Corinthian 2020 We’re all in this together Royal Geelong Yacht Club Statement Of Purpose

“To be one of Australia’s cornerstone yachting and boating clubs, hosting world class events and home to the nation’s best sailors.” Royal Warrant

By Admiralty Warrant of 27th March 1924, the privilege of wearing the Blue Ensign of Her Majesty’s Navy with the Club Pennant was extended to yachts of this club.

PATRON: The Honorable Linda Dessau A.C., Governor of Victoria

Flag Officers RGYC Board

John Kint Stuart Dickson Phil Francis Christie Alberts Peter Alexander Tom Boland Commodore Vice Commodore Rear Commodore

Roger Bennett Brian Marshman Derek Buckmaster Simon Guthrie Chris Manton Club Captain Treasurer & Past Commodore

RGYC General Manager Editors Disclaimer Phil Clohesy Editor & Contributor: Chris Williams The information contained in this publication has been prepared to the best knowledge Photographers Editorial Coordination: Sarah Pettiford of those who contributed. If an error has Salty Dingo: Craig Greenhill, Travis Harries, appeared, please contact the RGYC office Sailing Energy, Jon West, Tom Smeaton, Advertising so a correction can be made in subsequent Denise Smeaton, Steb Fisher, Jan Neeson- Steve Hassell & Sarah Pettiford editions. The opinions expressed in Corinthian Marshman, Sarah Pettiford & RGYC Members are not necessarily those of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. All rights are reserved. No part of Publisher Cover this publication can be reproduced, in whole Design Concept: Chris Williams Royal Geelong Yacht Club Inc. or in part, without the written permission of the Creative: Adcell 25 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong publisher.

From the Editor

Welcome to the 2020 edition of Corinthian, the annual journal Our feature writers have explored some of the colourful aspects of our club. of RGYC’s many activities. I am grateful that so many talented members have taken up the challenge to write for you and the We have approached this edition in the knowledge that many of global audience to show what Royal Geelong Yacht Club offers. our members have had their lives disrupted in unexpected ways Thanks also to those who provided photos of the Summer of and that we have all lost the opportunity to use our boats and the Sailing and club life. club as we wish. It is also important to acknowledge the successes Enjoy this unique edition of Corinthian. Stay safe. of our club and the members who help to make so much pleasure for others. The magazine cover touches on some of these things. Chris Williams

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 1 2 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Commodore’s Report

It is with pleasure that I provide my enhanced the skills of our volunteers. The their races to St. Leonards Yacht Club. I thank Commodore’s Report for 2019/20. experience in planning and delivering world the St. Leonards Yacht Club for their significant This is my final report as Commodore and I level racing over the summer will be of lasting support to enable our OTB sailing programs to am extremely pleased to pass on the role to benefit for our many on-water programs. continue. incoming Commodore Stuart Dickson with the Our army of skilled and passionate volunteers The 2020 Festival of Sails was a fantastic club well positioned to continue on its path of is the envy of yacht clubs around the nation. event built on the strong support of everyone the development and growth of our facilities, Thank you one and all. involved. We are planning the 2021 event in the sailing and boating programs and community The RGYC Foundation has continued its work uncertainty of how it might run under COVID-19 contribution. in raising funds that will support the long-term conditions. The Wooden Boat Festival of Last year I reported that we had “…an incredibly growth and development of sailing at RGYC. Geelong was also a very successful event busy year, we are well placed to bring our long- I thank the Foundation for their support of involving many parts of the Geelong community. term plans to reality in the coming year”. the club and urge all members to support the Congratulations to Vice Commodore Stuart This past year has been a dynamic year that Foundation. Dickson for his leadership of both of these has seen our facility development program significant events and my thanks again to the beginning to take place, along with a Summer Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour great teams of volunteers. of Sailing beyond anything experienced in the Precinct (GWSHP) Project history of our great club. The past twelve months has seen the World, National & State And then in March along came the world commencement of construction of the on-water Championships pandemic – COVID-19! This has proved a real components of the GWSHP Project. I was extremely proud to be Commodore of challenge to us all and it is a credit to everyone The 440m wave attenuator, recently named our great club as we hit the world and national connected with RGYC that we have managed Wangim Walk, is nearing completion. ourselves brilliantly, with little or no notice, to stages in hosting and delivering biggest and Unfortunately, three of the attenuator’s floating most of significant series of regattas in the respond to Government regulations to keep us pontoons were damaged whilst being shipped all safe. club’s history: to Geelong from Ireland. This has delayed the • Spring Sail - State Dinghy Championships and Our Board and the staff have been unbelievably completion of these works, with the opening of Coaching Regatta: September 2019 focused as we continually dealt with the the structure expected to be in early December introduction of restrictions due to the pandemic this year. • Cadet National Championships: December 2019 / January 2020 coupled with the building project and the impact This landmark structure is already providing of these events on day to day operations of the wave protection for the marina and surrounding • 2020 Festival of Sails: January 2020 club. harbour. It will serve the Geelong community as • Oceania and Australian (Incorporating Sail Equally, our Members have been incredibly a significant tourist attraction for generations to Melbourne) 49er, 49er FX and Nacra 17 patient, understanding and supportive. I come. Further it will enable our major events – Championships: February 2020 will long remember and appreciate the loyal the Festival of Sails and Wooden Boat Festival • 49er, 49er FX and Nacra 17 World support of our members in the most difficult of Geelong to expand, along with the potential Championships: February 2020 circumstances possible. Thank you all. for new events to be established. • Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong: March 2020 We have recently received the Australian Importantly, the position and function of the Sailing 2020 Yacht Club of the Year and the • Laser Masters Oceania and Australian attenuator will enable the development and Championships: March 2020. Unfortunately, Sport Promotion Award as well as the Victorian expansion of floating pens in line with the new Awards. This is a strong recognition of all the due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world floating pens that have also been constructed body cancelled the Laster Masters World contributions so many people have made to this as part of the current project. great club. Well done everyone! Championships at the last minute. The twenty eight new floating pens are We now have an Australian Champion at our expected to be commissioned for use by the Financial Performance club. Congratulations to Susannah Gilham who end of September. These pens were utilised won the Laser 4.7 Grand Master Division at the With the advent of COVID-19 we have faced spectacularly for the 49er/49erFX/Nacra 17 2020 Laser Masters Oceania and Australian unprecedented circumstances in managing World Championships in February and the our club’s finances in the latter part of this Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong in March this Championship. financial year. With that perspective in mind, it year. I reported to members in last year’s report is extremely rewarding to note in the Treasurer’s The Marina Office and Victorian Sailing School “there will be disruption to our normal routines”. Report and the Audited Annual Financial have been demolished as part of the on-land Little did I know the level of disruption that was Statements, that the club remains in a very components of Stage 1 of the GWSHP project. to hit us! The bushfires impacted both the Cadet sound financial position. This year, as in the National Championships and the Festival of past eight years of Brian Marshman’s role as It is taking some time to finalise the design of the Maritime Education complex, which Sails but we worked around the problems to Treasurer, the Board has again delivered a make them successful. very strong profit and cash surplus, even after combines the Off The Beach Building and the Victorian Sailing School. The planning Our Board and General Manager Phil Clohesy Government grants are deducted. This is most have been outstanding in addressing all of the pleasing and positions us well as we continue approval process is long and arduous and we issues that have confronted the club this year. I the construction phase of our redevelopment. are currently reviewing the building design to fit budget and achieve functionality requirements say to the leadership team that you have been I congratulate Treasurer Brian Marshman on of all stakeholders – a challenging process. strong, professional, united and diligent. Our an outstanding contribution to our club. His It is anticipated that the building will be well members have been extremely well served by legacy as Treasurer will be evident to future you. Your workload has been immense and generations of RGYC members. Brian has underway by this time next year, hopefully I deeply appreciate your great support and decided to not seek election again this year. nearing completion. combined wisdom. Thank you, Brian - you have served our club Club Sailing Programs with distinction. I also thank retiring Board Member Christie Our club sailing programs continue to provide a Alberts for her contributions and wish her well Volunteers wide variety of sailing opportunities for skippers for the future. Our Summer of Sailing was a huge success and crew across keelboat and dinghy programs. It has been my absolute privilege and pleasure and the contributions of our many generous I thank our Race Management volunteers who to have been able to serve as Commodore of volunteers working with the staff team made have worked tirelessly all year to provide an the Royal Geelong Yacht Club for the past three it all happen. I commend Club Captain Roger opportunity for us to go racing. years. Bennett for his leadership of the series of There was considerable disruption to our training modules across the many elements summer sailing programs, particularly for the John Kint of race management and race support that Off The Beach groups who transferred many of Commodore

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 3 4 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 General Manager’s Report

No matter how sophisticated and informed we significant disappointment to all, given the • Victorian State Government: $7.85 million may have been in terms of our planning and years of planning and training and volunteer, - Regional Development Victoria: $4.0 million preparedness for the predicted year of club Board and staff effort that was dedicated to - Victorian School Building Authority $3.75 million programs, multiple international and national this event. sailing events and the commencement of I pay tribute to the Laser Masters Organising - Changing Places Victoria: $100,000 construction of almost $20m of Stage 1 of our Committee who were extremely professional, • City of Greater Geelong: $3.0 million major capital works program, who would have committed and considered as they dealt • Royal Geelong Yacht Club: $3.0 million forecast the challenges that we faced as a club with the imminent and ultimate impact of the and community in the past year? coronavirus during the conduct of the event. TOTAL: $19.35 million It is a tribute to the dedication of each and History should record that this Committee Our club continues its strong relationships everyone connected with the Royal Geelong confronted huge decisions amid rapidly with the Australian and Victorian Governments Yacht Club, that we were able to deliver changing information on a daily basis, whilst at and the City of Greater Geelong. Together we on what we set out to achieve, in a very the same time delivering the event that was in are building facilities, generating employment successful manner, and yet still be faced place at the time. The Organising Committee opportunities and delivering events and visitor with almost insurmountable and unforeseen met at least three times each day to manage experiences that will benefit our club and the hurdles that will be recorded in the history of the ever changing COVID-19 scenarios. entire Geelong community for generations to the club. In parallel, the RGYC Board was meeting daily come. Taking a long-term view has been, and to constantly monitor and review the situation. will continue to be, fundamental to this unique The Victorian bushfires had both a direct and The ultimate decision to close the entire club project. indirect impact on our events – particularly the day after the Laser Masters Oceania and through intense smoke haze that descended While construction of Stage 1 is underway, we Australian Championships was called off was on the Cadet National Championship and the continue to pursue further funding to complete well considered, wise, timely and incredibly lead up training at our club of the International the project. responsible. History will acknowledge the and National Olympic class crews preparing Board’s decision as being courageous and I thank retiring Commodore John Kint for for the 49er/49erFX/Nacra 17 World far-sighted, particularly given that at that time his determined leadership and wise counsel Championships, as well as the Laser sailors information about the virus was changing on across all aspects of club life. John has been training for the Laser World Championships. an almost hourly basis. With the closure of in the position of Commodore for a combined The bushfires also affected the 2020 Festival the club on Wednesday 18 March 2020, we five years. RGYC current and future members of Sails, with abandonment of the fireworks were the first yacht club in the land to close all are deeply indebted to you John. and a significant bushfire fundraising appeal operations. Similarly, retiring Treasurer, Past Commodore that netted approximately $40,000 to support Importantly, the safety of our members, staff Brian Marshman, has contributed an those impacted by the fires. and visitors was the only consideration of enormous amount to the club. On top of his Our Cadet National Championships the Board. I thank the Board for their unified exceptional contribution to the club that was Organising Committee also had to contend decision making and combined wisdom. recognised by the members with Honorary with a whole club evacuation, including all The recent announcement of the success of Life Membership in 2015, Brian has continued sailors rigging at the time on the hardstand. the Club and its members in the Australian to generously donate his time, expertise It is a testimony to all involved in the planning Sailing 2020 Awards, the Victorian Awards and passion in the role of Treasurer over the and implementation of our risk management and individual awards arrived late in the past eight years. The current strong financial plans that these plans stood up brilliantly, preparation of this edition of Corinthian. position of the club, coupled with the funding under a real life circumstance. Congratulations to everyone on the success of of the first stage of the project, speaks volumes about Brian’s contribution to the The planning and logistics for the delivery our the past year at RGYC. The awards recognise members of RGYC. 2020 Summer of Sailing was an enormous the quality of what we all do every day as a effort. This program of events included team working together for the benefit of the Thank you both John and Brian – your meeting many and varied challenges that club. contributions are immeasurable. arose on a daily basis. What we delivered Finally, I thank our Board and staff for their was spectacular and indelibly imprinted in the dedicated and considered support of the memory of all who were involved. Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour club over this incredible year. Best wishes to The Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong was, as Precinct Project retiring board member, Christie Alberts, who usual, a diverse, exciting and much supported Under the leadership of Commodore John contributed significantly to many aspects of event. We had a cruise ship visit mixed in Kint, our hard-working Board and RGYC club sailing and operations. with the timing of this event, just to add to Members, we have commenced construction Phil Clohesy challenge of delivering this wonderful and of Stage 1 of the Geelong Waterfront Safe unique festival. Harbour Precinct Project. General Manager Our club has stood proud in front an extensive We have been successful in securing $19.35m national and world audience. Our Organising funding commitments from the Federal Committees, volunteers and staff performed Government, State Government, the City of brilliantly, under very trying and tiring Greater Geelong and our Club. circumstances. • Australian Federal Government: $5.5 million And then along came COVID-19! - Department of Infrastructure, Transport, A world pandemic that instantaneously shut Regional Development & Communications – us down. We were not able to complete the Geelong City Deal: $3.5 million last day of the Laser Masters Oceania and - Department of Regional Jobs, Infrastructure & Australian Championships and the World Projects: $2.0 million Championship was cancelled. This was a

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 5 Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour Precinct (GWSHP) Project

Construction of the on-water components of control) the remaining works of the project are - Schematic design review underway: Expected Stage 1 of the Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour expected to be completed by November 2020 completion – September/October 2020 Precinct Project – the Wave Attenuator and the 28 - Wave Attenuator Official Opening expected: - October/November 2020 - Contract floating marina pens, is well underway. Early December 2020 Documentation design phase (design) 6-8 Planning Application and the Building Design weeks On-Water Project Elements: Review are currently underway for the land-based - February/March 2021 (estimated) - - Wave Attenuator: Certificate of Practical aspect of Stage 1. Construction Tender completed and awarded Completion provided 6 April 2020, - March/April 2021 (estimated)-Commence site demonstrating 87% of works have been On-Land Project Elements: construction - period approximately 10 months completed • Building Demolition Phil Clohesy - Floating Marina: Certificate of Practical - Victorian Sailing School Building – Demolition General Manager Completion provided 6 April 2020, COMPLETED December 2019 demonstrating 94% of works have been completed. Expected completion: End - Initial Sketch Design and Design September 2020 Documentation phases – COMPLETED January 2020 - Due to damage of three precast concrete units during shipment (an event outside the project’s - Planning application lodged

