Soundings Issue # 15 May 2023-September 2023

ISSUE No.15 | MAY2023 ~ SEPTEMBER 2023

SOUNDINGS T H E B I A N N UA L M AG A Z I N E o f S O U T H o f P E RT H YAC H T C LU B

SoPYC sailors

Olympic Bound Sailing in the 470 class, Conor Nicholas and fellow former SoPYC junior Nia Jerwood make their final push for qualification to represent Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

+ PLUS ...

• MPS Windsurfer World Championships • Navigation over the years – The Kingsley Piesse story • Sailing On – The Rebirth of Uforic

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ISSUE No.15 | May 2023 - September 2023

SOUNDINGS T H E B I A N N UA L M A G A Z I N E o f S O U T H o f P E R T H YA C H T C L U B

EVERY ISSUE Commodore’s Report.......................................................................................05 Vice Commodore’s Report......................................................................... 06 General Manager’s Report ......................................................................... 07 Our New Members............................................................................................ 08 Centreboards Report....................................................................................... 09

SPECIAL FEATURES 2023 Winter Opening Day Photo Gallery..................................... 12 SoPYC Sailors Olympic Bound................................................................20 MPS Windsurfer World Championship.......................................... 22 Navigation over the years – The Kingsley Piesse story..... 24 Sailing On - The Rebirth of Uforic....................................................... 25

AROUND THE CLUB On Water Group..................................................................................................... 10 Membership............................................................................................................... 14

Ladies’ Lunch............................................................................................................ 15 From the Archives................................................................................................ 16 Bosun’s Club.............................................................................................................. 18 Power Torque............................................................................................................ 26 Sailing Section......................................................................................................... 28 Division One Ramblings................................................................................. 29 Women’s Squad.....................................................................................................30 Herreshoff Hill News........................................................................................ 32 SS22 & SS27.............................................................................................................34 S80...................................................................................................................................... 36 Viper.................................................................................................................................. 38 Sailability....................................................................................................................... 39 Optimist........................................................................................................................ 40 Flying Fifteens......................................................................................................... 41 Offshore Section................................................................................................... 42 Cruising Section.....................................................................................................44 Grand Sponsor Directory..............................................................................46

Design + Construction

What We Deliver Bulk Storage and Materials Handling Process Plants Non-Process Infrastructure Industrial Facilities Contact James Rowdon on (08) 9364 8466 or 0478 590 705 3

www.kerman.com.au

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2023/2024 COMMODORE Troy Dalglish VICE COMMODORE David Markham

South of Perth Yacht Club Coffee Point Applecross WA 6153 32.00.13 S 115.50.73 E

REAR COMMODORE REGATTA Christina Heydon

08 9364 5844 management@sopyc.com.au

REAR COMMODORE CENTREBOARD

HON. TREASURER Chris Pearson MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Geoff Warwick Chair, Pens & Moorings Nikki Kukura Chair, Membership

www.sopyc.com.au

Office hours: Monday – Friday 9am ~ 5pm General Manager.................................................................. Michael Sassella Secretary....................................................................................... Rachael Youssouf Receptionist............................................................................... Maree Kosick Finance & Administration Manager.............. Dani Waller Finance Officer........................................................................ Kate Knickel Accounts Payable................................................................ Wendy Hayward

Iain Somerville Training & Development Rep

Member Engagement Officer................................. Nicole Taylor

Thomas Purdon Chair, Works

Food & Beverage Manager ...................................... Matt Williams

Graeme Phillips Chair, Sponsorship

Pens and Moorings............................................................. Casey Skinner

Sailing Administrator...................................................... Tait Kunzli Sailing Administrator...................................................... Matt Doyle Head Coach................................................................................ Denis Jones

Claudio Mancini Management Committee

Facilities Superintendant........................................... Dan Lawrence

PATRON Life Member & Past Commodore Colin Cowden

On Water Group OTB Admin Assistant...................................................... Caitlin Elks

VICE PATRONS Kim Giddens MLA Katy Mair, Mayor, City of Melville Past Commodore Rupert Leslie Past Commodore Les Swinton Mr Len Randell NOONGAR ELDER IN RESIDENCE Marie Taylor

Facilities Administrator............................................... Casey Skinner

Head Bosun................................................................................. David Locke Soundings Magazine is the bi annual magazine of the South of Perth Yacht Club Published by: South of Perth Yacht Club Design and Layout: Cally Browning Cover Image: Beau Outteridge Printed by: Vanguard Press Copyright: All material appearing in “Soundings” is copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written permission from the publisher.

Indemnity: Advertisers and Advertising Agents shall indemnify the Publisher against any claims or action arising out of the publication of any material supplied for publication. With the exception of statements made by authorised Officers, all other statements and opinions in this publication are those of contributors and advertisers. South of Perth Yacht Club, its Management Committee and members accept no responsibility for statements made by unauthorised persons.

Advertising and article submission deadline for the next issue of Soundings is 15 May, 2024.

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

COMMODORE’S REPORT Troy Dalglish Commodore

Dear Fellow Members,

A

s we find ourselves at the close of yet another remarkable year, the relentless march of time serves as a poignant reminder of the dynamism inherent to our beloved yacht Club. In the fleeting passage of the Winter Season, the conclusion of the Frostbite Series and Power Boat Time Trials, and the vibrant spectacle of another Opening Day, we now find ourselves fully immersed in the joys of the Summer Sailing Season.

Undoubtedly, the world around us has undergone significant transformations since the onset of the 2020 Pandemic. These changes have reverberated through the fabric of our country, state, city, and, inevitably, into the tapestry of our lives, work, and the operations of our esteemed Club. The challenges of rising costs, shortages of skilled tradesmen, and a limited employment pool persist, casting shadows on businesses near and far. Furthermore, the scarcity of available volunteer time adds an additional layer of complexity to the challenges we face.

Yet, in the face of these hurdles, the commendable efforts of our existing staff and dedicated volunteers persist, ensuring the seamless execution of our events, regattas, training programs, and the vibrant life of the Club.

The recent Opening Day for the Summer Season stands as a testament to this resilience, with over 100 vessels, ranging from wind surfers to power boats, participating in a spectacular sail past. The event's success, marked by a substantial turnout of members and guests, underscores the strength of our community.

Acknowledging the challenging induction faced by our General Manager, Michael Sassella, especially after the loss of our F&B Manager Blake Sealy, we extend our gratitude for his unwavering commitment. Despite the demanding circumstances, Michael's dedication has been instrumental in sustaining the various facets of our Club. We also warmly welcome our new F&B Manager, Matt Williams, whose wealth of experience and enthusiasm promises to bring fresh perspectives and engagement strategies to enhance member experiences.

The recently concluded Annual General Meeting marked the commencement of a new term for our various committees. As I embark on my second term as Commodore, I express sincere appreciation to outgoing members of our Management Committee: Dave Ewart, Victoria Blanckensee, Clive Blowers, Brad Abbott, and Tim Beck, for their invaluable contributions. In their stead, we welcome new members and congratulate those taking on new roles within the committee.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the recent additions and changes to our Management Committee, reflecting the ongoing commitment and dedication of individuals within our Club.

We welcome back David Markham, who, when

approached, transitioned from the role of Chair of Membership to assume the position of Vice Commodore.

Chris Pearson returns as our Treasurer, Tom Purdon – Chair of Works and Geoff Warwick – Chair of Pens and Moorings. We also welcome new members to our Management Committee: Nikki Kukura (Chair of Membership), Graeme Phillips (Chair of Grand Sponsors), Iain Somerville and Claude Mancini. We look forward to benefiting from their insights and contributions.

A special welcome to Christina Haydon, who has recently become a valuable addition to our Management Committee as Rear Commodore. Christina brings a wealth of experience and passion, particularly in on-water sailing activities, and we are excited about the energy she brings to our team.

While we celebrate these recent appointments, there is still room for enthusiastic members to contribute to the management of the Club. We have an open Rear Commodore position and another Management Position waiting to be filled. Your inquiries and expressions of interest are eagerly welcomed. Your engagement ensures the continued strength and vibrancy of our Management Committee.

As we embark on a new year at the South of Perth Yacht Club, I also bring your attention to crucial opportunities for active involvement and leadership within our Section Committees. There are openings for enthusiastic individuals to take on the vital roles of Vice-Captain within the Centreboard and Cruising Committees. Additionally, there are numerous general committee positions available, offering a diverse array of opportunities to contribute your skills and enthusiasm to the flourishing success of our Club.

Our Club’s strength lies in the active participation of its members. By assuming roles within the Section Committees, you not only contribute to the smooth functioning of specific areas but also play a pivotal role in shaping the overall experience for our members.

We invite each member who enjoys the benefits of our Club to consider stepping up and offering your skills, passion, and a bit of your time to fulfill these roles. Your commitment will not only enhance the quality of services and activities but will also foster a sense of community and shared responsibility.

In November, we welcomed Tait Kunzli as a new Sailing Administrator. Tait brings valuable experience from various sporting Clubs, including Perth Dinghy, and holds a Sports Management Degree. This addition to our team will work along side Matt Doyle, who has been tirelessly 'holding down the fort' solo for some months. A heartfelt thank you to Matt for his dedication and efforts during this time. We’re excited about the new energy and expertise Tait brings to our OWG. Our Works Committee continues to address major issues, including the completion of the Wave Attenuator installation on Jetty 1 and repairs to Jetties 3 and 7. Delays in the approvals process for asbestos roof replacements are frustrating, however progress on the Centreboard outdoor area makeover has been swift, aligning perfectly with the upcoming MPS Windsurfer 2023 World Championship Event and of course, the summer season.

The MPS Windsurfer 2023 World Championship is a showcase event being hosted by our Club later this month.

At almost the ‘eleventh hour’ SoPYC was approached, after the previous host Club had to withdraw. Whilst the excitement of hosting a World Class Event was on everyone’s minds, we had a responsibility to all of our members of ensuring our Club did not lose out financially on this project. /... Continued overleaf

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Commodore’s Report /... Continued

With applications for grants from the various Government bodies rejected, zero interest from the media to be present and broadcast the event (they would for a fee but no guarantee of coverage going to air), a very tight budget was undertaken and strictly adhered to minimise Club exposure. A huge congratulations to Past Commodore and Vice Patron Les Swinton as the Chair of the organizational committee, the GM, Matt Williams and all the committee members. As we approach the event, all action items have either been delivered or are on target. The contracted obligations are fulfilled and through some good collaborations, the ICWA expectations are being met. We are looking forward to an outstanding event.

