into three hour watches through the night. I took the watch from 12:00 to 03:00 then Liam relieved me till 06:00. The autopilot, which had been operating fine at the start of the trip, was now misbehaving so we hand-steered. Fortunately, the stars were out and guided us without the need for technology as we sailed under mainsail and gennaker (screecher) in 20 knot winds.
CRUISING SA WATERS The winds picked up again the following afternoon but we kept the gennaker up to maintain our speed. That proved to be a costly mistake as a poor tack resulted in one of the sheets snagging. The gennaker flapped so violently that a small tear eventually developed although it was not noticeable for another two days. In the past I’ve attempted temporary gennaker repairs using tape but, in my experience, the damage is always worse by the end of the trip so this time I decided to take the sail down and store it. Its loss would seriously hamper our boat speed in the following days.
The wind and seas did not abate quickly and we eked out a mere 5.2 knots. A second bumpy night at sea was by now sorely testing the patience of Meredith and Vela, both of whom were seasick. Perversely, the following morning we lost the wind completely and so I took advantage of the calm conditions to attempt to re-calibrate the autopilot. The problem turned out to be more serious, the autopilot motor had failed. After 41 hours and 42 minutes at sea we motored into Cape Jaffa Marina. We had consumed half a tank of diesel so refuelling was my top priority. While there is fuel near the boat ramp it is not a self-service bowser and requires a commercial fuel card. Fortunately one of the friendly locals gave us a ride to a petrol station where we refilled jerry cans. At 16:20 we were on our way to Robe which we reached almost five hours later. The town has a small marina but the tranquil conditions made anchoring the more attractive option. Tranquil did not mean quiet however as on shore a band was playing very loudly, although not too badly. Their rendition of ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley was particularly good. Some people might think that sailing to Tasmania is a little crazy but, as with most things in life, it all comes down to preparation.
After my crew retired for the night I set to work on the autopilot. Arriba carries a veritable floating workshop of spare parts and I’d recently added a spare autopilot motor in anticipation of longer trips. Electrical motors are highly reliable devices but they work very hard in big seas. On the other hand autopilot controllers, which are electronic, not electro-mechanical devices, are probably less likely to fail. Regardless, when I upgraded Arriba’s autopilot controller, I kept the old one as a spare as well as ordering a spare motor. I went to sleep content in the knowledge that we would not be hand steering for the next thousand miles.
The following morning we enjoyed a refreshing swim off the stern before departing at 08:40. Our next stop would be King Island 270 nautical miles away. While it is possible to hug the mainland and break up this section, for example, by stopping in Portland, I opted for the straight shot. This meant for the second time in as many days we would spend two consecutive days and nights at sea. This would also be my third New Year’s Eve on Arriba. Bass Strait, which is infamous for horrid conditions, was kind to us and the wind seldom exceeded 12 knots. I would have appreciated some more wind, especially on the beam, but most of my crew were not complaining. Consequently, we motor-sailed the whole time, averaging 5.5 knots. Also for the first time since setting out we avoided breaking any equipment. The second morning (2 January) at sea was particularly memorable. My reward for relieving Liam at 06:00 was a pod of dolphins serenading against the backdrop of a beautiful sunrise. Ninety minutes later I spotted King Island on the horizon. I could imagine what the old seafarers must have felt when they sighted land from a safe distance. For many however, their first encounter with King Island was less pleasant as over 800 ships were wrecked in the island’s coastal waters.
Fifty hours after leaving Robe we pulled into Currie Harbour and anchored in 2.8 metres of water north of the wharf. Since leaving Wirrina Cove six days ago we had travelled 548 nautical miles and even managed to not spill the contents of the boat garden in high seas.
We excitedly piled into the dinghy and headed for shore where we were surprised to find two uniformed men waiting for us on the dock, a policeman and a biosecurity officer. Unbeknown to us, since leaving South Australia two days ago, Tasmania had introduced new biosecurity rules and all arrivals were now required to pass a rapid antigen test (RAT). The officials were sympathetic to the fact that the rules had changed for us midocean and supplied us with RATs to take back to the boat. We all tested negative and an hour later we were back onshore. It was King Island Race Day and we were off to the races!
Alan Noble
Granite Island causeway
23
SOCIAL ASSOCIATION
On Sunday 5 December 42 children, plus parents and friends, came together to welcome Christmas to the Club. The weather was perfect and the Social Activities (SAC) had already set the scene in the outer Bistro with a beautiful tree and decorations.
The Amazing Magic Mike was the entertainment and wow, was he fantastic. From the moment he arrived the children and audience alike were enthralled with his magic tricks, humour, dancing, music and wonderful performance. Also provided were tastes of popcorn and an old favourite of everyone, fairy floss. Magic Mike was a great hit and we thank him. On his departure a light lunch was served and a great big thank you to our new Chef, Camillo, who excelled himself. The children were treated to Christmas watermelon trees, strawberry Santas, cucumber and carrot star trees, pizza pin wheels and much more. Thank you, Chef, a wonderful treat for everyone.