6 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 7 Sailing & Boating Report: The year that was…

We have had another memorable year of sailing Bravo Course Race Management – at Geelong; a full calendar of world class sailing The Off the Beach continues to produce large On Water Assets from the Cadet Nationals, Festival of Sails, 49er, numbers of sailors who proudly represent 49erFX and Nacra 17 Oceania and Worlds, This year we had one of the biggest single the Club at State, National and International Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong and the Laser acquisition programs for RGYC’s on-water level. The event which stood out amongst the Masters Oceania as well as Alpha course and assets. We saw the addition of three new mark many memorable events was the hosting of Bravo course club racing in an action packed laying vessels and two fast rescue boats, all the Cadet Nationals and I was honoured to be season. equipped with the latest VHF radios from Icom a guest at their presentation dinner which was and wind instruments from B&G. Significant It was a year of constantly changing simply outstanding. overhauls of the electronics on Alpha 1 and circumstances with extremely high The pre-season workshop at St Leonards Eclipse also included new Icom radios and temperatures, bushfires, smoke haze, gale and the way in which our junior sailors helped the latest in Zeus3 electronic navigation and warnings, too little wind and COVID-19, yet mentor and support the junior members of the wind instruments from B&G. The club has somehow, we managed to have a regatta St Leonards Yacht Club with their participation also installed a brand new “drive on drive program and domestic season like no other. in the workshops was another highlight of off” floating pontoon for the key support We hosted sailors from around the world and it the season. I’m sure from what we saw there boats. All these improvements provide the gave us the opportunity to showcase our Club were many who will become our leaders in the best equipment for our race management and Geelong to millions worldwide. future. volunteers and a legacy for the Club for many Alpha Course We also thank the Committee and members years to come. The season had many highs which we all of St Leonards Yacht Club for hosting a race The Year Ahead should be very proud of. Very importantly, series for our OTB sailors under the leadership We live in extraordinary times with all the I wish to extend my sincere thanks to our of Race Officer, Max Stein. challenges of COVID-19. In the year ahead growing band of dedicated volunteers who Finally, a big thankyou to all the parents of we will need to be flexible in our thinking and contribute to our Club both on and off water, our junior sailors and the senior OTB sailors responses. With the resilience of members our outstanding race management volunteers for rolling up their sleeves and helping make and supporters of the Club, I’m confident we who enable us to race as often as we do, and these events happen year in year out. will continue to thrive and prosper. in particular over the last event filled year, for making sure all the Club events took place Roger Bennett with the minimum of fuss. Club Captain

8 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 9 Opening Day 2019

10 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 11 Alpha Sailing Results

The 2019 – 2020 yacht racing season was significantly shortened, limiting the number of regular events that could be run. Further, many of the Club’s significant on –shore awards were not presented because activities and programs were not completed. Despite these constraints there was plenty of success for our sailors at all levels as demonstrated in the results below. Congratulations to the skippers and crews who found success this season.

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Corio Cruisers Geelong Media Trophy Portarlington Race Bundaberg John Kint Kevin Bell Trophy Long Races Onda Laura Cora

Corio Cruisers PHS 1st Bad Influence 2nd Onda 3rd Bundaberg (Performance Handicap System) M Bakker / J Wolff L Cora J Kint

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Vitesse Division 1 Coca Cola Shield W/L Series 3,7,8,13,14,77,18,20 Scott Farrimond Division 1 TWL Series Vitesse E.H. (Eustace) Wilson Memorial Trophy TWL 2,5,9,12,16 Scott Farrimond Larriken 2 H P Douglass Shield Portarlington Race Darren Pickering Vitesse Howard Hitchcock Perpetual Shield Season Aggregate Scott Farrimond Spirit Josh Glover Cup Race 15 Dale Robertson Larriken 2 Reg and Alan Taylor Perpetual Trophy Runner Up Season Aggregate Darren Pickering Larriken 2 W.H (Jockey) Jones Perpetual Trophy Winner – Races 2, 6, 9, 11, 16, 20 Darren Pickering

Division 1 PHS 1st Vitesse 2nd Larriken 2 3rd Spirit

(Performance Handicap System) Scott Farrimond Darren Pickering Dale Robertson

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Buck Division 2 Beta Cup W/L Series 3, 7, 8, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20 Stirling Parker Reverie Betty Cole Perpetual Trophy Runner-up Division 2 Season Aggregate Ian Hunter The Usual Suspects John Collins Cup TWL Series 2, 5, 9, 12, 16 Daryl Speakman The Usual Suspects Sea Wren Cup Season Aggregate Daryl Speakman The Usual Suspects W.H. MacKinlay Cup – Killarra Trophy Portarlington Race Daryl Speakman Reverie Winchester Trophy Club Course Series 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 15, 19 Ian Hunter

Division 2 AMS 1st The Usual Suspects 2nd Spirit of Rani 3rd Buck Daryl Speakman Phil Francis Stirling Parker

Division 2 PHS 1st The Usual Suspects 2nd Reverie 3rd Buck Daryl Speakman Ian Hunter Stirling Parker

12 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Etchells 1st The Moe Szyslak Experience 2nd Smoking Gun 3rd Matilda Season Aggregate Tony Mackenzie Nick Gunner Blake Roberston Captain A D McPherson Tray

Larriken 2 Festival of Sails Lionel Windsor Trophy Best performed RGYC Division 1 yacht in the FOS Passage Race Darren Pickering Eclipse Mayflower Trophy Best performed RGYC yacht over the Festival of Sails Regatta Neil Cusworth For the best performed RGYC yacht in the FOS Passage Race in a Kavala Myer Emporium Tray class selected by the Sailing Committee David Ruffin

Fleurieu Warrior Special Trophies Race Committee Most raced yacht of the season Trevor Brown

Division 1 Goggo Twilight Racing Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Pre -Christmas W. Newman Division 1 Bad Influence Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Post-Christmas M Bakker / J Wolff Division 1 Spirit Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Aggregate Dale Robertson Division 2 Fleurieu Warrior Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Pre-Christmas Trevor Brown Division 2 Inch By Inch Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Post-Christmas Peter Zwagerman Division 2 Pattern Maker Victorian Regional Channels Authority Trophy Aggregate Stuart Dickson

Division 1 1st Spirit 2nd Freestyle 1 3rd Goggo Pre-Christmas Dale Robertson Paul Anderson William Newman

Division 2 1st Pattern Maker 2nd Inspiration 3rd Magic Pre-Christmas Stuart Dickson Peter Cameron Stephen Hassell

Division 1 1st Bad Influence 2nd Kestrel 3rd Freestyle 1 Post-Christmas M. Bakker/J. Wolff Jonathan Apted Paul Anderson

Division 2 1st Inch By Inch 2nd Lupa Wylo 3rd Maraid Post-Christmas Peter Zwagerman Geoff Sadler Peter Gilllett

Two Handed Series PHS 1st Onda 2nd Fleurieu Warrior 3rd The Usual Suspects Laura Cora Trevor Brown Daryl Speakman

VX One 1st Silver Fox 2nd Slick 3rd Public Enemy Peter Alexander Brian Case Jarrod Wallis

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 13 Extasea 5 - Another Beginning

My hunt for a new boat started about five years just entice the family out to join you.” Exactly! cradle, sails and all and shipped the container ago. I was specifically looking for a Cookson It is a full carbon fibre boat with a canting keel home. 50, what I call a complete yacht: competitive, to reduce the crew numbers. It has cruising I flew to Perth with Anthony Huther, a crew easy to handle, with cruising comforts and an facilities with a very comfortable cabin, stove, member from Gippsland who has sailed many ‘afterlife’. fridge, freezer, enclosed head, hot and cold miles on the Extaseas and met the boat there. The current Extasea, a DK46, was the most water, and lots of extra creature comforts, all in My first viewing of the purchase was in Perth successful yacht I have owned with six a race boat. These boats, some sixteen years and I was very impressed! We rectified a few Melbourne to Hobart wins, in both line and old now, are still very competitive around the minor mechanical issues, provisioned the handicap honours. I imported this yacht into world. The Australia contingent boasts three of boat, and the crew attended to personal issues Australia from the USA in September 2007 these yachts, all successful in their own right. like showers and laundry and some shopping. with the idea of competing with the other We made several enquiries around the world We left Perth and headed south, and then west DK’s sailing in Australia. We had immediate looking for these boats and just missed out to round Bunbury and round Cape Naturaliste success and won every ORCV race, including on buying a suitable boat on a number of then south again. We had a slight south four Offshore Championships. Originally occasions. westerly down the coast and motor sailed for designed by Mark Mills as a “windward / a fair way. After rounding Cape Leeuwin we leeward” boat, she is great upwind and running Things dried up, but we didn’t give up then headed south east and ventured around proud, but was underpowered on the reaching 200 miles south and turned due east. We had side of sailing, so after twelve years I decided I was In Europe on a four-month trip and we a High above us and a Low to the south and to look for one last boat. I didn’t want to go weren’t expecting to find a boat but we found we were caught in between. Our gribs told us down the TP52 road like many before me but that Ubox was sitting on a mooring in Hong to go another 200 miles south, but we thought looked for an alternative. I wanted a boat that Kong and we again started negotiating. I had we were okay with the 12-14 knots of breeze would last the distance. Jamie Bennett (Nudge) fly to Hong Kong for a and decided to keep our course east…which The Cookson 50 has its own little niche in the perusal and had the boat surveyed. We finally in turn probably added about 3 days to the race yacht market. A concept put together by closed the deal and the sale went through! journey as we didn’t get the wind shifts and legendary kiwi boat builder, Mick Cookson speeds we had hoped for. A lesson learnt that The next adventure was how to get the boat to and the Farr office, the outcome achieved sometimes technology is helpful. We scooted RGYC. Ship it or sail it home? was a sleek, stylish race yacht that combines past the Bight and South Australia and headed performance racing with an unusual level of We had numerous discussions with Nudge to Portland where our reserve crew wanted to comfort. The boats were designed and built who decided to sail the boat home and so, join us and experience the new boat for the trip at the same time as the DK46, with the last with the help of locals, Simon Hunter and home. We met Glen Purnell and Benn Doak Cookson 50 built in 2005. Marcus Korobacz, the adventure was about with some welcome beers and pizzas. Jamie to begin…4000+ miles… a fair distance A quote from Sail World: “Utilizing construction and I left the boat with Simon in charge and through the world’s busiest shipping lanes with techniques that earned Cookson Boats a headed back to Geelong. The boys arrived on the added problem of only having a narrow world class reputation, the Cookson 50 is December 1 and Extasea (5) was in her new weather window opportunity. exceptionally well designed, with none of the home! on-board creature comforts compromising Jamie and Simon flew to Hong King and With the prospect of the new boat being home, its ability to go fast. These boats are strong arrived right in the midst of the city’s riots. With I entered the Cookson in the Sydney to Hobart yet still light enough to give those adrenaline only three crew on board for the trip we put Yacht Race. The challenge we had ahead of junkies a nice hit as they pop an A sail up and limited sails on the boat to allow more space us was a two-week turnaround to get the boat head down the coast. And yet a boat that may below. We also packed up the extra gear, prepared and race ready for the trip up to

14 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Sydney, leaving around mid-December. the crew immediately started to prepare the and managed to get the remnants of the A4 on We had to go through mechanically servicing boat for the race. The team then settled down board. the boat and equipment, sorting the sails we for the Christmas festivities. The other boats around us powered away and needed and then making sure everything with our strongest kite gone, we thought our worked. We had issues with the canting keel Race Day race was over. It was time to rethink our race. mechanism, the mast setup and sail selection. We put up our Fractional Code Zero (FRO) During the trip home there was a problem with The main crew arrived on Christmas night and the usual banter around the race started with but couldn’t run as deep as the other yachts the aft keel dropping around 4 millimetres. and had to sacrifice heading. We also put up This put the whole race schedule on hold till a few beers and a quiet meal before we all retired for a good night’s rest. a staysail which helped. We carried this set up we got it sorted. We contacted Mick Cookson all through the night, consistently reaching at for advice about what the problem might be Race day morning saw a flurry of activity as around 16 knots with a top speed of 27 knots. and in the end we decided to take the boat to the food, gear and sundries were packed away Extasea covered 298 miles in 24 hours. The Sandringham Yacht Club, lift it out of the water and the boat made ready. A few kites were morning skeds revealed that we were east of and inspect the keel housing. repacked on the lawn outside the yacht club most of the fleet but about 30 miles ahead! The problem was that the keel bolts weren’t to make sure they were okay. The delivery We were back in the race again. There were tensioned enough, so we lowered the keel sails were packed and dispatched, bound for some fickle wind areas around Gabo Island onto the ground and then re-tensioned the Hobart. and we fell in a hole, like most of the fleet. bolts and, with a sigh of relief, the problem The mandatory briefing included weather We sailed across “the paddock” and down the was solved. The crew worked every night after information with the conditions forecast to be east coast of Tasmania and were still around work and weekends and we finally got her mild and predictions were for a rather slow 30 miles ahead of our sister ships, which was ready for the trip north. We were still having race. We then had our last coffees with more a great surprise for us in our first outing. The the signage done as we were loading the boat friendly banter with the crews from the two next morning, we rounded Tasman Island, for the journey to Sydney! other Cookson 50’s in the race, Oskana and still ahead of our sister ships. The wind was I strongly commend the Extasea crew for their About Time. again fickle and whilst we sailed a mid-course dedication and diligence in getting the boat looking for a breath of air, the others sailed in ready. None of this would have been possible The Motley Crew opposite directions and found little whispers without them working all hours. Thanks also of breeze and sailed away from us. The wind We left the dock at 11am and headed for the to their partners for allowing them the time to finally settled in and we made the Iron Pot and start area and the mandatory hoisting of the enjoy their sport. had a great kite run up the Derwent doing 18 trysail and storm Jib. We then settled into a knots plus to the finish line. We had one short sail to put the main up to pre-race format. sort out the main car stack and check the luff We were excited about how we performed in The start was uneventful, except for us stalling curve and adjust the mast rake accordingly. our first sail against our sister ships and their on the line, but we soon recovered and headed The only time we actually got to really start experienced crews and we all look forward to out to sea rounding the marks as we went. We sailing the boat was in the yacht race itself. new adventures on Extasea. settled in to our run down the coast and, in Everything was totally new to everyone. around 15-18 knots of NE breeze, we hoisted The delivery crew took over and Extasea left our first kite on the new boat. The kite was up Paul Buchholz for Sydney around the 16th December. The for about ten minutes and then it majestically boat arrived in Sydney on December 21st and blew out! We struggled with the damaged sail

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 15 Bravo Sailing Results

The sailing events planned for RGYC in season 2019 – 2020 were much reduced in number. However, many of our sailors had high level success in the events we did run at club level and in other regattas. Congratulations to those who achieved their goals.

