Groundswell September 2022

QUARTERLY JOURNAL FROM THE CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FLYING

THE FLAG

AWKR

OUR RACING LADIES

EAST COAST CRUISING

SEPTEMBER 2022

Southern Australia Marine Precinct

Service Precinct Facilities • Hardstand & fit-out sheds • Service berths • Your choice of contractor or we can arrange for you

• 24hr high speed refuelling (Diesel & Premium Unleaded) • High pressure cleaning • Pump out facilities

• Fully EPA compliant Due for completion in October this year is DockYard’s new purposebuilt Mega Shed Facility and new 150T Marine Travelift. This facility is specialised to accomodate full refits and builds, spray painting and blasting operations.

Call in for a tour of SA’s Marine Services Precinct.

Enquiries: (08) 8423 6420 Allan Rice Court, Largs North 2

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 AT THE HELM WITH OUR GM

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FROM OUR COMMODORE

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CLUB NEWS

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RACING REPORT

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MARINE ACADEMY NEWS PORTLINE CUP

Jacqueline Heffernan Nick Bice Jeff Dinham

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FLYING THE FLAG

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AWKR: OUR RACING LADIES

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SAWKR LAUNCH EVENT

The Honourable Kevin Scarce AC CSC RANR

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BUYING BASANTI

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ITALIAN NIGHT

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SEAFOOD SPECTACULAR

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CRUISING ASSOCIATION UPDATE

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BATTLE OF THE CLUBS QUIZ NIGHT

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ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES

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BOATS AT THE CLUB

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COMING CLUB EVENTS

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CYCSA BERTH CLASSIFIEDS

STAFF General Manager Financial Controller Financial Administrator Marketing & Communications Berth Sales & Leasing Reception & Member Services Marine Academy Principal Sailing Operations Manager Racing Administrator House & Functions Manager Head Chef Port Vincent Marina Manager

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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 Greg Allison Inese Lainis Frank Mammone Camillo Crugnale Rob Marner

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 3

Jacq Heffernan Peter Schembri 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 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: Sintara, image credit: Down Under Sail

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PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Welcome to the September issue of Groundswell. Many of us will be keen to see the back of winter and looking forward to some warm spring and summer weather.

50 YEAR CELEBRATIONS We are now into our 50th year of operations and the ensuing year will be full of many opportunities to celebrate this landmark achievement. The Club has formed a committee to ensure that the celebrations are well planned and executed and some events already planned are •

a formal black-tie dinner celebrating the milestone

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other various celebrations to be held throughout the year as part of our normal calendar of events

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opening of the time capsule to be held in May 2023

After much deliberation the Club has developed a logo for the celebrations as shown. You will see this logo throughout our communications over the next few months.

Keep an eye out in our regular weekly updates as to the various celebratory events on offer and I encourage all members and guests to attend as many of these functions as possible.

VOLUNTEERS Any Club able to achieve this milestone and also to have such a sound financial as well as operational position could not have done so without the significant contribution of our many volunteers. I thought it appropriate to acknowledge these contributions made by all our volunteers around the Club. They are pivotal in ensuring things get done whether it be in the water, on start boats, repairing and refurbishment of much of our property and infrastructure and by actively participating in our various committees/Board. Our Club would not have been able to function effectively without them for the 50 years it has now been in operation. Thank you to all the volunteers of our Club both past and present.

RESTAURANT AND BAR FACILITIES It has now been 10 months since we engaged Camillo as the Head Chef. Since he commenced at the Club the quality of food offerings has improved materially.

The high standard set by Camillo has in turn resulted in greater patronage in the restaurant by both members and the public at large.

With the easing of Covid restrictions we are seeing a serious increase in function enquiries which will assist in meeting hospitality targets in the coming financial year.

Sinking Fund Summary International shares 10%

Listed property 6% Cash 3%

Emerging companies 5%

Australian core equities 46%

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Interest rate securities 30%

Sinking Fund Investment allocation (value at 31 July 2022 $6.3m)

The Club’s restaurant and Camillo himself along with front of house stalwart Bridgit Webb, have been nominated as finalists in the upcoming Restaurant and Catering Association and Clubs SA awards and I hope we are successful on both fronts at these nights.

The Club has held some recent functions including the Italian Night, the Seafood Spectacular and the recent Quiz Night which proved to be extremely successful no doubt due to the great quality of staff we have in the kitchen, bar and on the floor.

The chef is looking to reintroduce some fine dining experiences which will showcase some of his fine food coupled with SA Wines. We will keep you posted on these events. I encourage all members to visit and enjoy the hospitality currently being offered by the Club.

The Board has recently completed its budgets for the 12 months ending 31 May 2023. Whilst we have budgeted for an EBITDA similar to the one in 2022 financial year, we are looking for significant growth in the hospitality side of the operations compared to last year.

You have recently been advised of the appointment of Greg Allison as the Sailing Operations Manager. His job amongst other things is to oversee everything boating related but with an emphasis on managing racing, managing the Youth Sailing Foundation and the Marine Academy.

Greg has a strong nautical history being a competent and competitive sailor and has also worked in education as a teacher and done a stint in commerce. We welcome Greg and wish him all the best in his new role.

We have earmarked with our 50 year celebrations the following nautical events:• SA Women’s Keelboat Regatta. This event co-ordinated by Adrian Wotton, is an exciting new contribution to women’s sailing in SA and the nautical calendar of women’s sailing. I encourage the sailing fraternity to support this Club initiative in any way they can.

• the Club will be hosting the start of the 2023 Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race which has also been awarded the Australian Yachting Championships. This will attract many more competitors and interstate boats and visitors to our Club.

• SINKING bothFUND the SUMMARY State and National Etchell Championships will be held at the Club through December and January respectively. We look forward to hosting this popular and highly competitive class.

A summary of the Sinking Fund as at 31st July 2022 is as follows:

COMMODORE’S DINNER Can I encourage as many members as possible to attend our upcoming Commodore’s Dinner. It is important to celebrate our hardworking Commodore’s contribution to the Club in her various Flag Officer roles.

The dinner will have a ‘last waltz’ theme with some great music, food and SA wine.

Looking forward to seeing you on the water.

Dominic Rinaldi

Sinking Fund Value

FROM THE HELM

We are already three quarters of the way through another year! At this time of year we are usually looking forward to some better weather heading into the festive period.

This is an exciting time for the Club as we roll into our fiftieth Golden Anniversary year, 2023. A full calendar is planned.

We will embark on some fantastic regatta activity starting with the inaugural South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta in October 2022. Congratulations to Co-chairs Adrian Wotton, Kerry Parker and the SAWKR Committee for putting together this initiative which could well be happening at your time of reading this.

The Club will also be involved in this year’s Port Adelaide Water Sports Festival. We will run a regatta for the defence industry along with the second instalment of Sailing League to crown the Sailing League State Champions. This regatta will be run over the weekend beginning on Friday 9 December. We intend it to be a much bigger version of what happened last year, encompassing many more ‘on-water’ activities. Its vibrancy is being backed by the Port Adelaide Enfield Council.

In late December and early January we have the honour of hosting both the State and National Championships in the world famous Etchells class. These thirty foot racing boats have long attracted the very best racing sailors and we look forward to having the nation’s finest at the Club testing themselves on our waters.

In February it’s all eyes on the Teakle Adelaide to Lincoln Race and the following Regatta. Australia Sailing has highlighted this event by way of awarding it the status of the National Yachting Championships, 2023. We are hoping for a fleet in size second only to that for the Sydney to Hobart. Conveniently, next year this event falls to the CYCSA to host all race commencement activities. This is another nicely timed accolade in our 50th year.

The Anniversary Committee hope to publish details of a marquee celebratory event to members soon. The time capsule is due to be opened on Monday 1 May 2023. A formal dinner and dance function will be earmarked for around that time.

Another notable event that will be rubber-stamped at the time of reading is the HMAS Hobart Regatta/Race down to the Hobart memorial by Wirrina. This event will encompass all associations with a sailing race, a power cruise and some fishing activity organised for that weekend. Wirrina Cove will be set up as a CYCSA annex. Club members are encouraged to join in this event which is hoped to be a permanent fixture on the Club itinerary.

A few new staff member introductions are also required.

Joining our Maintenance team we are very pleased to announce the commencement of Anthony McAuley. Anthony comes to us with substantial maintenance experience along with an extensive horticulture background. I think members will already see evidence of Anthony’s efforts around the Club.

Our on-water, sailing, racing and Marine Academy areas have been enhanced with the appointment of our new Sailing Operations Manager, Greg Allison. Greg is a well recognised local sailor with very extensive and impressive State and National sailing representation. He has joined our team, bringing in also a professional background from the educational sector.

Assisting Greg with the Youth Sailing Foundation, in a parttime Head Coach role, we welcome Maddy Salter to the CYCSA team. Maddy was previously a registered paramedic and patient transport officer. She has also served as an instructor/coach, sailing school and membership manager at the Adelaide Sailing Club.

These additions to our personnel promise exciting times ahead for the Club in an on-water capacity.

I look forward to participating in a few of our very own Marine Academy courses this spring. I’ll be sure to wave out should I see you on the water!

Safe Boating to all.

Adam Hays General Manager

We welcome Maddy Salter to the CYCSA team

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FROM OUR COMMODORE

As I write this report it feels as though we are emerging from a nuclear winter! Aside from the pandemic, many are saying it is the coldest winter they can remember. Perhaps because it has not been as easy to escape the weather by heading north! Even heading off for a local sail across our gulf is not so appealing when it is so cold. But that’s not so bad when there is an amazing chef cooking fantastic food at our very own Club. Weekend lunches have been delightful and often extend into dinner. How fortunate we are to have such a wonderful place to seek refuge in on these cold days.

The CYCSA’s values and culture have been embodied in the acronym of TRUE.

As mentioned throughout this edition, there are good times ahead.

The inaugural South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta will be held over the long weekend in October and it is going to be a huge event. Many of our female sailors have been looking forward to this type of event for a long time, how exciting.

Stay safe.

Speaking of exciting, our 50th Jubilee year will kickstart on Opening Day, Saturday 29 October 2022 and will be celebrated through to Opening Day 2023. It will be a whole year of celebrations which will include welcoming a new Commodore to whom I will be handing over the baton. The Commodore has the responsibility of being the custodian of the Clubs’ values and culture, a leader who acts as a positive role model – I have no doubt the incoming Commodore will be just that.