The commitment of our members to support the Club’s Food and Beverage Facilities has been outstanding, with the Quarterdeck and Members Club Functions frequently booked out. This success is attributed to the efforts of the F&B staff, the Functions Committee, and the enhanced quality and variety of events offered to our members.

VICE COMMODORE’S REPORT Dave Markham Vice Commodore

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s we reflect on the past and embrace the present, the landscape of our amazing Club has undergone a transformative journey since the 2020 Pandemic. Stepping into the role of Vice Commodore in September, I find it pertinent to share some insights into the dynamics of our House and Functions Committees after these changing times.

In this new era, our Club’s commitment to providing unparalleled on-water activities, member engagement, and enjoyable Club experiences remains unwavering. However, the evolving needs of our time-strapped members have prompted a somewhat critical review of our policies and procedures.

In the current climate, what was a proven and successful process in the past may not provide our needs in the future.

Volunteers, the lifeblood of our Club, have become scarcer, challenging us to adapt and rely on the dedication of our existing volunteers and employees. Despite being short-staffed in a competitive job market, our current team has risen to the occasion, delivering member engagement experiences that consistently meet expectations.

It’s essential to recognize that this assessment is not a critique of the past but a testament to the incredible development of our Club. The contributions of past Commodores, Management Committees, Section Leaders, and Club members have laid the foundation for our current strength and success.

The current employees and volunteers are challenged with creating a pathway that will steer our Club along the same road of strength and successful membership engagement as those before us achieved.

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

A Strategic Plan update reveals a focus on Member Participation, Membership Categories, and Member Experience. Sub-committees have presented their findings to the Management Committee, and Town Hall meetings in early 2024 will provide members with an opportunity to contribute to the final draft before voting at the mid-year AGM. In closing, I extend my congratulations to members who achieved remarkable results throughout the year, embodying the spirit of our Club. We remain grateful for the dedicated volunteers who enrich our Club experience, both on and off the water.

I encourage all members, both new and old, to remember that what you invest in the Club, you receive back in abundance. Here’s to another year of shared passion, camaraderie, and the continued success of the South of Perth Yacht Club.

TROY DALGLISH Commodore

Welcoming Andriy Boyev as our Executive Chef has proven to be a game changer. His enthusiasm and practical approach have elevated the quality of our culinary offerings, evidenced by increased positive feedback and a surge in Quarterdeck table bookings.

The introduction of our new online booking system by the General Manager has streamlined the reservation process, garnering positive feedback for its simplicity and efficiency. The recent addition of F&B Manager Matt Williams has brought fresh ideas and a proactive approach to enhancing member engagement and optimising Club facilities’ utilisation.

The new Chase the Ace format is proving to be a winner, with encouraging numbers on deck every Thursday, followed again by constant Quarterdeck bookings. Friday Night’s Happy Hour, Live Music and the $29 Steak and Salad Bar has resulted in the Quarterdeck being fully booked for several weeks. Positive and encouraging!

For those who have attended our Club Events in recent years, you've likely noticed a significant improvement in organization and success. Events such as the Bogan Band Night and Wild West Nights were resounding successes, providing a welcome respite from lockdowns and the social distancing measures of 2020.

Although the Functions Committee’s ‘Band’ is currently chairless, the temporary solution of integrating them into the House Committee meetings has fostered continued collaboration between House, Functions, and F&B. As we move forward, the collective efforts of the Committee and Matt Williams promise not only the continuation of our regular events but also the development of exciting new concepts for more intimate and interactive gatherings, further elevating our membership engagement.

In the spirit of anticipation, I am eager to keep you updated on these promising developments in the near future. As we navigate these changes, the unity between our committees and the dedication of our F&B team ensure that our Club remains on a trajectory of strength and success in membership engagement.

Regards,

DAVE MARKHAM Vice Commodore

GENERAL MANAGER Michael Sassella General Manager

I

am writing this article with almost 11 months in the rear-view mirror as General Manager of South of Perth Yacht Club (SoPYC). A fair amount of time has been committed to several ongoing legacy projects. With these projects now under control I am hoping 2024 will provide an opportunity to assess our Policies, Practices, and Procedures and identify areas for improvement.

Since my arrival I have also had the opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of our team, Club finances, culture, and operational pinch points. I am the first to acknowledge there are many areas where we can improve, and I believe changes forthcoming in 2024 will be noticeable and for the betterment of SoPYC. I have also had the opportunity to witness many Club events including two seasonal Opening Days, ANZAC Day, three General Meetings of members, Commodore’s Cocktail Party, New Members Nights, Regattas, Prize Nights, and various other Club functions. Behind all these events are of course our staff and an army of enthusiastic volunteers.

Without the ongoing commitment of our volunteers, we simply could not operate SoPYC in its current format. So again, a big thank you to all the volunteers who put many hours into making SoPYC a success.

A big thank you also goes out to our SoPYC staff. Their dedication and commitment greatly enhances the ongoing success of Club services. Discussions with several longserving members have highlighted a change for the better in the atmosphere around the Club. The Club’s 2022 to 2027 Strategic Plan focuses on Member’s Experience, Club Facilities, Financial Sustainability, On-water Participation, and attracting Younger Members. Improvements in these

key pillars will take time but hopefully members are already noticing a few green shots.

As always, our aim is to make all members, guests, and visitors feel welcome at SoPYC. It is vitally important we continue to enrich the sense of community and have all enjoy our “home away from home” environment.

On-Water Incidents:

Unfortunately, we have had a few on-water incidents in recent months. A power vessel fire on jetty one and a member fracturing a leg during a Club race. The learnings we have taken away from these two incidents is the need for the Club to undertake a full audit of our emergency management plan, accompanying training, and equipment needs. With this in mind, the Club will be engaging an external advisor to review all aspects of Club safety both on and off the water.

Facilities & Works:

At the time of writing this article, the Club has just made final payment on the jetty one wave attenuator replacement contract. Members will also notice we have recently replaced the fuel bowser on this jetty too. Other major works during the calendar year include the refurbished Centreboards Clubhouse alfresco area. The asbestos roof replacement program slated for 2023 has been deferred until February 2024.

Club Events:

We have some amazing upcoming events both on and off the water. Upcoming regattas include the Viper 640 State Championship, State Windsurfer Championship, MPS World Windsurfer Championship, and the Australian 9er Championship.

In the Clubhouse members can look forward to the Kids Christmas Party, Ladies Lunch, Christmas Eve Buffet, New Year’s Eve Party, plus many more exciting events planned for 2024.

Michael Sassella General Manager

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VALE

Rest in Peace

to our Members who have recently passed Past Commodore Graham Edwards ~ May 2023

Ian Norman ~ June 2023

Ronald Cecil ~ June 2023 Past Commodore David Locke Snr Sydney Mayerink ~ July 2023 ~ May 2023 Linda Stibbs ~ May 2023

OUR MEMBERS WELCOME TO ALL OUR NEW MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE CLUB FROM MAY 2023 ~ SEPTEMBER 2023 ORDINARY

Andrew Currie Bradley Fry Daniel Grant John Holder Shaun Hughes Mark Jarvis Justin Page Hayden Smyth Robert Thomson Angela Versaci

ASSOCIATE

Edward Armstrong

FAMILY

Paul Carr David Clark Robert Egerton-Warburton Brett Johnston Stephen Kelso Daniel Killham Edward Nealon Peter Nicholls Andrew Smith Marc Walford Joel Weston Robin Wilcockson

FAMILY ASSOCIATE Rebecca Austin Jade-Ellen Beattie Caleb Carr Eva Carr Rebecca Carr Clark, Antony Benjamin Clark Joshua Clark

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Jennifer Egerton-Warburton Zara Egerton-Warburton Janie Gillies Crix Johnston Indieli Johnston Shiree Kelso Cassie Killham Lewis Killham Matilda Killham Julie Nealon Belinda Smith Oksana Vynnychuk Carol Wilcockson

SOCIAL

Helen Brown Wendy Cometti Matthew Fenton Linda Lampard Donato Manfredi Jill Norman Gill Orly Paul Rogers Sally Scott Craig Viner

CREW

Karen Abercromby Mark Burdett Daniel Castillo Michael Laughton-Smith John W Oliver Dennis Patten Helen Pierzak Nick Sharples Alexander Thorpe Bruce Thorpe Douglas Wynne

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

INTRO CREW

Edward Howell Leisl Reid Sebastian Rozas

GRAND SPONSOR ASSOCIATE Sean Cranenburgh James Pinci Pete Walmsley Kenneth Williams Nicholas Zborwski

JUNIOR

Emilio De Chiera Orlando Ligovich Lucas Page Daniel Wang

CENTREBOARD

Darren Gilbert Nicholas Stubbs Craig Williams

SCOUT ASSOCIATE Derek Shellabear

CENTREBOARDS REPORT

T

he prize night held in May brought together some of our youngest as well as some of our most experienced sailors. The ballroom setting displaying an Optimist and an Open Skiff served a delicious three course meal enjoyed by all and the tasting table was a huge success! The evening was a time to bring sailors and their families together to recognise racing accomplishments as well as sailing development achievements. We also acknowledged our coaches and volunteers who made this all happen throughout the season.

The Centreboard section hosts two race courses each Sunday afternoon, The Alpha course led by Race Officer and Past Commodore Les Swinton is a larger course designed for youth and open classes. The Bravo course is coached racing led by Race Officers Martin Compton and Phil Draber and is designed to introduce junior sailors to racing with the benefit of on water coaching. Thank you to our start teams, mark layers and support crew for their continued support.

If you haven’t already, come and visit the Centreboard Clubrooms and lawn area that has been recently upgraded with Club-coloured shade sails in our refurbished outdoor area. We aim to provide opportunities for integration between the centreboard fleets throughout the season. Some of these events have included fun days on the water sailing Quests and Hobies, busy bees maintaining Club boats, topic expert presentations and our BBQ lunches. Special thanks to Tim and Michelle Beck who on many occasions spoil us all by cooking delicious slow cooked pulled pork rolls. The sale of these tasty bites generates funds which are put directly

back into the Centreboard community.

