SOUNDINGS
THE BI ANNUAL MAGAZINE of SOUTH of PERTH YACHT C LUB
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 2024/2025
COMMODORE
Brian Cross
VICE COMMODORE
Amanda Watson
REAR COMMODORES
Nikki Kukura
Sandy Dunn
HON. TREASURER
Bradley Abbott
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Phillip Draber
Nick Chernoff
Ashley Hicks
David Luketina
Carl Pettersson
Mathew Selby
Iain Somerville
PATRON
Life Member & Past Commodore
Colin Cowden
VICE PATRONS
Kim Giddens MLA
Katy Mair, Mayor, City of Melville
Past Commodore / Life Member Rupert Leslie
Mr Len Randell OAM
Past Commodore Frank Dalglish
NOONGAR ELDER IN RESIDENCE
Marie Taylor
South of Perth Yacht Club
Coffee Point Applecross WA 6153
32.00.13 S 115.50.73 E 08 9364 5844
reception@sopyc.com.au www.sopyc.com.au
OFFICE HOURS
Monday to Friday 9am ~ 12pm by appointment 12pm ~ 5pm Office Open
General Manager
Finance & Administration Manager
Finance Officer
Business Processes Improvement / Secretary
Membership and Marketing Coordinator
Facilities Manager
Receptionist
Pens & Moorings / Facilities Administrator / Memberships Coordinator
Food & Beverage Manager
On Water Group Manager
Sailing Administrator
Senior Coach
Head Bosun
John Pedretti
Peter Romaine
Kate Nickel
Natalie Bradshaw
Brooke VanderPeet
Dan Lawrence
Megan Rickards
Sophie Read
Sukhbir Singh
Denis Jones
Matt Doyle
Conor Nicholas
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
Photography Contributors: Bernie Kaaks & Rick Steuart
Cover Image: The Optimist fleet starting a race at the 2025 Goolugatup Sailing Carnival. Image by Denis Jones
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 May 15, 2026.
COMMODORE’S REPORT
Brian Cross | Commodore
As I sat down to prepare another “Wheelhouse” update, our editor-in-chief Bernie Kaaks tapped me on the shoulder for a Soundings article. So here we are—with a summary that complements the more detailed Wheelhouse emails that you receive.
First, a heartfelt thank you to Bernie and his incredible editorial team – Cally Browning, Ann McCluskey, Sue Smith and others – for producing a stellar Issue 17. It’s still on our coffee table and often picked up by guests who remark, “Wow, there’s a lot going on at your Club.” And they’re right. But much of what’s happening is behind the scenes, shaping the Club’s future in meaningful ways.
Moving Forward
Thank you to all members for your strong turnout and support in re-electing me as Commodore. It’s a privilege I deeply value, and one I share with the entire Management Committee. Your vote of confidence affirms the work we’ve done and sets a clear expectation for the year ahead: to continue leading with integrity, transparency, and care.
At this year’s AGM, we introduced an important evolution in our governance model. Historically, the Management Committee has juggled both operational oversight and strategic planning—often at the expense of long-term vision. To better balance these responsibilities, we’re transitioning to a two-tier structure:
• A Board of Management will oversee strategic direction, financial stewardship, and long-term planning.
• A streamlined Management Committee will focus on operational needs and member activities.
This shift reflects our commitment to sustainability, transparency, and member engagement. It ensures we have the leadership capacity to guide the Club confidently into the future. Further updates will be shared via the Wheelhouse.
Ferry Service Update: Safeguarding Our Waters and Our Club
Many members are aware of the WA Labor Government’s plan to introduce a ferry service linking Applecross, Matilda Bay, and the Perth CBD. The proposal has sparked lively public debate, with varied views on its potential impact.
At South of Perth Yacht Club, our priority is clear: to protect the integrity of our racing, training, time trialling, and community programs, while maintaining respectful collaboration with government agencies.
To that end, the Management Committee is actively developing mitigation strategies to ensure our on-water activities remain uncompromised. I’ve attended all meetings convened by the Public Transport Authority (PTA) and Department of Transport Maritime (DTMI) and now represent the Club on the Waterways Stakeholder Reference Group
Your vote of confidence affirms the work we’ve done and sets a clear expectation for the year ahead: to continue leading with integrity, transparency, and care.
(WSRG) – a forum ensuring waterway users have a voice. We’ve also hosted representatives from both departments at the Club, along with the senior policy advisor to the Deputy Premier. These visits have been constructive, allowing us to share concerns and explore practical solutions together.
Members can be assured that your Management Committee is doing everything possible to safeguard our Club’s future and maintain a harmonious relationship with the proposed ferry service. We remain committed to transparency, collaboration, and the continued success of our vibrant on-water community.
Jetty Eight
We’re pleased to advise that our application under Section 18 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act has been approved. This consent allows us to proceed with development while ensuring that any impact on culturally significant sites has been formally assessed and authorised by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Section 18 approval is separate from standard planning processes but essential when heritage sites may be affected. We thank all involved – especially PC Rupert Leslie – for their consultation and support in upholding respectful and lawful land use.
Riverbed Lease
As many of you will know, our riverbed lease is due for renewal in 2027. While details are still emerging, we’ve begun the process of seeking a meeting with the Lessor to clarify expectations and advocate for the Club’s long-term interests. We’ll keep members informed as discussions progress, but rest assured – the Management Committee is actively engaged and working to ensure a fair and sustainable outcome.
REAR COMMODORE’S REPORT
Nikki Kukura | Rear Commodore
What year it has been so far!
Firstly, I would like to formally welcome Sandy Dunn, our Rear Commodore Centreboards appointed at the September AGM. Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge and has made a huge impact on the Centreboard section and within Management. From here on, I will be addressing all things regatta while R/C Sandy will do the same for Centreboards
R/C Sandy and I are closely collaborating together and with the On Water Group to continue to improve our Club’s on-water experiences. We are in the formative stages of planning events for the yacht club which we hope will entice new sailing/power members including a Discover Sailing Day. Of course, we are also endeavouring to keep our present members content by attending to any issues as soon as possible and to provide them with new and satisfying experiences not only on-water but off-water, for example, frequent speaker nights. Ann McCluskey from Member Engagement and the Ladies’ Luncheon Section is also working on engaging a special motivational speaker to share his extensive sailing knowledge next year in April.
The Sailing Season Opening Day was extremely successful. All on-water sections of the Club participated in the sail past with some choosing to dress up their boats. The Keelboat Division winners in the Combined Fleet Patrons Trophy Pursuit Race were:
1st: Aloha A.Minto
2nd: Hellas N.Melidionis
3rd: Swiftsure Saga B.Richards & Mark Wimshurst
I would like to thank Bruce Uren and Rob Male for their efforts with including a ‘Try Sailing’ functionality within the SoPYC website. This has been an onerous task due to the precarious nature of website implementation; add one thing and another inexplicably drops off! A work in progress; however, with the help of our Marketing Officer, Brooke, we will get there! This will mean that interested members wanting to ‘try before you buy’ will be allocated a boat to ‘test the waters’ (not literally) through the Boat/Crew Finder website functionality, initiated by Bruce.
A couple of clarifications need to be made to avoid awarded penalties (Always refer to the 25/26 Red Book Sailing):
• Ensure that series registrations and individual event registrations have been completed.
• There has been a little confusion with some changes to our starting procedures. NoRs and SIs must be read carefully. One such change is that if, by the first scheduled race of a series, there are less than 5 Keelboats or 4 OTB boats entered in a division or class, then the OA may abandon the series or amalgamate the boats into a ‘mixed division’. The RO will announce this on VHF69.