The values and culture that the Club holds so high are the expected standards from members and employees. When these are put into practise it makes for a safe and happy environment for members, employees and is noticed by visitors.

Jacqueline Heffernan

CYCSA - CULTURE CODES

At the SAWKR Launch Event.

Photo by Down Under Sail.

WELCOME GREG In late July we welcomed the appointment of Greg Allison to the position of Sailing Operations Manager. Greg joins the CYCSA team in the SOM position with an impressive CV that has seen him represent Australia on nine occasions and South Australia on 32, and includes a world bronze medal in the International Fireball Class.

Professionally, Greg has a Diploma in Education and spent the last 16 years as owner/principal of Adelaide Education Consultants running a diverse range of education and training operations in both public and private sectors.

Greg brings a vast array of experience and associated attributes and key skills to the role. We welcome Greg, wife Sue and the Allison family to the CYCSA! greg.allison@cycsa.com.au

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CLUB NEWS

‘SEA CHANGE’ There was a splash more colour around the Club last month.

As part of the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival the Club exhibited 'Sea Change' a collection of creations inspired by our beautiful coastline by artist, Louise Russell.

ROBERT (BOB) EGERTON 1937-2022 Bob, known as Skipper to his family, passed away on 22 July 2022 aged 85.

Bob was a very active racing member and had three yachts at the CYCSA during the 80s and 90s.

Louise is an emerging South Australian artist. Discovering the joy of painting just three years ago whilst in the depths of major depression, Louise’s life has changed considerably in the last 18 months.

Resigning from her nursing career in palliative care, downsizing and moving to the coast has enabled Louise to begin her new career as a full-time artist.

“I never realised the coast was so colourful until I looked closer. Sailing boats, beach towels, paddleboards, surf life savers, sunshades, sunsets, rainbows, sculptures, beach wear to name a few. Experiencing all of this just makes me want to reach for my brush and paint, so I did.”

Louise Russell

The first was a Young 88, Rapid Transit, built in New Zealand with a swing keel with the intention to sail in the Goolwa Lakes but that changed on arrival and Bob joined the CYCSA. He had a crew of young Brighton windsurfers and competed in all the races the Club offered both inshore and offshore.

After competing in a small boat in the Offshore Series he upgraded to a larger yacht, a Young 11 called Outside Edge, again a full import from New Zealand and many successful races were had.

As a Port Lincoln lad he dreamed of competing in the Sydney to Hobart Race so he commissioned Mal Hart to build an Inglis 47 called Advantedge in which he competed the Sydney to Hobart on two occasions. One of Bob’s proudest moments was being ‘First and Fastest’ in the 1997 Adelaide to Lincoln Yacht Race as he was returning to his birthplace.

After a celebrated yacht racing career Bob moved onto fishing with a power boat. Bob served the CYCSA in a volunteer capacity on the Racing Association committee during his racing time and as a CYCSA Board Member from 1993-1998.

A gentleman of the sea. Fair winds and calm seas.

Rob Sellick

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Over the last three months the following people have joined the Club. Please make them welcome.

Aishah Abdullah, Matthew Adams, Chris Aistrope, Lindsay Bell, Tyndelle Bleakley, Allan Brookes, Peter Burford, Davin Conigrave, Greg Cutt, Scott Elvish, Lee-Anne Fischer, Christopher Gibbens, Braden Griffiths, Nicholas Hart, Ben Hinks, Zoe Hinks, Rachel Huczko, Lindy Hunt, Scott Hutchison, Rebecca Jenkins, Serge Kamikin, Douglas Keim,Brady Lowe, Neal Maxwell, Andrew McLennan, Ian Mullen, Joshua Murray, Leigh Parsons, Anthony Petherick, David Rawnsley, Isla Ryan, Anthony Smart, Murray Stone, Leonardus Van Wijk, Maurice Vast, Benjamin Webber, Robert Wright, Subin Wright-Simon

Greetings from the top of Australia!

Pictured, Club members Richard Pope, Rod Hunter and John Bolt with Tab Hunter.

MEMBER SUBMISSIONS

Members - If you have been on a race, cruise or a fishing trip or completed a Marine Academy course that you found interesting, it is likely other members will be interested also.

So please, put your thoughts into words and forward it to the Club for possible inclusion in the magazine.

We look forward to hearing from you.

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The Port River Marine Winter Series has been completed.

The series was predominantly sailed in fair winds (8-18 knots).

24 boats signed on for the combined fleet with ten CYCSA boats (though not all were out every race). A week out from the first Winter Series race there were not enough entries at each Club to have Division 1 and 2 course and start separate so it was decided that Winter Series would be an Allboats event.

However, the CYCSA did have enough entries for a Division 1 result as well.

PHS Allboats result had Sintara (Derek Morrison) dominating with three wins, with Rock On (Trevor Conyers) a close second with Rocksalt (Denby Steele) third. AMS Allboats result had Sintara dominating with four wins, with Rock On second and with School’s Out (Adrian Wotton) third.

In Division 1 results Sintara dominated in PHS and AMS with Venom (Robert Dunn) second on PHS and Playground (Brenton Pegler) third and with Magic (Mike Holmes) second on AMS and Game On 2 (Julian Newton) third.

The combined presentation event was held at RSAYS this year and Sonia Neumann was on hand to present the Hans Neumann trophies. Combined Winter PHS results for Division 1 also has Sintara in first place and in Division 2 Rock On came in second with Rocksalt third. Combined Winter AMS results also had Sintara first with Magic coming in fourth for Division 1.

Division 2 had Rock On second, with School’s Out fourth and Rocksalt fifth.

The Short-Handed Series has just finished their last race.

Unlike the Winter Series, the two handers were dealt lighter winter weather with only one race being lost to strong winds.

The fleet numbers were good this year with eight boats entered. On PHS, The Bottom Line (Lee Haakmeester/David Fawcett) held her lead over Clockwork (Bob Schahinger) from RSAYS with Carioca da Gema (Craig Hutton) in third place.

AMS 2 saw Clockwork ahead of Inukshuk (Robert Large) from RSAYS, with Carioca da Gema third.

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Derek Morrison, Sintara with Sonia - Photo by Andrea Short

Again this year some of the Short-Handed fleet in the annual Port Vincent Dash and with the addition of a fully crewed division, a total of seven boats made the crossing. Even with a shortened course the time limit expired with no finishers. It was typically a cold and damp night in the Port Vincent Marina but the camaraderie of like-minded sailors made it enjoyable yet again. Five boats participated in the return race with Locomotion (Peter Hall) winning the fully crewed division return.

The Racing Program for the 2022-23 season was published in July and is available on the Club’s website. Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are to follow soon.

Safety auditing will continue to be the focus of attention preseason for owners with our Equipment Auditors undertaking mandatory safety audits on all boats before racing in the 2022-2023 season. More information will be available at the Skipper’s Briefing on 15 September.

Inese Lainis Racing Administrator on-water image by Neil Pentecost

CYCSA MARINE ACADEMY NEWS As members prepare for another spring and summer of on-water enjoyment it’s important to assess not only boat maintenance requirements but also your preparedness for any incident or emergency that you may come across. To this end the Academy is running several safety related courses in the next few months that should be considered by all boaties, not just the yacht racing group. This includes Marine Radio, Safety Sunday and the higher-level Sea Safety and Survival Course which will be run in October and November. Go to the Club website under Training and click on Course Dates & Bookings to book in.

At the time of writing we have over 50 courses programmed between August and May 2023 and they can all be booked at the link mentioned above. Apart from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Cruising pathway we have a number of additional practical courses for Powerboating and also some online Navigation courses available for members to undertake at their own pace. Importantly we can also discuss with you your individual requirements with the possibility of establishing a private course to meet your needs.

A milestone was reached recently with two Club members joining the ranks of our RYA Cruising Instructors. Well done to Pete Chambers and Guy Wogan-Provo, who have endured months of training and arduous exams to become Yachtmaster Offshore Cruising Instructors and we look forward to you sharing your knowledge and skills to Marine Academy customers for many years to come.

Lastly it has been great to see the interest from members and visitors in the recently introduced Boating Conversations evenings, once a month on Friday evenings at 7.30 pm, check the Club website for exact dates. The mix of topics, from cruising to maintenance and racing means there is something for everyone. No need to book, just turn up on the night, perhaps have dinner in the Bistro beforehand?

David Royle Marine Academy Principal marine.academy@cycsa.com.au

FISHING ASSOCIATION AWARDS This is a quick reminder to lodge your entries for our annual perpetual fishing competition!

We are now more than halfway through the year and while local fishing conditions have not been great in recent times, I am aware that many Fishing Association members have been wetting their lines in other, much warmer locations. As in recent years, awards are presented for King George Whiting, Snapper, Game Fish and Scale Fish.

An engraved stainless-steel trophy will be awarded to each winner of the categories above and winners names will be added to the FA Fishing Trophy board displayed within the Club.

Welcome our new Yachtmaster Offshore Cruising Instructors

If you have caught a fish that you believe is worthy of a trophy, please ensure you submit an entry. While I know all Fishos are honest and well-meaning people, I am also aware of the existence of many ‘Fish tales’, hence evidence of the length of your catch is also required, as follows; •

Name & contact details

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Date and location of catch

• • •

Pete Chambers

Guy Wogan-Provo

Species of fish and length of fish (in centimeters) Photo(s) of fish – Photo should show fish against a suitable measuring ruler or tape; AND photo(s) showing the person holding the fish is required.

Entries will be received at our CYCSA office reception up to the 31st October 2022 and multiple entries are welcomed. Winners will be announced and trophies awarded at the annual All Associations Christmas Bash to be held on Saturday 10 December 2022.

Peter Schembri Fishing Association Chairman

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our members representing the Club at local, interstate and overseas events...

Game On

2022 PORT LINE CUP

Young Einstein

A resurgence of interest in the Portline Cup saw nearly 25 boats compete over the two day event. The Port Adelaide Sailing Club Organising Committee is dedicated to making next year’s event even better and hopes to attract nearly 50 entrants.

In Division 3, the Elliotts had a great battle with CYCSA Youth Sailing Foundation’s newly appointed head coach Maddy Salter a six second winner. Snapping at her heals were the teams led by David Royle and Greg Allison. All six Elliotts are expected to compete in next year’s Portline Cup.

Congratulations to Game On 2 with Julian Newton’s experienced crew for winning Division 1 by just over five minutes.