The Centreboard Committee is a group of sailors, parents, coaches and supporters, all passionate about the centreboard community. The committee comprises of representatives from a range of fleets including Flying Fifteens, Lasers, Open Skiffs, Optimists, Pelican, Vipers, 125 and 29ers. This year we also welcome the boards fleet which includes windsurfers and foilers. We are a group of people passionate about creating fantastic on and off -water experiences for the whole Centreboard community.

We coordinate social events, discuss utilisation of section funds, arrange resourcing requirements for regattas and promote on-water safety. We welcome new members, and we are here to represent all of the Centreboard community.

Please feel free to raise agenda items and/or join our meetings the first Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the Heritage Room.

This year I’ve taken on the Centreboard Captain role and extend thanks to our outgoing Captain Iain Somerville and outgoing Vice Captain Mary-Anne Reid. We look forward to the season ahead with many upcoming regattas on the calendar. In particular, SoPYC will be hosting the Goolugatup Sailing Carnival, Windsurfer Worlds and the Australian 9er Championships. Many of our centreboard sailors will be representing SoPYC in upcoming events and we are all looking forward to an exciting season ahead.

Centreboard Captain Helen Chernoff

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ON WATER GROUP REPORT

T

he Sailing Admin team has seen some changes over the past 6 months, and it has been a bit of a wild ride!

A change in staff has set a tall task – but we are glad to report we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and a return to much more normal operations.

With Matt Doyle taking over as Sailing Administrator, and very recently joined by Tait Kunzli to work alongside, we look forward to helping the Club get itself on the water with all manner of activities, events and regattas. Whether you’re gunning for those ‘bell rings’ or just hoping to enjoy your sail, our office looks forward to giving you the best opportunity to do so!

We’d like to formally thank those volunteers who have assisted recently.

You have no idea how much you are appreciated and because of your extra efforts we have made it through an exremely busy period for the Club. We won’t name names, but you all know who you are!

The OWG is working hard with its committees to help assist in boosting participation in our onwater activities. One such initiative in conjunction with the Sailing Committee, Membership and T&D is

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

the ‘Crew Finder’ function. It has been around for a couple of years – but now we seek to harness and boost its potential with the introduction of our volunteer Crew Coordinators, who will help pair up incoming crew with skippers and vessels seeking the extra bodies on their boats. It is our hope this function increases in success of having more boats competing and sailing in our variety of Club events.

Our events schedule this summer is and has been packed…

Opening day was a huge success

with over 100 boats (Keelboat and Centreboard) on the water. The first trophy of the year saw Division 3’s Commotion helmed by Martyn Compton hold off some fast-finishing SS27’s and Division 2 boats in dying winds to claim the Patron’s Trophy.

The Geraldton Ocean Classic in its 53rd instalment saw the return of the Geraldton to Fremantle leg.

This tough ocean category 2 race was blessed with favourable winds which set a new race record on the first leg and ensured quick times on the

return. Most notable was the return of the SS27. Our new Ocean Racing captain, Matt Rose, led the stalwart crew of King Canute and produced some seriously impressive IRC results.

Reduced entrants this year due some unfortunate circumstances (missing masts and the like) did not dampen enthusiasm, and with the backing of our strong supporters and sponsors led by ‘The Label Factory’ – we send our thanks. This event happens because of your support, and I know the participants are most thankful to be given the opportunity to follow their pursuits and passions.

Looking forward, the events are not slowing down….

In December we welcome the Viper 640’s for their State championships, and also the Windsurfer LT’s for their Open States. Windsurfers have been welcomed into the OTB community, with many current and new members joining in on the racing on our Sunday afternoons.

Over the Xmas / New Year period the South of Perth Yacht Club is hosting the 2023 MPS Worlds (boasting over 240 entrants). The event will be a spectacular sight on the Melville Waters East & West. The OWG and in particular the organizing committees

have put much into place to ensure we provide a world class event for both competition and enjoyment. Not to be outplayed this is quickly followed by the 9er Nationals, seeing some of the best and most talented sailors our country has to offer as this ‘pathway’

class showcases some great skill and upcoming talent.

We look forward to seeing our very own SoPYC sailors and boarders compete, and hope that the broader Club comes down to support them!

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SoPYC Winter

Opening Day 2023

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

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MEMBERSHIP REPORT Right Commodore Troy Dalglish and Rick Steuart Below SoPYC 20 Year Dinner

I

t’s been an interesting two months since I became Chair of Membership. With the support of Vice Commodore Dave Markham, Member Engagement Officer Nicole Taylor, and the Membership Committee, I have found this transition much easier than I initially thought.

My name is Nikki Kukura. I have officially been a member here for 33 years. During that time, I have sailed competitively on the river, offshore and internationally, although the latter was competitive racing on a cruising yacht! I have also been involved with time trialing in the winter months for many years. I have contributed to various committees, having been Sailing Vice Captain, a member of Management (Soundings editor), and, more recently, Chair of Functions. I now look forward to my new role as Chair of Membership.

During our last two Membership Committee meetings, I have gained much knowledge about the role of the Membership committee. Personally,

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

my aim is to encourage young sailors to join our Centreboard (Off the Beach) section as these young people are the future of our yacht Club, whether it be representing the Club internally, locally, nationally, or internationally.

Another objective is to provide more incentives for our current members to show our gratitude for their continued loyalty. The Committee would also like to encourage volunteer involvement in the various sections of the Club. This is a wonderful way of socialising with other like-minded members. We urge you to consider this type of involvement so that you understand how our Club operates and more importantly, feel a part of it.

We have had a steady increase in Club membership, with approximately 25 new members being inducted in the past two months. After their memberships have been approved by the Management Committee, they will attend the New Members Cocktail Party. These are held biannually, every April and November. The November

event was extremely well attended and by all accounts was enjoyed by all guests. The evening provided the opportunity for our flag officers, past and present, the Management Committee and Membership Committee to mingle with new members and share their experiences and stories of this wonderful Club. Our Club has so much history that only our Club forebearers can relate.

Our popularity as a Club is due to so many aspects. I would like to make mention of one, our Food and Beverage staff members, under the auspice of Matt Williams, our Food and Beverage Manager, who ensures that all Members and their guests are made to feel welcome. They are integral to our success.

Finally, if you have any questions with regard to your membership, please contact our Member Engagement Officer, Nicole Taylor, at the Club.

Nikki Kukura Chair of Membership

LADIES' LUNCHEON REPORT

O

nce again the Ladies Luncheon Group has provided interesting guest speakers and entertainment for their guests during the months of May to September, 2023.

May, 2023 bought us Professor Fiona Wood. Her heartfelt presentation left us uplifted, with a standing ovation from the inspired 141 guests.

A fun filled show in June was provided by the Secret Women’s Business, a group of sassy women.

These ladies, who love to sing, also provided numerous musical skits for the guests. Their theme for the show was, I am Woman.

Christmas in July was a huge success with Father Christmas making a surprise visit, and 98 guests partying to lively tunes provided by DJ DI. Kindred Spirit Boutique of Attadale provided the clothing for August’s Fashion Parade. Five of our own members modeled a full range of practical clothing, footwear and accessories.

Our September guest speaker was Cristy Burne, an Internationally Award Winning Children’s Author. Cristy’s presentation was bright and engaging, sharing her experiences from travelling the world with her family.

These experiences she also shared in her books.

Once again the Food and Beverage staff has been incredibly helpful and supportive with all our luncheons.

The committee comprising of Rose

Midolo (Chairperson), Val Barron (Co-ordinator) Lana Kaaks and Kristine Pettersson, (Committee), have been working hard and have already

planned the 2024 Ladies Luncheon Calendar.

Val Barron Co-ordinator, Ladies Luncheon Group

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From the

ARCH

IVE

The Archives and History Group

T

he archives team has been working on the Club’s magazines for the last few months and more history is coming to light.

There is a need to establish a time line for the Club of the major changes that have occurred as it will help us identify the changes in the Club and the management thought process (to a degree). To that effect, working through the Clubs Almanac has helped us understand the management timelines (both Club and employed staff) and the changes that have happened along the time line.

It is a long term process however and probably will not be able to yield a full picture for a while.

At the same time, the A & H team have been trying to free up space in the trophy cabinets in the main foyer, so that we can bring out some more trophies. We have had some success and will be moving some items into the cabinets shortly. We are currently negotiating with Offshore Sailing to see what the Club can do about their trophies and bringing some of them down into the foyer and discussions are in process.

The A & H group have been of some assistance to the Club staff members with the preparation of Vales for the Year book and advice to the OWG as to upgrading the memorial boards with current commodore’s status. The process of putting information on line is still a work in progress while the Club deals with the new IT teams.

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

Left Ross Bradshaw Above Sulphur doing a Gero in 1995

Stories:

Memories are made of many things and the stories that have crossed our way have sometimes bitten rather hard. As a former scribe for the Sailability team, I had the privilege of learning of a member who had done very well in his life and worked his way up the ladder to run one of the major care groups in WA. This gentleman had started sailing Pelicans with his brother Kevin and kept building better boats to sail on, or power boats to get round the river for most of his life and shared that passion with members of SoPYC while raising his own brood and making his way to the top of his industry. Unfortunately he suffered from early onset dementia and the Club lost a man who had so much more to give. He passed recently, and his wonderful boats called Melody are no more. But people can reflect on Ross

Left SoPYC Newsletter, 1978 Below The new trophy cabinet boards

Bradshaw and remember him as a member who gave to our community.

We can look across at the stories that abound in the early Newsletters and more recently in Soundings. They are all adventures of one variety or another and while the story of Golden Eagle under Jim Grainger in the late 70’s on the Sydney to Hobart run, there are dozens of other stories equally as good from boats named Sulphur to a veritable fleet of yachts from SoPYC who left to have a crack at the S2H in 1981. Castille, Breakaway, Golden Prospects and Parmelia were in attendance along with another three to four WA entrants. However we must not forget John Court’s boat Ilena and her experience of the Sydney to Hobart back in 1970/71? According to her skipper, she was the first boat to wear the SP flag and numbers on her sails.