As soon as lunch was cleared the children knew that Santa would be arriving. He was assisted by Marty Heffernan on the Club RIB. Much excitement greeted Santa and each child was given a fantastic present and, as always, a bag of lollies to take home. Thank you to Glenda and Jim Smyth who each year have donated the special lolly treat for the children. After numerous photos it was time for Santa to depart and amidst much blowing of kisses and ringing of his Santa bell, he was off. It may look easy to be Santa but for first timer Geoff Catt he was fabulous. Thank you Geoff, you were a big success.
Following the departure of our special guest it was time to pack up and move to the bar.
It was a great day and I extend a special thank you to the SAC Committee for their dedication and hard work; Jacq Heffernan, Giorgi Gauci, Jenny Murton, Adrian Wilson and Ann Marie Wallage. Rosemary Gould SAC Chair
24
ALL ASSOCIATIONS CHRISTMAS BASH On a beautiful Saturday evening over 65 members and guests came together to celebrate the end of another very demanding year. In what is an important tradition the Club’s Associations gather for a casual BBQ (all BYO) and possibly a few Xmas libations. The event was hosted by the Cruising, Fishing, Racing and Social Activities Committees who all generously contributed to another tradition, the free raffle.
The Social Activities (SAC) spent time earlier in the day making the BBQ area festive and this year the Associations again engaged the services of entertainer, Angelo. The music was fabulous and despite dancing restrictions many members stayed on late to listen to the music and watch the sun go down. Prior to the drawing of the lottery prizes a special award was given to Adrian Wotton for his many years of service to the Cruising Association. Adrian has stood down as Chair of that Committee to be involved with the inaugural South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) which will be held over three days over the Long Weekend in October 2022. The Associations were very generous with their gifts for the very popular raffle draw, over 25 in all, and after the conclusion of the formalities there was some dancing on the lawn and raised glasses of festive cheer. The Associations are an important part of Club life and this joint event was an enjoyable gathering for all who participated. Rosemary Gould SAC Chair
25
The last update we provided was back in September 2021 for Groundswell which saw us reach Great Keppel Island along the Capricorn coast of Queensland. Since that time we kept the bow pointing north and certainly covered some miles. Many people say that the cruising lifestyle is about experiencing high highs and low lows and achievements might be hard earnt but well savoured. As we went north we certainly experienced this and as I peruse through the logbook for this article there are a few things that stand out. After leaving Great Keppel Island we made relatively short hops north typically in 15-25 knot south easterlies. This provided beautiful sailing conditions, generally with a poled out genoa and a main with possibly one reef, something cruising sailors rarely get sailing out of Gulf St Vincent. North of the Keppels the number of island anchorages greatly increased seeing us stop at Hunter Island, named for its previous use of game hunting deer, Curlew Island and then Brampton Island. While we had been seeing migrating humpback whales throughout the journey Brampton Island provided a truly wonderful experience. While at anchor we were awoken by the sounds of the humpback song ringing through our hull. We peaked outside and saw a mother and calf swimming through the anchorage of possibly 10-12 yachts as they slowly passed between the yachts. Brampton Island was also the first place where we saw the impact of a variable global economy and similarly variable weather with dilapidated tourist resorts devastated by the global financial crisis and finished off by various cyclones. This became an all too frequent sight with no less than ten abandoned resorts throughout the region, particularly the Whitsundays. These are truly an eyesore on each beautiful island and more should be done to either restore the resort or to remove the infrastructure and rehabilitate the land to preserve the natural beauty of these places. Passing into Airlie Beach, after a 20 minute fight, we managed to catch a beautiful longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol). Slowing the boat down from sitting on nine knots and fighting a fish (and dodging whales) had the whole family working together, like any race crew, to make sure this one didn’t get away. These are one of the finest eating tuna in the sea and once we got it on board and bled it we quickly prepared some fresh sashimi.
26
On arriving at Airlie Beach we anchored out the front of the Coral Sea Marina which provided a view of the Airlie Beach Race Week course and settled down to carry out some boat jobs. At times like this the fold up bike became invaluable with many kilometres riding through Airlie Beach, Shute Harbor and towards Proserpine with the cover of the oil cooler in a backpack looking for a plug to replace a corroded tap fitting which broke. Needless to say, the job turned into a ‘typical boat job’ with numerous visits to multiple shops, talking to so called experts pointing me in every direction, only to find the answer at the little nondescript shop at the marina five minutes away. Several days and much swearing later all was good on Allusive again and I am sure I am better for the exercise. We soon met up with fellow CYCSA members Matt and Traci on Vellamo and found many fantastic hikes through the islands of the Whitsundays including South Molle Island and Whitsunday peak at Cid Harbor forcing us to raise more sweat, see some magical flora and fauna and some absolutely spectacular views. From Cid Harbor we were able to sneak a small reprieve from the south easterlies and ventured out to the reef. Bait Reef is a small coral reef which is totally protected from any exploitation, other than tourists. There is only a dozen or so mooring balls and anchoring is prohibited. An early start ensured us snagging a mooring and as soon as we arrived we were greeted by a huge Humpheaded Wrasse at the back of the boat and a Giant Trevally amongst many small Fusiliers and other reef fish. It didn’t take us long to jump in the water and enjoy the reef. Bait Reef was a clear contrast to some of the reefs further south with the shallow coral being quite degraded, lacking colour and overrun with sediment. The deeper areas were in better condition but still not as diverse and colourful as other locations. The true beauty of this reef was the large fish which were noticeably lacking from the other reefs we had dived. We saw large coral trout and blue spot trout, red throat and long nose emperors and enormous giant trevally. These were clearly not threatened by divers with encounters so close that I actually nudged a red throat emperor with the GoPro. The highlight was freediving the large pinnacle ‘stepping stones’ rock formations at the entrance of the reef.
ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES
We were diving amongst spectacular fish in crystal clear water with the passing Humpback whale’s song reverberating through your chest. This was definitely an unforgettable experience but unfortunately the relentless south easterlies meant we had to leave. Many more miles north saw us arrive at Magnetic Island. This turned out to be a hidden gem with its beautiful anchorage, abundant natural beauty and interesting historical war remnants to visit. At Magnetic Island there was a fortuitous aggregation of boats with kids. Up until this point we had only sporadic meetings with other sailing families with similar aged kids and here we saw at least 10 to 15 boats with children ranging in age from five through to 17. Julie organised a treasure hunt as an ice breaker for the kids which worked a treat as at the end of this activity the group were playing with each other all day, every day and all we could do was receive check in phone calls every few hours, track them with notifications from credit card spending and rumours from other parents saying they were all at the skate park or at the playground. With so many responsible kids we all knew they were in good hands but still relieved to get the phone call at dark to ask can you bring the dinghy to pick us up. This also introduced us to a whole group of like-minded cruising sailors with the fortitude (or stupidity) to throw their kids onto a small enclosed space and seek adventure by sail. While each boat had their own plans, over a few beers we would all talk about where we have gone, where we want to go and many plans were slightly modified to ensure that some of the boats stayed together. We headed further north stopping at Orpheous Island to see the giant clam garden which honestly was a bit overrated, however it was here that we found ourselves with a weather window. We were all keen for some reef time which was unfortunately not that common due to the relentless south easterly trade winds but this time we had heard of a place that time had forgotten, a place called Zoe Bay and has picturesque waterfalls. It is located on the eastern side of Hinchinbrook Island exposed to the wind and swell making for a notoriously rolly anchorage even in perfect conditions. Many people we talked to said they had cruised this coast for five seasons and never got a window to get there so we had to jump at the chance. We were up early the next day for the short trip from Orpheus giving ourselves enough time to climb to the waterfalls. As we headed into the bay we all were awestruck by the mountains shrouded in clouds, each peak seemingly with their own weather system. It was truly a scene from Jurassic Park. We anchored as close as we could and dinghied to shore. Matt from Vellamo was waiting knee deep in the water to catch us as we came in, totally
ignoring the reasonably high possibility of crocodiles. We hiked up a small track, including a makeshift rope, to get over a large boulder to the waterfall and the crystal clear pool. It was a sight to behold. The waterfall was spectacular and we spent quite bit of time cooling off swimming in the pool, sitting with the waterfall running over us and the kids found a rock to jump from. We then hiked further up the mountain to the next series of pools which overlooked the expansive untouched forest, huge mountains still shrouded in cloud, down to the bay where Allusive was safely nestled. We climbed back down the path and after a second swim in the lower pool headed back to the boats for some sundowners where we decided that we would test the anchorage overnight. Further north we found another derelict resort at Dunk Island and a great long walk around the island showed off the different habitats based on wind exposure from rainforest, grassland and finally across the beach back to the anchorage. We kept trucking north and had to find shelter from a nasty blow and the charts suggested safe anchorage through a notch in a cliff within Mourilyan Harbor. Seemingly cut straight from rock we were astounded to see a large cargo ship moored at the sugar refinery inside the narrow gap. The anchorage was shallow with expansive mangroves through countless tributaries. Unfortunately there was nothing much to do there and I was bored enough to try to catch a barramundi amongst the mangroves from the dinghy. This was a great plan until I remembered the story of a cruising sailor taken from a dinghy by a large crocodile while fishing in the Hinchinbrook Channel only six months before which hastened my retreat back to the boat. I will stand by this as the reason that I did not catch a giant barra. Still further north and we reached Cairns and finally had to address the issue of our fridge and freezer dying a slow death and it was time for the last rites. This was not really a surprise as it had given us grief since we bought the boat. It was a very
27
ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES large eutectic system with one compressor that drove both the fridge and the freezer together. Apparently in their day they were not a bad unit but I had always hated it due to the massive power draw (20 amps @ 24v) and the frequent cycling. By this stage of the trip and the ambient temperature, the unit was running almost constantly and our batteries could not keep up. Even running the generator morning and night we still had to turn the system off overnight to make sure we didn’t kill the batteries. We bit the bullet and delved into our cruising kitty and ordered two new Ozifridge systems but these would take two weeks to be delivered from Melbourne. This presented us with a conundrum, do we sit in a stifling hot marina or head out in the perfect weather for some far north reef action. We bought up some dry stocks and ventured out for a two week tour of Green Island, Vlassof Cay, Michelmas Cay, Flynn Reef, Elford Reef and finally back to Fitzroy Island and then the Cairns Marina. These reefs were breathtaking with abundant and colourful coral, fish and even the occasional coral trout for dinner. Flynn Reef was extremely memorable for a number of reasons and we managed to be there alone and