Greg Allison Sailing Operations Manager

The CYCSA was well represented with six boats making the journey, including three Elliotts which were towed around by the Club’s RIB.

In Division 2, Young Einstein (Rob Moore) had a great battle and finished not far behind the leaders. Adrian Wotton’s School’s Out also had a competitive day out on the water in Division 2.

Bookings for the Elliotts can be made through the Club’s website closer to the date.

Images courtesy of Port Adelaide Sailing Club

2022 NT WOMEN’S REGATTA Doing our best in NT....

As part of the combined CYCSA/RSAYS team, Kerry Parker and I competed in the Northern Territory Women’s Regatta with our crew Twisted Sisters, in an Elliott 7 in beautiful Fannie Bay, Darwin. We were joined by another South Australian team, the Squad Chicks skippered by Janet Thornley owner of Balancing Act (RSAYS), who also made the trek up north and went on to win the regatta.

Photo by Anne Lahy

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At the last minute our skipper, Helen Willmer had to pull out and I was informed that I now had moved from trimmer to skipper. Having not helmed anything smaller than a 38 and never held a tiller, it was a daunting prospect.

HAMILTON ISLAND RACE WEEK

Team Secret Mens Business (SMB) is again flying the flag for the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia at Hamilton Island Race Week. This year’s team has set a goal to win the event in the IRC.

Tim Cowen continues his role as Boat Manager. Since 2000, Tim has played a crucial role in arranging the logistics of transport to and from sailing venues around the world and plays a critical role on the boat sailing in various positions and being the boat’s specialist in sail selection and rig tuning.

Young CYCSA member Josh Hinks (Mid Bowman) started his sailing journey in Optis, 420s and Lasers and has played a pivotal role in training participants in the Youth Sailing Foundation Elliotts.

Grinder Steve Dunn’s experience in 125s, 14 foot skiffs, Etchells (State Champion) and in Caillin Howard’s Aiken, has added another professional dimension to the team.

Current South Australian Sailor of the Year, David Snoad (Sharpie National and Etchell State Champion), joins the team again as Runner Trimmer. With seven Hobarts under his belt, Snoady offers the team a strong voice and tactical support for skipper/owner.

This year’s Australian IRC Championships will be the 16th time an SMB yacht has been taken to Hamilton Island to compete.

Geoff started his sailing in Holdfast Trainers at Grange Sailing Club and has sailed in 24 Hobart races, winning the 2010 race.

Photo by Down Under Sail Keeping Geoff honest will be Nick Bice (Crew Coordinator/ Relief Helmsman). Another Holdfast Trainer junior at PLYC, Bicey has competed in numerous Hobarts, two Volvo Ocean Races and was selected to be Shore Manager for the Volvo Ocean Racing Organisation.

Navigating the challenging course again will be Steve Kemp.

Kempy’s experience is priceless and includes 19 Sydney Hobarts, three Fastnets and two Admirals Cups. Growing up in Lincoln, Kempy had numerous successes in Herons, Lasers, Sharpies and Solings and remarkably sailed his first Adelaide Lincoln Race at the age of 14!

Other members of the 2022 team who will feature in future articles include Adam Common (Pit), Chester Armstrong (Bowman), Nick Egnot-Johnson, (Tactician), Billy Merrington (Main/Strategist), Richard Fidock (Runners/Boat Maintenance), Steve Dunn (Grinder), and Jamie Beavis (Grinder).

We wish them success,

Greg Allison Sailing Operations Manager

The crew of Kerry, Helen Kearney and Jenny Geytenbeek from the RSAYS were supportive so we were off. Armed with Elliott crew, sheets supplied by our new Sailing Operations Manager, Greg Allison, and an email of helpful ‘how to’ notes from Helen, we decided we had nothing to lose and lots of fun to be had.

After a practise session on Friday, the racing consisted of a round robin format, with six crews and six windward leeward races over Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a bit up and down and our goal for Sunday was to have one perfect race, which we managed in race five. Unfortunately, no podium for us but close racing with the three bottom boats on equal points with the last race to go.

Overall, we were really pleased. I didn’t turn the wrong way or crash into anyone or lose crew overboard as crocodile fodder. We got three seconds, with some great starts. Kerry was fantastic organising all the spinnaker work, allowing me to concentrate on steering. We loved it and intend to be sailing as often as we can with the Twisted Sisters in the Elliotts in the women’s regattas that are popping up all over the country.

Mary Ann Harvey 11

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA

by Di Schwerdt

This was the 30th Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) and was held at St Kilda in Melbourne from 10-13 June.

It was wonderful to return to this well-loved annual women’s event after a Covid-enforced absence of two years. Expected to be a scaled down version of previous AWKRs, with 24 boats in 2022 rather than the 40 boats entered in 2019, this year’s regatta did not fail to challenge and delight those who turned up to race. It had all the elements of a regatta that could please keen competitors from those with a wide range of sailing knowledge and experience to those with less, crewing a diverse fleet of competitive boats, some owned and some lent by generous members of the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS). Women sailors from Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania faced off for the six race regatta on the waters of Port Phillip Bay. Close to thirty women split over four teams represented South Australia. One boat was trailered over to Melbourne, Janet Thornley’s Balancing Act 2. The majority of South Australians were on borrowed boats: Mrs Overnewton, Taniwha (recently sold round to RMYC),Vice Versa and Pocahontas (a J24 last minute substitute for Taniwha).

The Welcome and Briefing on the Friday before the regatta indicated that the weather would be challenging on the following two days to say the least. Indeed the first day of racing initially looked doubtful but the Race Officer, Lou Hutton, determined we would make a start and in the end

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successfully ran three races back to back in winds that gusted between 25 and 30 knots. The weather was rough and the wind bitterly cold, funnelling straight up from the Antarctic.

Two boats experienced man-overboard events, both with successful retrievals, and the Boat Buoys were quick to help with the relatively small number of gear mishaps that occurred ensuring that everyone managed to keep racing despite the conditions. There was much to talk about that first day over the post-race complimentary sausage BBQ, wine and beer put on for competitors and supporters. Everyone was keen to share what had been an exhilarating day on the water.

The Taniwha crew had been looking forward to sailing on the Farr 11.6 again, especially her previous owner and skipper Barbara Parker, so we were disappointed when engine failure on the Friday meant she was out of the regatta. The RMYS made a huge effort to find a replacement. Most boats in the regatta were fully crewed but could squeeze in an extra one or two. There were also fewer boats for loan this year as some had been sold during the Covid lockdowns in Melbourne and others had not yet been prepped for racing.

Nevertheless a J24, Pocahontas, became available overnight after the first day of racing and on Day Two, six of us, some CYCSA and some RSAYS members, leapt on board: Lisa Bettcher (skipper), Di Schwerdt (main), Robyn Reidel (headsail trim), Carolyn Ramsay (mast and kite) and Kirsty Hammett (bow). We had a quick lesson in rigging it then, as rapidly as possible, got out on the water for a bit of practice with the intention of competing in the second race of the day. The temptation to get straight into racing was hard to ignore. Lisa urged us toward the start boat area then suggested we may as well practise on the course. That was a yes!

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA 2022 We headed to the start boat, registered and just made the start line for the first race of the day. Delighted to be on the water we raced a windward /leeward followed by a long race, yes, towards the back of the fleet, but improving every minute. Five of us had never sailed a J24 and six on the boat was a bit of a squeeze. Used to bigger boats, we soon discovered the fun of competing in a smaller version of aquatic vessel, one that seemed more intimately affected by wind and water and by the second race of the day we had settled into a team that worked with the boat and each other very happily.

The final and sixth race on Monday was easy sailing by comparison with light 2-7 knot winds that called for the judicious use of what was a very small spinnaker to pass a few boats on our way to the finish line and a not too shabby end to the day’s racing. In short, we had a ball! Thank you RMYS for the deft work locating a boat for us and thanks Lisa for doing such a great job skippering the J-newbies.

JANET THORNLEY ON BALANCING ACT 2

Day One of the AWKR was a case of survival for the crew of Balancing Act 2. With the winds consistently gusting into the high 20s it was definitely not our conditions. We had our one and only reef in the main and the decision made by myself and the crew was to just get around the course safely. The spinnaker did make an appearance on the second leg of Race One but after a broach and dunking one of the crew, it did not return. All the demons of losing the mast in a previous AWKR regatta were expelled that day. We managed to complete three races and that in itself was an achievement.

first lap so the spinnaker was delayed in being deployed but apart from that everything felt it was finally going our way. We were working well as a team and it was good to finish on a high. Overall, we had a great time and enjoyed the excellent camaraderie that is always part of AWKR.

A big thank you to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron for putting together a fantastic regatta. Another big thank you goes to the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria who provided us with the facilities to launch and retrieve our boat and made us feel very welcome. We will be back next year!

SOPHIE DAVIDSON ON VICE VERSA

The Adelaide University Sailing Club was proud to send a team to this year’s AWKR. The team consisted of skipper, Sophie Davidson, and crew Sarah Carragher, Georgia North, Maia Hodge and Julia Warren, who first sailed together only a month before the regatta. Several training sessions and a few races in the Winter Series in South Australia helped build confidence and our skills grew quickly as we settled into our roles on the boat. Georgia and Maia took on bow, Sarah found her usual spot in the pit and Julia worked the jib and kite. After sailing Vice Versa from its home in Sandringham to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron the team began to get the feel of the conditions for the week. Choppy waves and gusting winds meant we were in for a fun (and freezing) regatta. Day One was a huge challenge with heavy winds and huge waves. We worked mostly on keeping the boat upright and our crew safe.

Back at the Yacht Squadron, drenched and wind-swept, we warmed up with a hot shower and sausage sizzle.

By the second day our confidence was up and we had thawed out after the previous day. The team managed to climb up the leaderboard, scoring a 7th and a 4th place. The longer inshore race on Day Two was certainly a highlight for us with some fierce competition across the finish line and some singing to keep us warm. The final day brought a welcome contrast with light winds and an early finish. In the lighter winds we were able to think strategy and finally launch the kite so we bagged two 4th places. Overall the team was very proud of our performance winning the ‘Most Improved Award’ at the closing presentations. We are very thankful to John Neville who lent us his wonderful boat, Vice Versa, and to the Boat Buoys for their support on the dock. Many thanks also to our Commodore Blake Lawrenson who attended the regatta as our support crew.