We are in the formative stages of planning events for the yacht club which we hope will entice new sailing/power members including a Discover Sailing Day.
Finally, we have some great regattas coming up. By the time you read this, The Goolugatup Sailing Carnival will have been run and won! With an expected 110 competitors on September 21st – 23rd, this event is just the start of GSCs to follow annually. Thank you to Chairperson, Stephen Grover, Tim Beck, Alistair Purt, Victoria Blanckensee, David Luketina and OWG Manager, Denis Jones. This committee has worked tirelessly to assure that the event will be successful.
The following events are coming up:
• Viper 640 States (December, Saturday am 6th and Sunday am 7th 2025)
• Pelican State Championships at SoPYC (January, Monday 5th – Thursday 9th 2026)
• ILCA State Championships Saturday (21st - Sunday 22nd March, 2026)
• Billy Run/D’Arcy (March, Saturday 7th 2026)
• LT Windsurfer States weekend (Friday, March 6, 2026) - Slalom and Marathon
• Flying 15 States (April 3 – 5 Easter 2026)
• Offshore Racing WA Prize night set for May 23, 2026
• Discover Sailing Day (Date to be advised)
I wish everyone fair winds and following seas.
IREAR COMMODORE (CENTREBOARDS) REPORT
Sandy Dunn | Rear Commodore
t is a great privilege to have been appointed as Rear Commodore at South of Perth Yacht Club, and I will be doing my best to live up to the expectations that come with the position. My fellow Rear Commodore, Nikki Kukura, has been doing a great job of easing me into the role, and I have the utmost respect for the sheer volume of work that she has done, single-handedly, over the past 12 months.
For those who don’t know me, I have been a member of the club for over 15 years, am an active Flying 15 sailor, am currently the President of Flying Fifteen WA and previously served two years on Management committee under PC’s Midolo and Cook. I am an engineer by background, hold an MBA, and currently own and run a small, specialist Management Consultancy, employing fiteen people in WA and in Queensland. I look forward to applying that expertise and experience for the benefit of the Club and its members.
It is fair to say that the last few years have been challenging times for the Club and its on-water activities. Participation has been slowly dropping, and in the centreboard fleet we are frequently struggling to find sufficient volunteers to crew the rescue boats and keep our sailors safe. But fear not! Between Nikki and I, we have plans to turn that situation around. Things to watch out for include:
• A “Sail Link” evening where we will be attempting to match skippers looking for crew with crews looking
for skippers. This will also be an opportunity to attract potential new members to the Club who might be interested in learning to sail or to take up sailing again after some time off.
• Concerted attempts to bring new fleets to the club. In recent weeks we have seen VX1s, IQ Foils, Wing Foils and 125s join us on some Sundays and, together with Ian Lane, our Centreboard Captain, we are working to try and make these more permanent
• A new volunteers evening, where those who have indicated that they are happy to volunteer on-water are given more information on the roles that are available, the previous experience that is required (hint, there isn’t any), and the training and support that is available. It is also an opportunity to welcome them and help them feel part of our community.
Speaking of community, one of the great benefits of sailing, besides the on-water health and fitness benefits, is the great social interaction that happens after racing concludes. I know that staying around on Sundays after sailing can be a challenge for those with families, especially when the next day is a school/workday, but the buzz and laughter in the Quarterdeck is a great pre-emptive tonic for Monday-itis. With the new summer menu now active, why not bring the family down and make an (early) evening of it?
AGENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT
John Pedretti | General Manager
s we approach the end of the year, I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the progress we have made and share some future plans. A special thanks goes to all our staff; it is only because of their collective hard work, commitment and ideas for improvement that we have managed to navigate the big changes we have seen this year.
Recent Achievements
In the Food & Beverage area, changes to the Quarterdeck menu have been well received by members. We will continue to monitor feedback and adjust, where appropriate, as part of our ongoing improvement of our food and beverage offering.
Another significant development has been the introduction of the SoPYC mobile app. This initiative has been very well received by members and provides all the information about the Club and your account directly on your mobile phone. The app offers convenience and ensures you stay connected with Club activities. For any member not confident in using the SoPYC mobile app
Future Initiatives
Looking ahead, we will undertake a comprehensive review of the current website and implement structured changes informed by member feedback and best practice standards. We are also focusing on better use of our NorthStar system, including the introduction of a digital ID QR code for club access and purchases. This will run alongside the current digital fob system, providing members with greater flexibility and convenience.
We continue to work toward achieving ISO 9000 quality standard. This is going to take some time, but we are documenting all our procedures at the Club to improve consistency of service, and we will look to adapt those procedures.
Member Support
While we are proud of the progress made, there is more to accomplish. Your continued engagement—through participation, feedback, and support—remains essential as we strive to improve the service we provide to our members.
Thank you for your commitment and support to South of
Rest in Peace
to our Members who have recently passed
Peter Berryman • Kerran Campbell John Finch • John Gleeson • Wayne Hoobin
OUR MEMBERS
WELCOME TO ALL OUR NEW MEMBERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE CLUB FROM DECEMBER 2025 ~ MAY 2025
ORDINARY
Bradley Campbell
Matthew Telling
Elise von Felten
Michael Laloli
Ben Hobgen
Sivan Jeyarajah
Ryan Graf
FAMILY ASSOCIATE
Trisha Benfatta
Koby Benfatta
Mikayla Benfatta
Simon Knight
Nicholas Knight
Miss Charlotte Knight
John Mancini
Eva Mancini
Sasha Manicini
Mila Mancini
Jane Bond
Emelia Bond
Matthew Bond
Karyn Proctor
Baxter Proctor
Lila Proctor
Tim Rumac
Tony Berson
Melanie Berson
Helen Carr
FAMILY
Jason Benfatta
Julia Knight
Elena Mancini
Alexander Bond
Brad Proctor
Corrina Niendieker-Hale
Peter McColl
SOCIAL
Dr Vijay Ganasan
Prof Mark Gibberd
Lisa-Ann Dixson
Sue Higgs
Cheryl Key
Paul Keenan
Peter Metcalfe
Colin Seth
Jake Loffman
Amanda Roberts
CENTREBOARD
Murray Meaton
CREW
Jeffrey Papas
INTRO CREW
Ms Melanie Meier
Ruairi McCarron
Dr Karen Moller
Nicky Graydon
Rhyley Dunbar
JUNIOR
Theo Brownbill
COUNTRY
Alexandra Wilcox
PENS & MOORINGS REPORT
By Ash Hicks
The Pens & Moorings Committee, together with our team of Marina Compliance Inspectors and supported by Sophie Read in the office, have been busy over the past few months with many boat movements in and out of water and land pens. Land pens are always in high demand, but it is very pleasing to see the water pens now almost fully utilised again after several years of supply exceeding demand. Whilst the past couple of years have been good for existing and new members wishing to moor their boats at the Club, it does represent an underutilisation of club assets, which in turn means a reduced income stream from pen fees, an important revenue source for the Club.
However, with near full utilisation of pens, it is particularly important for the Pens & Moorings Committee to ensure that boats are optimally allocated to pens based on their dimensions, and relocations engineered to get the best out of our available pens where appropriate.
It is good to see Jetty 2 at near capacity once again, and the older section of Jetty 7 also filling back up. The jetty 7 repairs, where a member’s boat was accidentally driven over the jetty spine, are still to be completed due to a prolonged wait for replacement pontoon sections, but the damaged section remains serviceable in the meantime.