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Division 1 B. E. Purnell Trophy State Championship Elliot Hughes E. J. Fairnie Perpetual Cup Club Championship Skipper Sparkle Emma Kelly G. M. “Gar” Vautier RAAF Memorial Trophy Cadet Member declared the best for the season Elliot Hughes Geoff “Soos” Spedding Perpetual Fleet Handicap Special Race Galaxsea Sam Williamson Josh Garner Gordon Jackson Perpetual Cup Championship Crew Will Farnell Mackinlay Cup W/L Fleet Handicap Assassin Imogen Farnell Emma Williamson Naval Auxiliary Patrol Perpetual Best in National Championship Elliot Hughes Searle Bros Perpetual Handicap Sparkle Emma Kelly Will Farnell W. L. Curtis Perpetual Best in Festival of Sails Anaconda Cate McCoy Elliot Hughes

Club Championship 1st Sparkle 2nd Assassin 3rd Galaxsea Emma Kelly Imogen Farnell Sam Williamson Will Farnell Emma Williamson Josh Garner

Club Handicap 1st Sparkle 2nd Ocean Warrior 3rd Assassin Emma Kelly Will Farnell Milli McDonald Imogen Farnell Cate McCoy Emma Williamson

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Harvey Laser Cameron Dawson Ford Yardstick James Stewart Harvey Geoff Wood Perpetual Handicap James Stewart

Laser Club Yardstick 1st Harvey 2nd Slammer 3rd Alexandrite James Stewart Christopher Jones Alexander Gregory

Laser Club Handicap 1st Harvey 2nd Alexandrite 3rd Slammer James Stewart Alexander Gregory Christopher Jones

Series Perpetual Trophy Event Winner Harvey Mixed Class Ross Heyward Perpetual Yardstick James Stewart Harvey Waroo Perpetual Handicap James Stewart

Club Yardstick 1st Harvey 2nd Slammer 3rd Makini James Stewart Christopher Jones Sophie Alexander Dom Randall

Club Handicap 1st Harvey 2nd Alexandrite 3rd Makini James Stewart Alexander Gregory Sophie Alexander Dom Randall

16 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 17 OTB: The Most Complex Season in History

Spring Sail Regatta and Coaching Clinic, RGYC hosted the International Cadet Class This put an end to the sailing season, Awards which often mark the beginning of the spring National Championship over Christmas/New Night, Trivia Night and regrettably, the Cadet and summer sailing season were held in year. This was the first in a series of regattas Worlds due to be held in Italy. We did get September. Again, RGYC attracted over 100 planned for early 2020. The Organising some reprieve with the recommencement craft to the regatta and it was terrific to see Committee was headed by Mike Kelly and of under-18 sailing in June but as I write, we the boat yard busy with a variety of classes, they certainly put on an excellent event. It will are under community safety restrictions with some familiar and some not so common. This never be forgotten, not just for the excellent strict conditions. Meanwhile, planning for the was the beginning of an ambitious season with racing and courses on water but for the off- next season is a dynamic affair. This includes club sailing, high profile regattas and structural water catering, organisation and warmth. We accommodating the increased sports boat developments at the club. had to postpone one day because of 40 knot fleet of VX1 and Etchells on a new “Charlie” Winter had given an opportunity for some wind and 40-degree temperatures and another course. because we couldn’t see the course due to the essential remedial work to be carried out on I have handed over the chair of the OTB the support vessels and plans and budgets bushfire smoke! Clearing the club after a fuel incident added to the excitement. Rounded out Working Group to the capable hands of were being finalised for the arrival of new on Jason Farnell. I acknowledge the members water resources. by dinner, presentations and closing ceremony in the Cattery it was universally declared a of the Working Group who help debate all the The winter also provided an opportunity for huge success. We also had the comfort of issues during the meetings and during race a new initiative. The club set up a matrix of using the new aluminium course laying boats days. The volunteers and club staff give us training opportunities for members to improve and RIBs equipped with new GPS which we great support. Catering in the canteen and their skills both on and off water. First Aid, had all trained to use. the barbeque is an important aspect and I Powerboat Handling, Safety Boat Instructors extend our gratitude to all involved. We now Festival of Sails saw several of the junior and Safety Boat Operators’ courses were have two volunteers who look after the marks fleet sailing on keel boats. This demonstrates provided. In addition, a number of sessions and tackle and this certainly make the race the ambition of the club to integrate Alpha devoted to on-water race management course- management task easier. All these seemingly laying etc. were held. This had the objective of and Bravo fleets. The mixed fleet has also increased in number, especially the Laser small improvements result in a more pleasant increasing the skills and personnel within the sailing and club experience. club to confidently run the events planned. It fleet. Increased numbers of 29ers and the certainly was an opportunity of demonstrating appearance of a Sabre and the Tasers make Importantly, I wanted to publicly acknowledge real life support to the members to maintain this fleet very healthy. We saw some of the the efforts of one person specifically at Bravo the pool of skilled people able to undertake best sailors in the world arriving with their Awards Night. This of course was thwarted by race management. These courses are of 49ers, 49FX and Nacras, many to race for COVID-19. Last year my “recognition of effort” high quality, conform to the Australian Sailing 2020 Olympic selection. The hard stand was announcement was for Mandy Kelly, which requirements and are nationally recognised. made somewhat bigger by the removal of was universally welcomed. the Sailing School. This occurred just prior to The junior sailors and their supporters This year I honour Sue Harman. Sue was Christmas and led to a frenzy of activity by decamped to the St Leonard’s Yacht Club chair of the OTB Working Group immediately yard staff and a huge effort by members to get early in the season for an, ‘away day’ of team prior to my tenure and navigated me through the area ready. building on and off the water. The event had the role. Sue has an unquenchable thirst for the added bonuses of providing extra sailors The wave attenuator has been almost working to improve, facilitate and organise the to crew Cadets and increased interaction with completed and the OTB building construction OTB fleets. Coupled with scrupulous honesty a sister club. Some races on this occasion is due to get underway. These projects have and technical knowledge she has had an were delayed as Cadet and Laser skippers had a lot of members’ input as they need to incalculable and beneficial effect on the group. were distracted by dolphins! We were very serve the purposes of club, accommodation A veteran of Opti, Cadet, Taser and 29er grateful to St Leonards YC who certainly and sail training now and over the next classes in various roles, Sue will, no doubt, rolled out the red carpet for us. Plans for club decades. continue to contribute in a very meaningful racing after Christmas were made to facilitate We were looking forward to the Laser Masters way. Thank you, Sue. the international regattas. This was generally World Championships to be held at RGYC. welcomed, however weather prevented two Then disaster struck the world. COVID-19 had Diarmuid McCoy race days from happening. emerged, spreading fast and devastatingly.

18 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 19 20 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 21 RGYC wins Australian Sailing Club of the Year

RGYC was recently announced as the Australian Sailing – Victoria Para Sailor of Australian Sailing 2020 Club of the Year at the Year: Alison Weatherly the Australian Sailing National Awards. RGYC Well done also to Max Stein who received an were also the recipients of the 2020 Sport Honourable Mention in the ‘Australian Sailing Promotion Award at the Australian Sailing – Victoria Official of the Year’ category. National Awards. This is a remarkable record of success, recognising and celebrating the Congratulations to each of the individual Club’s ongoing delivery and growth of club RGYC Members who have been recognised in activity, Sailing, Learn To Sail and inclusive their categories. Your success inspires others programs, major community infrastructure to follow your lead. development projects, and the Club’s huge The leadership shown by the RGYC Board, Summer of Sailing in 2019/20. the work of the many organising committees These awards came after the club’s receipt of and the contributions of our volunteers create the Australian Sailing – Victorian 2020 Club of the progress we have made. We also thank the Year and the Australian Sailing – Victoria our staff who have supported all activity, 2020 Sport Promotion Award. working closely with our Members as well as We also congratulate the individual award external agencies to ensure our success. winners at the Australian Sailing – Victoria Thank you to everyone who contributed to State Awards including: the Club over the last year. You are all part of Australian Sailing – Victoria SheSails these prestigious awards. Award: Laura Cora Macolino

22 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 23 Bushfire Impact: RGYC Boosts the Geelong Response

Our entire community was affected by the we’re delighted to launch this new fundraising We can now look back at the impact of huge bushfires across the eastern part of campaign as an initiative of the MacGlide the fires on our events when heavy smoke Australia in 2019 and 2020. Festival of Sails,” he said. prevented racing for safety reasons and RGYC announced it would start a ‘Festival of Royal Geelong Yacht Club donated $10,000 see that there was much more damage and Sails’ bushfire appeal in the wake of cancelling to kick off the campaign before the Geelong suffering in other places. its traditional Australia Day Fireworks show on community joined in the fundraising efforts for The Bureau of Meteorology reported that 2019 Sunday January 26. this very important cause to support Australian was Australia’s warmest and driest year on Festival of Sails Chairman, Stuart Dickson, families who were, and still are, desperately record and the national annual accumulated said that given the recent bushfires which had in need of help. It was really heartening that Forest Fire Danger Index was the highest devastated much of Australia, the club decided Geelong Connected Communities’ partners since 1950, when national records began. to cancel the 2020 fireworks out of respect for - Harwood Andrews and AWA Alliance Bank - There is still much to be done to repair the the tens of thousands of victims of the fires stepped up to add $17,500 to the pot. All funds damage in many communities and to reduce and Australia’s volunteer firefighters. raised went to the Salvation Army National the causes and impact of disasters of this Bushfire Appeal, with 100 per cent of all “We think the bush fire victims should be the magnitude. donations going directly to those families and focus of our attention on Australia Day and so communities impacted by the fires.

24 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 COVID-19 Impact: The story so far

Corinthian, the annual magazine of Royal Fortunately, we can still use the marina and • Schools closed, businesses closed. Geelong Yacht Club, is consistently a yard under some clear regulations so quite • Everyone wears a mask when out of their celebration of the Club and the successes of a bit of boat maintenance is being done by homes. its members. However, we must deal with the individuals. • “Zoom” is a word with new meaning! difficulties the Members and the Club itself All this change is in view of the data we • Virtual sailing events are becoming popular. face this year. The challenges that we are receive every day. As of 25 August 2020, more given can bring out the talents in people and than 23.6 million cases have been reported • Planning future events is very difficult. develop the teamwork the club relies on for its across 188 countries and territories, resulting RGYC Members and the Board are strongly success. However, there are costs. in more than 814,000 deaths. More than 15.3 committed to reducing the chances of damage Yacht racing and cruising in company have million people have recovered. In Victoria, to the health of our community as well as our been put to the side as we implement the there have been 18,464 total cases – with fellow Members and we look forward to sailing strategies required to beat the COVID-19 virus. 14,288 Recovered Cases and 438 Deaths. again soon. Our Clubhouse has been shut down and Other Impacts: we must keep physically distant from other • Large gatherings not permitted, restaurants people. This is a strange way of life for the and venues closed, travel reduced or many members who use the Club every week. banned, sporting events not permitted.

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 25 Spring Sail 2019

26 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Club Activities

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 27 28 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Vision + Commitment + Planning + Skill + Teamwork = Success

RGYC hosted an unparalleled event season reported economic benefit of $29,827,885. improving our capability and knowledge in during the summer of 2019-20 – the delivery This impressive outcome has strengthened many areas. of the largest number of events in our Club’s our bonds with both of these important A huge thank you goes to all those who proud 161 year history. supporters of the club and demonstrates a have supported and contributed to these Our Club has a long standing reputation for direct return on investment for their continued events across the entire summer. This delivering high quality events through its support and funding for future event bids and acknowledgement includes our dedicated annual Festival of Sails and biennial Wooden infrastructure projects such as the Geelong teams of volunteers, members of Organizing Boat Festival of Geelong. Through the success Waterfront Safe Harbour Precinct Project. Committees, our Event Chairmen and the and growth of these festivals, we have proven The benefits for RGYC of hosting these major RGYC Board and staff, who all worked our capacity to deliver complex events and so events are numerous. Firstly, they are exciting tirelessly to ensure we delivered world class we now attract more world class events to to be a part of and they bring together sailors events. the Club. from around the world. Financially, the added These teams were able to deliver a program This summer saw the culmination of many turnover and resulting profit strengthens our that activated the Geelong Waterfront and years of hard work and planning come financial position, in turn allowing us to invest placed sailing in the spotlight for nearly three together in the delivery of a variety of in infrastructure and projects that will benefit full months of summer, including 32 days of National and World Championship events in the Club and its members for years to come. A on-water racing. This success was achieved addition to our regular activities. The events lasting legacy of the ‘2020 Summer of Sailing’ whilst navigating catastrophic bushfires, included the Cadet National Championship, is our investment in six new vessels that smoke haze, a fuel explosion and the onset the 49er, 49erFX, Nacra 17 Oceania upgrade the Club’s fleet and greatly enhances of a global pandemic – a truly massive Championships and World Championships our on-water safety and race management team effort was required to deal with these and the Laser Masters Oceania and Australian capability. challenges so successfully. Championship and World Championship. The We have enhanced our reputation within In addition, thank you to the entire RGYC program was so significant that we created the sailing community as an ideal option for membership for their support. None of these its own brand – the RGYC ‘2020 Summer of hosting regattas of significance. The 49er, events would be possible without the Club’s Sailing’. 49erFX, Nacra 17 World Championships were ongoing vision and commitment to deliver Securing these events would not have been live streamed across the globe and were outstanding sailing programs on a local, possible without the ongoing support of viewed by record breaking audiences, truly national and world level. the Victorian State Government and the placing RGYC, Geelong and Corio Bay on the City of Greater Geelong. We have worked world stage. The ‘2020 Summer of Sailing’ Nathan Bassett collaboratively to deliver events that positively provided us an invaluable opportunity to work Major Events Manager impacted Geelong and its surrounding alongside and learn from some “best in class” communities through sailing, delivering a total race officials, administrators and broadcasters

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 29 Linked Building 58th International Cadet Australian Championship

The Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) hosted winds followed by no wind. However, we did • 18th: Wildcard 9698 - Lulu Di Sciascio and the Linked Building 58th International Cadet not expect the impact of the bush fires with Charley Stephens Championship from 27 December 2019 to 4 smoke that covered Corio Bay and Geelong Well done to all our Cadet sailors. January 2020, kicking off RGYC’s massive causing sailing to be abandoned for one day. Importantly, the event was able to run at a ‘Summer of Sailing’. We also did not expect that an emergency surplus thanks to the generous support from evacuation of the club would occur with an The event showcased the wonderful Cadet so many Members with sponsorship. Class with 56 entries and representatives (112 incident at the refuelling station on the main marina arm. Sailors) from Tasmania (Sandy Bay Sailing Naming Rights Sponsor: Club), South Australia (Adelaide Sailing Club, It is a credit to the many members and Linked Building - Jason and Carolyn Farnell Goolwa Sailing Cclub, Largs Bay Sailing Club volunteers present during the Championship and Port Lincoln Yacht Club) and Victorian that despite these challenges the event Day Sponsors: clubs (SYC, RYCV, RGYC). ran smoothly and 11 out of 12 races were John Garner, Garner Marine Services, Boating The Off The Beach section had been looking completed to declare a new National Central, Trim Tech, Main Matrix, Precision forward to hosting this championship, given Champion (Hugo Allison and Sam Plumbing, Daryl’s Fresh Roasted Peanut they were last held in Geelong back in 2007. Hooper from SBSC sailing Shmoken). The Butter, Architecture HQ Right from the outset there was commitment presentation of trophies was held in the Supporting Sponsors: from many members to help with the event. Presidents Room at GMHBA Stadium with Twenty 4 Seven Clothing, Musto, Ronstan, A dedicated organising committee started 340 people attending. This was a great night Sailing Gear for Women, Santa & D’Sas meeting in February 2019 including Amanda hosted by Past Commodore Peter Stephens. A Wines, Bull Sails, Steampocket Catering, Field, Sue Di’Sciascio, Jason Farnell and highlight was the auction conducted by David Strapper Surf & Sun Bum Sunscreen. Past Commodore Peter Stephens. They were Goodfellow to raise funds for the National joined by John and Brendan Garner, Steve Bushfire Disaster Appeal. With items donated It was a pleasure to work with such a positive Neunhoffer, Roger Bennett and Max Stein plus by club members including Tony Bull Sails, and enthusiastic Organising Committee staff members Sarah Pettiford, Nathan Bassett we were successful in raising $3,561 which Members who gave up their time to ensure and Peter Kirman. was forwarded on behalf of all the event participants. the success of this event. I would also like Our objective was to put on a high standard to recognise and thank the Race Committee RGYC were well represented in the event to assist the development of our Members Stephen Aulich and Max Stein and Championship with 16 Cadets. A total of 7 young sailors and to provide the parents and Assistant Race Officers Steve Neunhoffer and RGYC Cadets finished in the top 20. They support group with a memorable holiday in Amanda Rawstron for assisting with the race were as follows: Geelong. In addition to the sailing on Corio results. Bay, our program included recognition of the • 5th: Anaconda 5760 - Elliott Hughes and Thank you to all the on-water volunteers opportunities which the Cadet class provides Charlie Haigh including Harry, Arthur, Noel, Janine, Kym, our young sailors to compete at the elite • 7th: Ocean Warrior 9913 - Milli McDonald Steve, Justin and Howard. level. Our program provided the opportunity and Cate McCoy for sailors and parents to meet RGYC Cadet Thank you to our Jury members Murray Jones, World Champions Frant Bucek (1974), • 8th: Smooth Criminal 9545 - Jarrah Harris- Darren Elgar and Mal Eaton. Thomas and Sophie Alexander (2014) and to Moore and Bobby McDonald Finally, thank you to the RGYC Commodore experience a motivational presentation from John Kint, RGYC Board Members, RGYC Staff • 9th: Sparkle 9919 - Emma Kelly and William RGYC’s international professional yachtsman and Club Members who helped the event in so Farnell Tim Davis. many ways. • 12th: Assassin 9560 - Imogen Farnell and At the opening ceremony on the lawn in front Emma Williamson Mike Kelly of the club, sailors were advised that we Chairman expected the weather to provide challenges • 16th: Aquilo 9930 - Cooper Field and Tom during the event with heat and forecast strong Grimes

30 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 31 MacGlide Festival of Sails 2020

The 2020 Festival of Sails was a huge success Management Team. They put on a perfect community with a $15.5 economic benefit. with many positive comments again proving regatta getting the fleets away on time and Both locals and visitors to the region enjoyed the three-day format over the Australia Day without incident. free entertainment, roving performers, food long weekend is the best option. The racing After racing, large crowds enjoyed the quality vans and markets. There were free ‘come and was by all competitive sailing measures an entertainment program. With 3 stage zones try’ yachts on Eastern Beach with Discover overwhelming success with positive feedback located at the RGYC clubhouse, the regatta Sailing activities. from our participants. village and Steam Packet, the crowds had With the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road The historic 177th Passage Race on the plenty to cheer about. The main bands Race being rescheduled to the following Saturday, January 25th from Melbourne to featuring the Royal Australian Navy Band, weekend, we had the opportunity to re-activate Geelong saw 230 yachts start at Williamstown Richard Clapton and INXESSIVE, Aydan, Jack the Steam Packet gardens site. This enabled in light airs. Vidgen and the Real Dinosaurs, all drew large us to bring back our water-skiing program and Across Saturday, Sunday and Monday, crowds and were very well received. reinvigorate our site holders as well as setting participants competed in 100 races over 6 Australia Day Weekend saw huge crowds up our third performance stage. courses in yachts ranging from million-dollar estimated at 103,000 enjoy the waterfront The traditional fireworks were cancelled this Grand Prix racers, sports boats, multi hulls, festival between the RGYC, Eastern Beach year after we received feedback from the trailer boats to family cruisers. Our PRO, Denis Boardwalk and Steam Packet. This event COGG, the Geelong community and the Thompson, once again showed his skill as an and the crowds on our waterfront represent RGYC members. The decision was made out outstanding Race Officer along with his Race a significant financial gain to the Geelong of respect for the many thousands of fellow

32 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Australians who were being affected by the the City of Greater Geelong and I thank them are complete, we will have one of the best catastrophic bushfires. An additional water- for their continued support of this world class sailing venues in the country. skiing event was added to the program and event. After the success of 2020 we can now look the club worked with Geelong Connected Thanks to Geelong Connected Communities with some confidence towards a bigger and Communities to raise $41,555 for the National for supporting the waterfront festival. Special better event in January 2021, post COVID-19. Bushfire Disaster Appeal. What a great result! thanks also to our major sponsors and the This will be my last term as chairman of FOS, Events of this type are not possible without the many other event sponsors who got behind the a position I have enjoyed immensely. It has considerable involvement of our volunteers. Festival of Sails and contributed to its success. been a privilege to be involved in such an RGYC is extremely fortunate to have a The Executive Committee and the Operations historic event - not only for our club but the huge supporter base within and outside our Committee worked tirelessly throughout wider sailing community. I wish the new team club. 2020 saw a total of 446 volunteers the year and special thanks go to our staff all the best for 2021. and event staff ensure that the event was a who did a great job with the planning and Vice Commodore Stuart Dickson huge success. Under the leadership of our implementation of this major event. Volunteer Coordinator, the team again worked Festival of Sails Chairman We are extremely fortunate to have such a extremely well and the feedback from our magnificent sailing venue in Corio Bay. Our volunteers was extremely positive. future looks extremely bright and once our new Our key supporters for the 2020 event were Safe Harbour Project and the Wave Attenuator again the State Government of Victoria and

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 33 34 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020

49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships 2020

The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World The organisation provided by the club was tracking and live coverage. International Championships regatta is the ultimate on a grand scale with over seventy 40 foot media firm, “Sailtraks”, was flown in from championship for each of these three Olympic containers of competitor boats, coaching boats Germany to provide media coverage of the classes of sailing. The 2020 events were and equipment being delivered to Avalon event including interviews, live commentary hosted at Royal Geelong Yacht Club from 6th airport and transported to the club (and then and video. Social media was heavily utilised to 15th February and they were a selection packed up again at Limeburners Point). The to promote the event, regularly sharing event for many countries and teams for the hardstand was completely cleared and more updates, interviews, highlights and results. Tokyo Olympics (pre the COVID 19 delay then than 160 boats filled the entire club area RGYC worked collaboratively with the class cancellation). and extended onto Eastern Beach. The new association to develop content to share floating marina was filled with coach boats. The event attracted a mostly professional across each other’s channels in the lead up field of over 300 sailors and 120 coaches from The championship events, whilst conducted at to the event, leveraging their respective large 45 countries, with many being supported by RGYC mid-February, commenced with many following. More than fifteen people were their national sporting federations. This was sailors arriving in early January to start training flown in from across the world joining local perhaps the largest World Championships on the waters of Corio Bay. This resulted in a media and journalists to make up the media the club has hosted. The teams operate on a 43-day event period during which athletes and team. The result was a record consumption global scale as they follow the international teams were training and competing at RGYC. of 3.5 million minutes of live viewing and circuit, shipping their boats and equipment The “Race Village” setup in front of the Club a record on-demand viewership (900,000 with them, making the event a significant hosted many visitors and spectators with million minutes). The event also had a highly logistical challenge. a large screen setup to watch the yacht successful, custom designed App that all

36 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 media, volunteers, competitors and Race and Sam Phillips as the best 49er team (5th) I also thank our sponsors, Visit Victoria, City of Officials used as a means of communication and Tess Lloyd and Jaime Ryan (10th) with Greater Geelong and Avery Dennison. and event organisation. both teams being selected as the Australian Securing the rights to host the World The Championships put together an Olympic representatives for the Tokyo Olympics. In Championships was a remarkable coup and a Class Race Management Team for four the Nacra class, it was a close fight between significant opportunity for RGYC. It allowed us separate courses comprising 7 International Australia’s Jason Westerhouse and Lisa to showcase our impressive sailing conditions, Race Officers, 7 International Jurors, National Darmanin (2nd) and Nathan and Haylee our hospitality as a proud club, city and Race Officers on all course boats and a Outteridge (3rd), with the top three positions nation and the skills to run such a regatta. significant team of volunteers. being decided in the medal race. Well done The regatta was a great opportunity for all our also the local RGYC 49er sailors, Oliver The 49er/FX and Nacra Classes are members and particularly our junior and youth Manton and his crew Jack Lloyd, competing spectacular boats to watch racing as sailors, to experience one of the pinnacle well in Silver Fleet making their way up the competition is fast and close. The fleet events of our sport. 49er rankings in the highly competitive fleet. represents some of the best sailors on the Chris Manton planet including current Olympic Champions, I thank all those involved, especially Ben Event Chairman Americas Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Sail GP, Remocker (International Class Manager), TP52 and professional sailors. David Campbell James (IRO), Mark Taylor (IRO), Kevin Wilson (IRO), Ross Wilson (IRO), From an Australian point of view, it was other Race Management Team/ Officials, our pleasing to see local Victorian sailors, Will dedicated Volunteer team and the RGYC Staff.

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 37 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships 2020

38 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020

Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong

The Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong held Children. Over 100 children sailed on a Tall The Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong always over the March Labour Day long weekend at Ship followed by a BBQ lunch including a visit has a strong focus on family entertainment Royal Geelong Yacht Club has been a great from Captain Jack Sparrow. We had 3 Tall and cultural inclusion. It was fantastic to success once again. This celebration of the Ships in Geelong for the weekend: the Young have the TS Barwon Navy Cadets as part of history and tradition of these magnificent Endeavour and the Coral Trekker from Sydney our Opening Ceremony and perform the flag vessels, combined with unique and free as well as the Enterprize from Melbourne. It raising ceremony on Saturday afternoon, along community activities saw over 45,340 people was disappointing that the planned visit of the with Captain John Dikkenburg skipper of the visit the Geelong Waterfront. The biennial HMB Endeavour was cancelled but we are HMB Endeavour. The Member for Geelong, event has run since 2005. hopeful she will visit Geelong in 2021. Christine Couzens, has been and continues While the event officially began on There were more than 120 boat entries for the to be a fantastic advocate for our event as Saturday 7th March, the free activities and 2020 event and this was down on 2018 and Festival Ambassador. We sincerely thank entertainment really kicked off on Thursday we believe that the extreme bush fire situation Christine for her support and involvement with night, with our Cruising Dinner featuring had an impact on these numbers. All other the event. international world cruiser and author Lin activities at the festival saw good growth and A Welcome to Country ceremony was Pardey from NZ. This was followed on Friday the Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong has a performed by Corrina and Neville of the evening with an open-air cinema at the Club bright future. Wathaurong community. welcoming families from all over Geelong This unique event allows visitors the Christine Couzens MP had the honour of to watch a movie on the lawn. Portarlington opportunity to get up close to the beauty and christening the third community-built St Ayles was also buzzing on Friday night, with more workmanship of some of the most historic Skiff. This skiff was built in Geelong by a group than 50 boats berthing at the safe harbour boats in Australia and learn more about the of Iranian refugees assisted by Engineering in preparation for the Passage Race from skill and craft of wooden boat building. It was students from Deakin University and with the Portarlington to Geelong on Saturday morning. disappointing that the sail past and racing help of local boat builders, members of RGYC Another significant event that we are on Corio Bay was cancelled for the Sunday. and members of the community. very proud of is our Friday Tall Ships However it did give the public a greater As well as involvement from Wathaurong Sailing opportunity sponsored by service opportunity of seeing the fleet of wooden boats and the Iranian Community of Geelong, organizations for local and Melbourne School in our marina. the Wooden Boat Festival also included

40 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 performances and food from the Indonesian Aside from all of the wonderful wooden boats ongoing support. Both have already committed Association of Geelong. on display and racing on the water, the Festival for the 2022 and hopefully well into the future. We were also delighted to host many of provided a range of free activities suitable for We were also very pleased to receive support Geelong’s leading women at our International the entire family. Face painting, pirate treasure for the 2020 event from Geelong Connected Woman’s Day Breakfast, held on board naval hunts as well as the opportunity for kids to Communities. Special thanks also to the many training vessel, Young Endeavour (the first build and paint their own model wooden boat. other event sponsors who support the Wooden vessel to moor on the new wave attenuator). Our local buskers’ festival gives budding Boat Festival of Geelong. musicians the opportunity to perform to a large Our thanks go to Commander Gavin Dawe The volunteer run Wooden Boat Festival of audience. RAN, skipper of the Young Endeavour and Geelong Committee worked tirelessly over his crew, who went out of their way to make The Primary School Art Competition featured the past two years to bring this event to life, the ship part of our festival. We have formed a over 120 pieces. In 2020, the art display and I thank those who are involved with the great relationship and they will be back. also featured works from Swedish students planning and implementation of this event. All A highlight of the event in 2020 was the Rough from the Embassy’s project honouring of our unique ideas and visions come from and Ready boat building competition. Seven their historical figure, Daniel Solander, a this wonderful group and without them this community groups formed teams to take botanist who sailed with Joseph Banks. The event could not happen. Thanks also to our up the challenge of building a sea-worthy speakers’ program offered festival visitors the fantastic team of 75 volunteers - without their vessel in just a few hours and sail it/row it/ opportunity to hear from experts on topics as passion and commitment this event would not power it in a race the next day. This event is diverse as Cook in Antarctica to the history of be possible. the Mission to Seafarers in Melbourne. increasingly popular with the many visitors to 2022 will be our 10th festival and we are very the waterfront. Our key supporters for the 2020 event were much looking forward to making the event Our Festival Village was a huge success this the State Government of Victoria and the City a very special celebration and planning is year with large crowds enjoying the wide range of Greater Geelong and I thank them for their already under way! of activities. These included boat building support in 2020 and hope that it will continue displays, rope making, model boats, and many for the 2022 event. Vice Commodore Stuart Dickson commercial stall holders along with food stalls Thanks also to our naming rights partners, Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong Chairman and entertainment. Yanmar and the Wooden Boatshop, for their