A project by the archives team has come to fruition with the naming of the trophy cabinets in the foyer of the members bar. We managed to find some Swan River mahogany planks and gussied them up a bit. If you look up and around when you walk into the foyer, there they are.

We are still sorting out where to put some of the trophies, so bear with us while we do that. However guests can now understand which sections the trophies belong to.

Rick Steuart The Archives and History Group.

17

BOSUNS CLUB REPORT

Above The skiff's handover Below left Ready to paint

T

A Moment to Remember

he Bosuns Club celebrated the launching of the second St Ayles Skiff Ballina C on Sailing Opening Day on the 8th of October. Patron and Past Commodore Colin Cowden was present and with the help of his family, ensured that the naming and dedication of the skiff was carried off successfully.

The boat building project was essentially between May to the end of September and it kept the team of volunteer bosuns busy. We had the occasional outside task, cleaning up the chaffing beams for jetty two and preparing boards for the trophy cabinets along with reshaping the oars after some experimentation on the originals. Fuelling and maintenance on the Club rescue fleet is one of the hidden jobs undertaken by dedicated members who month in and month out, take that role on for the Club.

Of course you can’t make the team work too hard and all work with no play simply ruins a good day, so the volunteer bosuns took care to have the occasional BBQ to commemorate moments of success with the skiff build.

The Club bosuns were invited to join us, to keep in play the fraternity that exists.

Although the bosuns group was ready to be doing the Centreboard Clubhouse external area, the Club rolled in the big guns to clean away the old bricked area. Our next task is to build the frames to hold boards for the Windsurfer Worlds later in the year. There are quite a lot of frames to build and we also have jetties to re-cover so we are looking

18

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

Left Ernie cooking up a storm Below Working on the jetty two chaffers Right The trophy boards

for bodies to help us for that project.

We do have several people to thank for the loan of their kit (think clamps/ bench saws/ belt sanders) with specialist gear that helped us drill straight holes, thicknessers to clean up timber, the list goes on. Many thanks to Ken Baxter, Bob Harrap, Bruce Uren and Amanda Watson and the rest of the bosuns for the loan for their equipment.

This is a list of the volunteer bosuns in no particular order:Doug Cowie, Dave Roberts, Bruce Cadee, Bruce Uren, Bob Harrap, Ken Baxter, Eric Schwab, Ernie Little, Theo Berden, Brian Cross, John Midolo, Campbell Stewart,

Rick Steuart, Mark Abercrombie, Bob Motteram, Kevin Doig, Alan Sharpe and the odd one or two who have been popping in and out of the shed.

We look forward to the St Ayles Skiffs hitting water with the rowing teams now that summer is here and we continue to have a break around 10.30 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Don’t hesitate to join us for a mug of tea or coffee.

Rick Steuart For the Bosuns Club

19

FEATURE

SoPYC Sailors Olympic Bound

S

oPYC is on the cusp of having a very direct connection to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

20-year member, Conor Nicholas, and fellow former SoPYC junior, Nia Jerwood, are set to make their final push for qualification to represent Australia in July next year. Sailing in the 470 class, which has now been re-designated as a mixed gender class, the pair are the reigning Australian Champions and the highest worldranked Australian crew in the class.

Both athletes have been campaigning at the highest levels since their teens, with Conor winning World Championships in the Laser (ILCA) and F18 Catamaran classes. Nia is a former 420 World Champion and was a silver medallist in the 2019 Junior 470 World Championships. She is also already an Olympian, having represented Australia with fellow SoPYC product, Monique de Vries in Tokyo. Both have multiple Australian titles to their names over careers that already stretch beyond a decade – and they’re both only 25.

It seems like only yesterday that we watched the Tokyo Olympics under the restrictions enforced by COVID. With the games being postponed to 2021, the preparation for the 2024 Paris games

20

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

has been compressed into a short, three-year cycle. Add to this the change of crew make-up requirements for the class and the 470 will be fascinating as relatively untested combinations fight for medals on the waters of the Mediterranean, off Marseilles.

This shift in schedule and teams has meant that the last two European

seasons have been hotly contested and intriguing as national squads begin to identify their respective top crew combinations. While Australia has a long and successful history in the class, medaling at every games since Sydney 2000 in either or both men’s and women’s at each, the changes mean that this campaign is a fresh start and the fleet at home is geographically dispersed and in a rebuild phase. This, in turn means that essential, topclass competitive racing is simply not available in Australia.

For Conor and Nia, who combined for the first time at the beginning of 2022, this has meant taking an unconventional approach to their preparation, choosing to train and race with Italian training partners and coach in Europe throughout 2023.

Under coach Andrea Manini, they have clearly thrived, with a breakout result that saw them dicing for medals on the last day of the Olympic Test event in Marseilles this past July.

Andrea has travelled to Australia twice since the team’s return home in September and will support them through the Australian season, including the Oceania qualifying event in Sydney in December.

After a brief break for Christmas with family, the pair will return to Europe in January for their final push to Marseilles. The first three months of 2024 see events in Lanzarote and two in Palma de Majorca (World Cup and World Championship events) and then onto a series of events in France before the Games themselves.

With a training schedule that would make of us exhausted just reading

about it, the team has little time for other things, including “regular” jobs. Their campaign is largely selffunded (read: family and friends), with sponsor support from White Bay Six (www.whitebay6.com.au) and the Australian Sailing Team. As a result, fundraising is a key element of keeping them on the water and covering their significant travel expenses. Members who would like to contribute can make

a tax-deductible contribution via the team’s Australian Sports Foundation site at: asf.org.au/ projects/team-aus-5/team-aus-5path-to-paris-2024-funding There are still some hurdles to overcome, but on current form we can all look forward to cheering on two of our own, come July.

We wish them all the best on the biggest stage of all.

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FEATURE

T

MPS Windsurfer World Championship

owards the end of December, the Club will see sailors coming together from all corners of the globe to compete in the MPS Windsurfer Worlds.

Logistics are impressive. The principal race officer comes from China. International judges for the event are coming from Turkey, Singapore, New Zealand and New South Wales. More than 240 entries had been received at the time of going to press, so the expectation is that some 250 competitors will take part, making it the largest world championship the Club has ever undertaken.

The call for volunteers to assist in the running of the championship went out early and members responded as they always do at South of Perth Yacht Club – the organizing committee had to close the books because there were more members wanting to help than there were positions available for them! They will assemble before the event for a special briefing and distribution of tee shirts.

22

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

Our Elder-in-Residence Marie Taylor will welcome our visiting Windsurfers to Australia with a traditional welcome to country, followed by guest speaker and former Western Australian Premier Richard Court.

Racing begins on Saturday 30th December, covering five days of frenetic activity over a variety of slalom, freestyle and marathon courses over Melville Water.

To provide the necessary onwater resources, support boats from RPYC, RFBYC, NYC and MBSC will supplement the Club’s vessels and we are most grateful for their assistance.

The volunteer Bosun’s Club has been busy fabricating racks to accommodate 250 boards, masts and sails.

You will also see temporary ablution facilities during the championships, as regular Club facilities could not hope to cater for such large numbers.

Prior to the Worlds, the Club will host the LT Windsurfer State Championships as a precursor to the main event. This will be a valuable practice run for volunteers and

competitors alike and will run from the 15th to the 17th December.

Special thanks should go to the chairman of the organizing committee, past commodore and life member Les Swinton, and the Club’s head coach Denis Jones, whose vision of the

benefits this event could bring to the Club was largely responsible for bringing it to fruition.

So whether you have an interest in windsurfing or not, you should take the opportunity to see some of the world’s best in action, right on our own doorstep.

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FEATURE

I

Navigation over the years – The Kingsley Piesse story

was always interested, from back in Sea Scouts days at Pelican Point.

Beginning ocean racing in Endeavours in Gage Roads, I ventured into longer ocean races, sailing my first Geraldton on Fred Green’s Duncanson 29 Southern Minx. Pinned to the coast in a nor-westerly gale, we ended up inside the reefs at Cervantes when we thought we were offshore of Jurien, an experience which kindled greater interest to remove doubt about positioning and make life safer.

RDF fixes by a portable radio in a bouncy seaway to confirm DR fixes and trying to obtain bearings of low hill features in hazy, overcast conditions were nowhere near today’s accuracy.

Satnav came along, but needed a schedule of knowing when satellite passes were due. Later GPS receivers allowed boats to constantly update position on a chart and as they advanced, gave speed and course over the ground so boats always knew their location. Plotting progress on a chart or graph paper helped navigators calculate drift or current.

In the Geraldton I sailed on Bill Harry’s Defiance, we took photos of CSIRO data every day in the week prior to the race in order to pick the best route.

24

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

In the mid 1980’s to qualify for the Sydney-Hobart, boats were still required to have two people capable of celestial navigation, carrying a sextant and a thick book of Norie’s tables and an almanac.

Chart plotters improved and my first experience with computer navigation came in the Santa Cruz 52 Cruz Control from San Francisco to Brisbane. We used the Australian Endeavour program as a plotter, and weather fax data by HF radio. We backed that up with radio skeds with Russell Radio in New Zealand, who took our position and gave us weather predictions to allow us to adjust our course away from bad weather or towards more favorable winds.

Moving to the MaxSea program, with C-Map digital and BSP Raster charts, allowed us to use the weather routing software to advantage, which helped to confirm tactical decisions and became the navigator’s best friend.

By the mid 2000s, programs became more aligned to offshore racing. One of the main programs used today is Expedition. With constant development it is used not only in offshore racing but also the America’s Cup. Others are TimeZero (the new MaxSea) and Adrena.

Last year’s Geraldton race on Crush was a challenge for navigators with light winds making it hard to select the best course.

With about 6 weather models to choose from, navigators tend to favour the one closest to the conditions they are experiencing, but while a model may be accurate in strength and direction, the timing may be early or late. Navigators also look at coastal observations, rain radars, clouds, onboard barometer readings and temperature changes.