The Pens & Moorings Committee and our Marina Compliance Inspectors remain vigilant for deteriorating boats that are a sinking, fire or pollution risk. We have removed a number of boats from the Club recently that were considered to be unacceptably high risk in this regard, and we remind all boat owning members of their obligation to keep their boats well maintained, clean bilges to prevent fuel and oil slicks, correct mooring lines and up to date (3 yearly) Marina Compliance inspections.
The recent AGM saw a change approved to Club Bylaw 7.4 which allows for greater operational flexibility for permitting non-member’s boats into the Club premises. This provides the Membership team and Pens & Moorings with the capability to move more quickly to allow a new member to bring their boat into the club where pen availability exists.
Finally, for members selling their boat, please keep Sophie in the office informed of the sale, and ensure that the boat leaves the Club on the day of settlement, or arrangements are well in hand for the purchaser to become a Club member and apply for a pen.
Best wishes to all members for a happy and safe summer boating season.
LADIES’ LUNCHE ON REPORT
By ANNE McLUSKEY
Three magical ingredients have ensured that the ladies’ lunch group goes from strength to strength:
1. Our amazing ladies, (the camaraderie, respect and love);
2. Guest Speakers who have been very interesting, inspiring and often uplifting; and
3. F & B serving great food with our professional staff looking after us at each month’s lunch.
July was the annual Christmas in July luncheon and our first one as the new committee. Thankfully, the past committee of Val, Rose and Lana already had the menu in place, thus making the transition a bit easier although we were very much still ‘Deers in the headlights’ at that point.
August was an historical event, as gentlemen of the Cub were invited ‘for the first time’ to a lunch featuring our very own 99-year-old Vice Patron ‘Len Randell OAM’, WA’s first professionally qualified Naval Architect and Designer. We were treated to stories of the early years of Len’s life, living on and around the Swan River and his boat designs including among others, the hull of the Leeuwin Sail Training Ship, which was launched in 1986.
At our September lunch, prison officer Vicki blew us away with her stories of life on the inside and its challenges and rewards that go with the job. Toe curling tales really, that at times left us all speechless, which is no mean
feat with 85 women in attendance.
October introduced us to Ramona Vlaar, a registered nurse for over 20 years, who shared her knowledge with us surrounding the amazing effects of sound therapy techniques which relax, soothe and bring a new energy to our bodies. I have since booked in and had a session with Ramona and would strongly recommend others do too. I must say I felt relaxed and refreshed after the one-hour session.
David Beard, a physiologist and author, joined us for our November lunch. David was very entertaining and apart from his cheeky idea of what the words AGE WELL stand for, provided us with some basic ideas and exercises we could adapt to easily as we get older. David’s book ‘If I’d only
known I would live this long’, covers areas of health, fitness, nutrition and more. Once again a very successful lunch with great food and service by our amazing bar staff.
If you would like to come along to our very friendly, fun lunches, we meet on the second Thursday of every month either in the Wardroom upstairs or in the Ballroom, each providing stunning views out to the river and over to Perth. Come along and meet our wonderful regulars (some of whom have been attending the lunches for 40 years), a two course meal, guest speaker and a raffle. Many thanks go as always to the Good Grocer who supply us each month with their beautiful food hampers for winners of the raffle.
THE BOSUNS’ CLUB REPORT
By RICK STEUART
Power for the Pelicans!
I’m happy to report that the Club hosted a Pelican Power Up during the October school holidays and we’re pretty sure we saw one of the Pelicans which were given a fresh breath of life by the Bosuns Club under the eye of Alan Sharpe, who coached junior sailing back in the day.
Apart from that, we had a busy winter with a chance to recertify the Club’s PFDs and that involved a lot of huffing and puffing having to blow up some 40 club PFD’s and then check them top to bottom. The On Water Group had us build some storage racks for the Windsurfers into the current sheds and that was achieved using the timber from the Windsurfer Worlds. A nice piece of recycling, we are happy to say.
Nothing gets any better over a rather wet winter and we were called on to assist in re-laying the floor in the Promenade Marquee following flooding during the winter rains. At the same time, we were called on to clean up and refurbish some of the marquee furniture ready for summer. The new furniture for the Quarterdeck was assembled in one mad day in winter.
Commodore Brian put in a request for a plinth to be built for the Club cannon, ready for opening day and the Bosuns club just happened to have a bloke who was handy with a trowel (well done Bob Motteram), so the cannon was given a lick of paint and popped onto the base. It looked quite good on opening day. We had a crack at the brass bells of the Club as well. All nice and shiny!
Of course, we had the winter garage sale to try and move off some of the accumulated dross that the Club had hiding in corners and that was a major failure. But something came out of it. One of our bosuns (Theo Berden) has a hidden flair and he took over the task, managing to clear all the old tables, chairs, glasses, various cupboards, desks and kitchen gear that has been lurking in corners of the Club. He sold the lot! The funds raised will be used for the building of the shed for the Club’s rowing skiffs. This will then free up two land pen bays for the club’s use. More money for the Club.
At present, we are drilling holes in the Western Hardstand to provide anchoring points for boats on the hard and soon the boats won’t have that fly-away look that they have in the past. But the skiffs still hold sway for some of us and Bob Harrap has taken to the design table to make new blades for the oars. Watch the skiffs take off this year!
Here is a list of the volunteer bosuns in no particular order. Doug Cowie, Dave Roberts, Bruce Cadee, Bob Harrap, Eric Schwab, Ken Baxter, Theo Berden, John Midolo, Campbell Stewart, Rick Steuart, Mark Abercrombie, Bob Motteram, Kevin Doig, Alan Sharpe, Nick Sharples, Gordon Roe and the odd helper who has been popping in and out of the shed.
If you’ve got nothing to do on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, feel free to join us. Coffee is at 10.30 and all are welcome.
By RICK STEUART
From the A RCHIVE ARCHIVES & HISTORY GROUP REPORT
Thank goodness for old photo albums.
Thanks to a legacy from one of our members, we were able to display a number of old photo albums (from the early 1990s) in the bar area, so that members were able to enjoy them and relive the memories of the not-so-distant past.
Many years ago, the Club decided to put all our old files into a storage depository, known as the Iron Mountain. Recently the Club decided to pull them all out of there, thereby saving several thousands of dollars per year. A working team was established, with the Archives team being invited to get together with one of our long-time Club members, and given a briefing on what was to be kept and what was to go.
Fortunately, the On Water Group had been fastidious on their documenting and we have been able to retrieve a number of old Geraldton documents and files, which our offshore specialist - Di Dunbar, will be combing through. We have also been able to retrieve several files of historical interest, applying to events in and around the Club. These have been put aside for valuation by the group.
The Club’s old records continue to
be scanned into PDF format. Once the Club’s website has been brought up to speed, the intention is to have them available behind the members’ portal. This way, members can read the thoughts and intentions of past AGMs, half yearly GMs and even the Special General meetings, with decisions that affected the Club for decades. Unfortunately, not all the minute of meetings are available, as the books have one or two years missing, that in itself is a mystery. We also scanned most of the Club’s Newsletters and Soundings magazines, though again, some of those issues are still missing.
The old Racing Fixtures, General Sailing Instructions and later on the Red Book (and similar information for the Power Yacht participants) have been put aside. We have even found a couple of instruction books written to help in the mystical art of Time Trialling.
The request for a proper Archives room has been put on hold for a time, while the Club wrestles with more immediate needs. As we have to store gear and work from home in the main part, it means that the work we would like to achieve is sorely hampered, having nowhere to properly store and archive the records.