on the only mooring. The water was like an aquarium with brilliantly colourful coral, abundant fish and it was picture postcard perfect. However, this was not the memorable part. The weather was hot and there was little airflow due to the very calm conditions so we all jumped into the water to cool off. Julie started yelling that she had been stung by a jellyfish. We raced back to the boat and tried to work out how serious this was. While there are many different species of jellyfish, the two serious ones are the Box Jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) and the tiny but deadly Irukanji (Carukia barnesi). In front of my mind was that we were more than five hours from assistance and Julie was in a lot of pain. Even though it was more than a month before stinger season officially started, we concluded that this was probably a Box Jellyfish and we treated it with hot water which slightly eased the pain. Generally Box Jellyfish stings will start to ease after an hour or so and fortunately this was the case with the pain slowly subsiding after a couple of hours. After reaching Cairns again and taking delivery of our fridge and freezer we moored the boat on a pylon in the Cairns River. I then set about deconstructing the old system, including the metres and metres of copper tubing, and installed the new system. This is easier than it sounds due to the seemingly endless trips to Bunnings, Whitworths and other stores that may or may not have the parts I needed on the bike, in the stifling Cairns heat. Fortunately Julie and the boys had found the airconditioned comfort of the Cairns Library to undertake their school work and quickly became locals. This even allowed Julie the opportunity to start her own legal business, check out Julie Height Legal aka ‘the sailing lawyer’. This work took a full
two weeks but was interrupted by a trip to the emergency room after my knee blew up like a balloon. It seems that while out on the reefs I had likely picked up a bacterial infection which was making its way into my knee joint assisted by extreme dehydration and constant kneeling while working on the boat. Several rounds of strong antibiotics later my knee was still not 100% but I could finish the fridge and freezer and we could get out of Cairns and start heading south.
Our five weeks in and around Cairns saw us meet up with many of our sailing friends as they passed back through Cairns having spent a few weeks continuing north to Lizard Island and the beautiful Ribbon Reefs. We headed straight out to Farquarson Reef to try to relax after a hectic time in Cairns. However, as soon as we navigated through the coral bommies, Julie suggested that there was an issue with the anchor winch with lots of milky oil covering our anchor chain and lots of smoke and a few sparks from the motor and electrical connections. A few swear words later we headed for the nearest location with public moorings. We spent the next few days bouncing between Brook Island and Orpheous Island and ended up in the marina at Nelly Bay on Magnetic Island while we waited for the replacement. Nelly Bay Marina was just what we needed; a good marina (and cheap) that allowed full access to the Peppers resort pool which is the biggest pool I have seen and a couple of rooms for a lounge where the kids could get on with schoolwork. Here we met up with Matt and Traci again who had made this marina their base for a few months. After receiving our new winch we headed back south through the Whitsundays having a lovely few weeks in Nara and Macona Inlets and through the Percy Islands, Lady Musgrave and back to the Keppels.
Changing the fridge and freezer from the old 240v system onto 12v meant that our very old AGM batteries were now being used more than they have for many years. Predictably they were not able to keep up so we again delved into the cruising kitty for some lithium batteries.
I think this sums up cruising pretty well - lots of good times but lots of hard work keeping the boat going. This year has given us plenty of good times and the quality time with our kids that we have been aiming for. There have also been plenty of trying times as it has cost us a fair bit more money than we predicted but, well, that’s boats! As we move into a COVID normal 2022 we are going to head for Indonesia! Sam Gaylard
Zoe Bay Waterfall
28
At the last combined All Associations Christmas Bash in December I was lucky enough to win a day charter fishing trip from Wirrina Cove on board Fish Stalker II. The days leading up to the charter on Saturday 26 February had been very windy from the south-east. As the winds were forecast to drop early that morning the decision was made to delay our departure by two hours to 8am. At 8am ten excited passengers assembled and after a safety briefing by the skipper, Scotty, we left Wirrina bound for an area south-east of Kangaroo Island.
We motored past Cape Jervis and then headed south-east into a head wind and rougher conditions. Fish Stalker II is a West Coaster 50’ powered by an 18 litre V8 diesel engine which made light work of the conditions. On arriving at the fishing grounds our very efficient deck hand, Mick, let out lures from four fishing rods placed in holders across the stern. After trolling for about 20 minutes a strike was taken on one line. Skipper Scotty immediately cut back to idle and as the first line was being wound in two more lures were taken! A very busy 15 or so minutes followed while three beautiful tuna were gaffed and brought on board and there were smiles all round. This procedure was repeated several times although not three at a time. All on board managed to land at least one tuna, all of which were a good size.
Trophy Winner, Royce
By some stroke of beginner’s luck, I caught the largest tuna which was 875mm long and weighed 14kgs. To my surprise I was awarded a great trophy from skipper Scotty Weaver for the largest fish of the day. By this time the sea had moderated considerably and we had a comfortable ride home while Mick gutted all the fish and packed them in ice. We had caught enough tuna for everyone to be able to take one home. We returned to Wirrina a bit before 5pm and shared out the catch.