While the navigator’s tools of trade have changed over time, they now use programs to make life easier but weather routing is still a prediction but a most useful tool to confirm their thinking. An hourly log of at least position, course and speed is good practice in the event of computer failure.

Most safety categories require a hand-held GPS as a backup, but the likes of Navionics can be used on a smartphone. Route data can be transferred in GPX format between programs or plotters and having the race route in the backup hand-held GPS is good practice. Having a battery backup is also required to guard against total boat power failure!

Sailing On – The Rebirth of Uforic

Y

ou may have seen Uforic parked on the left near the front gate and looking fairly rough. Sailing On has purchased Uforic from the Club and saved SoPYC an estimated $5000-$6000 it would otherwise have to spend in disposal costs. We have started to rebuild her, after 10 years of neglect, and she will be the third yacht in our fleet along with Avenue and Shiraz.

Sailing On was designed to help improve mental health of veterans and reduce suicide through learning new skills, being part of teams, training and being an active part of the sporting community.

The military are very adept at knocking people down and building them up again into soldiers and serviceman. This can be a positive thing, teaching the individual their self-worth, a drive to achieve, how to be part of a cohesive team and the skills needed for their unique task.

Along with this training comes a sense of mateship, belonging, comradery, a focus on the collective group and a way of life.

Once leaving the services, many veterans suffer a sense of loss. As well as any mental health issues they may have developed during service, they no longer feel a part of a team, may not have transferable skills and doubt their self-worth in society. Many fall into a state of depression, and for some, this becomes too much and they take their own lives. More deaths from suicide than all the recent conflicts including Vietnam. Over 2000 lives taken.

Much has been done and much is being done in the mental health arena to provide support to veterans, from psychiatric support, to ex-service organisations and including the previous 57 investigations and Royal Commissions into suicide within the military and veteran community.

Unfortunately, the suicides are continuing and so it is evident that more is needed.

The teamwork, a sense of

achievement, belonging, learning new skills and comradery need to be replaced. Gaining psychiatric support is vital but it does not replace the sense of loss experienced by many.

The role of adaptive sport, in particular Sailing, to help improve the mental health of veterans has been researched by both the British and Israeli governments.

“A 2007 Israeli government study found that sailing can help reduce the symptoms in veterans with depression and PTSD. Researchers say they observed a decrease in depression and functional problems, along with improved self-esteem.” As a consequence of that study, the Israeli government saw the value in sailing for veterans. They have set up a group called “The Boat is Sailing”. The British conducted a similar study and set up the “Turn to Starboard” sailing group.

One of our SoPYC members saw the need to do something to help and started Sailing On. SoPYC is the Australian home of Sailing On and we are proud to be part of the Club and doing our utmost to support veterans in this unique endeavour.

The focus of Sailing On is to repair disused yachts and form teams to sail them. The model chosen emulates the act, belong, commit, approach and is aimed at getting our members active in the community while looking after each other. This is achieved through veterans learning new skills repairing boats, typically learning

rigging skills, how to fibreglass, and boat maintenance. We pay for our members to attend formal sailing courses. They are conducted through SoPYC where members learn how to crew yachts and then sail any time on our yachts, engaging and developing as teams, learning sailing skills and communicating in a relaxed environment.

Uforic is coming along nicely with work inside the cabin nearly completed. Such a transformation already after a huge clean up. All work is purely voluntary, so you will hopefully see her progress fairly quickly as we change focus to the externals. By the way, we are looking for a motor and a main sail as she came without them if you know of any?

You will see us around working and sailing our yachts. Please take the time and say g’day.

Guy Mewburn Chair, Sailing On WA Inc

25

POWER TORQUE

T

he Power Yacht Time Trialling competition season opened in May with the usual gathering in Yachties Bar of past and present Members, visiting guests, Flag Officers, friends, competitors and family. Keeping with the Club’s family-style, relaxed welcoming atmosphere, all those gathered enjoyed the complimentary food and refreshments prior to the official opening ceremony on the Quarterdeck.

The assembled audience listened to our guest speaker Elly Spillekom reflect on her research in collaboration with the WA Shipwrecks Museum, on early Dutch coastal shipwrecks and early boat building on the Swan River.

Once the cannon had fired, Flag Officers and dignitaries assembled on VIP vessels and under the start box to view the sail past parade of dressed boats. This year saw a Royal themed boat commemorating King Charles’ coronation, feature as winners. Congratulations Judy and Vern Bailey on Holidaze for your effort. Prior to announcements and

26

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

results, Commodore Troy presented 5 new Time trailers with ports and welcomed them to our fleet.

The Opening Day Time Trial event, the Commodores Trophy, was won by Thanet setting the bar high for the season.

Congratulations PC Guy Skinner and Fiona Lyons who were supported by their regular crew member, Alex. See more of the Power Opening Day moments in the photo Gallery.

The power season ran for 18 weeks with a mixture of Club consistency events, novelty and State Championship Heats. Many of the Club trophies are dedicated to former members. The visiting trophy presenters, representing these past members, relish the opportunity to be welcomed back into the fold where they are remembered, embracing the camaraderie their relatives enjoyed. Kim Marchant reminded us this season, that in just 2 years, 2025, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of running of the TiTu Time Trial event trophy. The event is our signature CPYA invitation event in honour of his father Frank Marchant. A Time Trialling Power and Yacht Section Reunion has been announced for planning. Please share the word with others and especially our past power boat fleet members to watch for a date in late May 2025.

The Power committee has had some changes in leadership this past season. We would like to acknowledge and thank our past Captain Glen Swift and Past Vice Captain Doug Smith. We would also like to thank Jason Claricoates, who was elected Vice Captain and in the absence of a captain, stood up to lead the power section for some time. Jason was supported by a strong committee consisting of Management and Flag Officer experience.

He also had wonderful support with both Commodore and Immediate Past Commodore both having served as Power Captains. Maria Cook was elected Power Captain for the upcoming year at our August meeting with Jason Claricoates remaining our Vice-Captain. Claude and Graeme from our

Committee have volunteered to sit on the Club Management Team, while still remaining on the Power Committee.

Again, relying on experience and the “get the job done” approach, Maria Cook and Starter, Marg Cooper took on the calculations of end of season results and prize night preparation duties to assist Matt the Sailing Administrator.

The Power section recognises Matt’s contribution to the administration of Time trialling, continuing to master the unique Checkpoint program and the most difficult ‘chore’ in rostering and securing Checkpoint crews each week.

Our sport relies on Checkpoints and thanks the Sailing Administrator and the dedicated volunteer Start team of Past Commodore Frank Dalglish, Barbara Dalglish and Starter Marg Cooper. The section also thanks Greg and Val Power and Jenny Pretty on support/marshal boat, Bernie for photos, John Meldrum and other regular on water volunteers.

Our season finale is Prize Night in October. Maria and Margaret’s volunteer time, Judy Bailey, our newly elected functions reps, decorating, Bernie’s photo slide show, Jason and Caroline’s trophy and plaque organisation, all together presented a wonderful, well organised and fun 2023 Prize Night event.

The winners of five season trophies are announced on Prize Night. The most coveted are the yellow 400 and 401 boards. A countback was required to split 1st and 2nd positions for Club Champion boat 400 being awarded to Thanet, skipper PC Guy Skinner and Fiona Lyons navigating, from last year’s winners Dalusional, Commodore Troy Dalglish and Victoria Blanckensee. The Dolphin, Jason Claricoates and Caroline James were in 3rd position for Championship. Their consistent scoring during the season won The Dolphin the 401 numbers for Consistency award. Guy has previously won the CPYA State heat Series. COVID scuttled Thanet’s 2021 campaign, so for Opening Day 2022 he made himself a 399.999999 yellow

board. When presenting the trophy to Guy and handing over the 400 title Troy joked his SoPYC400 number plates were not for transfer. For full results of all 2023 season trophy winners refer to Coffee Pointers issue of 17th October.

Social events on the calendar this year included the Bogan Band Night after our TiTu invitation Time Trail and State heat round. The Sheds played hard and had the dance floor full all night. The CPYA State Heats and invitation events allow interaction with our kindred Clubs. Lunches at Royal Freshwater Bay and dinner at Claremont were well attended by our section members. Heats and invitation events attracted teams representing seven Clubs. The depth of our collective experience meant SoPYC retained the Teams event trophy for 2024, however our rivals at RFBYC and RPYC retained the major individual CPYA prizes.

A new time trialling and social event is being developed for the March long weekend by our friends down at Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club. The Time Trialling course will be for shallow draft vessels with a Beach BBQ on Saturday night followed by a fun upriver “tender rally” on Sunday. Pens at Mandurah are available by contacting the MOFSC Club direct with your boat details.

Please contact Captain Maria Cook for assistance.

The summer is here with temperatures in the 30’s again.

The annual Jetty 6 Christmas Party is coming up but alas, too late to report for this edition.

Wishing the Committee and all our power boat Members, a safe and happy boating Christmas. Let’s all encourage more members to become involved with Time Trialling and the Power Section for season 2024.

27

SAILING REPORT Left King Canute testing the storm sails Below Mariner Wine Appreciation Society, August 2023

I

t seems like the winter was long and wet. On Wednesdays, many events were cancelled due to inclement weather, however when this arrived, the smart boats made a bee line for the bar and enjoyed an afternoon of good food, fine wines and great company... except Matt Rose who thought it would be a great time to test his storm sails in 35 knots plus of wind in preparation for the Geraldton Ocean Classic.

This past year we had a great committee under the Captainship of Glenn Thomas comprising of Wendy Jorgensen – Sailing Vice Captain Rob Male – Div 2 Rep Chris Lewis-Driver – Div 3 Rep Mark Gooding – S80 Rep Matt Rose – SS27 Rep Bruce Uren – SS22 Rep Darren Brown – Red Witch Rep Ernie Little – H28 Rep As you read their reports you will understand the level of enthusiasm that they have for our sailing section.

As members we are fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers in these roles.

With the addition of your new Div 1 representative Ralph Newton, this group has also decided to stay on the committee under the new captainship of yours truly, and I look forward to another great year.

Due to changes in our on-water staff, we were unfortunately a little late getting the red book out, and to ensure its creation, we must thank Glenn Thomas, Christina Heydon and John Rooke for pulling it together with the great support of our Sailing Administrator Matt Doyle.