Thanks to a legacy from one of our members, we were able to display a number of old photo albums (from the early 1990s) in the bar area, so that members were able to enjoy them and relive the memories of the not-so-distant past.
GOOLUGATUP SAILING CARNIVAL REPORT
By DENIS JONES | OWG MANAGER
The 2025 Goolugatup Sailing Carnival has drawn to a close, and what a fantastic return it has been. After a year’s break, the event re-emerged stronger than ever as we continue working to re-establish it as one of the most sailor-friendly regattas on the calendar.
This year we introduced new racing formats, including freestyle, high-speed foil slalom and SailGPstyle downwind courses. Across the weekend, sailors faced everything from steady breezes to challenging 25knot conditions. Competitors rose to the occasion, with the junior and youth
fleets showing outstanding resilience, while the Foiling and 29er classes put on a thrilling display, reaching speeds of nearly 30 knots around the course.
This year saw 104 entries, a tremendous turnout and a testament to the enthusiasm within our sailing community.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to our event supporters:
• Melville Rotary
• SoPYC Ladies Lunch Group
• Statewide Mining Supplies
• Westcoast Workboats
• SoPYC Flying 15 Fleet
Your generosity ensures we can offer low entry fees, media coverage, onshore services, and the many extras that make this event so enjoyable. Special recognition goes to Melville Rotary, whose mission to serve the community and foster positive change aligns perfectly with the spirit of this regatta.
Thank you once again for being part of the 2025 Goolugatup Sailing Carnival. We welcome your feedback and look forward to seeing you back at SoPYC soon.
Congratulations to all sailors and we hope to see you back in 2026 for an even bigger event.
29er Class
1st Alice Travlos Lia Rafart
2nd Sebastion Buckley Alex Fole
ILCA 4
1st Oskar Bromberger
2nd Seth Till
3rd Isla Molyneux
ILCA 6
1st Campbell Stewart
2nd Luke Carrick
3rd Bradley Utting
ILCA 7
1st Christoph Bottoni
2nd Issac Biczo
3rd Josh Till
ILCA 6 Masters
1st David Luketina
2nd Bradley Utting
3rd Ivor Gaylard
ILCA 7 Masters
1st Christoph Bottoni
2nd Andy Whittell
3rd Doug Stewart
Open Skiff Open
1st Lailah Beck
2nd Harriet Mellor
3rd Miles Beck
Open Skiff
Intermediate
1st Arnaud Laroche
2nd Lachlan Batt
3rd Giorgio Sommacal
Optimist
Intermediate
1st Ollie Harry
2nd Cailtin Grant
3rd Thomas Carroll
Optimist Open
1st Charlie Purt
2nd Connor Grant
3rd Asher Williams
Windfoil Racing
1st. Aiden Grove
2nd. Pol Rafart
3rd Jonas Moeller
Windsurfer LT Racing
1st Gordon Salvage
2nd Jerome Pabbruwe
3rd Laurie Huck
Wingfoil Racing
1st Monique De Vries
2nd Alex Landwehr
3rd Oliver Pabbruwe
FULL RESULTS
This year saw 104 entries, a tremendous turnout and a testament to the enthusiasm within our sailing community.
SLALOM EVENTS
Windfoil Slalom
1st Ben Robinson
2nd Aiden Grove
3rd Tim Fitzhardinge
LT Slalom
1st Jerome Pabbruwe
2nd Eloise Chernoff
Wing Foil Slalom
1st Stuart Carson
2nd Alex Landwehr
3rd Chris Filipowski
sportspage.com.au/yacht_clubs/sopyc/gsc/progresultspage
We also extend our sincere appreciation to the 49 volunteers who made this event possible. From race management to shore operations, your dedication underpins every success of the carnival.
On-water operations were led by Race Officers Martin Compton, Phillip Draber, and Sandy Dunn, while off-water coordination was guided by Victoria Blanckensee
Imsges by Denis Jones
PODIUM PLACES
FEATURE – MELBOURNE CUP DAY
By VC AMANDA WATSON
Horse Racing, Camaraderie, and a Full House MELBOURNE CUP on the Swan:
The Club was ready at the Gates for this year’s Melbourne Cup on the Swan, drawing 280 members and guests for a morning of racing, followed by food, and good company. Eager guests flowed in from 10.45am to the Promenade Marquee entry , the scene set with white roses and champagne on arrival, which flowed onto the extra-long charcuterie buffet across the room. Three big screens kept eyes on the track for the all-important two mile race at 12 noon while Sophie and Kate’s cash sweep tickets sold out fast.
After the race, guests moved through the flower wall and floral horse photo stops and onto the front lawn marquees, which handled the crowd with ease. The Ballroom bar offered
full service, with outdoor seating and quiet corners for those wanting a breather. A surprise wandering up close magician mingled with guests between courses. A live band kicked off the afternoon session with familiar tunes before the main draw for many – Fashions on the Field.
48 entrants took to the runway, introduced by Ann McCluskey, our Ladies Lunch organiser and me. Judges Dixie, Anne, and our GM John Pedretti had the task of selecting the Best Dressed lady and gent, with the winners taking home some Leeuwin Estate wine packages. Thanks to Past Commodore Michael Cook the event MC for the day for keeping the mic warm and the crowd engaged.
Membership Marketing: The “60 Boarding Pass”
Visitors who registered on the day were offered the new 60 Boarding Pass – a no-cost entry point to Club life, with the option to purchase a gate key. The pass gives access to:
• Quarterdeck table reservations
• Tickets to Christmas and New Year events
• Bar service for sunset drinks with guests
It’s a straightforward way to experience the Club before committing to full membership.
Rockingham Beach Races
Fifteen boats from SoPYC travelled down to Mangles Bay for this iconic event on 16th November. We were hosted by the TCYC on their Moorings right alongside the main jetty for first row viewing of the Rockingham Beach horse racing on Sunday morning.
Lone Star and Purrfect travelled down on Thursday to enjoy the day out squid fishing on Friday before the remaining fleet arrived during Friday and Saturday, with the last boat joining in on Sunday morning.
On Friday evening we were privileged to join in the TCYC
members night where some of our members won all the prizes in their raffle. Others dined together on delicious homemade suppers aboard their boats.
By Saturday evening the full group of 40 members and friends enjoyed the hospitality of the TCYC for a long table dinner. Groups from Hillarys yacht club and Fremantle Sailing club were also welcomed by TCYC.
It was a beautiful calm morning on Sunday as everyone was getting ready, setting up for the first horse race starting at 12:45. Some members took their tenders to raft up to get front row viewing. Little One anchored
with lots of chain in over 18m of water in a prime vantage position on the north side while others chose to stay on the south side of the pier to watch the racing from their flybridge. The Rockingham locals on the jetty provided plenty of entertainment and excitement which was fun to watch.
The Cruising Section organises this event and reserves moorings for our members at TCYC. Participants can decide whether to cruise to Mangles Bay in groups or individually. It is up to each skipper to decide what they want to make of the weekend.
Without doubt, the 2025 Beach Races were a lot of fun!
Cruising section gather for dinner at TCYC
The Rockingham locals on the jetty provided plenty of entertainment and excitement which was fun to watch.
POWER TORQUE
By JUSTINE BARRON
The 2025 Power Yacht Time Trialling season officially opened on the 3rd of May. This year, the power season ran for 20 weeks, with events occurring throughout most of the season, except for a few that were cancelled or changed due to weather conditions. We were very lucky this season, with not many events being lost. Our season consisted of a mix of CPYA events, themed and novelty days, and club consistency events. We also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the TiTu Time Trial event with a 1950s-themed party after the trial. It was well attended by members of SoPYC as well as other clubs along the river.