Scotty and Mick were both very friendly and helpful and I’m sure all would join me in thanking them both for an exciting day. Thanks also to Peter Schembri for organising such a great day out.
Rafal Staporski
Royce Nicholls
29
BOATS AT THE CLUB 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.
In February 2021 CYCSA member Chris Jones and his wife Helen brought their new boat, Vulcan, into Marina West to start another chapter in their sailing life. Chris had been looking for a yacht for a long time but COVID made interstate travel difficult so he began to look locally. Chris and Helen had inspected Vulcan at the RSAYS but Helen was hesitant about a few things so they moved on to look at other boats. A few weeks later Helen went on-line and found Vulcan again and suggested they should have another look. This time they bought her.
Vulcan is a Beneteau First 44.7 launched in 2004. She is a Bruce Farr design in the same family as the Beneteau First 40.7 and First 47.7. Vulcan was originally campaigned on the Australian east coast by well-known Sydney yachtsman David Spies who carried out modifications to improve racing performance. These included removing the interior cabinetry and cushions and fitting pipe berths in the main cabin while adding temporary pilot berths in the aft cabins.100kg of lead was added to the bottom of the keel to improve stability and the keel profile was faired to Bruce Farr specifications. The anchor winch was removed and changes were made to the safety fence configuration. Fitting an extra-long spinnaker pole, mast-head spinnakers and deck hardware changes made it easier to sail and control from the cockpit.
In 2004 the boat raced as First National Real Estate in the Sydney to Hobart and came ninth overall, and second in Division C. In the 2005 Sydney to Hobart she raced as Sirromet Life Style Wines but retired due to rig damage. The boat was then bought by David Beak and competed in the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Sydney to Hobart races with the name changed to Mr Beaks Ribs. She came 17th overall and first in Division D in 2007. David Beak then sold her and in 2011 she was purchased by the late Jimmy Howell and his son Chris. They re-fitted the original cabinetry and sailed to Adelaide. Jimmy was 88 years old at the time and had become a well-known name among the sailing community. Renaming the boat Vulcan was prompted by Jimmy’s interest in military aircraft. Over the next eight years Vulcan was raced extensively in offshore and inshore races with the RSAYS, winning numerous series and trophy races. This included the trophy for the first RSAYS yacht in the 2019 Port Lincoln race. Jimmy died shortly after at the age of 96.
When Chris and Helen bought Vulcan they filled two Subaru Outbacks and a 6x4 trailer with the extras that had been taken off the boat for racing and had been sitting in a Port Adelaide storage facility. They re-fitted the doors, added mattresses for sleeping and Helen made mattress covers and cushions to match. Vulcan was transformed to a comfortable cruising boat. To make the boat easier to handle by two people a furling headsail and a boom bag were fitted. There are three double berths, a separate navigation station with Raymarine chart plotter, radios and a galley with a large fridge. Two toilets with shower and make-up cabinets have turned the boat into an enjoyable cruiser. The 4-cylinder 55hp Volvo Penta engine gives good power when the wind dies. Chris and Helen, with their sons Alex and Sam and extended family, are enjoying the Twilight Series and plan to venture further afield in cruising mode.
30
Chris started sailing in England when he was eight or nine years old where he was lucky enough to attend a school that had a sailing club and owned Yachting World Cadets. On returning to Australia he joined the Glenelg Sailing Club and sailed Holdfast Trainers, Rainbows and Lightweight Sharpies. He joined the RSAYS and sailed on ocean racers until work took him to the bush. They later moved to Goolwa and for a few years Chris sailed Lightweight Sharpies at the Victor Harbor Yacht Club. After moving to West Beach they bought Vulcan and joined the CYCSA. They like the facilities we have and in Marina West enjoy the use of the small club room. I wish you many happy adventures on Vulcan and may fair winds always be with you. Patricia Catley
BOATS AT THE CLUB
Isis Blue is a power boat belonging to Tim Marsh, a CYCSA Club Member for more than thirty years and CYCSA Board Member for nine of those. Tim is a very keen fisherman while his wife, Heather, enjoys the times they go crabbing.
Tim’s Blackwatch 30’ power boat was built in 1993 by David and Beverley Stephens on the Gold Coast. The hull was designed by Raymond Hunt of Bertram fame in America and licensed to build in Australia. The hull is extremely strong fibreglass with end grain balsa core reinforcing. She was initially bought by a CYCSA member and brought into the Club. Tim saw the boat on numerous occasions in various coastal fishing spots and decided he would like one. He approached the owner to talk about the boat and discovered that having had the boat for three years, the owner was considering moving up to a Blackwatch 34 and was happy to sell the boat to Tim. A win-win result for both. Once the boat was his, Tim decided to make some alterations. He replaced the original two Fiat Iveco engines with two Yanmar 6LPA-STP 315 horsepower diesels that were installed by Blue Sky Marine. Isis Blue cruises at 22 knots using approximately 50 litres per hour and has a top speed of 32 knots. She is very fast, reliable, stable and dry.
Another change Tim felt was necessary was the anchor. Disillusioned by the original anchor’s performance he developed the ‘Marsh Anchor’. Designed and trialed by Tim, word soon spread of its success and other boaties were requesting one. This led to a mass production by Tim’s engineering company, Industrial Springs.