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 41 Lasers Masters Oceania Championship

After successfully conducting the big line up right calls for the safety of the volunteers, staff Bellarine Peninsula and around the bay to of events in RGYC’s Summer of Sailing in the and sailors involved in the event. prepare the two trapezoid courses required for weeks before the scheduled Laser regattas, Whilst the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic the regatta. the RGYC volunteers, staff and management resulted in the indefinite postponement of Excellent RGYC volunteer training was led by team fronted up well-rehearsed and excited for the Masters Worlds Regatta, 32 international Club Captain Roger Bennett in the preceding the final push. That was until the approaching Masters had already arrived in Geelong twelve months on various race management, COVID-19 storm clouds began threatening the and were able to compete at the preceding course laying and rescue disciplines. Skilled National and Worlds Laser events. Oceania & Australian Masters Championship. volunteer support was essential to our Extensive meetings, planning and success. Ultimately, through the efforts of There were 113 entries for the Oceania/ communication were held daily and even RGYC, VLA and many other sailing clubs, the National Masters Championship and the World hourly prior to the regattas. This was a required volunteers were recruited and played Masters had 296 entered. particularly challenging time for the club and their roles with distinction. The very positive feedback from the Laser I was split between crisis meetings at our RGYC support at all levels was again community was that the club offered ideal family business and crisis meetings with the critical and much appreciated by the Laser organising committee. Poor planning on my facilities for the conduct of the Masters regatta community. behalf also threw the birth of our second child with extensive boat park, beach launching, Thank you to the volunteers, the Board, staff into the mix! relaxed club atmosphere and close proximity and all the members involved in making the to the accommodation, shopping, cafes and We understood that we were hearing from regatta such a success. The Summer of restaurants of the city centre. Offsite trailer virus deniers, virus doomsayers and everyone Sailing was a fantastic showcase for our club storage was arranged nearby. else in between, so government and scientific that we can all be proud of. advice was our best source of real information Significant RGYC investment in new rescue for decision making. Excellent leadership was boats and race management equipment was Ryan Walker shown throughout the club and, with hindsight further augmented by boats, equipment and Laser Masters Chairman being the ultimate viewpoint, we did make the volunteers from other sailing clubs on the

42 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Summer of Sailing Brought to you by...

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 43 44 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 VRCA Twilight Racing

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 45 Learn to Sail: Creating New Sailors

The 2019/20 RGYC Learn to Sail (LTS) The Discover Sailing opportunities were quite During the reduced Learn to Sail schedule programs had a lot to factor into its planning successful in engaging with the community. the opportunity was taken to complete some with one of the busiest sailing schedules in the The first event was the Festival of Sport at upgrades and maintenance on the Club’s Club’s history. Even with major events limiting Kardinia Park Discover Sailing which saw sailing assets. The Club’s Opti’s, which are the number of courses offered, the Club had RGYC offer an interactive display with three used in the junior Tackers program, had hull a good number of participants in the available boats (Laser, Hansa 303 & Opti) along with repairs along with provision of new bailers time. an information tent and virtual reality (VR) and paddles. The two J24 keelboats had new The season saw more than 100 children sailing experience using the Club’s Oculus Honda engines installed, sail repairs and deck participate in the various Tackers courses. Go headsets. The second, held over two days improvements. This reflects the good work put in by the during Geelong Revival on the waterfront, “Start Crewing” and the two hour Discover RGYC instructor team delivering high quality, saw VR offered shoreside as well as sailing Sailing Experience were among the most safe and fun sessions. RGYC successfully experiences on the water in Pacer dinghies. popular programs for the keelboats. Our reinstated the ‘Green Fleet’ Junior Learn to The final Discover Sailing opportunity was dinghy program saw mostly school and Race Program which assisted the club to offered over three days during the Festival of community groups head out onto the water in establish a clear sailing pathway aligned with Sails, with sailing experiences in Pacers on the club’s Pacers with around 120 participants the national one set by Australian Sailing. Eastern Beach and VR provided in the market enjoying the experience. RGYC have a RGYC now offers all three levels of Tackers as area on Steam Packet Gardens. In total, there wonderful group of Instructors who offer a fun well as Green Fleet designed to be a coaching were six days offered across three different and safe environment for all ages to learn to program to assist with the introduction and events with over 380 participants and many sail on a variety of boats. transition into junior Off The Beach (OTB) Club more enquiring about Wednesday night free sailing. “Come and Try” sailing for adults. Emma Powell RGYC Education & Training Administrator

46 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 47 RGYC St Ayles Skiffs

Now in its fourth year, the RGYC St Ayles Skiff Rowing and sailing St Ayles Skiffs has that members, corporates and guests have initiative is moving from building boats to using delivered results for yacht clubs around the to book to use the boats. A key element of them. The three skiffs are now on the hard and world as they look to leverage their facilities their program is the St Ayles rowing regattas ready to “Go Active” under our Board’s 2020 and locations to broaden on-water activities between crews from each of their sailing future initiatives. to re-engage their members and to draw classes (Etchells, Fireballs, Lasers, etc.). The RGYC has supported the build of three new participation from the communities St Ayles Skiffs hold great potential for RGYC’s St Ayles Skiffs by Geelong’s many cultural that surround them. St Ayles Skiff initiatives future as a premier social and on-water sports communities over the last three years. Built have attained lives of their own and are now club. Details of the program will be published by Iraqis, Iranians, Persians, Pakistanis, significant elements of these yacht clubs. soon and we look forward to our Members Nigerians, Nepalese and Indians under the The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in participating in a whole new dimension of guidance of RGYC Members and launched Perth is an outstanding example of club RGYC. under champagne at our Wooden Boat and community involvement. Demand for Festivals, these three Skiffs are in perfect use of their St Ayles Skiffs for regular social Peter Doyle condition and available to play a key role in rows and exercise, for weekends exploring the future of the RGYC for current and future Western Australia’s rivers by oar and under Members. sail, for corporate competitions, is so high

48 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 49 Volunteers Make It Happen

The RGYC teams of volunteers have largely Some of our volunteers participated in brought us such success and satisfaction, we been stranded since the end of the successful numerous major events and the workload might look back with some regret that we didn’t 2020 Geelong Wooden Boat Festival. was demanding, especially for those out on enjoy the big events even more! It will be a However, there is much for RGYC volunteers the water day after day. Some of the weather long time until sailing’s World Championships to be very pleased about across the previous conditions were very challenging. Hopefully will be anything like RGYC’s successful events months with so many exciting activities at there will never be heavy smoke from of 2019 -20. RGYC. devastating bushfires blanketing Corio Bay (or We look forward to having the opportunities We, the volunteers and the RGYC staff and anywhere else) again. to bring our teams back together soon to contractors, created great teams to run Our season was ended by the reality of help bring the Club back to life and create the regattas, festivals and the regular club COVID-19 and the threat posed to everyone in excitement on the water! Keep safe and well. events over the first six months of our sailing the sailing community and beyond. Past Commodore Chris Williams season. All the groups that did the planning We miss the people we regularly work with and Volunteers Committee Chairman for the events worked intensively, over several we miss seeing the pleasure the competitors years in most cases, to ensure that we were obviously get at our events. Now that we successful. Congratulations to everyone cannot do any of the sailing activities that involved in the Summer of Sailing.

If you would like to join the RGYC Foundation and participate in the mission to better secure, support and assist the Royal Geelong Yacht Club in fostering and encouraging the sport of sailing for members and the general community, visit www.rgycfoundation.com.au

50 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 51 She Sails is Growing

The Women in Sailing Group was established Some of the initiatives considered over the last There is no question that our RGYC male in 2019 by members of RGYC who recognised year have included opportunities for women to sailing members are willing to encourage that women have been under represented in take on a variety of crew positions on yachts or women afloat but the group recognises that it sailing worldwide. They believe that RGYC, in race management. With the growing number is also important to have a female perspective with its strong reputation in the yachting arena, of women’s sailing events in Port Phillip Bay in the process. SheSails effectively fills the can become a leader in promoting women and and around Australia, the group continues to gap by providing a friendly platform of women women’s events in this region. The Women in facilitate female crews to compete in these for women, creating opportunities, and Sailing Group, under the banner of Australian events. encouraging participation and training. Sailing ‘SheSails’, strives to increase the skills, By recognising that not everyone likes to It is hoped that SheSails will continue to grow participation and membership of females at compete, recreational cruising afternoons or to provide the support and encouragement RGYC. ‘picnic sails’ will be scheduled to encourage women need to strengthen their skills, The group welcomes everyone - male or women to take key roles on the boat without confidence and enjoyment of this beautiful female - in sailing or race management. The the pressure of racing. Much can be learned sport. by sailing different boats. Many OTB sailors only requirement is an interest in supporting Laura Cora Macolino female members who wish to take a more crew on larger boats but the reverse is not so active role in the sailing program. common. The group would also like to provide an opportunity for women on keel boats to experience sailing OTB boats.

52 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 53 The Dark Side

Like many in this club, boating is my preferred activities from offshore cruising to bay racing. coast with Doug and Helen Gaylard. I’ve also pastime – and my passion. My father and I What I love about the sailing activity are re-discovered an interest in using the boat for always had boats for fishing, skiing, sailing the effortless quiet motion, the number of fishing with friends, at the same time realising or cruising. I bought my first boat over forty variables involved in chasing performance, my total lack of expertise in this area. years ago and have had eight vessels since the competitive element of racing, and the Why cross over to a power boat? While in then. I’m excited to now be entering a new teamwork required. Two highlights for me sailing, the prime interest probably lies in how boating phase offering new adventures. with Sundancing were the delivery passage well the boat goes, for me the main interest in After forty years of sailing, and enjoying the from the Whitsundays to Geelong in company powerboating is in how comfortably livable it great experiences that sailing can bring, with John Kint’s magnificent Bundaberg, and is. Of course the cross-over isn’t absolute: I’d in my seventieth year I have gone back to competitive seasons in the RGYC Cruising and like to continue sailing/competing with friends a powerboat. Of course I have received Twilight Divisions. in twilight events for example. In the present, commentary on this seismic shift. Some of the My new boat is a Masters 51 motor cruiser I’m loving the ongoing project aspect of getting more insightful/creative comments are gems which I have named Langsa Lady. Langsa on top of all the systems and just getting used such as, ‘moving to the dark side?’; ‘where’s is the Indonesian home town of my wife, to enjoying the comfort. Looking to the future, the mast?’; ‘do you have shares in Esso (or Nazariah. This boat is 57 feet LOA and, being able to engage fully in the pastime of Shell, or BP…)?’ like Sundancing, is well set up for cruising boating together with Nazariah sounds good Over the years the boats that have brought me and indeed for living aboard. It is spacious, to me. great pleasure include a twelve foot runabout comfortable and has a number of management Boating means investing in a pastime where with a 40 HP Mercury outboard, a thirteen foot systems that I find very interesting. the costs are real and the rewards are non- ski boat with an 80 HP Evinrude, and a twenty What I’ve come to enjoy about power boating monetary but hugely important to our well- two foot Reinell cruiser with a V8 Mercruiser. is the flat and straight motion, the size and being. Sailing or powerboating - it’s all about These were followed by a South Coast 25 ‘comforts of home’ type of accommodation, being on the water and being able to enjoy a trailer-sailer, and then a series of cruiser-racer and the ease of handling (the two of us can boat for the fulfilling experiences it supports. sailing vessels from thirty one to forty seven manage the boat perfectly well – no crew For me at this stage of life, it’s important that I feet, culminating in the recent Jeanneau 43 required). It’s early days but highlights so can do this to the full without needing a crew of Sun Odyssey, Sundancing. far include a four-week cruise around the six or eight. I‘m finding it’s not so dark on this Sundancing was well set up for its cruiser- Pittwater and Sydney Harbor followed by side after all… racer role, allowing a range of enjoyable the delivery passage cruising down the east Ian Robottom

54 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Sailability 2019/2020

What a funny old season... scheduled Monday, Wednesday and Friday Even with our reduced program, the joy and Prior to the start of our Sailability program, sailing days. Sailability is not an “extreme” sometimes, peace the clients display while on I called a meeting of the daily coordinators, activity so the coordinators are conservative the water makes our volunteers’ efforts well Anne Allen, Alan Goss and Tony Minchin to in their decisions about weather suitable for worthwhile. discuss what our 2019 / 2020 season would our clients. We managed to run a reduced Given the relatively short season, it was look like. program knowing that the safety of clients and decided not to award the “Lofty Thomas” I was concerned that the number of back volunteers is paramount. award for the most enthusiastic volunteer this season. to back events being conducted by RGYC Through one of our volunteers, Greg during the “Summer of Sailing” would impede Saunders, a new independent client, a Our traditional BBQ breakup was held in our program. The program providers we resident of Apollo Bay, arrived to try sailing December with the great bulk of volunteers work with require a high degree of certainty for the first time. His experience was so attending the celebration. Little did we know in scheduling activities for their clients, so successful that RGYC loaned a Hansa 303 to that the sailing season would end in the way an early call on post-Christmas activities that it has. was required. Furthermore, the Sailability the Apollo Bay Sailing Club and the team there If you would like to participate as a volunteer equipment was to be removed from site prior worked with the Apollo Bay Harbour Master to with the Sailability team at RGYC, please to the Festival of Sails so the decision became have the boat operating safely in the harbour. contact the RGYC Office. obvious. I am pleased to say Apollo Bay Sailing Club As is typical of the weather pre-Christmas, have purchased a Hansa 303 and now have Graeme Ritchie we were blown out on a number of our three clients from the local area. Sailability Program Coordinator

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 55 JOCO x RGYC: Sustainability Partnership