Next year we hope to return to the regatta with two teams having seen just how beneficial the experience was for our crew. The newly announced South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) in October will be another opportunity for the team to get back together and bring our improved racing skills back to the South Australian stage!

Day Two dawned with slightly more favourable wind conditions and we chose to go with a full main. Unfortunately we had one very wet spinnaker which hampered us in our downwind legs.

Melbourne was true to form with four seasons in one day and I remember taking my sunglasses off when it was so misty it was hard to see the course at times.

By the long race we had started to get into the groove surfing joyfully on the reaching legs and despite not flying a spinnaker we managed to surf past a few boats. I might have to think about adding an asymmetric spinnaker to the inventory.

After the race the spinnaker went back to the thankfully large apartment to dry out.

The next day brought very light and variable conditions. We were quick off the mark but then we were all recalled due to a wind shift. Our next start was not quite as good but we were off and racing. We had some spinnaker pole issues on the

Photos by Andrea Francolini

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AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA 2022 MARY-ANN ON MRS OVERNEWTON

Three CYCSA members, Kerry Parker, Jo Pilmore and I were looking forward to our fourth AWKR. We had sailed previously together as part of the CYCSA’s School’s Out crew when I was on the helm and Kerry and Jo on bow. Now we were combining with some RSAYS sailors to sail on the St Kilda based Bavaria Match 38, Mrs Overnewton. For our skipper, Helen Willmer, it was her eighth regatta on Mrs O and we were very excited to be joining her crew.

It was looking to be a very different regatta from our first five years ago when we had very light airs and started the first race becalmed with the breeze only kicking in on the second half of the last race. This year, with a forecast of 25-30 knots for the first two days, we were concerned we might not get the series in.

On Saturday morning at the pre-race briefing the Race Officer, Lou Hutton, advised we would be heading out in pretty robust conditions, more like 20-25 knots, and hopefully we would get a race in. It turned out to be one of the most testing day’s racing most of us had encountered. The format for Race One was a three lap windward/leeward course of 1.2nm for Division One and two laps for Division Two. In those winds and seas it was fairly manic crew work. Having not raced together as a crew before we did well and couldn’t believe it had only taken an hour.

After a break waiting for Division Two to finish not far behind, the starting sequence had begun as we raced to the start line and we were off for another three laps with the wind building.

It’s difficult to describe how busy those races were. Kerry did a fantastic job on the bow supported by Jenny Geytenbeek and Amelia Clement on mast, so many hoists and so close together, and our least experienced crew, Nicole Mead, assisting them with whatever was needed. Jo Pilmore had moved from bow to strings and she was great there with her experience assisting the bow crew. Helen Kearney flew the kite beautifully and helped with headsail trim. Amelia was on brace and heady trim and also had the hardest job of sewer rat in rough seas sorting and packing the kite lap after lap. Jacqui Cole, on main and also tactician, was excellent at keeping us all working well and getting around the course. Helen Willmer, as always, was incredible on the helm. Her conditions were more testing than ours as she was feeling really unwell. This AWKR I was very happy to be off the helm and part of the

crew on heady trim, back-up for main, and grinding winches wherever necessary. We were all very tired and relieved to get through the second race.

I’m sure, like most crews out there that day, we could not believe to hear we were about to go into sequence for Race Three, but it was true! Away we went again, race to the start, beat upwind, hoist spinnaker, drop headsail, gybe kite - poor Amelia, sort again - and again, and again.

We were delighted to hear that the owner and Mrs O’s regular crew were very impressed with how we had sailed. It was certainly our best day of the regatta with a second place in Races One and Three, leaving us in second place overall at the end of Day One. 2EXTREME was ahead of us on points and they subsequently went on to win the regatta. We also picked up the Committee Boat-awarded ‘Start of the Day’.

Sunday was still windy and two races were run, another W/L and a long race (always a possibility in this regatta, but we hadn’t experienced one previously). It was nice to finally have some time to relax between manoeuvres and it was a lovely sail with two long downwind runs in somewhat surfy seas. Day Three, in contrast, was very light with no wind, gusting to very little. Race Six was run early before it glassed out.

Overall as a crew we had a fabulous time. I’m particularly proud of the way we sailed on Day One, backing each other up in very robust conditions and achieving a great result. On behalf of the crew I would like to thank our Skipper, Helen Willmer. She did a remarkable job very much ‘under the weather’ herself, helming in trying conditions. All the South Australian sailors were absolutely delighted when she was awarded the AWKR Leadership and Endeavour Perpetual Trophy for her contribution to women’s sailing over 12 years at this event. Well done Helen!

A huge thanks also to Mrs O’s owner, Les Norton, for his generosity in lending his yacht to South Australian crews for the last 10 years. Regattas like this can’t happen with interstate crews without the generosity of local boat owners entrusting them to us. We certainly want to return together to sail on her again next year.

SAWKR

our own regatta coming up in October There is no doubt that AWKR has stimulated the growth of women’s participation in racing throughout Australia. Since its inception the event has increased in numbers and influence. At this point in time several similar events have been spawned in a number of states and South Australia’s own upcoming Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) was officially announced during the weekend in Melbourne. There was a great deal of interest in this event to be hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia and scheduled for 1-3 October 2022 and we have every hope that the SAWKR will become a popular fixture in South Australia’s sailing calendar.

See the SAWKR website for more detailed information regarding the regatta: cycsa.com.au/sawkr/

Photos by Andrea Francolini

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SOUTH AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S KEELBOAT REGATTA LAUNCH EVENT

Photo by Down Under Sail The Launch

On Sunday 21 August 2022 the inaugural South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) and its indigenous logo were officially launched at the CYCSA.

Over 80 attendees were treated to inspirational addresses from articulate and inspirational guest speakers, namely: • Deputy Premier of South Australia and the State Member for Port Adelaide, the Honourable Dr Susan Close • Mayor of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council, the Honourable Claire Boan • Commodore of the CYCSA, Jacq Heffernan • Local First Nations Woman and logo designer, Jardi Welch •

SAWKR Co-Chair, Kerry Parker

Many stayed long after the formal proceedings for lunch and to have a chat with our local elected representatives and other guests. There was certainly a great sense of excitement, anticipation and comradeship evident throughout the event.

The Logo

Jardi Welch spoke passionately about her SAWKR logo design that represents the journey of women sailors traveling along the river and seas of Kaurna country, whilst paying respect to the Kaurna custodians. The logo was made possible through a generous grant from the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Council.

2022 Regatta Program

A broad outline of the racing and social program is as follows: • Friday 30 September: Crew registration. Welcome drinks for skippers and crews.

• Saturday 1 October: Regatta Racing Day 1. Regatta Dinner at the CYCSA. • Sunday 2 October: Regatta Racing Day 2. Paella Dinner at the RSAYS. • Monday 3 October: Regatta Racing Day 3. On completion, formal regatta presentations at the CYCSA. • Tuesday 4 October: For competitors and volunteers Clare Valley Wine Tour followed by lunch at Nick Georges Winery.

Our Sponsors and Partners

SAWKR co-Chair, Adrian Wotton, thanked sponsors, partners, and the SAWKR Committee; •

Our partnerships with local sailing clubs: PASC and RSAYS

•

Generous donors of trophies: Tess McGrath and Helen Willmer

•

•

Sponsors: City of Port Adelaide Enfield, Georges Family Wines, Musto Clothing and Quest Apartments Port Adelaide.

SAWKR Committee Members: Barbara Beacham (PASC), Kirsty Hammet (CYCSA), Mary Ann Harvey (CYCSA), Helen Kearney (RSAYS), Jo Pilmore (CYCSA), Dianne Schwerdt (CYCSA).

How can you help?

How can you help and be a part of this celebration of women sailing?

Volunteers - We are still looking for volunteers. We need volunteers ashore and on the water. Two days of volunteering will qualify you for a very smart MUSTO regatta polo.

Spectator Boats - We are encouraging boat owners to have some fun and take spectators out on the water to watch the regatta.

Enquiries can be made to Club reception or the CYCSA Race Administrator, Inese Lainis Ph: 08 8248 4222 or via email: sawkr@cycsa.org

Find out more, visit the SAWKR website: cycsa.com.au/sawkr Hope to see you at the club over the October Long Weekend.

Adrian Wotton Co-Chair, SAWKR

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Scarborough Marina, QLD

Most CYCSA members who own or rent a berth will know Sarah Belton. She is the Club’s Berthing Coordinator and is a valuable member of the staff. In early 2022, Sarah and her husband Snow, together with a good friend, sailed their new yacht Basanti from Brisbane to her new home in the CYCSA. In this article, Sarah tells of their adventures on the way, including being caught in a tsunami and storms. Club members are happy to see Basanti safely home, and ready to start the new season.

In early November 2021 two sailing friends sent us an advertisement for Basanti, a Catalina 42 which was for sale in Queensland. A week later flights were booked, and we were on our way to buy a boat.

Basanti was built to survey in 2005 and delivered new to Fremantle. The original owners sailed her north to Southeast Asia in 2013. The previous owners purchased her in Langkawi in 2017 and sailed her around Southeast Asia for two years before bringing her back to Brisbane via Darwin. They spent two winters at the Whitsundays before deciding it was time to do some land-based travelling. They wanted the boat to go to someone who would use her and not leave her sitting on the mooring. I think they sensed we would love her as much as they did.

We travelled to Queensland again in December when we took ownership. With COVID playing its game we only had one day to get to know our new boat but still managed to take her for a sail in Moreton Bay. PLANNING THE DELIVERY The following month was spent planning the delivery. Our friend Pete was extremely valuable for this journey. He tracked the weather patterns for several weeks prior to our departure, and over a few dinners and bottles of red wine we planned our course. We had three weeks annual leave and hoped we could complete the journey within that time. We had to travel at a minimum of six knots and cover 150 nm over 24 hours to allow for some spare days to hide out in anchorages if the weather turned bad. We would plan to call into ‘all weather’ ports only for refuge, fuel, and supplies. The boat carries 320 litres of fuel and as it turned out the weather was so good for sailing that we only had to refuel in Sydney and Portland.

Snow and Pete set off to Scarborough on Monday 10 January 2022 with the plan to prepare Basanti for the 1471 nm journey to Adelaide. They spent three days checking the boat, cleaning the hull below the water, provisioning and enjoying marina life.