Before buying Isis Blue Tim owned a 23’ Shark Cat named Isis. On purchasing the new boat with her attractive blue hull he appropriately renamed her Isis Blue. Below deck is a V-berth for two and seats in the main cabin can convert to two beds. She has a shower, toilet, air conditioning, auto pilot, Raymarine instruments and Humming Bird Fish Finders. A fridge and gas stove make the boat a comfortable cruiser. The flybridge allows perfect views for the many locations to which Tim travels. These include Kangaroo Island on numerous occasions, Edithburgh, Port Vincent,
Black Point and Wirrina. There is room for four crew up top with the skipper. The boat is great for socialising with a short step from the galley to the deck. The boat can accommodate eight or more people with ease. The cockpit peripheries are padded for leaning into while fighting a fish when a big one takes the bait.
Tim’s love of the sea began as a boy sailing a Mark II Moth at the Grange Sailing Club. He loved to race and enjoyed the competitive times on the water. Then his father bought a motor boat and Tim discovered water skiing that converted Tim into a power boat lover and fisherman. He is a member of the Game Fishing Club of South Australia and intends to use Isis Blue for as long as he is fit and able. It has been a delight to learn about your boat Tim and I wish you and Heather many happy days at sea. Patricia Catley
31
KING OF THE GULF REGATTA This regatta is run by the Multihull Association of South Australia and David Eldridge from the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron is the main contact person. This year our Club, the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, had eight boats entered: Venom, Playground, Rocksalt, G-Wizz, Marnico, Ocean Hawk, Rock On and Cerulean. Gay Footer
Even COVID could not stop the ever popular and growing King of the Gulf Regatta taking place from 4-8 February. The regatta however was forced to move its base from the Port Vincent Marina to the RSAYS due to the harsh COVID density restrictions that would have been imposed on us in the marquee plus the fact that we did not want to jeopardise the well-being of our many fantastic Port Vincent volunteers who look after our catering. The huge marquee on the marina lawns, the tables, the BBQs and the hundreds of chairs were sadly cancelled but a booking was made for 2023. One of the features of racing at Port Vincent is the magnificent flat water which gives us the best racing in South Australia. In a strange twist of fate these conditions were replicated on this side of the gulf during the regatta with the consistent and strong easterly winds that prevailed. Goodness only knows what the sea conditions would have been like over at Port Vincent. Perhaps a very small tongue in cheek, ‘good one COVID’ is warranted.
The regatta was looking to break the 40 yachts target but we lost some Port Vincent yachts due to the event moving to the RSAYS. However next year we are confident of breaking 40 yachts making it a very big regatta indeed. The regatta started off with a race along the Adelaide coast with the course taking yachts very close to all the suburban jetties for spectator viewing. The multihulls had to get to Brighton and back with Venom, the large trimaran from the CYCSA, taking well over four hours to get there but only one hour and four minutes to get back. In a fantastic result for the RSAYS Tearaway, a 31-foot trimaran skippered by Geoff Kneebone, finished ahead of Venom to finish with line honours but was second on handicap to John Muirhead in Cicala. Foundation 2, skippered by Sophie Davidson, won the monohull division against the very high-quality fleet with Playground and Rocksalt, both yachts from the CYCSA, finishing second and third respectively. One of the exciting developments in the King of the Gulf Regatta was welcoming an Adelaide University entry into the Monohull Division 2. They leased one of the Squadron’s J24 fleet, Foundation 2, which was skippered by Blake Lawrenson and was always up with the pack.
32
Another welcome feature in the Monohull Division 2 fleet was the very first all-female crew in Barb Beacham’s Stella Rouge. No matter how much the wind blew you could always hear the sheer joy and camaraderie from this fantastic group of women sailing the boat. When the five race King of the Gulf regatta got underway confidence in the weather forecasting seemed to be challenged with the daily forecast of 10 to 15 knots always materialising to 18-25 knots. Although the reefing lines and the crews got a solid workout it was still very safe and great fun and the flat water saw yachts reaching good hull speeds very easily. It was great course setting by the Principal Race Officer Jock Ross in Wilbur and the mark setting boat Macro which saw all the races underway with great efficiency and a palatable sense of calmness. In the Multihull division Robert Dunn’s Venom took the King of the Gulf crown with his very skilful crew just edging out Iain MacDougall in Goldfinger and Peter Hawker in Carbon Credit. Iain turned the tables in the concurrently run South Australian Multihull Championships edging out both Venom and Carbon Credit adding to his National Championship title won in Geelong. 2023 is already looking great for the multihull fleet with a number of interstate boats scheduling the King of the Gulf Regatta into their 2023 programming. The large high quality Monohull Division 1 fleet saw John Herbert in Stealth winning the last two races to snatch the King of the Gulf crown away from perpetual King of the Gulf high level performer Colin Doudy in Circe with Brenton Pegler in Playground third. Of note was the Squadron’s General Manager enjoying the win in the Stealth crew. The Division 1 fleet just gets bigger and better every year and we look forward with great anticipation to 2023. A focus of the King of the Gulf regatta committee is to continually build up the Division 2 fleet. With the universities getting involved and the seven J24 yachts available to be leased for the regatta we are confident this will happen. They will however have trouble dealing with the hot fleet at the top with Silver Gull (Rob Hutson) winning the regatta, finishing with four firsts and a second out of five races. Kevin Kelly’s new boat Passport is getting faster and faster with every race and finished second with the Stella Rouge crew getting the third place gong. The Cruising Division was a parade with Cicala (John Muirhead) always out in front. Peter Hastwell in Witchcraft came second with Aquitaine (David Eldridge) in third position.