Royal Geelong Yacht Club embarked on a looked at reusable coffee cups as an initiative As a major partner of the 49er, 49erFX series of sustainability initiatives, including to not only support our reduction in plastic and Nacra 17 World Championships, Joco plastic free vendor requirements in 2018 as use, but also to have a positive long term sponsored the beach clean-up event providing a result of signing up to the ‘Clean Regatta impact and influence daily decision making by the Green Team shirts for everyone involved. Program’ for the Festival of Sails. This initiative our target market. It was during this process There was a large contingent of international gained further momentum in 2019 during the that a Sustainability Partnership was formed sailors and team members along with RGYC planning of our Summer of Sailing 2020 – the between Joco and RGYC. volunteers. It was a very positive event club’s biggest summer of major events in its What was evident from the initial meeting involving a major clean up at the Limeburners 161-year history. with the Joco team was their business Point Boat Ramp. Over 95kg of rubbish was At the same time, we were pursuing the model being based entirely around making a collected, including a sunken motorcyle! installation of a Seabin in our marina to difference - rather than making money - and The Seabin has been installed in the marina remove plastic and other waste from the water. having a positive impact on the environment. and has operated since early 2020. RGYC RGYC began working collaboratively with Their positive and collaborative approach marina staff empty the bin daily, collect the Joco Cups – a Torquay company with global has created a successful partnership with the rubbish and record the findings for analysis as recognition and quality products. Joco’s Club, our Members and our major events. part of the Seabin monitoring program. business was born as a personal protest Joco generously provided their glass reusable RGYC and Joco ran a naming competition over the mounting threat of plastic and coffee cups for skippers at both Festival for the Seabin in the RGYC Marina as part of single use product waste. More than just of Sails and the Wooden Boat Festival of Joco’s ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign. This was designers and creators of the original lifelong, Geelong in 2020 and provided their latest deployed via social media with the chance to glass coffee cup, Joco invest in their “giving creation - the silicon roll straw - for the 49er, win a $500 Joco credit. The winning name was back” initiatives to ‘turn the tide on plastic’. 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships. ‘New Wave’, which is now printed on the rim of Every Joco cup purchased since 2017 has All these items were event branded and, in the Seabin and can be viewed in action in the contributed to the removal of over 120,000 addition, RGYC purchased branded cups for marina. pieces of plastic from the environment. sale in the merchandise shop and café. Having Joco and RGYC are continuing to work Joco investigated an international several hundred competitors receive the Joco together towards empowering individuals sustainability and water quality program and product not only provides them with a quality to make conscious decisions to protect the the Seabin Project became an opportunity to product but also exposes them to the Joco natural environment. further their environment protection efforts. environmental message and influences daily decisions that have a positive environmental Steve Hassell & Sarah Pettiford In our search for more sustainable items for impact. our Festival of Sails 2020 skipper packs, we

56 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Boat Storage Pontoon Installation

In one of the most exciting lead up periods to a asset enhancement program to support the Boat owners have benefited from increased sailing season in recent times, Royal Geelong Club’s active on-water program into the future. dock space and reduced waiting times for Yacht Club sought to provide a number of The installation of the pontoons has addressed lifting their boats in and out of the water for assets to mitigate the difficulties we have had the issues arising from storing the boats in the racing. with boat storage and handling. water for long periods of time or constantly We now have an asset that makes it a lot safer Prior to the commencement of our Summer of lifting them in and out of the water. It has and simpler for all our trained volunteers to Sailing we installed a large drive-on docking reduced the risks of repetitive handling and use boats to support our events. pontoon for most of the Club’s on-water subsequent damage and the build-up of support boats. The pontoons proved to be marine growth on the boats. The pontoon Roger Bennett hugely successful, allowing for the efficient system has allowed more space on the land RGYC Club Captain storage, launching and retrieval of these boats. to be available for other uses and has also They are one of the key elements in the overall reduced the demand for crane operations.

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 57 This Sailing and Boating Life

Before I ramble on about my life at RGYC, I to New Caledonia. Kevin Bell taught me the points system for all sailors with an extra 1-10 sincerely thank all the RGYC Members for fundamentals of celestial navigation, sextant points using a barrel of balls at 20:30 every electing me to Honorary Life Membership of and all and we became friends for life. evening of the event. All this boosted the bar the Club earlier this year. I feel humbled that Late in 1983, Gary Graham and I took a small and catering trade and I would leave at 22:00 the Members saw fit to bestow this privilege on interest in a 60’ yacht, Quasimodo, and sailed with the last of the competitors. This built the me and also I’m very honoured to be amongst it to many ocean records and great times. entries from 6-15 regular yachts to a constant the many Life Members who went before me. Quasi still holds the Queenscliff to Port Fairy 40-56 yachts and it was all free for everyone. My joy for sailing began with my great record set in 1985. In 1985, I was awarded the Henry Thacker grandfather, a Master Mariner, and Lighthouse I downsized to an Etchell, Diana II, in the Award and later that year I was elected to the Keeper at Point Lonsdale in 1897. With salt summer of ’86. By this time, I was heavily General Committee. water in my veins and all generations living involved in social functions, joined the Social I was made Rear Commodore in 1987 and close to the sea, I was the first to experience Committee in 1982-83 and was later co-opted Chairman of the House. I continued to run the sailing. This was on an old timber Quickcat at to the House Committee by Bob Lucas, who Twilights (as they became known) on and off Indented Head in 1962 as a reward from the earlier, as Club Captain, got me interested in water until the Sailing Committee decided they boat rental owner for diving on all his sunken race management. should be running the on-water activities. I got rentals and tying a buoy to them. At this time, the club was conducting a mid- to take over sailing my Etchell from my young As for RGYC, in the late 60’s I enquired through week series and Bob asked me to take over son, Brendan, and remember only too well a member and got told my nomination would running it. sitting on the quarter wave of Ian Robottom’s not go through because I came from the wrong Orient Express, a good tactic that paid I received an introduction to Whitsunday side of the tracks! I’m so happy that mentality dividends. Rent-A-Yacht via Brendan Hunt in 1984 and is no longer at the Club. In 1978, I was invited this gave us three years of great sponsorship In 1989, I was elected to Vice Commodore by the Perretts to sail on their new yacht Calore of mid-week racing and it was to be open to all and Chair of the Sailing Committee and also and the rest is history. I finally became a full those sailing. The Mazda/Honda group came the Regatta Committee. During the 1990-91 member on the 22nd November 1979. on board with sponsoring the yachts plus season, I took on the role of Off The Beach I decided to take up courses in navigation ten smaller sponsors for weekly after sailing Chairman as well as the Social and Regatta and topped it off in 1983 sailing on Wyndham gifts. My wife Helen and I came up with a Committees. These three kept me very busy

58 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 for that season gaining a lot of sponsorship and early 90’s. A few of my crew jumped in to continued to Port Davey, eventually left for and the Regatta won heaps of praise from the get things rolling. Hobart, passed inside Maatsuyker Island and 428 yachts that took part in 1991. I later bought The Bookie, a 41S5 Beneteau, had a few more stops before Hobart and the cruise presentation dinner. In August 1991, I was elected Commodore and which was more of a cruising boat. I got fed had two pleasant, busy years with the highlight up with windward / leeward races all the We picked up a young Hobart local, Ambi of having the Governor of Victoria, Richard time and when a Cruising Division started, I Ford, who had a smile on her face all the way McGarvie, open our season of 1992-93. The was into it. I also used this boat to take out to Port Arthur even in the huge southerly swell Alma Doepel was our flagship. underprivileged children along with Victoria around Cape Raoul. There were lots of stops up the east coast and we picked up Steve’s In December 1991, we hosted the Cadet Police and participated in other charitable sailing sessions. son, Sam, at Wineglass Bay and dropped Nationals which saw Brendan off to Hungary Peter off in Bicheno. to represent Australia. As Commodore, I I got off my boats and let others sail them in Another highlight was a big bonfire on the stayed home but got results daily by phone. the two handed and Tuff Marine races while beach on the east side of Prime Seal Island. Both he and his crew, Michelle Perrett, I became the RO for these events and the The next morning the water was so clear that daughter of the couple I started with at RGYC, Saturday Cruising Division. I just love the we could see the anchor lying on its side with made us all proud. Cruising Division - less stress on all involved. heaps of chain beside it and yet we never As Past Commodore I took on the role as chair My trip of a lifetime was in 2011 when I moved during the night. The next big bonfire of the OTB for the 1993-94 season until Fred took The Bookie on the Van Diemens Land was at Erith Island before we made for home. Roberts took over in February 1994 and I took Circumnavigation with two crew, Steve Sam put a line out and hooked seven tuna myself away from all things committee. Neunhoffer and Peter Fuller. Peter had barely before we got to Skull Rock (Cleft Island). We Through all these years I got to sail my Etchell, sailed before, other than a couple of Twilights set up a processing line, cutting the fish into fillets and packing them into vacuum sealed a J24, a Thunderbird with a total rebuild, then before we left. Jamie and Nikki joined us for bags. We were eating tuna for weeks. on Doug and Jenny Smith’s yacht, Legend the windless crossing of Bass Strait to Beauty until I bought The Bookmaker (formerly Point. The dolphins put on a show for us during our Extasea, an NSX 36.). In the first season We left Beauty Point with the Tasmanian final sunset and we had a perfect passage we competed in 79 races over 10 months group of boats and sailed along the north through the Heads and home. We were gone with a lot of trophies between my home and coast of Tassie. The wind started to pick up for exactly six weeks and hopefully one day I Brendan’s. We would finish racing in Geelong off Devonport so we anchored under Rocky will get to go again. and sail through to Melbourne for Sunday Cape and sheltered from the westerlies. We I guess my greatest pleasure these days is racing and special events. I started to promote went into Stanley for a few days until the seeing my son having a successful life in women in sailing a bit more and had women as wind settled and then headed to the Three sailing and now all things boats is his career. regular crew members. Hummocks for the night. Next morning it was Brendan and Karen’s three sons, Benjamin, on to Hell’s Gate, the entrance to Macquarie Joshua and William are all RGYC Members A huge highlight was taking on Sea Eagle and they are sailing Cadets. It’s been great from Rob Hanna in 2006 and following him Harbour, and to drop anchor in Pilot Bay at 03:00. following them to National and State titles and up the Tamar to win the PHD Melbourne – knowing that being members of RGYC, they Launceston race and third in IRC. In 2007, I In my panic the next morning with no other too will have a great boating life. took the Eagle to Hamilton Island Race Week yachts around, I followed a couple of smaller I have had a wonderful life in sailing and with more women crew on the boat than any boats along the pilot wall (a rock wall which at RGYC and in the past few years I have other yacht there. By the time I got to Hammo, runs beside the narrow channel of the got more of a kick in running the events Mal Eaton had become the new owner and entrance) until I ran out of water. A kind than actually taking part. As a member of returned the boat to the original name of fisherman came alongside and took my main RGYC since 1979, I still do what I can for Savoir Faire. halyard and pulled us onto a heel then took the members of RGYC and, on occasion, While Graeme Ritchie was Commodore I us off into deeper water. Embarrassing! The associated clubs, all for the love of sailing and restarted the long defunct Social Committee to Bookie is a good, strong yacht and we did no the joy it brings to all of us and our children get some functions underway as we no longer damage. and grandchildren. had the brilliant Associates Committee to We went up the Gordon River for a couple of boost all the social events we held in the 80’s days and back to Strahan for fresh food. We John Garner

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 59 Q&A with National Race Officer, Max Stein

Hi Max. When did you start your life in with a 145hp Evinrude outboard. I had this Have you been a Race Officer in many boating? boat for a number of years before moving to a places? 23ft Haines Signature with a 175 hp outboard. I started sailing in 1966 aboard Geoff Woods’ I started as a Club Race Officer in 1991 after Ileola, doing numerous ocean races such as Next was a 25ft Bertram with stern drives for deciding I was too old to sail as crew and I Devonport, Port Fairy and Apollo Bay. Many a few years before buying a Riviera 32 that enjoyed working on the Committee boat. I other RGYC Members got their start on Ileola. needed some TLC - a project boat. I kept that worked my way through the system and finally boat until I retired from work and bought the achieved National Race Officer registration. In Did you go further? Riv 35. moving up, I worked with many different RO’s My first Melbourne to Hobart was with crew both local and international and learned from Has the powerboating got a such as Fred Flanagan. them. connection with yacht racing? Around 1995 I joined the crew on Sandy What would you see as your most Kelso’s Taurus and did my first Sydney Hobart In the sense that it’s still about how you control enjoyable race management in 1975. I did eight Sydney-Hobarts aboard a boat in the conditions you face, yes. Driving Taurus, Farr Fetched, Nimrod II and Helsal II. a fast catamaran like the Club’s Alpha One experiences? and managing it when you are creating a I enjoyed the challenges of my first regatta as That’s quite a record. Did smaller racecourse does require some skill. Principal RO at the Sydney 38 Short Course boats and sailing closer to home get Regatta. One of the eye-opening events was How did you get connected to yacht your interest? the 2015 I14 Worlds working with the Wilson race management in its many forms? brothers who regularly help out at major RGYC Yes. I sailed with Ron Spence aboard his I’ve been involved in racing since 1966 events. Tophat and did time with Peter Blakiston including Club racing, ORCV Ocean races and aboard Maria. I sailed on and off with Sandy One of the most enjoyable events would the Sydney-Noumea race. I first got involved Kelso on his Swanson 27 and on Frank have to be the 2017 Hansa Asia Pacific in race management when I injured my elbow Moore’s Caraid. Championships. That was a great team of and had to have surgery and was unable to people to work with and a really friendly group Tell us about your boat ownership. You crew on race boats. Bob Lucas, who was the from several countries. Another was the 2019 RO at the time, suggested I could help on the currently own a power boat don’t you? Cadet Nationals working with another great Committee boat which I did for a season and group of people under very difficult weather Yes. My current boat’s a Riviera 35 Bluewater then went back to racing. But I still took an conditions to ensure we achieved a successful Flybridge cruiser with twin 250 Cummins interest in race management as a member of series. My favourite event would have to be diesels. I started with a Caribbean Riviera 18ft the then Sailing Committee. Festival of Sails as both a competitor and later