Pete was watching the weather and we couldn’t believe the weather pattern that lay ahead for us. The same happened all

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the way home. I travelled up to Queensland on Thursday. They gave me enough time to have a cup of coffee before we cast off. We waved goodbye to the previous owners and suddenly the delivery to Adelaide had begun.

It was evident this trip was going to be filled with many memorable experiences. The first being when we motored out of the Scarborough Marina and MV Osprey passed our bow.

Snow’s Dad’s boat was called Osprey and from that moment we knew Bern was with us for the journey. There were many other times over the next two weeks that I looked up and thanked Bern for watching over us. I have no doubt he was keeping us safe.

THE JOURNEY

Day 1 Scarborough to Gold Coast (56nm – 8hrs 45mins)

We departed Scarborough at 0918 and motored across Moreton Bay into a 10–15 kts south easterly. We entered the channel of the Narrows and spent the rest of the afternoon navigating the twisting and turning waterways. I steered for the remainder of the day through the Narrows with Pete watching over my shoulder guiding us through channel markers, sand banks, fast ferries, and moored boats. We arrived at the Broadwater, Gold Coast and anchored at Southport about two nm from seaway at South Head just as it was getting dark.

Day 2 Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour (155nm - 23hrs)

We left the anchorage and crossed the bar at 0615. We encountered the occasional rolling wave but our first experience of a bar crossing was mostly uneventful. We continued south under motor for a few hours until the wind started to go easterly.

The seas were about half a metre on a two metre swell that continued all the way down the east coast and through Bass Straight. We then motor sailed throughout the night until we reached Coffs Harbour. The plan was to do 3 hourly shifts overnight. Snow would cover 2100 to 2400. My shift was 0000 to 0300 and Pete covered 0300 to 0600.

We kept within about 5 to 10 miles from the shore all the way down the east coast to keep clear of the turbulent water where the swell bounces back off the shore.

BUYING BASANTI Day 3 Coffs Harbour

We arrived at Coffs Harbour at daybreak and picked up a public mooring at 0600. The plan was to sit out the predicted bad weather and leave the next morning. After dinner Snow looked at the weather and saw a tsunami warning for the entire east coast of Australia. We weren’t sure whether to believe him or not, but it soon sank in when we saw the BOM showing yellow from Brisbane to Victoria. We all spent the next 30 minutes trying to get information regarding the expected timing and force of the tsunami. All we could find were warnings to move away from the water’s edge.

We decided the option of heading out to sea was too risky as we had no idea how far away the tsunami was and didn’t want to risk being caught heading out past the breakwater as it hit.

We chose to stay on the mooring and set up an extra mooring line around the mast. At about 2130 I went into the cockpit to see the water swirling around. It was quite an eerie feeling in the dark not knowing what lay ahead. I called the others on deck and after putting on our life jackets and starting the motor we watched the water surge out and then surge in about 10-15 minutes later. The turbulence was caused by the water coming in through the harbour heads and then rushing into the marina. The mooring was on the edge of the current causing the boat to swing around on the mooring. Everything settled within about 30 minutes and we went off to bed. Snow then woke at 0030 to a bang on the keel which we assumed was the change in direction of the surges. This surge was much stronger and we did a couple of complete circles around the mooring this time. We waited on deck for the water to settle and were finally able to go back to bed. We had survived a tsunami. Not everyone can say that! We had some very relieved family members when we called home to let them know we were okay.

Days 4 and 5 Coffs Harbour to Sydney (268nm 37hrs 50mins)

We departed Coffs Harbour at 0552 and motored into a southerly breeze and then motor-sailed as the wind went northeast. Another change was predicted in a couple of days, so our next stop would be Sydney Harbour. We picked up the southerly current which was up to four knots. The breeze was perfect for the asymmetrical spinnaker and we had a lovely sail for a few hours until the wind died out. We motor sailed for the remainder of the day and through the night. We were lucky enough to spot the fin of a sun fish inshore of us and the fog set in overnight.

I woke to hear Pete say visibility was as low as 20 metres and we were just entering the ships at anchor off Newcastle. The fog cleared as the day went on and we passed about 44 ships

on the inshore anchorages. We motored into Sydney Harbour in very overcast conditions. As we approached the heads HMAS Adelaide motored out of the harbour like a ghost ship.

She was headed to Brisbane to collect supplies for Tonga after the devastation of the tsunami. We picked up a public mooring in Balmoral.

Day 6 Sydney Harbour (22nm)

The day was spent motoring around Sydney Harbour. We only had two wishes on our bucket list and we ticked off the first by taking our boat under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. That night we picked up a public mooring in Double Bay for a windy and wet night.

Day 7 Sydney Harbour

We motored into the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia about 1100 hrs and docked on their courtesy berth for the day. We stocked up on perishables and had dinner at the CYCA before mooring for the night in Rushcutters Bay. Days 8–10 Sydney Harbour to Refuge Cove (451nm, 65hrs 5mins)

After refuelling and topping up the water we departed Sydney Harbour at 1510 and continued our way onto Eden. We motored out of Sydney Heads heading east into large waves for about three nm then put up some sails before turning south. The weather continued to moderate during the evening and overnight as we passed Botany Bay and Wollongong and passed Jervis Bay at daybreak the next morning.

Our plan to stop at Eden was reassessed. We had plenty of fuel and supplies and the weather was definitely in our favour.

We decided to continue on and were able to sail most of the day and through the night. The nights were now much cooler and we had our first sighting of an albatross. We woke to a lovely warm morning and were almost at Gabo Island. We had now entered Victoria and were about to round the corner and head west through Bass Straight.

With the wind now behind us and very light we motored for a couple of hours. The breeze slowly picked up as the morning went on and by 1100 it was blowing 20 knots. Snow was hand steering as the swell was quite big behind us and the autopilot struggled to make corrections quickly enough. We reached speeds of 12 knots down the waves. After reducing the headsail by half we were still seeing speeds of 10 knots. We passed several oil rigs before reefing to make steering easier overnight.

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BUYING BASANTI Days 11–13 Refuge Cove to Portland (226nm 37hrs 45mins)

We arrived at Refuge Cove at 0815 after recording the fastest speed for the journey of 14 kts. Stopping at Refuge Cove was the other thing on our bucket list. We anchored on the western side of the cove, showered, and slept for a few hours.

When we woke, we prepared some food before our planned departure at 1700. We all could have stayed here for a few days, but the forecast was telling us to move on. We will definitely go back there one day.

After leaving Refuge Cove we continued west past Skull Rock and saw seals basking on Cleft Island. This part of the journey would see us take a direct line towards Cape Otway and about 40 nm out to sea. The furthest offshore and the most south we would go for the whole journey. That night was freezing cold and damp. I was glad when Pete took over at 0300 and I could get into a warm bed.

We sailed most of the next day. The wind was directly behind us so around midday we put up the asymmetrical spinnaker and poled out the headsail on the other side. The wind increased steadily to 33 knots as we approached Cape Otway and as soon as we rounded the cape the wind moderated and we motor sailed from about 2300. The night was not as cold but very dark.

Daybreak saw us arrive at Portland. We had a nice shower, relaxed over breakfast and topped up with fuel. We only used about 100 litres of fuel from Sydney to Portland. A distance of about 700 nautical miles. The plan was to head off about midnight, but the wind had picked up during the day and delayed our departure for a few hours.

Days 14 -15 Portland to Adelaide (315nm, 48 hrs 45 mins)

The wind moderated and we set off at 0400. Our plan to leave earlier so we would reach the cray pots off Port McDonnell in daylight had now changed. A local fisherman told us the pots were close to the shore this year so hopefully that meant we wouldn’t see too many. The day was spent motor sailing in very comfortable moderate conditions. It was Australia Day and we thought it would be very un-Australian not to have a beer with lunch. It went down really well. Little did we know the weather was about to change dramatically. We were about to encounter the forecast thunderstorms. We sailed between two cells early afternoon and saw a small amount of lightning.

The second thunderstorm hit about 1730. The cloud formation

was quite different this time. We watched which the direction the storm was moving and tried to skirt around the edge. All of a sudden it changed direction and turned back on us. We had nowhere to go and ended up passing right through the centre of the storm. There was lots of thunder and lightning, and the wind was picking up very quickly. We started the motor and dropped the mainsail in very windy conditions. The rain started pouring and the wind picked up to 54 knots. The sea had gone flat with all the rain. The wind speed dropped as we passed through the centre of the storm and then picked up again slightly as we came out the other side. Once safely through the storm we all had a good laugh and after a change of clothes the rest of the evening was very uneventful.

Unfortunately our late departure from Portland now meant we would be travelling through the cray pot area at night. We decided it was probably better to head further out to sea to the edge of the shipping channel and saw only a few pots.

Morning saw us travelling past the Coorong. It was probably the most pleasant day we had all the way home. It was warm with light winds. We saw lots of our South Australian dolphins for the first time. It meant home was now close. We rounded Cape Jervis at sunset and motor sailed the whole way up the gulf. The seas were very confused between Second Valley and Port Noarlunga but settled as we travelled further up the gulf.

We pulled into North Haven Marina at 0445, 15 days and 1471 nautical miles after leaving Scarborough Marina. We had done it and Basanti was in her new home.

We had so much wonderful encouragement, support and inspiration from all our family and friends as they helped plan and watched our journey day by day.

We give special thanks to Pete. This experience would not have been possible without his support and encouragement.

His knowledge and seamanship are amazing, for that we are forever grateful.

Now the Basanti story really begins. We can’t wait to make her our own and plan to have many more adventures.

Sarah Belton

Balmoral Sydney Harbour

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On a cold and wintry night in June 2022 the Social Activities Association (SAC) hosted the Italian Night.

Despite Covid, over 170 Members and guests came together and it was a fabulous event. The food was delicious with a particular nod to the entrée platters. Attendees had a choice of three main pasta dishes, accompanied by two delicious salads. Dessert was chef’s delicious tiramisu and complimentary wine was on the table.

A big thank you to our major sponsor Stellar Hospitality who supplied most of the food with the Club kitchen cooking and serving. Thank you also to staff on the night who did a great job, as always.

Our entertainment was DJ Angelo who played Italian music and from early on many were up dancing.

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During the evening SAC sold raffle tickets for the large display of prizes on offer. Over $1,700 was raised and the money will be used during the course of the year by the Social Activities Association Member events.

The décor and table decorations all added to the atmosphere.