Our Season Prize Night was held on October 11, 2025 in the Wardroom. Throughout the night, a photo slideshow compiled by Bernie Kaaks played in the background. Thank you to Bernie Kaaks and Justine Barron for the photos, both on and off the water, that made up this slideshow. We celebrated wins for the season and thanked and farewelled our long-time Starter, Margaret Cooper, who retired at the end of the 2025 season.
Season Trophy winners were announced by Margaret Cooper, with the most contended ones being the 400 and 401. The Club Champion Boat (400) Trophy was awarded to Dalusional, Immediate Past Commodore Troy Dalglish and Dee Kelly. Purrfect, John and Lynne Cooper, came in second, and Lone Star, Garry Morrison and Amanda Watson, came in third. The Consistency Trophy (401) was awarded to Purrfect, for their consistent scores throughout the season. second was Lone Star, and third went to Emily May, Bob Wright, Roger Rowson, and Jane Goddard.
IPC Troy Dalglish, with Dee Kelly and Frank Dalglish on Dalusional, took out the CPYA State Championship Trophy for their consistent top five finishes throughout the state heats.
They also brought home the Bob Stanford Memorial Trophy for the lowest raw score across the season. Congratulations also go to Brian Smith, who was awarded the Power Yacht Person of the Year Award for 2025 for his outstanding contribution and dedication to the CPYA over the years.
The Jetty 6 Christmas Party was held on the 29th of November 2025; boats ablaze with colourful lights and guests dressed in their Christmas best. Always a popular night out for SoPYC members wanting to kick up their heels and celebrate the Power season's end, this year's turnout didn't disappoint.
Our section would also like to thank all our sponsors for their generous support and valuable contributions throughout the season. Our sponsors are Bravo Marine Services, Capital Demolition, Coffee Point Marine Services, Jennings Plumbing and Gas, Specialised Marine Group, WA BOS, Wilson Marine, SQP Engineering, Advanced Business Abilities, Tyrepower Port Kennedy, Success Fabrication, Century 21 River Residential, Metal West, Scribe Design Group, Auscon Metals and Machinery, Collins Recycling, MPS, and The Label Factory. With their continued support, we are exploring new ways of promoting our sport and rewarding members so that we can continue to grow and maintain a strong section.
We always welcome and encourage new members to join and get involved in the Power Section. If you have ever thought about taking part in Time Trialling and joining the Power Section for the 2026 season, get in touch and help make the 2026 season even bigger and better!
Lastly, we would like to wish all our Power Section members, committee, friends, and families a safe and happy boating Christmas and New Year.
2025 Power Yacht Person of the Year Brian Smith
Purrfect Dalusional
Jetty 6 Christmas Party 2025
SAILING SECTION REPORT
By VICTORIA BLANCKENSEE
The South of Perth Yacht Club (SoPYC) launched its 2025 sailing season with a vibrant Opening Day that celebrated camaraderie, achievement, and a shared passion for life on the water. Members, families, and guests gathered to mark the occasion with inspiring speeches, well-earned awards, and plenty of optimism for the year ahead.
Commodore Brian Cross opened the celebrations with an engaging address, reflecting on the Club’s successes and the importance of unity within the Sailing Section. He spoke of new opportunities for members to connect and compete, encouraging everyone to make the most of what promises to be a dynamic season.
Longtime member, sailor, time trialer, and tireless club contributor Bernie Kaaks also took to the podium, sharing reflections from his many years at SoPYC. Bernie’s speech reminded everyone of the deep sense of community that defines the Cub – a place where knowledge, tradition, and friendship are passed from one generation of sailors to the next. His words drew warm applause from members who recognise his immense contributions to SoPYC over the decades.
The event’s highlights included the presentation of two of the Club’s most respected honours. The Patron’s Trophy went to Andrew Minto and the crew of Aloha who won the day and accepted the trophy in all their Hawaiian shirted glory!
Meanwhile, Bruce Uren received the Rodney Knott Shield, acknowledging his exemplary service and contribution to the Club. Bruce’s commitment to the Sailing Section – both on and off the water – has made a lasting impact on SoPYC, and his recognition was met with resounding applause from fellow members.
This season, the Sailing Section is embracing new ideas to boost participation and strengthen ties across Perth’s sailing community. One of the most exciting initiatives is a six-race series with Royal Perth Yacht Club, designed to encourage friendly rivalry and crossclub collaboration. The series aims to increase fleet numbers, foster new connections, and celebrate the shared love of sailing that unites the two clubs.
The ever-popular Twilight Series also returns, with both new and long-standing sponsors supporting the events. With prizes, post-race hospitality, and the perfect evening sailing conditions on offer, Twilight racing remains one of the Club’s most anticipated and enjoyable fixtures. This season’s program promises to attract sailors of all skill levels – from seasoned racers to those simply seeking a relaxed midweek sail with friends.
To strengthen communication and inclusivity, the Sailing Section has also launched a new WhatsApp group for sailing skippers. The platform allows members to share event updates, crew requests, and sailing ideas
“It’s not just about competition – it's about community”
~ COMMODORE BRIAN CROSS
quickly and easily, helping foster stronger collaboration both on and off the water. It’s already proving to be a valuable tool for encouraging participation and ensuring no sailor is left ashore.
With a full calendar of events, a spirit of innovation, and a dedicated membership base, the 2025 SoPYC sailing season is set for success. The combination of tradition, teamwork, and forward-thinking initiatives continues to define what makes this club special.
As Commodore Brian Cross aptly noted, “It’s not just about competition – it’s about community.” With members like Bernie Kaaks and Bruce Uren setting an enduring example of service and enthusiasm, the future of the SoPYC Sailing Section looks brighter than ever.
Here’s to fair winds, great racing, and another unforgettable season on the Swan River.
DIVISION ONE RAMBLINGS
By CROWBAR
Just when you are sitting at the keyboard with absolutely nothing to contribute...Kapow… a headline appears from nowhere to save your neck from the wrath of the editor and of course fellow sailors in Division 1
And not just any headline, this is a headline about one of the more famous yachts to have graced the SoPYC competition and confines of the Club. Eun-na-Mara is to change ownership BUT will remain at the Club. This is sensational news for all involved and particularly for any who have sailed on her over the last number of decades.
The current owners, Lynne and Ralph Newton, exemplary and meticulous in every respect, have poured their collective hearts and souls into this fine example of Fyfe design, created over 100 years ago. She is still a joy to sail, beautifully balanced, powerful…. not easy you understand...quirky and interesting! The restorations have been nothing short of extensive and on point. Well done Lynne & Ralph.
In its early years at the Club under
the ownership of Norm Cocks, it competed in ocean races, river races and of course twilights. It was the stuff of legends that Norm insisted all were welcome and on one occasion in the seventies it resulted in over thirty on board. As a callow youth I remember the characters on board and can only now appreciate the value of retaining this vessel for those in the future.
On a personal note, one event stood out in my sailing on Eun-naMara when returning from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club following a Retro race some years ago. Imagine having the privilege of skippering the grand dame, sipping a glass of red whilst listening to stories coming from that doyen of all things boating, sailing, gliding ... Len Randell. It does not get any better believe you me!
Battle flags, battle hymns and racing colours
There are some of the first amongst our division, not many of the middle to my knowledge but a few colours are
beginning to appear and do set our Club aside from others; particularly after racing when socialising. It would be interesting to know the background behind how the colour schemes were selected and why. In the case of Tora Tobu it was purely an acknowledgement of the vessel we lost i.e. Problem Child the previous year, keeping the colours as close as possible.