The Club did not slow down in the supposed sailing “off season” with both Wednesday racing continuing every Wednesday (except for the weather influenced cancellations mentioned at the beginning of this article) and the regular Winter Frostbite Series.

28

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

The Frostbite series, sponsored once again by our great friends at The Good Grocer, saw a great result with the winners being: Division 1 – Problem Child – Glenn Thomas Division 2 – Sidewalk Café – Denise Bradley Division 3 – Hellas – Nick Melidonis The Wednesday Autumn & Winter series, which was raced in all four divisions, saw great racing and some close and hard fought battles.

The results for the Autumn series were: Division 1 – Maxstar – Graeme Monkhouse Division 2 – Cover Drive – Peter Were Division 3 – Eutopia – Colin Delane H28 – Wynella – Glenn Stanley The results for the Winter series were: Division 1 – Mistress Quickly – Joe Lucey Division 2 – Cover Drive – Peter Were Division 3 – Eutopia – Colin Delane H28 – Mariner – Brian Cross As previously stated, the inclement weather resulted in bar camaraderie and the sampling of many wines. While not actually a competition, the many lunch events included our own wine maker David Atkinson and ensured robust discussion about wines.

And yes, even the RO John Rooke joined us. This is a definite recommendation to all sailors for next year: Let’s start doing something like a long table “too windy to go racing” lunch.

That’s it from me.

“Lets get out there” Brian Cross Sailing Captain

DIVISION ONE RAMBLINGS Left Sadly, it’s time to farewell Peter Vlaar’s Farrago, the Farr two tonner which won him the Siska Trophy in 2002-03, carried him to Darwin in the Freo to Darwin Splash, cruised the Kimberley coast and has probably covered more sea miles than any yacht in the SoPYC marina. However one is lost: another is gained as Peter will now be campaigning Freo Doctor in Division 1.

MQ has some new sails and a clean hull sees them always competitive. K Factor sports their new mast, Eun Na Mara’ has gone modern with a 10 Kva electric motor, and Dart 4 (Ian Anderson) has hinged her mast (getting ready for some serious ocean races, perhaps?). Slippery continues to perform very well, with Skywalker, Tapestry, Wicked and Problem Child always pushing for podiums. Helios, with those scary uniforms and fabulous paintwork takes some beating (but not often).

On the subject of Helios, I have just re-read Chris Higham’s article from the last Soundings and congratulate the family on a huge contribution to our sport. Chris, with George Ruul is doing well with handicapping, as Chris’s following article shows:

W

hen I was much younger, the Head Office of my bank (which bank?) had two plaques sitting on the wall above me, which read “Time and Tide Wait for No Man”, and “Time Flies, Never to Be Recalled”.

Which only goes to emphasise our marching years, and the fact that as we are now approaching Christmas, it seems just a few weeks ago that many of the SoPYC stalwarts were enjoying the cool, brisk weather of Hobart during the Wooden Boat Festival. The previous Soundings shows a dozen happy members who had just enjoyed a memorable talk by our Club Vice-Patron, Len Randell.

Oddly, it seems Len (The Avenue) is sometimes missing out sailing every Wednesday, but not for any other reason except he is sometimes a little short of crew – which brings me to suggest we all get together and ‘share’ crew. There may be some reluctance here for some who think they will permanently lose their crew if they go and sail on another yacht, but the advantages are that ‘travelling’ crew will gain experience by changing yachts, more yachts will get out on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and of course, you can tattoo them! The Sailing Committee is also working hard on developing the Crew Needed/Wanted Register, (check out the website) led by Wendy Jorgenson. Sailing Administrator Matt Doyle is updating the whiteboards regularly. Two or three sailing members have taken on the task of constantly updating this register, so let’s give it a go.

What changes do we have in our fleet? We’re happy to see Freo Doctor racing on Saturdays, but Farrago is (apparently) leaving SoPYC for Mindarie - what a shame!

Notes from the handicapper’s desk

It’s been a busy couple of months for the handicapping of the fleet with the commencement of the 2023/24 season.

After calling a division meeting to discuss the handicapping options for the season we have had a really solid engagement from the fleet with a record number of ORCc certificates now on issue. We have 13 certificates on issue and are waiting on Freo Doctor to round out the known applicants. The yachts not carrying a certificate this season are The Avenue (now sailing in the Soldier On initiative) Skywalker, Let’s Dance and Freo Doctor.

Performance wise both the PHS and ORCc results are reflective of tight sailing throughout the fleet. Most races sailed in consistent wind conditions see fleet results spread within 3 minutes for 80% of the fleet and place getters regularly separated by less than one minute.

Across the series there are multiple yachts experiencing racing success with no one yacht dominating all our forms of racing which translates to plenty of happy faces in the bar and much discussion about the few seconds left on the course that could have elevated their results (or the disasters that left minutes on the course!).

Discussions are now open with Scott Olney at Geographe Bay about introducing ORCc as their preferred rated handicap system due to the waning interest in IRC ratings for Cruiser Racers so it may be interesting to see how many SoPYC yachts enter that regatta and whether the ORCc system widens its reach to other Clubs on the river.

Until next time, Sail Fast and Bonnie.

29

WOMENS' SQUAD

A

fter the excitement of having two boats in the WA Women’s Keelboat State Championships and taking out a win for South of Perth Yacht Club, the squad retreated into hibernation for the winter. Fortunately an exciting opportunity presented itself for a WA team to enter the 2023 South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (SAWKR) in Adelaide from 30 Sep–2 Oct. The Regatta was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia (CYCSA) in partnership with Port Adelaide Sailing Club (PASC) and the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (RSAYS). It was the second year the event had run and a total of 31 all-female crews entered from all across the country.

With the generous support of the Club and its patrons, South of Perth Yacht Club was able to secure the hire of an Eliott 7 to compete as part of the one-design fleet. The crew comprised of Kirstin Norris (Skipper), Fiona Lyons (Main), Annie Hind (Trim), Deb Conroy (Mast) and Jen Sims (Bow).

The crew managed to arrange a single training session at RPYC for what was for most of the crew their first time on an Eliott 7 and then eagerly headed off to SA for what they all hoped would be a great weekend of Sailing.

The team certainly set the pace on Day 1 with a 1, 1, 2 resulting in fantastic spoils of local SA wine as reward for their hard earnt success that day. The second day was difficult with light winds and a big swell

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SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

levelling the playing field and knocking the team back into 2nd place behind a local favourite. With just the one race scheduled for the final day, the SoPYC women’s team dusted themselves off and went into the final race as a cohesive team determined to do their best and hopefully take out the regatta.

The girls were sure of their strategy and from the radio chatter on the start boat it sounded like their predictions were on point. Unfortunately, much to everyone’s surprise the wind died to almost nothing with a big shift that knocked them out of contention.

Nevertheless, the girls remained positive and fought to the end recovering a significant amount of lost ground and securing an overall 2nd place in the Eliott 7 fleet.

The presentation dinner was a fantastic affair with an inspiring presentation by professional offshore racer Stacey Jackson and a local female DJ ensuring that everyone had a wonderful night. Overall, it was a fantastic event which was clearly the result of a lot of hard work by a large and dedicated team of volunteers across the three

yacht Clubs involved. It was a most inspiring event and I hope that SoPYC will be able to field another team next year.

The Women’s squad will be looking to undertake further training in the future and look forward to the WA Women’s Keelboat Championships expected to take place in April 2024 hosted by SoPYC. If you are interested in joining the squad please contact the On-Water Group and they will get you in touch with this year's squad coordinators.

Kirstin Norris

31

HERRESHOFF HILL NEWS

The Don Bourne Memorial Trophy 2023

H

aving celebrated 60 years of sailing H28s as a class fleet at SoPYC earlier this year, the challenge is now to retain that class status in the Club’s sailing competition. With the reduced numbers of yachts in the fleet, and a change in crew priorities for sailing in all races, the division has had some difficulty in the past couple of years in meeting the requirement for fielding a minimum of 5 yachts in all races.

There is a total of 14 H28s currently on the Club’s mooring pen register of which 10 are sufficiently well maintained and able to regularly participate in the sailing competition.

They are Aloha, Anna, Corella, Georgina, Mariner, Napea of Carrick, Nerrima, Swiftsure Saga, The First Jindarra and Wynella. Les Brooker has only recently brought Nerrima back into the fleet and he is proving to be successfully competitive. James Spittle will also soon commence regular Saturday racing with Napea of Carrick In the past 2 years, there has been a noticeable reluctance for some crews to participate in the Saturday

32

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

competition. I am, however, confident that we now have a core of 5 H28 crews who will sail most Saturdays, with others prepared to also sail the occasional Saturday.

Division members are considering strategies for increasing the level of vessel and crew participation. A couple of vessels are now sailed and maintained under joint ownership, with Wynella being a successful example of the arrangement, having two specific crews allowing it to compete in all midweek and Saturday sailing events. Other skippers are considering a similar arrangement. Of the four H28s not currently racing, a couple of them would not take much effort or expense to get them on the water. The H28 Division has always enjoyed a great competitive spirit, enhanced by the strong camaradrie displayed by the crews. If any other Club members would like to consider joining our sailing group on the water, just contact any of the current owners and I am sure you will be welcomed aboard to enjoy the experience!

Rick Steuart’s H 28 photography and history dialogue.

An important member of the division is Rick Steuart, above, who contributes many photos of the Club’s sailing competition on most racing days. He has been actively involved in Club activities during the past 24 years and he currently crews on Mariner with Brian Cross. Rick has established a website, which chronicles the events and history of the SoPYC H28 Division.

Since 2012 he has continuously maintained a photographic gallery and recorded a commentary of the daily sailing encounters of every H28 event. His actions are a good example of the enthusiasm and good fellowship which prevails within the H28 fleet!

If the reader wants to get a feel for the character of the fleet, I suggest you refer to Rick’s website www.wah28.com

A most successful

Red Witch graduate!