The SAC contributed to many facets of this event to make it so successful. Thank you, team. It is all the little details that make our events great. An enjoyable night was had by everyone, with great food, wine, entertainment and company.

Rosemary Gould SAC Chair

Event sponsor

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On Saturday 30 July Chef Camillo treated 130 members and guests of the CYCSA to a great example of his passion for seafood.

The CYCSA Fishing Association, in collaboration with the Social Activities Committee, hosted the first seafood experience held at the Club for many years. While the focus was on providing guests with a great seafood experience using local South Australian produce, we wanted it to be a fun night too. To help achieve this we were joined by Tracey Tito, founder of ‘Team Just A Girl’, an all-woman fishing team, as our guest speaker for the event and we also ran a fish identification quiz that kept even our most experienced fisho’s scratching their heads for a while.

On arrival guests were greeted by staff who served welcome ‘bubbles’ and guided them to their tables as a video clip showed Tuna poling from the iconic Tarcoma Tuna fishing boat based out of Port Lincoln. Very shortly after the introduction to the local wild caught Tuna from the Tarcoma which we were about to eat, we were treated to Sashimi Tuna and fresh shucked oysters that were being prepared in front of us.

Entrées were followed by a lobster and gulf prawn velouté flavoured with moscato, the wine of love, with poached blue

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swimmer crab, roasted slices of veal girello with a blue fin tuna and olive caviar, white anchovies, micro green salad with capers sauce and grilled loin of garfish, pancetta, spinach, pine nuts and pea pesto finished with a tomato and white balsamic dressing.

As we finished our main course Tracey Tito treated us to an entertaining presentation about how Team Just a Girl was founded and then how she went on to launch the first allfemale fishing show on Australian TV, ‘Get Hooked with Team Justagirl’.

Following the drawing of door prizes and awarding our quiz winners their prizes, we were treated to Chef Camillo’s impressive dessert stage table.

I would like to finish by thanking all the staff who made this event a success, with a special thank you to Tommy who stepped up on the night to run the floor and keep the event running smoothly. To our Vice Commodore, Nick Bice, another thank you for doing a great job as our Master of Ceremonies.

Peter Schembri Fishing Association Chair

Our event supporters

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CYCSA Marine Academy can inspire you!

The CYCSA Marine Academy prides itself on increasing the enjoyment, safety and knowledge of CYCSA members. We welcome and encourage the public to become involved in our Club, at our prominent location at North Haven on the pristine Gulf St Vincent.

Discover a sense of wonder and a spirit of curiosity about our watery planet with the CYCSA Marine Academy through our Club - which represents many different things to its members.

To some, it is the vast horizons of beauty and tranquility, a refuge from hectic civilised life. Others see it as a recreational area that inspires either rest or physical challenge; somewhere to mingle and share with likeminded peers. A place to begin a journey, explore and dream.

As South Australia’s first and only Royal Yachting Association and Australian Sailing accredited training centre, you can be sure that you are receiving the best training available. All of our staff are RYA or AS qualified and offer a professional yet fun approach to learning to sail, powerboat and navigate.

Our courses go beyond learning to sail, we also offer the International Certificate of Competence (ICC), RYA Competent Crew and Day Skipper qualifications, with many more on water and shore based courses in between.

So please explore our courses and come make a splash!

SAILING | POWERBOATING | NAVIGATION | BOATING SAFETY 24 w:

cycsa.com.au/training | p: 08 8248 4222 | e: marine.academy@cycsa.com.au

CRUISING ASSOCIATION UPD AT E

The August Friday night Boating Conversations addressed how to service a yacht sheet and halyard winch and was hosted by Mark Hutton.

Member Mark Hutton disassembled a winch identifying in detail parts to be cleaned and inspected then successfully reassembled the winch to show the audience that this is a task that can be carefully done by boat owners. The audience was also introduced to the Powerwincher, an Australian made device that is located within a winch to power assist the winch.

As with all Boating Conversations the presentation generated many questions with many of the group taking the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with the winch servicing and have a go at using the Powerwincher.

The evening was supported by Club Sponsors, North Haven Marine. Our friends Rob and Mandy attended and provided all the items used for this maintenance task, all of which are available from their store.

The cruising community remains a strong and diverse part of our Club. The past year has been one of transition and inclusion with more member input sought and a greater number of committee members.

We now look forward to our next Boating Conversations evening on Friday 23 September - ‘Sailing Made Easy’, hosted by Nick Bice with Jan Scholten and Sandy Higgins.

This session will be of interest to all boat owners but in particular, short-handed cruising yachtsman. There will also be a questions and answers session about offshore shorthanded racing based on Jan’s recent Rolex Sydney Hobart experience and preparation.

We take this opportunity to once again thank Charlesworth Nuts for their generous sponsorship of the Cruising Association.

Rod Hunter

In the coming year the Cruising Association is looking forward to more on-water activities while continuing the vibrant social environment that has been fostered over many years.

Through greater participation of cruising members it is intended to re-introduce a few past traditions and acknowledgements, including awarding the Cruise of the Year Trophy. There have been some notable achievements in recent times.

Other events planned for the coming season are: •

Solo skipper cruise in company to Port Vincent

•

Mangrove rubber duck tour

•

Port Adelaide overnight dinner cruise

•

Trips across the gulf

•

Participation in the HMAS Hobart memorial event at Wirrina

•

Second Saturday of the month BBQ

The Cruising Association will continue to support as many Club events as possible. The recent ‘Boating Conversations’ is a good example of the type of event that brings our group together. We look forward to assisting the CYCSA celebrate its 50th Jubilee.

Marty Heffernan Chair, Cruising Association

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BATTLE OF THE CLUBS QUIZ NIGHT

VS ‘THE BATTLE OF THE CLUBS’

CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA VS. NAVAL MILITARY & AIR FORCE CLUB ROUND 4 OF THE QUIZ NIGHT

Even though it is now over ten years since the original Letter of Agreement regarding the intent to establish reciprocal membership between the two clubs was signed, the inter Club Quiz Nights have only occurred on four occasions so far, two at the NMAFC in Hutt Street and two at the CYCSA in North Haven.

The last one was on Friday 5 August when the team from Hutt Street visited North Haven for a most enjoyable evening of food, wine, friendship and competition!

Each Club arranged tables of eight to ten players to determine individual table winners along with the super important overall Club winner.

Each team answered seven rounds of questions – on history, music, pictures, sport, geography, movies/TV and general knowledge – all compiled and presented by the MCs for the evening, NMAFC Club Secretary Mark Jennings and CYCSA General Manager Adam Hays. The skills, friendship and camaraderie that has developed between them both is certainly a bonus to each Club and much appreciated by members.

Sadly for the CYCSA mob though, the disciplined team from the city were once again the victors with Navmil scoring 107.5 versus CYCSA on 83.75, making the overall score in the Battle of the Clubs three to one in Navmil’s favour. Commodore Jacq Heffernan consequently had once again to sadly pass the trophy over to NMAFC President Captain Steve Pearson, CSC, RAN. I think it’s fair to say that everyone is looking forward to the next round to be held in the new year, as well as some more joint Twilight sailing next Summer.

Senior CYCSA members who are interested in the reciprocal arrangement at the NMAFC are encouraged to contact Club reception. It’s always a pleasure to enjoy the décor and ambience of the NMAFC in Hutt Street as well as great food and friendly service.

Geoff Catt

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The last instalment of Allusive Sailing saw us replace pretty much the only items that we did not upgrade, modify or service before we left Adelaide. It’s always a balance when planning a trip like this as to how much to replace or upgrade versus available money for actual cruising. With the confirmation that sailing is the most expensive way to get anywhere for ‘free’, we now move into the next 12 months before having to return to Adelaide.

Part 3 outlined how we made our way back south after spending some time in Cairns. The cyclone season was approaching and many of our friends had to move quickly back south due to insurance stipulations forcing them to be below a relatively arbitrary point on a map to avoid cyclones. I will just send a shout out to the CYCSA insurance scheme and Marsh Insurance who trust members to have enough seamanship to make their own decisions about where they will be in the given weather. This meant that we were not under any time pressure and it was a real eye opener watching countless boats sail south to be below Gladstone by November. This was right into the region of the coast that was being smashed by severe thunderstorms. We know of several boats being struck by lightning resulting in extensive damage only to find out that their insurance only covers up to 10% of total value in the event of a lightning strike. Many sailors’ cruising dreams end right there. Meanwhile we were lazily cruising south in the picture-perfect weather avoiding these storms.

I think the commonly held belief that northerlies blow between November through to March is a fallacy as we saw perhaps a day of northerlies once every two weeks with south easterlies dominating. Notwithstanding, heading south was lovely. We

got to the reef when we could and sailed leisurely when the northerlies showed up, arriving into Moreton Bay mid to late December. We moored Allusive at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and rummaged through the boat to find our Covid masks and flew home to Adelaide for Christmas with the family. This was a relatively quiet period as Covid was running rampant after borders opened so we were careful to avoid large crowds and just spent time with the family and friends. It was a quick trip and in less than a week we were back at the boat.

Slipping the lines we started to explore Moreton Bay. There are several gems very close to Brisbane but with a large boating population the sheer number of boats at some anchorages made for interesting anchoring and people watching. We spent our time moving between Moreton Bay anchorages including Peel Island and a place called Sandhills (for obvious reasons) and then into the Brisbane River when the weather turned nasty. This allowed us to explore Brisbane, not pay for marinas and still enjoy the good weather. Highlights over this period were skurfing (waterskiing with a surfboard) behind the dinghy and trying out foiling. We had to rescue a jet skier who had capsized his ski and waterlogged the engine (please carry a few flares in your dinghy!), had some family stay with us and we even sat through a remarkably uneventful tsunami.