Perhaps the display of battle flags prior to racing could become a division standard ... any thoughts?
Sand Bar Trophy
With a Division 1 yacht currently leading this ignominious award is it too early to suggest the overall yearly winner be granted a change in name or nickname to perhaps ... TaDa…. Here it comes ... SANDY??
Time in the boat
This is an expression uttered throughout the world when somebody asks: “How do I improve my sailing
QUOTES FROM THE FOREDECK
It’s always interesting to know what new crew members are really thinking as you try a new manoeuvre ... like setting a kite for the first time!
This was a gem, uttered just prior to hoist:
“Please be aware - I do not know what I am supposed to be doing right now.”
From a skipper’s point of view – terrifying but honest!
That’s enough for me for now.
and achieve better results?”
Time in the Boat is the simple answer. Get out there with a group of like-minded people and begin to enjoy the asset you have purchased. If that means reducing sail so the group can handle everything with safety and comfort then so be it, enjoy the day. The results will eventually look after themselves.
Len Randell puts it another way… .J.K.S. …. Just Keep Sailing!
Results
As a final underline, at the time of writing halfway through the Spring Mid-Week series K-Factor is performing very well indeed. My observations are stable crew, consistent performance and, here’s the kicker, a clean bum!
S 80 REPORT
By MARK GOODING
The start of a new summer sailing season has brought a kind of anticipation you don’t get from work or chores at home. 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 on the Swan River!
The WA S80 Association AGM was held on 9th September and saw Mark Gooding elected again as S80 President. The new committee is looking forward to building on the initiatives already in place and other options on the drawing board to support the success of the S80 class at both SoPYC, RPYC and on the river.
Racing SoPYC S80 Class yachts
Vintage Red TBC
(For Sale to a keen SoPYC racing buyer) Fair Game Sue Game Don’t Panic !! Mat Selby Shadowfax Mark and Jim Gooding Glasgow Kiss Greg Tonnison Abbey Road Dave Roberts Zinfandel Peter Coghill Metropolitan Championship Series
As aways, an early start to the S80 Class season on 28th 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 race of the series was at EFYC’s opening day and saw six boats make the journey down river to help mark their opening day. Everyone
was a bit rusty in the gusty conditions, with some on-water spinnaker action. Subsequent opening day races were held at SoPYC, RPYC and RFBYC in varying conditions and with a variety of race winners.
First on Consistency was Balancing Act helmed by Jonathon Sell – his first season on this boat, and a comprehensive series win along with son Archie. Second placed was Alchemy sailed by Nina Conti and crew, and third placed Don’t Panic!! helmed by Mat Selby.
The winner on OTL Championship was Shadowfax helmed by Mark Gooding, followed by Rum Runner, John Ghul second and third was Don’t Panic!! helmed by Mat Selby – with only a few points separating all three.
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 Swan River Short Series Championships and UK Sailmaker’s S80 Short Course Series and will be under way over two 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 –2024-25
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. Sunday 18th May saw the running of the 2025 Ron Tough Match Racing Regatta. A terrific day of sailing on the water with six boats racing each other for the prestigious gold trophy first donated by Ron Tough in 1985.
All boats sailed firstly in a round robin series against each other to determine rankings. Rum Runner and Shadowfax finished the round robins on an equal four wins and sailed off for the overall trophy win. Fusion and Rebel finished on an equal 3 wins and sailed off for third placing. Rum Runner helmed by Antun Janekovic from the RPYC youth development
DIVISION THREE REPORT
By NICK MELIDONIS
The start of the season with the new look Division 3 combined fleets with SoPYC and RPYC went very well with eight boats on the water for the opening day at RPYC. SoPYC was represented by Hellas (Nick Melidonis), Commotion (Martin Compton), and Martine (David Cole). A very ‘spirited’ start for Division 3 saw fast RPYC yacht, Jogesa (Jonathan Clough), trying to push Hellas off the line with Nick shouting out, “Are you sailing with Div 3?” until Jogesa realised she wasn’t flying a racing pennant.
The race continued in moderate to high winds with a very tight finish as Hellas took line honours just 19 seconds from Jogesa at the RPYC finish to get a first and fastest. Commotion (fifth) and Martine (third) were not far behind.
On the water were also Shamrock (Glen O’Connor-Smith), Vanadis (Steve Bennet); Green Flash (Alister Ritchie) and the Endeavor 24, Argo (Barry
Rosen) all from RPYC.
The hopes were high that Division 3 was going to get a good number of boats for the season but since then; the main boats turning up at the start line at both clubs have been Hellas, Commotion and Martine from SoPYC and Argo from RPYC. The last race at the time of writing on November 1st at RPYC start was Hellas, Commotion and Argo (which is the only consistent starter from RPYC).
The season is still young but hopefully the numbers will improve as the summer pattern of winds sets in for the future. As it is, the season in my view is already an improvement from last year as both fleets are enjoying new courses and so far, the crew from Hellas are making an effort to stay for results at RPYC on their race days but the camaraderie is a bit thin with Argo being the only starter.
I wish the fleet lots of good sailing and success and hope the numbers improve.
The season is still young but hopefully the numbers will improve as the summer pattern of winds sets in
Hellas, Commotion and Argo at starting the race at RPYC on Saturday Nov 1st. Photo courtesy of RPYC
H ERESHOFF HILL NEWS
By ERNIE LITTLE
In the previous issue of Soundings I finished my article with a mention of a visit to our Club in March by a UK journalist and photographer. An experienced sailor, boatbuilder and now journalist, Nigel Sharp was specifically contracted by the US boating magazine, Wooden Boat, to provide an article about the SoPYC H28 class fleet for that internationally distributed publication. It is relevant that I commence this article where I previously left off.
The Sept/Oct 2025 issue (No 306) of Wooden Boat has subsequently devoted seven pages to Nigel’s article, detailing the SoPYC H28 class history and current sailing competition of the fleet, together with some great photos of our classic yachts. The article is well written and has placed a favourable
international spotlight on our Club facilities and sailing competition.
Electronic copies of the magazine can be downloaded from the Wooden Boat website for a small fee. Printed copies are also available for $16 from those local newsagents who provide a large range of sports magazines. From a H28 point of view, I am pretty proud of the fact that our H28 Division has brought some international focus on our great sailing Club.
Both our Midweek and Saturday competitions are continuing to attract a good level of participation, given that we only have nine boats registered and viable for sailing. Our current Club Champion, David Locke, is on track to win a third consecutive CC, having been first over the line in all but one of the Saturday and midweek
races he has so far sailed, including the first two CC races. Speaking of Club Championships, Jindarra, now renamed The First Jindarra, has the record for the longest continuing run of CCs. For six years, Jindarra, under the helm of Andrew Bell, won all CCs between 2014/15 and 2019/20.
And now ... we cannot find a sailor to take this potentially top performing yacht as a gift, on the basis they continue to sail her regularly in fleet competitions.
This summer, Les Brooker and the crew of Nerrima have been a standout in terms of consistent and improving performances, regularly coming up with a flag. Bill Richards has taken on two partners, long standing crewman John Pierzak and Mark Wimshurst in the ownership of Swiftsure Saga. The
plan is that Bill will continue as skipper on the midweek races with Mark taking the helm on the weekend series. Ralph Newton has given Alma a new lease of life and will no doubt be a competitive contender in the results once Ralph has finalised a regular crew.