60 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 as a Race Official. There has been a big increase in safety on The latest was at the 2019 Cadet Nationals on the course with new safety boats and radio the second last day of racing and the extreme How do you manage your team on the communication. bushfire season was raging along Australia’s Race Committee boat and the whole eastern side. The day was interrupted when What is the most dramatic moment on course? we had a full emergency evacuation of the the racecourse? RGYC yard with all competitors having to leave To manage the race team, it takes the ability the site. After an hour we could return and get to listen to what everyone has to say and The most dramatic (or funniest) moment the racing under way. There was an easterly making sure that everyone knows what their occurred at the finish line of the Passage Race breeze of about 5 knots as competitors left for job is. Once a decision is made it needs to be in Festival of Sails. We were at anchor on the course, the air heavy with smoke. clearly and calmly explained to the team what one end of the finish line and boats were tight is required and when. reaching across the finish line when one boat, Visibility was extremely bad and we were instead of going through the finish line decided unable to see the weather mark from the start What are the leadership skills that you to come aboard the finish boat. Fortunately, boat. that was a rare event! admire? Eventually the smoke from the bush fires in Skills required include the ability to think on Most extreme weather on the Gippsland forced the abandonment of all the go and implement plans and strategies racetrack? racing for the day. without complicating the race set-up. You When it comes to extreme weather two events Why would other people enjoy doing need to communicate clearly what is required stand out. The first is the 2018 Superfoilers race management? of your team. Listen to others and make your (fast, light weight multihulls). The race was decisions based on all information available postponed waiting for steady wind. The breeze The joy you get from working with the Race and being specific with your final decisions. filled in at approximately 10 knots and we went Management team is the satisfaction in into start sequence before it dropped again conducting an event where mishaps occur Are things the same now as when you and swung 180 degrees. I could see white without the competitors realizing that things started? water coming in from the south west and had have not gone to plan! Lots of changes have been made in my time to abandon racing and send boats ashore. as an RO. We’ve gone from paper records to Within 10 minutes the wind had increase to You’ve given us a quite picture of the full use of computers to calculate results above 30 knots with a heavy hailstorm. We some of the highlights in your long and we can publish results within minutes of managed to get all boats ashore without any career at RGYC and beyond. boats finishing. Competitors like that! We use damage to competitors. Thanks, Max. GPS and electronic charts to lay courses. Ken McAllister Honoured with OAM

On Australia Day in 2020, Ken McAllister, RGYC of house calls. Starting in the era of hand-operated Member of over forty years, was awarded the water pumps, Ken has watched the Wallington Medal of the Order of Australia for his 65-year (and brigade grow from a small group of farmers to the ongoing) commitment to the people on the Bellarine well-trained outfit of thirty members it is today. Peninsula and community service to the CFA. Ken has trained more than three hundred firefighters Ken initially volunteered with the CFA in 1954 during his time and many have gone on to other so he could defend his family’s Wallington farm brigades. After leaving the front line twelve years against the threat of fire. Ken has been with the ago, he is still involved with the Wallington CFA by Wallington brigade from its inception, with his father organising the staging areas for major fires. donating part of the family’s farm in the 1960s for its Congratulations to Ken for this recognition of his headquarters. significant achievements in the community. His firefighting experience spans the deadly fires at Lara in 1969, Ash Wednesday in 1983 and hundreds

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 61 NZ or Bust: A journey within a journey

After serving 10 years in the Australian Army After eight months of preparation, on a nice many months of communication to the WSSC I as a frontline infantry soldier and being lucky November day, I left Lorne and arrived in decided to attempt the solo sailing record. enough to deploy to East Timor, Iraq and Smithton around 10 hours later. Five days I started doing long trips in my 36’ Adams Afghanistan I tried to advance my career, later, I made the return trip in around 11 hours. Traditional which I bought in from Airlie Beach however I broke my leg and injured my back Straight away I believed if I could do his with and sailed to Geelong, Victoria. I started doing in a parachuting accident. Through this, I an engine what could I do with the power of the 3-4 day solo sailing trips to, and sometimes developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder wind? So I decided to study to be a qualified beyond King Island every few weeks and then (PTSD), with major depression and anxiety. Yacht Master and bought my first yacht (the eventually just short of Tasmania and back. Eventually, the combination of these mental first of three yachts!). I re-rigged the boat, put up running backstays health and physical injuries unfortunately led to My original plan was to attempt a solo non- being medically discharged from the military. and an inner forestay, life raft, new head sail, a stop around the world challenge however the new heavy duty auto pilot along with a long list of Once I left the Army I made my way back to pressure of the PTSD and anxiety as well things to prepare the boat for my challenge. my home town in Lorne and bought a 4.45 raising the upwards of $80-$100k required to metre tinny boat. I found when I went out complete the journey became too much for After several discussions with Bob McDavitt, fishing I felt mentally and physically well. One me and I decided to aim for a smaller goal. I my specialist weather adviser, I decided I would day when I went out fishing with a mate I said searched the internet and came across the make the attempt in January/ February 2020. I to him, “I wonder if I could get this tinny to World Speed Sailing Commission (WSSC). may not have achieved the fastest time I could Tassie?” He replied, “No.” So I decided there They listed designated routes around the during this period, however the weather patterns and then I would attempt to take my tinny to world which could be attempted to set the at that time of year would allow me to get the Tasmania from Lorne. As soon as I arrived fastest time. I found a route from Sydney to boat back across the Tasman and be home by home that day I started researching everything Auckland, New Zealand that interested me. mid-March. I could about Bass Strait. I also decided if I had always dreamt of completing an ocean In early January 2020 I left Geelong on a two- I wanted to do this trip, why not do it for a crossing. A world record had been set as a handed journey for Sydney, the stepping off reason? So I contacted the Black Dog Institute team challenge, however there were different point. Initially I thought I could be stuck waiting in so began to raise money and awareness for divisions including a solo sailing option. The Sydney for a while but 4 days after arriving I had a mental illness. record for solo was yet to be established. After weather window and could set off within two days.

62 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 The forecast for the first 48 hours was 30 establish a record, the rules were simple - the sea solo sailing I arrived safely in Sydney. The knots with gusts of 35 knots and after that, only propulsion allowed is through wind and return trip was definitely less stressful as this 10-15 knots on the beam from the North for the current so I decided it was Auckland or bust! time I was able to use the engine. During the remainder of the predicted 8.5 day journey with After 4 days, I had only moved approximately return trip I motored for around two and a half an average speed of 6 knots. So, on the 22nd 40 miles and in one 24 hour period I moved days in total. The main traveler bent and the of January I left Sydney Heads with 20 knots of only 400 metres which mentally exhausted electronics for the engine gave up two days wind gusting at 28 knots. me. Eventually, a southerly wind came in and I prior to my arrival in Sydney but other than that For the first 36 hours it was very hard to settle became closer to reaching my goal and tacking it was an awesome trip. into a routine because the weather was as my way into Auckland. I spent five days in Sydney relaxing and predicted, 30 knots with gusts of 35 knots. On Tuesday the 4th of February at 3am New working on the boat and was once again lucky I didn’t sleep at all for the first 48 hours. Zealand time, I crossed the finish line in a time enough not to have to wait for long periods for Eventually, the wind settled with a 15 knot of 12 days 14 hours 41 minutes and 15 seconds weather and I did another solo trip to Geelong Northerly and I averaged 6-7 knots. I was very at an average speed of 4.18 knots. It wasn’t via Eden. bored which I really did not expect. I passed the speed I had hoped for but I had completed I have now decided to change my sailing goals the time listening to a lot of music, reading it without using the motor for propulsion and I and I have joined a race boat crew which will books and watching movies on my laptop. had established a Solo World Speed Sailing compete in the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria Eventually, I managed to get into somewhat Record and a World Record in itself. Initially I ocean races and have a break from solo sailing of a reasonable sleep pattern and had a few would have been happy to hold the record for a and being a skipper. hours’ sleep most nights in around 20 to day but as I write, I still hold this record. Videos from my Bass Strait and New Zealand 30-minute blocks. One hundred miles short After four days of relaxing and surprisingly World Record trip are on YouTube under my of the northern tip of New Zealand on day six doing almost no work to the boat to get it ready page name, ‘Sailing Joey’. the forecasted weather changed and I had for the return trip, my wife Wendy flew over and almost no wind. I called Bob McDavitt on my we spent three days exploring Auckland and James Prasevic satellite phone and he advised that the wind surrounds which was really amazing. Three had gone and I should probably turn on the days after Wendy left, I had a weather window engine and motor to a closer port of call. To to return to Sydney. After another ten days at

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 63 My voyage to RGYC

If you knew her life story so far, it would be immediately clear that being on the water has been an important ingredient for new RGYC Member Emmy Oudman. She is now planning many more life stories with her partner Colin Bailey, after buying their 47.7 Beneteau First - Song of the Wind and joining RGYC in August 2019.

I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii and sunny spells, but generous lashings of 20+ winds above Force 5 Beaufort – or 19+ knots. I watched the Pacific Ocean from a very young knot squalls. assume now, that my father’s induction course age. Hawaiians have a very strong cultural As the only adult on board and despite our in sailing must have paid off. With my brother tie to the ocean, and I was spoon-fed this questioning - in silence - of the sanity of being at the helm and me in the trapeze, we pushed connection for ten years until my family and I out on the water under such harsh conditions, our self-bailers to maximum capacity. Despite left Hawaii in my early teens. We returned to my father simply battled on with it. When all the leaks, we loved her, and took any my parents’ native country, The Netherlands, things got tricky he commanded us to bunker opportunity Dutch wind conditions provided us another country deeply connected to the down and huddle in our way-too-bulky life to sail our vessel out on the lakes and canals. oceans and the sea. vests under the smallest of cover at the foot My sailing career went up a notch or two It was in The Netherlands that I first learned of the mast. We sailed on for the rest of the when I was 19. I started sailing competitively to sail. My father loved sailing, and took the afternoon, ate our wet sandwiches and drank with my teenage sweetheart, Sipko. We four of us kids out on our first ever sail in a our Thermos of cordial and arrived back at the competed successfully for four years in our rental boat soon after we moved to Sneek, a rental jetty thoroughly wet, cold but addicted to 5.4m “Vrijheid” class sailing dinghy, reaching major watersports region in the far north of the sailing for life. Bronze and Silver in consecutive National country. It was here that I would gain my love It didn’t take long after that first sailing trip Championships. Unfortunately, our 1992 for sailing, regattas and watersports. for my older brother and me to find an old Barcelona Olympic plans were cut short when That very first adventure with my father scared and leaking Fireball we quickly renamed Wiki our boat, Fortissimo, was written off after the living daylights out of all of us. On our Wiki, (pronounced “weeky weeky”) Hawaiian a sailing accident while she was on loan to first day out on the lake, the weather gods for “Fast”. We should have named her Leaky friends for a class event we could not attend served up typical Dutch weather: 10-15 knot Leaky – as her only vice was, that due to her ourselves. With my “Vrijheid” dinghy sailing northwesterly winds off the North Sea with leaky condition, she would only stay afloat in days over, I moved on to occasionally racing

64 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 as crew on larger boats until I moved to instantly loved the sport. From never sailing both that we shared the same dream: cruising Australia in 1995. before in his life, he ended up that same year and sailing. From that moment on it only took chartering a yacht in the Whitsundays, buying us four months to find Song of the Wind, test Twilight Series as Introduction to a boat in Geelong and surely becoming a and purchase her and sail her down the coast lifelong sailing enthusiast. All thanks to the from Pittwater to Geelong and for us both to RGYC Twilight Series! join RGYC. The move came with a five-year sailing Over the following years I went on to raise RGYC has remained true to the club I drought, until I relocated from Melbourne to three children, combining my business career remember as crew of Avocado back in 2001. Geelong in 2000. I was fortunate enough to with being a mum. Sailing became a low RGYC has also allowed me to meet other be introduced to local RGYC members – Tom priority as the safety and wellbeing of my female sailing enthusiasts. I was invited to Bennett and Judy Klerks, owners of Avocado, children was my focus. join female RGYC members for the Cock of a 33-foot yacht competing in the Twilight the Bay race and Lisa Blair on Climate Action Series. I was invited to join their Avocado 2019 Starting Over Now. That prompted an invitation to train crew and immediately felt at home at RGYC. with an all RGYC women’s team on Razors The club brought back memories of the I reconnected with sailing last year thanks to Edge for the Women’s Keel Boat Regatta. I summers I spent on the lakes around Sneek my partner, Colin. Even though Colin and I had also immensely enjoyed sailing Onda in the and across the Netherlands and the many known each other for 27 years, neither of us Women’s Helm series. social connections I made. I also loved the knew that we both loved being on the water RGYC has been such a great place to RGYC approach to getting people into sailing. and sailing. Knowing my business background reconnect with my love of the water and A great example was Stefan - a local builder and skills, Colin convinced me in 1994 to move sailing, making friends with other sailing who joined us for one Twilight race. The club to Australia. He had already moved across enthusiasts and people who are all connected had promoted the Twilight Series among the for the business we both worked for. After a through their love of boats, wind and water. local Master Builders Association, and Stefan 4-week holiday in Melbourne, I was convinced Joining RGYC has definitely been the best was one of the builders who turned up for an of the opportunities Australia had to offer. start to the next chapter of my life story. evening of RGYC socializing and sailing on Fast forward to 2019. Colin and I kept in touch Corio Bay. Stefan had such a great experience professionally for many years and in April 2019 Emmy Oudman with us on Avocado and in the club that he we reconnected personally. It surprised us

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 65 The Lost Flotilla

Somewhere out there, well offshore, is a lost Pegleg was set free twenty-five miles east of SeaKur was tracked at 0.7 knot heading 125 flotilla of three tiny yachts. the coastal town of St Helens, with the two degrees true and it was calculated it would be straight-line at 17.7 miles a day and about Two could be in the Tasman Sea, possibly sails trimmed to get her to sail north on the 25nm offshore. It should pick up the East even the Pacific, and the third was last seen in SE trades into the Pacific if it cleared the New Australian Current which turns and flows Bass Strait. Zealand coastline. eastward towards New Zealand. Despite carrying a message with contact In the early ‘90s, RGYC members Jack Release off St Helens meant SeaKur had details, nothing has been heard of her since. Finlay, Ed Featherston and Tony Haines were a good chance of riding the current to the planning a cruise aboard Jack’s Brolga 33 Two years later, Ed was again in Hobart to join South Island, where the drift splits, with one Poitrel II to Flinders Island, where the first tiny the crew of the venerable Ventura, a seven arm headed north along the west coast and yacht was to be released at sea. tonne, traditional timber 35ft cutter-rigged the other arm arcing south to curl to the east The 0.6m long, twin-mast Jettison (Jack, Ed, ketch built in the 1940s. around the southern tip of the island. Tony ... get it?) was given “sea trials” in the This time, Ed’s mini yacht was named SeaKur, With New Zealand 1200 miles to the east, Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club basin and it a nautical pun (cur, a sea dog; seeker, one SeaKur’s earliest ETA would have been about outpaced a furiously rowed chase dinghy. who to tries to find). Contact details were June 2017, but the sails were fixed to only sail well on starboard tack and SeaKur was Persistent strong south-easterlies aborted again sealed in a watertight capsule inside the expected to follow the wind patterns around in the cruise at Phillip Island and Jettison was sloop’s 70cm glass fibre hull. It would be sent to find Pegleg! big loops until it got into the south-east trade jettisoned 10 miles due south of Seal Rocks, winds zone and began to sail north. last seen scooting away across the waves. It is After leaving Hobart SeaKur had her first The hope was that it would make it out of the believed to have gone to Davey Jones’ Locker. sea trial at Lufra, on Pirate’s Bay, with the Tasman Sea and into the Pacific north of NZ! In May 2015 a J-class model yacht was saved ship’s rubber duckie hard in pursuit. Minor Nothing has been heard of SeaKur yet, but we at the Anglesea landfill tip by Paul Perry and modifications were made after Ventura spent a night near Dunalley. are still hopeful that both Pegleg and SeaKur Greg Armistead, and it was renamed Pegleg will turn up someday. (Paul, Ed, Greg ... get it?). The yacht was Ventura headed about eight miles offshore It’s all a bit of fun really, but that’s what sailing taken by Ed to Hobart, where he had signed from St Helens to launch SeaKur into a 12-15 is supposed to be about, isn’t it? on for a passage to Sydney aboard local Ron knot south easterly breeze, with dolphins Brooker’s Adams 46 steel cutter, Roseanne. having a look at the proceedings. Ed Featherston