Thus far we had managed to avoid the majority of bad weather with only small, isolated thunderstorms. This was one part good management and two parts good luck but if you do this caper for long enough then you’re bound to cop something sooner or later. We had ventured out to Lady Musgrave Island with a couple of other kid boats. The weather was perfect with

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ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES | PART 4 glass outs every night and we spent the days after schoolwork, spearfishing and snorkelling and each evening watching turtles hatch, crawl out of the sand and make their mad dash across the sand and into the water. We were careful to watch the CAPE values in the weather forecasts to know if a storm would develop and pretty soon the values started to skyrocket. We were on a mooring inside the lagoon so we were not worried about wind springing up but with the tallest mast in the lagoon we were worried about lightning. Our procedure is to turn off all the electronics at the isolator switches and the inverter at the safety switch and being an aluminium boat we felt as good as could be in our faraday cage. At about midnight the storm hit us like it aimed for the lagoon. I have never seen such an intense storm. We were lying in our v-berth and the sky was like a strobe light through the overhead hatch. The sound of some of the lightning was deafening and each time a massive boom occurred I was waiting for sparks or noises for some indication that we had been hit. It lasted less than an hour but felt like a day. Once it passed we crossed our fingers as we turned our batteries back on and with a sigh of relief found them all to be working fine. We poked out heads out of the boat in the early morning only to see a catamaran high and dry on the large bombie behind us. As we were scratching our heads as to how they got themselves there (the bombie is marked on the chart), our friends who were in a large catamaran on the mooring 50 metres to the left of us came over saying that they had been struck by lightning with their VHF antenna raining down onto the cabins in a shower of sparks. They had lost one engine, all instruments and their inverter. He had done the right thing in turning everything off but didn’t know about a hidden isolator switch to his inverter.

After a quick debrief with them over a coffee we were then quickly joined by other friends on the mooring to the right of us who also said they had been hit but their steel boat had no damage. They were later told by another boat in the anchorage very close to us all who videoed their boat being stuck at least three times. With our mast being taller than both of theirs and the three of us being less than 200 metres from each other it does make me wonder about the relatively random nature of lightning strikes, or perhaps we had been hit as well and just had no damage.

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We helped as much as we could and managed to get his second motor working and some of his instruments (depth the most important!). I lent him our emergency VHF antenna and we sailed with him the 40 nautical miles to Pancake Creek while he talked with his insurance company about the best location to undertake repairs. Here we enjoyed some time on the beach with some sundowners for my 44th birthday. However, having barely rehydrated, we watched the CAPE values start climbing again and buckled in for another whopper. This one was just as intense and came with lots of rain. Fortunately this time everyone came out unscathed and it just shows that no matter how much planning you do, if you sail for long enough, you will not be able to avoid them all.

We sailed in company with our friends to Gladstone Marina and with very cheap marina rates and awesome facilities we made this a base for a month or so to do some work to pay the bills. This was also the idea for many family boats and very quickly the kids had taken over the common room or were skateboarding around the buildings en-masse. While in Gladstone we watched the end of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race seeing some of the insane boats arrive including the ORMA 60, Rex, which looks like a lot of fun in flat water.

It also gave me opportunity to catch up with a few ex-South Australian sailing crew for a beer.

Not long after we left Gladstone and headed north relatively quickly. Knowing that we had a lot of miles to cover to get to Indonesia we didn’t stop at too many places for more than a day or so. This suited the weather with the strong trade winds coming quite early in the season pushing us north at a very quick rate with a couple of new high scores for Allusive’s boat speed (16.2 knots!). We stopped at Mackay for new antifoul and then went quickly through the Whitsundays, Magnetic Island and Cairns.

We spent some time in Cairns to provision the boat before leaving for the Cape where small regional communities often lack some food items or can be extremely expensive, especially the beer. Stocking up in Cairns we made our way north again in the relentless 20-25 knot south-easterlies.

We stopped at Cooktown to shelter from the wind which topped out at 47 knots for five days straight and enjoyed our

ALLUSIVE SAILING ADVENTURES | PART 4 stay in this unique town. Once the wind dropped to a more manageable 25 knots we left Cooktown and bounced between islands including Morris and Night Islands. Swimming and snorkelling has become a large part of our life along the Great Barrier Reef so we had been asking around Cooktown about snorkelling this stretch of coast and the general reply was that is was okay at the reef or islands offshore but to keep an eye out for crocs. Morris Island was the first stop offshore and is a little island about 10 miles offshore with clear water and no mangroves so we figured we should be fine. We did the right thing and sent the kids to the island to have a look around before getting in the water and they came back quite quickly with video of two fresh crocodile slides on the sand… no diving here!!

With limited spearfishing opportunities we were running one or two trolling rods as we sailed to try to get some fresh fish for dinner. This stretch of water is sparsely inhabited and frequently windy so recreational fishing pressure is low.

This showed with frequent large hook-ups with the TLD25 reel screaming even with the drag on maximum. Our eldest son, Will, often trolls with his spinning rod and this was soon screaming with everyone jumping to their roles to try to land the fish. Looking back behind the boat we saw a small, approximately 1.5 metre marlin, jump clear of the water numerous times having clearly taken a fancy to Will’s lure.

Unfortunately the line on his spinning rod was not up to the task and we lost this fish which was probably a blessing as we had managed to score three good sized Spanish Mackerels so Julie promptly said rods away, the freezer is full. Nonetheless, a very good problem to have.

Onto the Flinders Group near Princess Charlotte Bay to see fascinating cave paintings, shell middens and artifacts showing habitation over 3000 years ago. We travelled further north through Portland Roads, Margaret Bay and Escape River and on to Cape York. There we anchored in the little bay on the western side of the Cape and dinghied to shore for the obligatory photo at the northernmost mainland point in Australia. Once this was ticked off the checklist and admiring the sudden change in habitats from white/grey sand and mud to red clays, we moved about five miles to the west where we had heard rumours of a pub in the middle of nowhere.

Anchoring in front of the only shed we could see we dinghied to shore keen on some food that wasn’t Spanish Mackerel and was cooked by someone else. This was a fantastic pub and obviously something well known to the 4WD community with live music, a pool and plenty of cold beer.

The next day, keen to keep moving, we sailed a short distance to Seisia, a small community on the western Cape York coast.

The people there were very friendly but the rubbish on the beach and foreshore was very disappointing to see. This wasn’t the plastic fishing waste that we had become accustomed to seeing on the offshore islands but domestic waste scattered across the foreshore even though the bins provided were relatively empty. I told the kids that we need to get used to seeing this when we get to Indonesia but it was a little different for me as in Australia, we have waste management somewhat provided by councils and government and in this case it was just not being used which was very disappointing.

At this point our dream sailing run came to a halt as we had to point the boat south into the relentless south easterly winds.

This was something long forgotten after leaving South Australia with almost no close-hauled sailing for 6000 nautical miles.

After a tough passage south for 160 nautical miles. we are currently sitting in Weipa waiting for a few spare parts before our Gulf of Carpentaria crossing to get to Gove. From there it will be decision time, whether to spring to Indonesia directly or to head to Darwin then to Indonesia...

Sam, Julie, Will and Oscar Allusive

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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.

The word ‘andante’ is a musical expression meaning at a steady pace and is the perfect name for the cruising boat moored close to the CYCSA clubhouse. The Club’s former first female commodore Tess McGrath with husband Geoff Gowing are the proud owners of Andante and I am delighted to write about their boat for Groundswell readers.

Andante is a long distance cruiser, a serious ocean going vessel with a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles at 8-10 knots. Andante is a Fleming 55 built by Fleming Yachts in Taiwan and collected by Tess and Geoff in Sydney in October 2006. They made several trips to Taiwan while the boat was being built and had a number of extra specifications added.

One addition was a full teak fit-out inside. This later became standard for Australian delivered vessels. The Fleming 55 is a well-proven raised pilothouse motor yacht, designed for enjoyable cruising. Her semi-displacement hull gives great flexibility in performance and can attain a top speed of approximately 18-20 knots. Maximum sustained cruising speed is around 17 knots where her moderate dead-rise provides a very comfortable ride. Stabilisers ensure the boat remains steady for those long ocean voyages while the flared bow turns aside green water and provides a forward deck of unusually generous proportions The beam on Andante is 4.88 metres and her length 18.5 metres. She has two Cummins engines, each producing 500 HP and two Onan generators at 13 and 9kVA respectively. A Sea Recovery watermaker produces approximately 160 litres per hour.

Three cabins provide plenty of room for guests. The master cabin has an ensuite and marble topped vanity, shower and toilet. The port cabin has three single beds, one a Pullman upper berth, while the starboard cabin has two bunk beds. All

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cabins have plenty of hanging space, cupboards and drawers and there is an additional starboard bathroom with marble topped vanity and a toilet. The galley is very well equipped with a domestic side-by-side fridge freezer, a Miele induction cooktop, oven, dishwasher, microwave and exhaust fan. Twin sinks have instant boiling water and an insinkerater. There is a garbage compactor under the bench top. A dumb waiter to the flybridge delivers snacks and drinks when needed while in the salon is a large table with comfortable seats accessible to the cocktail cabinet and bar fridge.

Andante’s pilothouse is the prime all-weather command centre. It can be isolated from other areas of the boat to assist concentrating on navigation in difficult situations. Radar is enhanced with FLIR and assists navigating at night, especially when there is tight manoeuvring. All navigation aids are fully integrated: the Furuno screens, Max sea charts, depth and 72nm radar including AIS class A to communicate both ways with ships at sea. There is a satellite phone, HF and VHF radios. The engine controls and navigation information are duplicated in the flybridge with a second wheel so the boat can be controlled from there. On the upper aft deck are a crane and dinghy.

Andante has made numerous trips cruising from Adelaide around the east coast to Hamilton Island and the Great Barrier Reef. For a couple of years the boat officiated as the start boat for Hamilton Island Race Week. That was quite an experience with the big boats bearing down on Andante’s stern but they always missed with a silent swish of the hull and sail and barely a word spoken.

One of the highlights for Tess and Geoff has been cruising to Cairns and out to the Louisiade Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. This group of many interesting islands is a wonderful part of the world and was off the beaten track in 2008 though has probably been discovered by other cruisers now. The islands are inhabited by beautiful people who live quite happily at a subsistence level. They are predominantly Christian but

BOATS AT THE CLUB the society is matriarchal. The women own the islands and the men travel around to find a wife. They keep the occasional pig and chickens, grow vegetables and like to fish. The locals also love to barter and Tess traded clothes, fishing gear, tools, writing paper, pencils and magazines with them, receiving bananas, vegetables, eggs and a lot of shells in return. A couple of times Tess and Geoff took them fishing to places they could not normally reach. They were chuffed and proved to be deadly fishermen, catching fish on feathers!

Tess and Geoff have had a lot of pleasure cruising Andante around South Australian waters. One of Tess’s favourite places is the Sir Joseph Banks Group in Spencer Gulf, and they have discovered many other good anchorages around the South Australian coast. Andante is a very special boat for them and has been reliable in some seriously bad weather.