Venom
The increasingly popular North Haven Marine teams’ event was over capitalised with the purchase of team hats for all skippers. Yachts from all the different fleets are selected by lot to represent four landlocked countries. This competition was initially designed to break down the negative banter between big boats and small boats and monohulls and multihulls. The competition, with a prize pool of $700, is now an important feature as yachts realise they have to look after each other to get the money. A twist of fate and the luck of the draw saw one team completely full of Squadron yachts representing the great country of Bhutan. These winning yachts were, Cicala, Crosshair, Goldfinger, Stealth, Arcadia 111 and Stella Rouge. All in all this was another inclusive and enjoyable regatta despite the challenges and the late forced change of venue thrown at the organisers. A big thank you must go to the Squadron and their staff for their ability to pick up the event at late notice and to conduct it under COVID conditions. Thanks also to our sponsors, 35 South Marina, Wireless Communications, MYASA, North Haven Marine, Bec Hardy Wines, Dog Ridge Wines, the CYCSA and the RSAYS.
Even though the sailing was great here our regular King of the Gulf yachts just cannot wait to get back to Port Vincent next year. The lawns of the marina and the big marquee with meals in the evening and breakfasts in the morning with our great Port Vincent friends beckon.
The dates for next year have already been set to take advantage of the high tides and access into the marina and are – • • •
Passage Race to Vincent, Friday 3 February 2023
King of the Gulf Regatta, Saturday 4 February to Monday 6 February 2023 Passage Race back to Adelaide, Tuesday 7 February 2023
David Eldridge
33
CYCSA BERTH CLASSIFIEDS | A HOME FOR YOUR BOAT 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 - $40,000 ono 8m tw: C07, F01, F02 - from $35,000 C11 - $35,000 all offers considered / C13 - $33,000 10m tw: A09, A10, A14, A22, A34, A40, F04 - from $30,000 A20 - reduced to $20,000 / F26 - $20,000 A27, A28, A37, F09, F15, F19, F28, F36 - all offers considered. A29, F20 - $18,000 / F34 - $12,000, F37 - $12,500 10m s: A03, A12 - from $55,000 A02 - reduced to $22,500 - all offers considered A05 - $35,000 - all offers considered A25 - all offers considered 11m tw: A42 - $19,500 - bargain, must be sold. 12m tw: D20, D35, D36, D37 - from $29,000 D38, E13 - reduced / all offers considered E24 & E25 - to be sold together $35,000 suitable for mutlihull, will consider offers for separate sale E26 & E27 – $50,000 together or $30,000 each 12m s: D07, D08, D17, D18, E01, E07, E10, E11 - from $60,000 / D04, D21, D23, E03, E04, E05, E22, E23 - all offers considered / D10, D30 - reduced to $50,000 / E01 - $60,000 - all offers considered 13m tw: C23 - $60,000 / A44 - reduced to $50k all offers considered 14m s: C24 - $120,000 / C25, C27 - all offers considered 15m s: A47 - $80,000 urgent sale, all offers considered C34, C35 - from $145,000 / B32 - $125,000 all offers considered / B31, B36 - all offers considered 16m s: B15 all offers considered / B17 - $160,000 all offers considered / B16, B22 - $150,000 - all offers considered B18 - $155,000 all offers considered / B20 - $159,000 18m s: B01 - see below* 20m s: A49 - $120,000 urgent sale, all offers considered *Unique opportunity to purchase Marina berth B01 / Hardstand 108 (10m) and storage locker at an all inclusive price of $255,000 HARDSTANDS FOR SALE 9m: H39, H70, H81, H90 - from $3,000 / H76 - $1,800 includes storage box / H81 - reduced to $1,800 H79 - $2,500, H68 - Reduced to $1,500 Negotiable H45, H58 - Reduced to $2,000 / H69 - reduced to $1,000 10m: H108, H140, H144, H146 - from $5,000
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: M03 - $80,000 - All offers considered - suitable for a catamaran. M01 - All offers considered 14m: M07 - all offers considered 15m: N03 - $100,000 offers invited / M08 - all offers considered 17m: J19, J20 - from $150,000 / J09 - $100,000 J08, J10, J12 - all offers considered 20m: K04, K07, K08, L02 - from $135,000 K01, K05, K10 - all offers considered K06 $135,000 - 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 $12,000 12m tw: B33, C53, C63 - from $28,000 C60 - Reduced to $20,000 B34, B40, C61 - all offers considered 12m s: B44, B46, C47 - from $29,000 C48, C68 - all offers considered B25, C50 - all offers considered 14m s: D70, D78 - from $45,000 D77, D79 - $50,000 offers invited 15m s: D84 - $39,000, D85 - $17,000 ono, D87- all offers considered D89 - reduced to $25,000 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
casual and permanent berthing | slipway | marine academy bar and bistro | weddings and functions CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SA | 8248 4222 | CYCSA.COM.AU
34
Please support our Club Sponsors
Platinum
Call Jo Mitton today on 0411 022 286 or Ciaron Cowley on 0472 722 795
Gold
Proud of the the Proud sponsor sponsor of Program. YouthYouth Foundation CYCSA Sailing Foundation Scan Scan QR QR code code to to see see our our latest latest listings. listings.