Sailing by the Rules

Get to know Michael Naughton & Mal Eaton Searle at RGYC, we were both asked at overseas. At some events we have been on- as they explain how they became Race different times to sit in on club race protests. water umpires keeping an eye on the fleet from Jurors. It then followed that we became Club Judges. high speed jury boats. Those days are exciting Michael explains: “Initially we both attended As time went on we were asked to be on and we have the best, close-up view of the a number of racing rules workshops to better the protest juries at an increasing number highest standard of racing. understand how to react on the racecourse of regattas, some of which were National It is important that all of us who sail know when in the company of other yachts and who Championships that had National Judges and follow the rules that are set down by had right of way. Basically, it was a way of on the jury. After some encouragement from the governing bodies. Playing a small part improving our sailing. those people, we individually decided to in making sailing safer as a race juror gives try for National Judge accreditation which I Neither of us set out to become accredited something back to the sport we all enjoy!” completed this year. judges but after attending a number of rules Michael Naughton & Mal Eaton presentations by National Judge, Geoffrey As part of being a judge, I have worked with many skilled race officials, several from Race Jurors

66 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 Tony’s Top 10 Tips

1. Have fun! That’s the reason we go sailing. 6. Developing different modes. We all know 10. Plan ahead for mark roundings. Have Crew harmony is most important. Work (or should know) our best angle to sail in a chat about the manoeuvre and make towards having a balanced and race ready most conditions. But sometimes we have to sure you all know your roles. What side crew. Do some practising and if you’re time slightly change this for tactical or geographic is the spinnaker coming down? Who’s poor, do it on the water before the race considerations. We might want to sail a dropping the jib and so on. Sometimes commences. Set up a little email group and bit lower and faster to get to the favoured things change quickly and that bear-away discuss how the day’s sailing went. If you side of the course or escape the tide. Other set is now a gybe set or that headsail do have an issue on the water, have a chat times we might need to sail a bit higher and you dragged on deck now has to go back and sort out a possible solution and leave it slower, laying a mark or someone under down. Don’t get exasperated, just rectify there. The blame game at the bar post-race our bow pushing us up and we aren’t ready things as soon as you can. The decision is a sure sign of a fractious crew! to tack or gybe away (or can’t due the has been made that something is to 2. Be ready to race. All your gear should proximity of another boat or obstruction). change and the new alteration will be more operate correctly. Generally speaking, if it’s So, we need to practise these modes - we beneficial to the boat’s position despite the meant to move, then it should and easily, if can only race as well as we train (there are obvious time lost. it’s not meant to move then it shouldn’t! Your few junior sailors sick of that phrase) so that One final point - I encourage everybody to sails should be reliable and your hull should is our default setting. If we try things for the participate in the racing at RGYC. first time in a race, it won’t go well. be clean and smooth. The best sails, crew- If you want to improve your seamanship skills work and tactics won’t mean a thing if you 7. Plan your race, have a pre-race plan. for general boating and cruising, go racing! are sailing around with a hull that features its What side of the course do I want? Are there Racing places you in situations where you own eco system! Working bees and regular indicators on the racecourse? How is the will develop skills you may need when you go maintenance are essential. Know your rules! wind behaving? Better to have the wrong cruising. In a race you have to sail the course plan than no plan as it is easier to work out The rule book is a bit daunting by its size, and can’t take the easy option as you are likely where we went wrong. Uncertain? I will sail but it holds a lot of stuff which is not relevant to do on a recreational jaunt. When you race, up the middle until I see a trend - that is still to our afternoon or evening racing. We really you have to learn how to beat to weather, tuck a plan and often a good one! only need to know rules 10-20. Six pages to in reefs, tack and gybe when needed. All these familiarise yourself with to avoid collisions 8. As you learn to sail your boat better, skills are vital, as well as just getting to know and know your rights, everything else we catalogue what you have learnt and write your craft much better. can deal with ashore after the race. it down. We have some great sailors in this Imagine yourself trying to get off a lee shore club who will tell you their settings which 3. Boat speed. You need to have your boat with no motor. Heavy or light air skills could are numbered and catalogued for different going as well as you can. It is impossible come in very handy and possibly save your conditions. Put marks and reference points to perform on a slow boat, so class and boat! Sailing down narrow waterways or on your moveable parts even for referral OD sailors you need to be on the pace! riding out storms will be much easier and from tack to tack. For mixed fleet racing work on the things less anxiety ridden if you have faced similar that make your boat go well and don’t just 9. Concentrate on your task on the boat conditions before. concentrate on your strengths. Going a little and don’t try to do everyone else’s. If you You don’t have to be all gung-ho and win the bit better in your weakest conditions over steer, then steer. Don’t get distracted by the start and do crack spinnaker sets and douses, time have a huge impact on your regatta others and start telling them their job unless but just give yourself the motivation to sail the or season results. Remember a little extra it is of paramount importance because it will course and enjoy the post-race camaraderie. boat-speed can make you a tactical genius. distract you from doing yours. If you are on With the arbitrary club handicap system in the bow, don’t tell the helm he / she is too 4. Good start. Getting away to a good start play, you may even find yourself receiving low, remember crew harmony. The helm means you have greatly enhanced your some silverware! chances of success for that race. If you should be the quietest person on the boat So, to become a better sailor, become a get a really bad start, your race isn’t over with lots of little soft conversations going better racer. And don’t forget to HAVE FUN! but you have made it harder to get a good on between relevant crew roles to keep speed up and being prepared for upcoming result. Remember a good start is not Tony Bull having the best start (although they are fun manoeuvres. pursuing) but it is being relatively close to the line and being able to go where you want to go. It means being be proactive in placing our boat against being reactive to other boats when we will be losing ground in the fleet. 5. Clear air. If you are sailing in another boat’s bad air, then every boat that is in clear air is gaining on you. Sometimes we are at a disadvantage as boats position themselves and then you have to make a decision. Do I hang in here? Would I be better tacking away? Really the only time you should be consciously sailing in bad air is on a huge advantageous wind shift. Then sometimes the amount being gained on the rest of the fleet is more beneficial than losing a bit of ground to the boats covering you.

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 67 Navigating Cook in 2020

Navigator: One charged with or skilled in Through connections established between HMB Endeavour in Geelong during the WBF, navigation; sea explorer the Australian National Maritime Museum or undertake the commemorative voyage Navigation: The science of getting ships, and RGYC during a week-long visit of planned for 2020-21 were not realised. aircraft, or spacecraft from place to place HMB Endeavour replica in February Nonetheless we can mark our links to the especially the method of determining position, 2016, discussions for a future visit in 2020 work of Cook and early mariners through course, and distance travelled. commenced. The aim would be to time the our continued interest in and development of visit to coincide with the RGYC Wooden Boat navigation, a skill in which Cook excelled. Traversing a body of water is one thing, setting Festival and the Cook 250 commemorative out on a voyage into uncharted waters is an Cook is often referred to as the “Mariner’s voyage planned for 2020-21. undertaking that has challenged humankind Mariner”. For some, his leadership and for millennia. Through a combination of trial As planning for the WBF lecture program common touch are points of difference that and error and the incremental development of developed it was decided to link some of the gave rise to low mortality amongst his crews. instruments and means to measure and record lecture topics to the Cook 250 and Endeavour For others, it his ability as both a cartographer time and space, humans began to codify the story given the ship was to be in port as one of and navigator that sets him apart from his vast oceans of the world. the visiting tall ships for the WBF. On Sunday contemporaries. 8 March, as part of the lecture program, two Voyaging from one landmass to another is an Drawing on the best knowledge of the day is Cook 250 related lectures were presented. achievement. essential in preparing for any sea voyage. As RGYC member Richard Ferguson, and past plans were being developed for the voyage Returning to your place of origin is an even a Cook 250 Project Manager at the Australian to the South Seas to observe the transit greater achievement. National Maritime Museum, presented of Venus in June 1769, there were many The art of the navigator is core to successful a lecture titled “High latitudes and high published charts of the waters in the Southern voyaging. aspirations: Captain James Cook in Antarctic Hemisphere, such as the 1660 Klenke Atlas. Waters”. This was followed by Captain John During the years 1768 to 1771 the Whitby This clearly shows land masses that would be Dikkenberg, Master of HMB Endeavour, Cat, HMS Endeavour, under the command of relocated and charted in detail by Cook in the presenting on “Operating Endeavour in the Lieutenant James Cook, undertook a voyage 1700’s. 21st Century”. of exploration and discovery that redefined the By the time Cook gained his commission methodology of long-distance sea voyages Due to a combination of factors, particularly to command Endeavour he had extensive undertaken by the English. the COVID-19 Pandemic, plans to have experience in both the merchant and Royal

68 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 navies. Effective seamanship and leadership to key Naval personnel established during this three voyages gave rise to the development are essential to the success of any voyage period of service paved the way for Cook to of new methods and techniques that drew on but perhaps more important, is the art of be recommended as the commander of the both naval and scientific skills of the officers navigation and the ability to undertake surveys voyage to the South Seas on HMS Endeavour. and scientists. and translate them into accurate and reliable The importance of these years of near Most significantly for his second voyage maritime charts. coastal surveying and exposure to military was the introduction to the inventory of HMS In his lecture presented to the Australian and methods set him apart from many of his Resolution of the newest maritime time piece New Zealand Map Society at the National contemporaries, as outlined in an article – Kendal’s K1. This was the secret weapon Library of Australian in February 2012, noted published in the Notes and Records of the of the day and was a game changer when it academic, author and authority on Cook, New Royal Society of London. came to accurate data for navigation. Under Zealand based John Robson highlights Cook’s “Cook found his earliest training and the charge of astronomer William Wales, K1 early experiences in coastal navigation. His experience in survey in association with was rigorously tested during the four-year experiences conducting surveys of the St military engineers, during the combined voyage. This timepiece, still in existence and Lawrence River and friendship with the Dutch operations of the Louisburg, Quebec and housed at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, engineer, Samuel Holland, who was in the Newfoundland campaigns. …he adapted was used on Cook’s third and final voyage. It employ of the British Army, were fundamental and extended “the techniques of shore was also on the First Fleet aboard HMS Sirius in establishing his navigational skills and observations and measured bases on shore” (1787-88) and finally retired in 1802. methodology. During this time Cook was to the hydrographic work of his Pacific On any vessel there must be a team effort to master of HMS Pembroke and commanded voyages. make a successful voyage. Cook, as navigator, over 400 men who were part of the British Its success “was due to his skill in inshore effectively led and worked with his teams over deployment in Newfoundland, Labrador and navigation learnt from his early training in many voyages of exploration. Consequently, the Gulf St Lawrence in the 1750’s and 1760’s. coastal waters.” (G. Deacon and M Deacon the reliability and quality of this charts lasted Cook’s first chart was published in 1759 and (1969) Notes and Records of the Royal Society well into the second half of the 20th Century in the subsequent nine summer seasons he of London, Vol 24, #1, Cook as Navigator). when they were gradually eclipsed by the continued to survey and chart the coastline pinpoint accuracy of satellite technology. Cook’s success was built on the best and waters around Newfoundland until knowledge and technology of the day. The returning to London in November 1767. Links Richard Ferguson presence of highly skilled astronomers on all

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 69 50 Year Member Lunch

70 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 In Memory Of…

It is with great sadness and regret that we record the passing during the year of the following esteemed members:

Helen Langston - Joined 2019 Gordon Gavin - Joined 1953 Ronald Cooper - Joined 2018 Roger Bolden - Joined 2006 Roger Randall - Joined 1978 Bob Appleton OAM - Joined 1974 John Clark - Joined 1986

RGYC Staff 2019 / 2020

General Manager: Phil Clohesy Major Events Operations Coordinator: Carolyn Flett

Accounts Administrator: Ann Hardy Marina Manager: Paul Walters Club Operations Coordinator: Libbee Roddis, Marina Assistant: Graeme Chapman Sarah Todd & Tanya Roberts Marina Assistant: Daniel McDonald (Departed in July 2020) Education & Training Administrator: Emma Powell Marketing & Communications Manager: Sarah Pettiford Finance Manager: Rob McLay Sailing & Boating Manager: Peter Kirman Major Events Manager: Nathan Bassett Sales & Relationships Manager: Steve Hassell

RGYC Sub-Committees

As well as the RGYC Board, a number of Sub-Committees work tirelessly throughout the year to ensure that the Club continues to run smoothly and is continuing to give our Members the best possible experience. We thank all of those who have volunteered their time and efforts on each of the Sub-Committees in 2019/20.

Strategic & Events Planning Off The Beach Chair: Rear Commodore, Phil Francis Chair: Diarmuid McCoy Governance Sailability Chair: Past Commodore, Chris Williams Chair: Past Commodore, Graham Ritchie Finance Cadet National Championship Chair: Past Commodore, Treasurer Brian Marshman Chair: Past Commodore, Michael Kelly Workplace Health & Safety Festival of Sails Chair: Phil Heath Chair: Vice Commodore, Stuart Dickson Sailing and Boating 49er, 49erFX, Nacra 17 World Championships Chair: Club Captain, Roger Bennett Chair: Board Member, Chris Manton Yard & Marina Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong Chair: Board Member, Chris Manton Chair: Vice Commodore, Stuart Dickson Volunteers Laser Masters World Championships Chair: Past Commodore, Chris Williams Chair: Ryan Walker

Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020 71 Around the Yard

We are all in this together

72 Royal Geelong Yacht Club Corinthian 2020