The H28 Division has always had a reputation of being an aged seniors group. However, perhaps it is now the dawning of a new era. In July of 2020 Rupert Ledger aged 20 years purchased Georgina, to become what I believe to be the youngest ever, owner/ skipper of a H28 within the SoPYC fleet. He personally rebuilt the vessel with a new deck and cabin top, all done with the assistance of family and friends and with much valued support from Brian Cross and David Locke.

Rupert’s prior sailing experience

was with the sea scouts sailing in the SoPYC Red Witch Division. Not only has Rupert and his fellow ex Red Witch sailor, Matt Patman, become competitive members of the H28 Division, they have also blended in and are very popular within our group. We would welcome any other approaches from the Red Witch sailing group to come along for a sail with us.

In closing, congratulations to Brian Cross and his crew for taking out the H28 Winter Consistency Series. Brian and the crew also won the Don Bourne Memorial Trophy for 2023. Well done Mariner!

Ernie Little H28 Division Chairman

Rupert Ledger and Matt Patman graduated from Red Witch to H28

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33

20/11/23 15:13

SS22 & SS27 REPORT

O

n Sunday 27th August 2023 SoPYC hosted a highly successful special regatta to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Spacesailer 27 and 22 yachts.

A total of 23 boats from five river cubs assembled for an informal race and social gathering to celebrate this momentous milestone. The Spacesailer range of boats was designed by Kim Swarbrick when he was a very young man and they have been very much a pillar of small keelboat sailing in WA. The boats are strongly made and were available in varying degrees of completion. Many families bought the basic mouldings and completed the fitting out and rigging as a family project. On our regatta day, a great many of the reflections by past and more senior present owners, centred around the trials, tribulations and ultimate joy of fitting out their yachts, launching and then successfully racing them.

It was also interesting to discover how many of the present SS27 skippers graduated from previously racing SS22s. The list of names is considerable including, Mark Popham (who raced a 22 with his

34

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

brother Rodney), Brian Saleeba, Greg Northover and Tim Harrison, to name a few.

A highlight of the anniversary event was a talk from the very modest designer, Kim Swarbrick. In part, Kim reflected on how he had designed the hulls, then oversaw the building of the first hulls in the family factory. Further validation of his skill as designer was

realised when he entered the first SS27 yacht, Touche, into the Geraldton Ocean Classic of 1983 and won the race on handicap.

Kim also expressed how proud he and his brothers are to see so many of their yachts still gracing the local waters and how enthusiastically they are maintained and raced by so many of us.

By now many of you may have heard of SS27 King Canute (SP330) which Matt Rose purchased and substantially refurbished a few years ago. Matt and is crew have put in a very creditable effort competing in many of the Short Haul Ocean racing series races in Division 2, proving yet again that despite their size, Spacesailer 27s are both robust and seaworthy.

Most recently, Matt entered the 2023 edition of the Geraldton Ocean Classic and invited Kim Swarbrick to join his crew as navigator. King Canute’s performance was very commendable; Perth to Geraldton Div 2 – First IRC, First PHS Geraldton to Perth Div 2 – First IRC, First PHS To cap things off, King Canute also took out the Batavia Coast Trophy, which is a combination of the two long-distance races and the Lobster Pot series conducted by the Geraldton Yacht Club on Champion Bay. Congratulations to Matt, Kim and the King Canute crew.

As we go to press, the 2023-24 racing season is well under way and we continue to enjoy competitive racing in both the SS27 and SS22 fleets, both at SoPYC and at the wider Association level for each class.

Well done everyone and keep up the good work.

Garrick Aberle and Bruce Uren

35

S80 REPORT

T

here is always a “Bubble of Excitement” associated with the start of a new summer sailing season, a kind of anticipation you don’t get from work or chores at home. Notwithstanding a few S80s have been sailing the Wednesday afternoon river races during the winter and the Frostbite series – all just to keep the joints moving.

Now comes summer racing - summer on the Swan is really where it’s at. Lots of racing in solid sea breezes.

The WA S80 Association AGM was held on 14th September and saw Andre Linthorne stand again as S80 president, a position he has held for the last couple of years and Mark Gooding again standing as SoPYC class rep.

Anyone who knows Andre and Mark would not be surprised to hear that over the last couple of years they are slowly increasing numbers and participation.

The new S80 committee looks forward to building on the initiatives already in place and other options on the drawing board to support the ongoing success of the S80 one design class. At SoPYC we are just starting to see early signs of more numbers for the 2023/24 sailing season.

Racing SoPYC S80 Class yachts

Alchemy................................................ Con Macarlino (For Sale to a keen SoPYC racing buyer) Hobo......................................................... Mark Abercromby Fair Game........................................... Sue Game and Dean Picot Don’t Panic !!................................... Mat Selby Shadowfax ........................................ Mark and Jim Gooding Glasgow Kiss................................... Greg Tonnison and Grant Firth Abbey Road ...................................... James Barton

36

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

Metropolitan Series

As aways, an early start to the S80 Class season on 24th September, with the start of the S80 Metropolitan Championship series, where the S80s sail the opening days of all the major river Clubs. The first heat (race 1) of the Metro series was at East Fremantle Yacht Club’s opening day and saw 9 boats make the journey down river. It was a quick race in moderate conditions with all boats starting and all finishing. It was just what we all needed to blow away the winter blues.

The second heat (race 2) was at Nedlands Yacht Club opening day the following Sunday, followed by the SoPYC opening day (race 3) the next weekend. Race 4 was Royal Perth Yacht Club opening day and finally Royal Freshwater

Bay Yacht Club opening day (race 5).

In a convincing manner Shadowfax skippered by Mark Gooding and crew won all five races in a great series with varying conditions from light to very heavy over the five races winning overall, with a full-on tussle happening for minor placings. A special mention to Phil Slee and his crew from Bunbury who travelled to Perth every weekend to race and competed in all five of the Metro series races, on board Command, to finish in overall second position. SoPYC’s Don’t Panic!! helmed by Mat Selby also had a great series finishing overall third position and winning the Consistency series.

Each year in the Metro series we are traditionally invited by the various Clubs in a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. We would like to extend our thanks for the work that goes in to hosting our races and for the goodspirited fellowship.

UK Sails and Swan River Championships – Short Series

By the time this goes to print the UK Sailmaker’s S80 Short Course Series and Swan River Short Series Championships will be under way over two half Saturdays each. These short course series always provide exciting racing and a great opportunity to hone up the skills of skippers and crews under (sometimes demanding) conditions always requiring good teamwork to do well.

Ron Tough S80 Match Racing

The Ron Tough S80 Match Racing Regatta commemorates the vast contribution of the late Ron Tough to sailing in WA.

The regatta is one of the more prestigious amateur match racing events on the river and is hosted annually by RPYC. The punchbowl perpetual trophy, awarded to the winning skipper, is one of the largest pieces of silverware in the RPYC trophy cabinet and makes quite a talking point for any worthy recipient.

Last season the regatta was held over the last weekend of April with six boats squaring off against each other in an elimination round robin, followed by a best of three race final and petit final. Frakka (Annette Koenders) was the eventual winner from runner-up Don’t Panic!! (Mat Selby) in a tight final. Shadowfax (Mark Gooding) took out 3rd place in the petit final comfortably beating Balancing Act.

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37

VIPER REPORT

T

he Viper fleet has been building over the winter months. Not a lot of sailing but the number of boats at SoPYC is growing.

A big welcome to Shaun Hughes who has become a member at SoPYC and brought AUS 116 Velocity from RFBYC to join the fleet at South Perth. Great to see some younger blood in the fleet not only with Shaun but also Robbie Senior who has purchased AUS 279, the newest Viper in the fleet. Robbie will

38

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

be teaming up with Brett Sharpe and based on their first few outings will be a highly competitive addition.

Michael Cameron has also moved his boat from Albany to South of Perth and will be sailing when time permits.

Local lunchbox legend Andrew Harry has chartered AUS 118 for the State Championships. We are all waiting to see how he goes in his pre-training but maybe Hips doesn't need any training?

No introductions needed for Greg

Reynolds who has bought AUS 215 Grey Nomad which he is keeping in Mandurah but planning to sail regularly at SoPYC. We have nine boats on the hardstand at SoPYC - now we just need to see them on the water.

A big thank you to Geoff Warwick and Casey Skinner on Pens and Moorings for accommodating the extra boats at short notice and dealing with the inevitable complications caused by our new and not so new members.

Graeme Monkhouse

SAILABILITY REPORT

S

ailability at SoPYC is a volunteer-based program, conducted by the Club that provides, on a weekly basis throughout the summer sailing season, opportunities for people with disability to experience the joy of recreational sailing, regardless of their ability, mobility, or circumstances.

A variety of vessels are utilised from stable 2-person dinghies to 20-foot and larger yachts and power boats under the control of experienced volunteer skippers and crew. Hoists are available to transfer wheelchair participants into the boats. The sailing areas are in safe protected waters, and all activities are supported by a safety boat and trained volunteers, many of whom have first-aid certification.

The Club owns all the Sailability assets including donated boats and ancillary equipment and charges the Section a range of fees including storage fees and facility fees for the use of Club assets. Over its life since 2012, the SoPYC Program has been

self-funded and sustainable, with flow on benefits to the Club including additional bar and catering income, as well as the Club being seen as a good corporate citizen in the wider community.

In addition to SoPYC support, Sailability is also dependent upon the continued involvement of its committed volunteers, who are passionate about sharing their love of sailing with people with disabilities.

Each year, over the winter break, Sailability volunteers undertake a wide variety of maintenance tasks as may be required including: general boat maintenance and repairs (fibreglassing, painting and polishing); repairs on sails; servicing of outboard motors; replacing rigging, halyards and sheets; checking and certification of all safety equipment (life jackets, participant slings and jetty hoists); procurement of improved wheelchair ramps for jetty access etc - all aimed at getting the fleet ready for the season start. Leading this maintenance effort, with extraordinary dedication is David Staniforth-Smith, assisted by many other willing volunteers, including Greg Allen, Xavier Aerts, David Robinson and Liz Warman in particular this year.

Additionally, during the winter break a Strategic Planning Subcommittee was formed, to develop a five-year strategic plan to guide ongoing growth and development of Sailability at SoPYC. Key goals and KPI’s were developed by this sub-committee, chaired by David Robinson. As an early action item

arising from this process, it was agreed desirable to establish a separate entity with tax deductible gift recipient (“DGR”) status through which the Sailability program at the Club could be conducted and be self-funding.