Silver Purple Giraffe
Corporate
Supporters
35
PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL QUOTED QUOTED&&HASSLE HASSLEFREE FREE COMPLETE COMPLETEMARINE MARINESERVICE SERVICE FACILITY FACILITY DO YOU NEED TO REPAIR, MAINTAIN OR SELL YOUR BOAT? DO ORSELL SELLYOUR YOURBOAT? BOAT? DOYOU YOUNEED NEEDTO TOREPAIR, REPAIR, MAINTAIN MAINTAIN OR
Port River Marine Services is a leading Australian family-owned marine repair, service, sales and manufacturing facility, Operating our for 35 Marine Services has grown into South Australia’s Operating at ourlocation location forover over 35years, years,inPort Port River Marine Services grown South Australia’s based in Largsat North, South Australia. Established 1985River by highly respected boathas builder Jiminto Theodore, the business has leading marine waterfront and facility. Based on thePort Port RiveratatLargs LargsNorth, North, we leading marine waterfront service andrepair facility. Based the River we specialise in in grown from a small yacht fit service out company inrepair a one-man team, to aon nationally accredited marine facility with a specialise team of 25.
extensive repairs and complete vessel maintenance, including antifouling and polishing.
extensive repairs andboat complete vessel maintenance, including antifouling andapolishing. A truly multi-disciplinary shipyard, brokerage, repair and maintenance facility, undertaking wide range of marine services. Due to an accredited and preferred insurance repairer, with an AMSA & MSA Marine Surveyor onsite, In In addition toto our we operate operateaapremium premiumboat boatbrokerage brokerage representing addition ourrecognised recognisedservices services and and facilities, facilities, we representing Port River Marine Services has undertaken some of the most difficult and extensive jobs in the industry. Additionally, Maritimo and Highfieldas asthe theSouth SouthAustralian Australian agents, agents, and the award winning Maritimo and Highfield and are arethe themanufacturers manufacturersofof the award winning Port River Marine Services are the manufacturer of the multi award winning, nationally renowned Theodore 720 Series. Theodore 720 series.Should Shouldyou yoube belooking looking for for a second second hand has thethe backing of of Theodore 720 series. handboat, boat,our ourboat boatbrokerage brokerage has backing Our clienteleour base covers local, and state, national international customers our service facility and can make the easy. service facility makeand the sales salesprocess process easy. within the commercial, defence, government, recreational, racing and general boating communities.
Utilising our closed-doorunder undercover coverrefit refit and and service service sheds, and 7070 tonton ship Utilising our closed-door sheds, 70 70boat boathardstand, hardstand,wet wetberthing berthing and ship Specialising in extensive repairs and complete vessel maintenance, including slipping, antifouling, polishing lift, we service and maintain a wide range of government departments, racing yachts and recreational boaties. lift, we service and maintain a wide range offor government departments, racing yachts and recreational and Prop One coatings - we’re known our workmanship, customer service and attention to detail. boaties. a trusted namefor forboat boatrepairs repairsand and maintenance maintenance and customer WeWe areare a trusted name and pride prideourselves ourselvesononour ourworkmanship, workmanship, customer Our extensive facilities include closed-doorservice undercover refit sheds, 100 boat hardstand, wet berthing and 70T shiplift. and attention to detail. service and attention to detail. equipment, Port River Marine Services is With the deepest water access in Adelaide, impressive plant and extensive Completing over 10,000 boat lifts, lifts, our our expertise in toto none. continuously investingover in the latest boat technology andexpertise boasts over $1m handling company plant and equipment. Completing 10,000 inboat boat handlingisowned issecond second none. Port Riverlooking MarinetoServices the number choice for many commercial and recreational boat owners. Are you get workisdone on yourone boat? Don’t the professionals. Are you looking to get work done on your boat? Don’t deal deal with withamateurs, amateurs,deal dealwith with the professionals. Gotaacheaper cheaperquote? quote?We Wewill will beat beat any any comparable comparable quote Got quote by by 5%* 5%*. Got a cheaper quote? We will beat any comparable quote by 5%*.
“We make boats our business” “We make boats our business” PORT RIVER MARINE SERVICES
PORT MARINE 9-11RIVER Allan Rice Court,SERVICES Largs North SA 5016 9-11 Allan Rice Court, Largs SA 5016 All Hours: (08) 8242 0788 | North enquiries@prms.com.au | www.prms.com.au 36 and(08) conditions All*Terms Hours: 8242apply. 0788 | enquiries@prms.com.au | www.prms.com.au *Terms and conditions apply.