Although this article is about Andante, I have learnt so much about Tess’s sailing life I would like to share a few of her achievements. Newer members to the CYCSA may not be aware that our first female Commodore is also a great sailor and true inspiration and asset to our Club.

Tess spent the first seven years of her sailing life in dinghies; a Sabot and Puffin Pacer. For the next ten years she sailed small keel boats on Flying 15s and Etchells, then an RL28 trailer sailer. Moving on to large keel boats, the next 10 years included being skipper on her own Swarbrick 11.1 Celebrity, sailing an Oceanic 45, a Swan 48, and a Swan 43, on which she was skipper. Also a Nantucket 43 Changabang which she sailed from Melbourne to Adelaide.

Tess joined the CYCSA in 1986 and it was here she bought the Swarbrick 11.1 named Celebrity. In January 1992 she entered the inaugural Keelboat Triathlon Cup as part of the ‘Life Be In It’ campaign. With Tess at the wheel and a great crew, Celebrity won the first race.

Tess McGrath with former Flag Officers, Geoff Catt and Rowland Richardson

SLIPPING AT THE CYCSA

In 1992 Tess sailed on a 120 foot Brigantine, Eye of the Wind, from Puerto Rico to Bermuda, New York and Boston. In 1996 she sailed in the Swan World Cup, Porto Cuervo, Sardinia, Italy on a Swan 51 called Rum Trader and then in 1998 on a Swan 48 named Endeavor IV.

Over twenty seasons Tess took part in over 200 races, including State and National titles and has won many trophies, including local and offshore races at the CYCSA. She has participated and skippered in the Adelaide to Port Lincoln, Sydney to Southport/Gold Coast and several Hamilton Island races where she scored two third places. The Hamilton Island Race Weeks are very competitive with many gun boats participating.

Tess and Geoff had two boats named Leda, both of which she skippered and raced. In 1995 with her Swan 43 Leda, Tess was the first South Australian woman to skipper in a Sydney to Hobart race. The second Leda was a Swan 48 which they had built in Finland and raced at the CYCSA over many seasons.

During Tess’s time of racing, very few women raced keelboats and those that did were all from the east coast. In South Australia women were generally relegated to the Ladies Day race. In her day Tess was the only woman who owned and raced a keelboat and took it seriously.

Tess was elected as the first female Board Member of the CYCSA in 1994. In 1998 she retired from the Board to become our first female Commodore.

A wonderful history of your sailing life Tess and the adventures you’ve enjoyed on Andante. I wish you and Geoff many more happy years relaxing and cruising.

Patricia Catley

BOUTIQUE SLIPWAY

COMPETITIVE RATES | CONVENIENT NO NEED TO LEAVE NORTH HAVEN MARINA

The Cruising Yacht Club of SA located at North Haven offers excellent slipping facilities for basic repairs and maintenance work.

All bookings are to be made through the Club office. If you wish to book in your boat or inspect our facilities, please contact Reception to arrange a suitable time.

e: reception@cycsa.com.au | ph: 8248 4222

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BOATS AT THE CLUB

A boat bearing the name Ain’t Misbehavin must be a fun boat and have some tales to tell and the owner certainly fulfils that role. Brian Degenhardt joined the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia in 2013 when he purchased a Mustang 38 LE Sport Cruiser named Sea Spray. The boat was moored in Noosa, Queensland and after completing the sale Brian had the boat trucked to the CYCSA via Broken Hill. Once settled into her berth it was time for a change of name and Ain’t Misbehavin was perfect.

The boat was built in 2004 and is powered by twin 320hp Volvo Pentas with legs and duo props. The exterior has all the extra trim and fittings of the Limited Edition including a bow thruster. Both engines were replaced last year with new units installed by Ian Brown of Taz Marine who Brian relies on to keep the engines in great shape. The 38 Sport Cruiser was designed with comfort, style and speed in mind and the interior has all the creature comforts needed for a comfortable cruise on the sea or enjoying afternoon drinks in the marina with friends. The lower deck comprises two double beds forward and aft with a full head and shower. There is a well-appointed galley with fridge, freezer and ice maker and the dining area is set amidships. A reverse cycle air conditioner allows the comfort for any climate while two TVs and DVD players have an upgraded sound system. The generator is 7.5KW and there are two 500 litre fuel tanks. The boat is capable of a maximum speed of 36 knots at 190 litres per hour and a cruising speed at 21 knots which uses 90 litres per hour.

Brian’s previous boat was a Haines Signature 2250 with a 225 Mariner. There were many raft ups with mates and much fun was had by all. Fishing isn’t on the agenda for Brian as there is a lot of white leather and carpet on the boat that could easily be messed up. Apart from the mess, Brian and the fish don’t keep the same hours. About seven years ago Brian purchased a new tender and a 3.3hp outboard with the intention of joining the New Year’s celebrations on Kangaroo Island. This is still something to be achieved. The tender and engine currently only have two hours use. Brian was hoping there would be as strong a party scene going on as there was in the trailer boat days but he missed that by about 15 years. Anyone seeing Brian on his boat, or rafted up somewhere, there’s an invitation to join him for a cleansing ale or two.

The name Ain’t Misbehavin isn’t new to Brian. His previous passion was building and flying award winning two seat sport aircraft. His outgoing Vans RV 7, a sport aircraft, was named Ain’t Misbehavin and he carried the name forward to his Mustang boat. The aircraft are two seat, single engine, lowwing homebuilt aircraft sold in kit form by Vans Aircraft.

Brian is a valuable Club member, also being a corporate sponsor. His company Daytona Signs did the signage for our Elliotts, the club ute and other signage around the Club.

Contact him at his business in Melrose Park if you need any type of signage.

Brian loves to welcome visitors on Ain’t Misbehavin whenever he is onboard. He’s always ready to chat over a beer about boats, planes or anything else, so keep your eye open and head that way. Thank you Brian for the interesting history of your life with planes and boats. Readers might see you at the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Kangaroo Island one day.

Patricia Catley

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Future Club Events Commodore’s Dinner | Saturday 17 September Save the date for our annual Commodore’s Dinner...

The Last Waltz. Enjoy an evening of scrumptious food and fabulous entertainment.

Don’t miss out on what’s sure to be a spectacular affair!

Boating Conversations | Friday 23 September A popular free and informal event. Topic of conversation: ‘Sailing Made Easy’ - Short-handed racing and cruising.

Hosted by Nick Bice, Jan Scholten and Sandy Higgins.

To dine prior to the conversation please book ahead on 8248 4222 or reserve a table online via our website.

SA Women’s Keelboat Regatta | 1-3 October This Spring regatta is aimed at women currently participating in sailing and looking to enjoy the company, competition and camaraderie of other female sailors. Now is the time to get involved in a brand new venture that is sure to become a welcome addition to your sailing calendar.

Boating & Fishing Showcase | Friday 21 October The Fishing Association invites all members, friends and family to this annual event to mingle over drinks and cocktail food. The Major Sponsor, Port River Marine, are excited to have on display a variety of boats for your viewing.

CYCSA Opening Day | Saturday 29 October Save the date for the biggest day on the Club’s calendar...

Our annual Opening Day! Sail past, presentations, live entertainment and much more.

More information will be available closer to the event date.

for more information visit the ‘Events’ tab at: cycsa.com.au 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: F01, F02 - from $35,000 / C07 All offers considered C11 - $35,000 All offers considered, C13 - $33,000 10m tw: A09, A10, A14, A22, A34, A40, F04 - from $30,000 A27, A28, F09, F19, F28, F36 - All offers considered A20, F26 - $20,000, A29 -$18,000, A37 $9,000 F18 - $20,000, F34 - $12,000, F20 - $11,000 ono 10m s: A03, A12 - from $73,000, A05 - $35,000 - All offers considered, A25 - All offers considered 11m tw: A42 - $19,500 - All offers considered 12m tw: D20, D35, D36, D37- from $29,000 D28 - $35,000 - All offers considered D38 - All offers considered, E13 - All offers considered, E26 & E27 - $50,000 together or $30,000 each if sold separately 12m s: D07, D08, D17, D18, E07, E10, - from $60,000 D04, D21, E03, E04, E05, E22, E23 - All offers considered, D18 - $60,000 ono, E01, E11 - $55,000 - All offers considered, D23 - $40,000, D30 - $50,000 negotiable 13m tw: C23 - $60,000, A44 - $50,000 All offers considered 13m s: D40 - $60,000 14m s: C24, - $120,000, C27 - $95,000 ono, C25 All offers considered 15m s: C35 - from $145,000, B32 - $125,000 - All offers considered, A47 - $80,000 Urgent Sale - All offers considered, B31, B36 - All offers considered 16m s: B17 -$160,000 ono - All offers considered, B20 -$159,000 B16, B22 - $150,000 All offers considered B18 -$120,000 All offers considered, B15 - All offers considered 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, H90 - from $3,500 H68 - Reduced to $1,500 negotiable H45 - Reduced to $2,000, HS53 - Reduced to $800 10m: H106 - $5,500

MARINA WEST NORTH HAVEN It is the larger berths that make Marina West appealing to many potential buyers. Berths range from 11m to 35m, (Note: all berths in Marina West are single berths).

BERTHS FOR SALE - MARINA WEST 11m: M01 - All offers considered M03 - $80,000 - All offers considered - suitable for a catamaran 14m: M07 - $120,000 - All offers considered 15m: N03 - Reduce to $100,000 - Offers invited M08 - All offers considered 17m: J19, J20 - from $150,000, J09 - $100,000, J12 - $70,000 - All offers considered J08, J10 - All offers considered 20m: K04, K07, K08, L02 - from $135,000 K01, K05, K10 - All offers considered 25m: M14 - $290,000 27m: M16 - all offers considered 30m: K16 - $475,000 BERTHS FOR SALE AT PORT VINCENT MARINA 10m tw: A01, A02, A05, A18, A22, A23 - from $15,000 12m tw: B33, C53, C63 - from $28,000, B29 - $25,000 C60 - Reduced to $20,000 B34, B40, C61 - All offers considered 12m s: B44, B46, C47 - from $29,000, C48, C68 - $20,000 B25 - $25,000 ono, C50, - All offers considered 14m s: D70, D78 - from $45,000 D77, D79 - $50,000 - Offers invited 15m s: D84 - $39,000, D87- All offers considered, D89 - Reduced to $15,000 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

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