RSYS Logbook 2020 Volume 63 Issue 1 Official Magazine of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Club Information Contents Flag Officers From the Helm 1 CEO/Club Secretary & Committees William Pettigrew – [email protected] The 2019 Dragon interport 2 Commodore Reception A Night on the Waratah 4 David Ward House Operations Manager Vice Commodore Pierre Miller – [email protected] Sydney to Hobart Classic Yacht Regatta 5 Christian Brook Monday to Friday – 8am to 6pm Of spinnakers and sunfish... Rear Commodore Saturday & Sunday – 9am to 4pm Imalizard’s 2019 Hobart 6 Russell Taylor Phone: 9955 7171 Fax: 9956 6218 Captain Email: [email protected] My first Sydney to Hobart 8 Karyn Gojnich Website: www.rsys.com.au 75th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 10 Honorary Treasurer Finance Department Manager Ross Littlewood Jane Crispo – [email protected] RSYS and the Sydney to Hobart 12 Phone: 9017 0135 David Albert The Hardy Cup 14 John Prentice Functions and Events Manager Michael Lindsay Frances Allison – [email protected] In the Wake of Pirates – Cruising the Phone: 9017 0156 John Taylor Caribbean Coast of Central America 16 Membership Enquiries Barranjoey Pin Recipient 18 Sub-Committee Chairs Michelle Baeza – [email protected] Sailing Committee Phone: 9017 0157 Laser Nationals and Youth Nationals 20 Karyn Gojnich Executive Chef Club Life and RSYS Activities 21 Waterfront Committee Ian McInnes Russell Taylor New Members and 2020 Australia Day Sailing Office MarComms Committee Monday to Saturday – 9am to 5pm Honours List 22 Amanda Hicks Phone: 9017 0152 Card Players Calendar 24 Cruising Division Declan Brennan – Sailing Manager, [email protected] Committee Email: [email protected] House Information 25 David Henry Waterfront Cruise Committee Yacht Repair & Waterfront Service John Taylor Ned Brown 9017 0161 [email protected] Logbook submissions Election Committee Monday to Friday 7.30am-4pm The Logbook committee welcomes articles from Robert Albert AO RFD RD Tender Service Members. These should be up to 800 words, History and Archives Mobile and VHF with high resolution photos for print production. Committee VHF radio Channel 73, mobile phone 0405 971 800, CDs and/or USBs can be left at Reception. Peter Bradford land phone 9017 0161 Please contact Isabel Wartho Marketing and House Committee Address Communications Co-ordinator for assistance with David Ward 33 Peel Street, Kirribilli NSW 2061 your Logbook articles, email [email protected] Intermediates Committee PO Box 484 Milsons Point NSW 1565 or call 9017 0177. The deadline for the next Jono Carroll Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron edition is 15 April 2020. Logbook Committee ABN 40 000 002 693 Chris Harper Membership Committee David Albert Bridge Committee Special thanks to those who contributed material for Elsbeth Hodgkinson this issue: Youth Sailing Committee Commodore David Ward, Richard Franklin, Richard Sophie Hunt Lawson, Nigel Stoke, Bruce Watson, Elyse Guevara- Speakers Committee Rattray, Tim Cox, Nev Wittey, Graham Coutts, Mina Stephen Wall Ferguson and Gordon Lavery. Front cover: About Time, making her way out Asset Management Chris Harper of the harbour in the Sydney to Hobart. David Ward Chairman Logbook Committee Photo Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi. on our website at www.rsys.com.au/members/ 1 From the Helm master-plan-2020 for the convenience of those unable to visit in person. by Commodore We are enthusiastic about the many advantages that this Conceptual Master Plan 2020 will David Ward bestow on today’s Members and are confident that it will benefit future generations at our Club. Turning to immediate matters, many Members have asked me how they can help their fellow We are excited to reveal the 2020 Conceptual countrymen adversely impacted by the recent Master Plan. We believe it appropriately natural catastrophes that have afflicted our summarises the feedback from our Member country. We certainly have a spirit of comradeship Surveys, our subsequent feasibility investigations within our community. and which now proposes terrific development I encourage you to support one of the reputable opportunities for current and future generations organisations assisting the relief and recovery of Members. efforts: Red Cross Australia Disaster Relief, The potential works encompassed by this plan Country Fire Association (VIC), Rural Fire Service range from short term improvements to longer (NSW), St Vincent de Paul Society. Or if you’d term projects. They are too numerous to list here like to support the work of our wildlife volunteers but include redesigning the layout of the CCA; you can donate to: Wildlife Rescue Emergency enhancing the Neutral Bay Verandah; a new Fund and Foundation for National Parks and dinghy launch pontoon; extending the ladies Wildlife. There is also a sailing-oriented initiative lavatories; improved access to the CCA from the from Above and Beyond Boating