John Wright, truly a great gentleman, has been racing Anna continuously for thirty one years, since 1994, and he celebrates his 90th birthday this December. On behalf of all members of the SoPYC, I congratulate John on his sailing record and his contribution to the camaraderie and spirit of the H28 Division. Hoping you have a great day with your family on your birthday.
“Sailors never grow old. They only grow old when they stop sailing”
I am pretty proud of the fact that our H28 Division has brought some international focus on our great sailing Club.
SS 22 REPORT
By BRUCE UREN
Here we go again starting a new summer season full of enthusiasm and looking forward to some good tussles on the river despite having a small fleet. Some cynics would say that it hardly matters what season it is because there is the Frostbite series in winter and Wednesday afternoon sailing all year round.
We are looking forward to getting Matt Worley’s Eutopia up to speed. Denis Bell has been passing on as much of his vast experience on SS22s which is great to see.
We have just thoroughly enjoyed the first coaching session with our new head coach and Olympian, Conor Nicholas. This was a resounding success with everyone learning many things, I’m sure. Conor conducted an informative briefing followed by an on-water session where he followed boats around in a RIB giving instructions and taking photos which were shown and discussed in the
subsequent debrief. This was top stuff and it is hoped that other fleets pick up this opportunity to advance their skills. As the old salts say, one should try to learn something each time one goes sailing. That is what makes sailing such an engaging sport; one can do
that no matter how experienced one is.
In recent times regular competitors have bunched up in performance making the racing truly competitive. This is the benefit of a one-design fleet.
SS 27 REPORT
By GARRICK ABERLE
We have seen a quieter than usual start to the 2025-26 Summer racing season. By all accounts, the Pophams and the Hacketts had a fabulous time cruising in the Whitsundays and chilling on Hamilton Island. The Northovers also enjoyed a nice break in Kalbarri, to thaw off the last of the winter chills. On the home front, a couple of our stalwarts have had to deal with a few little niggles that were uncovered, when they went in for their pre-season 800,000 kilometre service, with a few other boats taking a little longer to warm up. The situation appears to be the same at the other clubs.
Our first State Championship race saw a fleet of only six boats, with only one yacht from RFBYC joining the fray. Last year’s Champions, Carrageen II [RF 190] skippered by Elise Manners, is clearly aiming for a repeat performance. After a very close contest with Paul Rees’ Karina [SP 191], they took first place on the day.
It was very heartening, to see a fleet of seven boats compete in the second Club Championship race. This race was the first of the season to experience the summer wind shift, from an easterly wind start to a brisk westerlies finish. The limpid lull between the shift added a dash of Lady Luck to the proceedings. Sunshine and spinnakers are always a cheerful sight and it is clear from the smiling faces
that everyone was enjoying it.
Away from the racing program, Bellissimo [SP 84] formerly owned by the late Jim Currie, has been donated to the “Sailing On” program. A full internal refurbishment is planned, so hopefully we will see the Italian belle back on the water in the coming months.
It puts a smile on the face of those
who do it – we just need more people doing it ... Sailing that is!
The Spacesailer 27 committee is actively exploring ways to make sailing more appealing to a wider demographic, so if you’ve got any ideas, please pass them on to any of the skippers in the fleet.
Here’s to another great summer on the pond.
Karina Karina
ST AYLES SKIFF REPORT
By BRUCE CADEE
Over winter, many rowers escaped to warmer, drier climates—either locally or overseas—and at one point, fourteen regulars were unavailable, nearly enough to fill three boats. Despite the crew shortage and rain that seemed determined to fall mostly on weekends, one or two skiffs still were out as often as possible for the social Sunday row to the Pavilion for coffee and back, or the more demanding Tuesday row around Mt Henry Bridge, stopping for coffee at The Dome before returning to the club.
In August, SoPYC and the East Fremantle Skiff Association participated in the Canning River Row, hosted by RFBYC. Crews rowed in relays from SoPYC up the Canning River to Kent Street Weir. The skiffs were then carried around the weir and relaunched for the continuation upstream to Masons Landing. This section of the river, although close to where many of us live, is not often visited due to limited access. The event provided an opportunity to enjoy this scenic stretch of water under ideal conditions. The day was enjoyed by all. Based on its success, the Canning River Row is expected to become a regular feature on the Skiff calendar.
Alan Sharpe continued his research into oar design resulting in still more blade area and the latest tweak to find the magic blade angle. Changes were also made to the seat heights and
t-hole pin arrangement to improve performance. The average speed on a recent caffeine charged trip from the Dome back to the club was 4.9 knots so the hard work is paying off. The modifications were implemented by Alan, Bob Harrap, Peter Black, Kevin Doig and the ever-resourceful Bosun’s Club team.
Strong winds prevented us from rowing in the Swan Yacht Club’s Opening Day parade but some of us were there to support the Swan and East Freo gangs and enjoy the food and drink generously provide by SYC.
Our international rowing connection continued with the return of Mark from England, accompanied for the first time by his colleague, Bartosz.
At this stage, our calendar includes a row and Christmas BBQ hosted by East Freo, rowing with East Freo and
supporting them as part of Veterans Health Week, the Augusta Regatta where all seven WA skiff groups will be involved, rowing in company at the HMAS Perth Regatta and another trip to Albany.
A Skiff is normally crewed by four sweep rowers with a coxswain. Surprisingly easy to row, Skiffs are PERFECT FOR ALL AGES and REQUIRE NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE. Most of our members have never rowed before. Our Sunday and Tuesday groups are growing in number, but we still have room for many more. Whether you’re looking to row competitively, socially or simply for fitness, we have a place for you. Everyone is welcome to give it a try. You’ll never know if you don’t give it a go.
For more details, contact Anne on 0426 724 810 or Bruce on 0419 508 785.
SSAILABILITY REPORT
By NADZIRAH BASHIR
ailability Season 2025/26 got underway on October 15 with a glorious day on the water and 27 returning participants. There was extra excitement on the day, with the Red Witches all having new sails by courtesy of OneSails and two brand new Hansa 303 dinghies, thanks to a State grant facilitated by Kim Giddens MLA.
The new season has seen a few changes in operations following the resignation of Liz Warman, who devoted nine years to being the program coordinator. The activities of coordinator are currently being managed by a few of the committee members until someone can be found to fulfill the role.
Behind the scenes at the end of winter, many volunteers gathered for a pre-season working bee, where new sails were flown, rigging tested, decks
cleaned and safety gear checked. With considerable maintenance completed over that period, (led by David Staniforth-Smith and Greg Allen), our fleet is looking fresher and ready for even more participants throughout the season.
November was very busy with the following events:
• The new Hansa 303s were officially named in a naming ceremony with Kim Giddens, MLA for Bateman, on the19th;
• On the weekend of the 29th, SailabilityWA@SoPYC supported interstate competitors in the Hansa 303 Para Sailing Nationals; and
• The annual Bunnings Sausage Sizzle was held on the 30th at Bunnings Melville. This has proven to be an invaluable
opportunity to raise funds for this wonderful cause and to get the SailabilityWA@SoPYC story out to the public.
As a volunteer organisation, we are always in need for extra hands to ensure our programme continues to run and grow. With the need for approximately 40 volunteers each week, we are always open to getting extra hands. It doesn't matter what your skills on land or water are, we will find a role for you. No prior sailing experience is required. If you can sail, that's a wonderful asset but there are many more roles you can assume as well. If you have the ability to join us at any time across the season (October to May), you'll find us on the dinghy beach from 9am to mid-day every, Wednesday.