Following further investigation of options, Sailability Committee Member and Treasurer, John Hassen, prepared a comprehensive discussion paper recommending incorporation.

This was agreed by the Sailability Committee and thereafter submitted to the SoPYC Management Committee for approval.

Sailability at SoPYC continues to be well supported by our enthusiastic family of participants who, along with our red-shirt volunteers, are very much looking forward to getting back on the water sailing on October 11th. Last year we managed to get our participants (and sometimes their carers) out on the water for 729 hours, but we can and would like to do more!

New volunteers, are always needed so please come along, join the crew and have some fun, as these few photos from prior seasons indicate.

Interested and like to know more?

Use the QR code below to watch a video made by Becky Byass that says it all.

39

OPTIMIST REPORT

Chernoff skippering Double Trouble.

Optimist sailors enjoyed the winter season racing with many also participating in inter-Club regattas including Huck Scott and West Sail WA Youth Championships. Some optimist sailors travelled to compete in international regattas during the season and we are proud of their achievements.

Junior races and events don’t happen without the support of the broader Centreboard Community and we are grateful for the cohort of volunteers and coaches who create these opportunities for our junior sailors.

There have been a number of training camps for optimist sailors including the recent Teams Racing event hosted by SoPYC. This event brings together sailors from all over Perth and beyond and provides a wonderful opportunity to meet other sailors and develop on-water collaboration.

Excitingly, a group of young Optimist sailors will be travelling to South Australia next season to represent SoPYC in the Australian Optimist National Championship.

Helen Chernoff Centreboard Captain

T

he Optimist class is designed for junior sailors and the skills acquired build resilience, physical strength, team skills, water safety and most importantly a love of sailing. The SoPYC Academy supports the development of young sailors and with increasing numbers in the Optimist fleets it’s wonderful to provide sailing, training and racing opportunities to the future generations.

In May 2023 the Centreboard section celebrated a prize night acknowledging achievements of our young sailors. With many Optimist sailors receiving awards relating to racing accomplishments, team work, effort and skills development. The overall Optimist Club Championship was awarded to 11 year old Victoria

40

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

FLYING FIFTEENS

O

ur featured sailor for this edition is Michelle Richardson who can be found on most Sunday afternoons for the last couple of years on the steering end of the Flying Fifteen Fflashpoint. There are a few technical quirks with the class that are better learnt firsthand, and Michelle is now deeply into her apprenticeship.

Michelle’s first official venture into sailing was in the late eighties as part of the junior program at South of Perth. Prior to that it was Mudlark sailing on the upper reaches of the Canning River. Pelicans were the training weapon of choice at South of Perth in those days, crewing then skippering for a couple of seasons.

Graduating to 125s then various international competitions in 420s and 470s predominantly with her younger sister, Lisa, as forward hand.

As is often the case, talented sailors regularly house talents in other fields which meant tertiary studies took the front seat during her late teens with, firstly, a degree in Physiology

and Pharmacology at UWA and, with an appetite for further study, a second degree in Medicine at the same university. Marriage followed in 2002 to Adam Richardson and then a stint working around the UK before some work in regional WA. Now, mostly settled, in private practice and with 3 children aged between 12 and 17, she was conscripted/encouraged back into regular competitive sailing by a close paternal family member. It’s not uncommon in the Flying Fifteen fleet for people, having established careers and families, to get back involved in a sport that offers a healthy balance between the competitive, physical and social aspects.

Having to sail with a crew who is old enough to be her Dad is mostly offset by him being furnished with a fully functioning boat and cheque book. As we go to print, Fflashpoint sits in seventh position on consistency with some solid performances in lighter breezes and keeping themselves just a step in front of the handicapper!

Having to sail with a crew who is old enough to be her Dad is mostly offset by him being furnished with a fully functioning boat and cheque book

41

OFFSHORE SECTION

GERALDTON OCEAN CLASSIC

W

hen Rolly Tasker’s giant speedster Siska IV took more than an hour off the existing race record in 1980, setting a time of 20 hours and 30 minutes, it was a mark to stand for decades. Although Garth Curran came perilously close to it in 1995 with his downwind flyer Walk on the Wild Side coming within nine minutes of Siska’s time, it was left to the water

42

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

ballasted Whitbread 62 Elle Racing, using the Geraldton as a tune up for its Around the World race to smash the record. It was a controversial result though, because water ballast was not acceptable at the time so it was not officially recognized. Moving forward, the controversy was finally resolved by Craig Carter’s Indian which took the time down to 17 hours and 11 minutes in 2015 to eclipse both Siska’s and

Elle Racing’s time and unify the line honours trophy once again.

With another promising weather forecast for 2023 and David Davenport’s TP52 Crush in the fleet, the possibility of a new race record was the main point of discussion before the start. Paul Eldrid’s weather briefing turned out to be spot on and after a fairly pedestrian start in light airs, the sea breeze kicked in and freshened. It became clear that the record was under threat before the leaders reached the halfway mark and when Crush crossed the finish line before 2am on Sunday, a new record of 16 hours, 24 minutes and 23 seconds had been set – a remarkable average speed of 13 ½ knots or in landlubber terms, around 25kph.

In fresh following winds, spinnakers have a lot of work to do so it was no surprise to learn afterwards that Crush had destroyed a couple on her way north.

The handicap winner Enterprise NG sailed by Anthony Kirke finished

King Canute’s entry in the race was the first by a Spacesailer 27 since Tony Edman’s Trailblazer sailed in the 1993 edition of the race.

well clear on corrected time and with astute tactics and navigation, suffered none of the gear issues of the leader.

Bill Henson’s Sirene was second on PHS handicap, behind dual winner Enterprise.

The story of the race must be all about Matt Rose’s Spacesailer 27 King Canute. Told initially that the Spacesailer 27 could not compete in Category 2 events due to stability rules, Matt subjected the yacht to an inclination test and discovered that the boat comfortably meets the required stability criteria. King Canute’s entry in the race was the first by a Spacesailer 27 since Tony Edman’s Trailblazer sailed in the 1993 edition of the race.

Matt’s crew was bolstered by the inclusion of the boat’s designer Kim Swarbrick. Kim was keen to compete to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his previous handicap win in another Spacesailer 27, Touche. The boat’s extraordinary performance in this year’s race will give him a lot of flags

to add to his collection!

King Canute had a brilliant week, winning Division 2 on handicap in both directions, winning Geraldton’s Lobster Pot Series and also the overall division 2 combined results. A brilliant all-round performance and a tribute to the dedication of Matt and his crew.

The return race from Geraldton looked as though it too, might produce a record when forecasts indicated winds would be northerly or north

easterly. They were close to right, but an area of very soft pressure around Jurien and Cervantes put paid to any chance of a record. Once again, it was Enterprise and King Canute which performed best in their respective divisions.

Special mention too, to Bill Henson in his JPK45 Sirene, taking overall first place on PHS handicap with a remarkably consistent performance in both races.

43

CRUISING SECTION

T

he Cruising Section continues to engage with all Club members by organising a wide range of boating and related activities that have a common theme… that events are noncompetitive.

A small and dedicated committee was led by Captain Mike Irving until his trip overseas. Paul Stott was elected Cruising Captain for 2023-24. The Committee will sadly farewell long-time Treasurer Secretary Jan Culver. The efficiency and minuting of meetings for the section is reflective of Jan’s commitment to the role. Thank you Jan. An event is planned for nearly every month, most often on a Sunday, for the busy varied Cruising Calendar. Posters and notices are in your Coffee Pointers and display cases around the Club. All are free events where participants pay for their own expenses, tickets and moorings when we visit other marinas. Thank you to the committee members who individually organized these five events.

The traditional June long weekend event, the annual Mindarie Quays Cruise was plagued with unfavorable weather. Unfortunately, the three day event was cancelled and an impromptu raft up in Matilda Bay was organized with seven boats enjoying camaraderie on the Sunday

44

SOUNDINGS | May 2023 ~ September 2023

afternoon, some choosing to stay overnight. Tom and Amy’s black boat centre console tender was a huge hit with Ange and a group of the girls heading off into Elizabeth Quay for an impromptu cruise. Thanks, Mike, for making arrangements with Mindarie.

Later in the month of June, an enthusiastic group of eighteen members and friends visited the Fremantle Shipwreck Museum with special guides curator of the Dutch collection, Elly Spillekom and our own Club Vice Patron, Len Randell, who shared stories of early diving discoveries on shipwrecks of the Batavia Coast. Later we enjoyed the unique ambiance of the Darling Darling Bar, resembling the lower deck of a tall ship, which could have been an historic wreck. Thank you, Amanda, for making the arrangements The July event was the very popular casual cruise and Sunday lunch at the East Fremantle Yacht Club. These cruise events, where we visit our kindred Clubs, are very easy to join in. Judy and Vern Bailey hosted fourteen guests onboard Holidaze and Jared and Mark on Pickled Tickle and RC Clive Blowers on his new Beneteau Happy Place, each hosted six guests for the cruise to East Freo. A total of 42 members enjoyed the hospitality at East Freo. Thanks to

Rob Willis and Dave Barton.

With the return of warmer weather, the next organized event was the Rottnest Island Cruise and Quokka Arms Lunch. Again, always a popular event, attracting our social members to join in with beach games. There are always stories to share in the afternoon before the return trip back up the river at twilight. Marcel enjoys arranging this event each year Thanks Marcel.

The Rockingham Beach Horse Races was another popular annual event, where our members enjoyed the hospitality of our friends at TCYC while we rent their beach moorings.

TCYC are wonderful hosts supplying a daily $15 voucher per mooring, a sure way to entice members to enjoy sunset drinks and counter teas. A group of 24 members and friends gathered on Saturday night as well as two crews from FSC yachts, Twitch and Knot Dreaming who joined our group for a long table bistro dinner. By mid-Sunday morning, grey skies and drizzly rain cleared for the horseracing along the foreshore for the spectacle of the Rockingham Beach Cup. Such is the demand for moorings, that next year SoPYC are waitlisted for just 10.

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