called hardstand; a gym facility; a children’s playground; ‘Firefighter family day on the water’. upgrading our kitchen and clubhouse bedrooms On behalf of the Squadron I would also like to with ensuites and more… extend a helping hand to any Squadron Member These projects have been grouped into ‘Stages’, who has been adversely impacted by recent colour-coded according to a range of filters events. Please contact CEO William Pettigrew. applied to the projects. And finally, I am pleased to share with you Our architect’s drawings are displayed along the another exciting development: our new partner- corridor leading past the Cellar to the Careening ship with PONANT, the luxury expedition cruising Cove for your information. All Members, when specialists, who will support our Club’s Friday visiting the Squadron, are encouraged to Twilight series for the next two years. This agree- review these diagrams and the accompanying ment builds on an established connection: descriptions to gain an appreciation of the variety Club Member Sarina Bratton is the Chairman of and scale of developments which have been PONANT for Asia Pacific, and several Members considered by your General Committee. We have have enjoyed cruises with the company. Members also published the plans in the Members Area can look forward to some enticing opportunities. Commodore David Ward and Vice Commodore Christian Brook addressed 200 Members at Town Halls on 19 and 20 February. Members unable to attend are invited to send their comments on the Master Plan to CEO Will Pettigrew. 2 Helming duties for the 2019 RSYS team were The 2019 Dragon performed by Karyn Gojnich, Ian McCrossin, Peter Crane, Andrew Howe, Gavin Moss and Interport myself, and crews were drawn from the ranks of current and past Dragon sailors. by Richard Franklin Japan sent a very strong team of 19 sailors, accompanied by a number of supporters representing both Kansai Yacht Club and also the Enoshima Yacht Club which will host Sailing The Squadron hosted the Pacific Rim Dragon at the next Olympic Games in Tokyo. Royal Interport Regatta on Sydney Harbour at the Hong Kong Yacht Club fielded a full team also beginning of December 2019 and our team was but unfortunately Royal Vancouver Yacht Club successful in placing first ahead of Kansai Yacht were unable to send a team. They had sent a Club from Japan and Royal Hong Kong Yacht large delegation to the 90th Anniversary Dragon Club. Regatta in San Remo, Italy and were unable to The Interport Regatta in its current format was make a second long journey to Sydney. first run in Hong Kong in 1982. Members Ted The Race Officer for the regatta was Jim Hawkins Albert, Rex Harrison, Dave Wilson, Peter Murray, who has sailed in many Dragon Interports and David Dias, Rob Donohue, Grant Jagelman, was well acquainted with the teams racing Perter McCullun and Iain Moray represented format. Jim was well supported by many volunteer our Club in that historic event. Members in conjunction with Rob Ridley and In subsequent years, Royal Vancouver Yacht Declan Brennan from the Sailing Office. The team Club and the Kansai Yacht Club joined the did an admirable job in trying conditions: light challenge which became known as the Pacific winds and dense smoke from the devastating Rim Interport. It has been run (nearly) every year bushfires covered the race area. Photos by Darcie since those early days. Racing was scheduled for Thursday 5 and Collington. The format of the event is teams racing Friday 6 December with finals to be sailed on comprising three boats per team and teams Sunday 8 December. The lay day was scheduled compete one-on-one over a number of round for Saturday 7 December to avoid the regular robin matches. The host club alternates each Saturday Club racing and permit the visiting year and club boat owners provide their boats teams to conduct some sight-seeing. for the event. The owners are not permitted to Unfortunately, there were very light winds on sail their own boats and the standing rigging Thursday and racing finally commenced mid- and sails cannot be altered (unless a spinnaker afternoon, hampered by dense smoke which is damaged.) The boats are rotated through the made it difficult even to find the start area. teams so there is no advantage, and finally, the Only two matches were completed, and the event is strictly Corinthian in nature and conduct. RO abandoned the third match when it became Dragons take over the harbour. apparent that there was insufficient wind to We are indebted to Brad Johnson who is the 3 complete the race. The RO’s impartiality was current President of the IDA NSW for his heroic assured as the race was abandoned with effort in pulling the event together. Events of this RSYS well in the lead. nature, where responsibility is taken for other It was the same story on Friday but the RO was people’s boats and the well-being of the guests, able to conduct sufficient races to complete the take up a huge amount of time.