EILCA REPORT
ven before the first Club round was sailed, it had been a busy start to the season for the ILCA fleet. Murray Duthie travelled to Los Angeles in July for the ILCA 4 World Championships. With only a short time in the ILCA, Murray took the opportunity to immerse himself in racing in a big fleet and to establish his goals to progress up the ILCA rankings. David Luketina was at the ILCA Masters World Championships in Formia, Italy where he came in a respectable 15th in the ILCA 6 Grand Masters fleet.
Locally, SoPYC has seen great results across the two opening regattas of the summer. The ILCA 4 squad put in a dominant performance at the WA Youth Championships with Seth Till first, Murray Duthie third, Orlando Ligovich fourth, Kaison Puls sixth, Kai Nakayama seventh and Oskar Bromberger eleventh. Over at Sail Freo, Luke Carrick came second in the ILCA 6 fleet, with Craig Williams seventh. Results in the ILCA 4s were strong again with Murray 1st, Oskar 3rd, Orlando 4th, Kai 5th and Seth 7th.
Our first Club Championship was called off due to stormy weather but the Consistency Series started well, with decent numbers across the fleet. The ILCA 7s are looking to have their best numbers in a couple of years with Luke Carrick making the step up to a full rig. The ILCA 6 fleet will miss John Kay and Lewis Arndt on the water, as will the fleet as a whole, we wish them all the best. With a few Masters yet to return from winter migration, we can expect the 6s to continue with good numbers and tight racing. As evidenced by the regatta results so far, our ILCA 4s go from strength to strength and we look forward to seeing them provide a great environment for our junior sailors to step up into and progress onto bigger rigs.
This season sees a return to ILCA regatta racing hosted out of SoPYC. We started with the Goolugatup Sailing Carnival in November, and then will host the ILCA WA State Championships in March 2026, where we can expect a great regatta, with more great results. Of course, these events cannot happen without the
The ILCA fleet is always looking to help new members onto the water with club boats available for lease ...
support of volunteers from SoPYC as the host club and we welcome anyone with some time available to help out the Club and our sailors.
The ILCA fleet is always looking to help new members onto the water with club boats available for lease and a good market for secondhand equipment. If, like me, you’ve struggled to keep crews together or to commit enough time to justify a bigger program, then ILCA sailing is a great way to get out on the water on your own terms. If you’d like to give it a go, then reach out through the OWG or just find us under the Corona tree on any given Sunday.
CRUISING SECTION REPORT
By PETER COGHILL
This year saw a change in the Cruising Section Vice Captain from Paul Stott to Rob Willis with Rob being very keen to increase member engagement within the section. We welcome all boat owners – sailing yachts and motor yachts alike are all welcome to join in on any suitable Cruising events.
Committee members include Rob Willis, Amanda Watson, Garry Morrison, David Barton, Jan Culver. Brian Culver, David Kazim and Marcel Every. New committee members are always welcome should any Club members wish to join in the fun.
During the past six months the Cruising Section held a number of events: Our planned visit to East Fremantle Yacht Club on 27th July to “Steal their Treasure Chest” required some quick thinking due to the weather. Heavy rain and 40 knot winds put paid to boating activity so the cruise became a drive for your intrepid band of wouldbe pirates.
Rennie Sterle, EFYC’s Power Captain, welcomed us into their club and provided a brief rundown of the EFYC followed by a lovely lunch
paired with a few beverages. Rennie then showed off their treasure chest to our assembled band of pirates who promptly stole it. The chest and the booty it contained was spirited to SoPYC and we await a visit by EFYC to feast and plunder the SoPYC early next year.
Rob Willis organised the “From the River to the Table” event on 14th September 2025 and once again fickle weather forced most boats to remain in their pens while participants drove to the Long Neck Brewery for lunch. It gave us a good opportunity to look at the new Boorloo pedestrian bridge across the Swan River next to the Causeway.
While most boats stayed in their pens, one intrepid skipper wasn’t worried about storm squalls and showed an astounded squad of skippers how to handle a boat in a very stiff and wet breeze. Well done Andy Thorpe and crew.
Finally a sunny day greeted a flotilla of seven boats, crew and guests for the cruise to Rottnest Island, the yearly event organised by Marcel Every. Seas were flat and winds light. If only we could order weather for our
events! Participants enjoyed beach games and a long lunch at the pub followed by a slow cruise home.
The Cruising Section’s next event is the Channel 7 Rockingham Beach Cup. Moorings have been organised by Garry Morrison and just to put everybody at ease regarding the weather, it is expected to be 28 degrees and sunny, however the Freo Doctor is expected each evening but not expected to upset our planned sundowners.
Merry Christmas to all and happy cruising to those venturing to Rotto (or further afield) over the holiday period. Hopefully the crays are as good as last year.
A calendar of events will be released early next year with recurring events such as Mandurah March long weekend, Billy Run support, Sunday lunch at another Swan River yacht club, Mindarie long weekend, Rockingham Cup, Rottnest lunch, plus new day cruises to North Coogee and up river venues.
I wish to thank the Cruising Committee for their efforts during the past twelve months.
GRAND SPONSOR DIRECTORY / 2023-2024
Interested in sponsorship opportunities at South of Perth Yacht Club?
Contact us on 9364 5844 or email marketing@sopyc.com.au
Bradley Abbott
Abbots Chartered Accountants T: 9321 2642 abbotts.net.au
ADVANCED
BUSINESS ABILITIES
Mike Irving
Advanced Business Abilities T: 08 6001 6143 | advancedbusinssabilities.com
Daniel Price
AE Components T:08 9361 2772 aecomponents.com.au
Marcel Every
Austex T: 9450 9400 austexeng.com.au
Sean Cranenburgh
Automasters T: 9316 1117 automasters.com.au
Jason Linaker
Justine Barron
Century 21 River Residential T: 08 6112 6112 southperth.century21.com.au
David Cowden
Cowden Limited T: 9322 4822 cowden.com.au
Warren Westphal
Paul Musca
Hagstrom Drilling T: 9456 0595 hagstromdrilling.com.au
Tony Spiteri
Hi Tech Marine T. 9309 2888 hitechmarine.com.au
Stuart Fysh
rilling owns
Darling Downs Drilling T: 9525 1754 darlingdownsdrilling.com.au
Craig Burrows
Fuel Distributors T: 9419 6599 | fdwa.com.au
Laurence Biagioni
GMF Contractors T: 9249 7333 | gmfcontractors.com.au
Graham Knight Insurance T: 9725 4104 | bdc.com.au
John Stallwood
Nail Brewing Australia T: 0432 363 880 nailbrewing.com.au
Warne Pumps Australia T. 9358 2323 pumpsaustralia.com.au
The Label Factory T: 08 9455 6180 thelabelfactory.com.au
Allan Skilling
Leamans Auto Electrics T: 9277 1811 leamans.com.au
Neil Irvine
Rapid Crushing T: 9452 5888 rapidcrushing.com.au
Carl Segreto
SMS Mandurah T: 9583 5355 rmarinemandurah.com.au
David Lewis
Lewis Kitson Lawyers T: 9364 9555 lewiskitson.com.au
Graeme Phillips
Success Fabrication T: 9498 3000 successfab.com.au
Graham Knight
Graham Knight Insurance T: 9478 1933 | gskinsurance.com.au
Mick Douthie
Metalwest T: 9453 1111 metalwest.com.au
Your Trusted Crew
Abbotts specialises in Accounting, Wealth Management, Financial Broking and now Personal Insurance and Legal Services for businesses just like yours, helping you stay on course towards success.
We’ve been empowering success for over 35 years Call us on (08) 9321 2642