Dear Skippers and Crews of the Classic 2012/2013 Summer Series
Attached are the Race 2 Sailing Instructions plus the Race 2 entries and their allocated handicaps.
The race will be conducted by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria under the control of Race Director, David LeRoy.
As part of the celebrations to mark 121 years of continuous service to the marine community, The Anchorage Marina, located on The Strand on Williamstown foreshore, provided a perpetual trophy to the Classic Yacht Association to award to the yacht that takes out corrected time honours.
This Race 2 of our Summer Series has been nominated as that race and is to be named as the Anchorage Marine Classic Yacht Challenge.
The Anchorage Marina people have issued an invitation to those yachts taking part in Race 2 to visit the marina after the race either on water after the race or drop by after pack up.
Predicted sailing conditions for Sunday look to be light.
Cup Regatta time is fast approaching. Full on Regatta work will begin after this race. To start your own Regatta process, Submit your Regatta entry and your plans for the Regatta social functions in pronto.
Don’t forget to correctly dress that light of your life, Association pennants will be available at Royals after the race. For those who cannot make Royals after the Race 2, use the Pennant order form available on our web site or let the Handicapper know direct by email. A pennant, @$65.00 ea, will be forwarded to you post haste.
Two more notes
First is Race 5 of the current Summer Series has been officially re-scheduled to be conducted on Feb 17. HBYC will conduct this race.
The second note is to do with the Associations Annual General Meeting. The best time to conduct this AGM has been deemed to be after the Race 3 on November 25 at Royals. This date allows the Association to comply with the Incorporated Associations Regulations.
Next year will be a big one in terms of administration. There’s new Government regulations for Incorporated Associations about to be promulgated that require a rework of our rules (Constitution) as a first up.
Finally don’t forget the renewal your Association membership subscription.
The Canberra Class LHDs are bigger than Australia’s last aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. When completed they will be more than 230 metres long, 27.5 metres high and weigh around 27,500 tonnes.
Dear Skippers and Crews of the Classics 2012/2013 Summer Series.
Attached are the final results for Race 1 plus the first of the series points score aggregate and “Marie-Louise IIIConsistency Trophy” points aggregate.
The 17 knot wind and slightly choppy sea conditions turned on for Race 1 gave the 16 starters, in our first race of the season, the opportunity to race their yachts in the manner they were designed for. From a spot on start at speed by Col Andersons“Acrospire III” with his 10 crew, the fleet, headed off to the first mark down the bay with lee gunwale down and full sail with slightly sprung sheets. That is, except for the yacht with a varnished cabin roof, in celebration of Seniors week.
After 90 minutes of Corinthian racing, the results show many duels were the order of the race. Martin Ryan and his “senior moments team”Mercedes III”held off Peter McDonald skippering“Pastime”by 32 seconds, Peter Lloyd with his gun crew on “Marie Louise III” took out Craig Brown and his spinnaker braveheart team on“Cyan” by only 9 seconds. John Raff’s net boat “Jean” sailing well with 5 on board came in 45 second behind these two. “Scimitar” came in not long after Damian Purcell made up time for the dog leg course she sailed in sympathy for “Mercedes III”. Doug Jenkin dipped “Ettrick” under Charlie Salter’s“Ellida”in the last moments to come out 15 seconds ahead. A fast finishing “Serifa” skippered by Michael MacTavish was 15 seconds behind these two Tumlare’s while Roger Dundas bought his Tumlare “Avian” in by a mere minute behind this group.“Zephyr” the cruiser Tumlare helmed by Anne Batson with sister Karen trimming hard held off Joe Tuck and the boy’s on “Loama” by 42 seconds. They in turn held off Ross Clark a fast finishing “Martini”by 5 seconds after her delayed start.
To complete the score card, Cameron Dorrough bringing up “Bungoona”and“Jan”with Greg Hynes working her hard, our final finishers, beat the drop in wind strength by just minutes. Sad to the withdrawal, of Bil Johnstone’s soon to be listed Registered Historic Vessel “Lily Guy”. 1and a 1/2 up was deemed not the go on the day.
Corrected time full points went to Joe Tuck and the boys on “Loama” who took advantage of every possible surf on the run to St Kilda, followed up by Greg Hynes who gave “Jan” a never before work out, with a third on corrected time and also taking line honours, came Col Andersons and the heavies on “Acrospire III”.
With her lighter weight standing rig and crew of heavies below “Acrospire III” now able to take on and beat 17 knot Southerly wind and sea conditions, the fleet has been put on notice for a repeat performance of last series take out. A photo of her racing on Sunday will be installed on the web site to show what we are up against.
The corrected time results show a spread of 1.85 minutes between 4th and 13th placings. Indicative of what can happen when ideal racing conditions are present. The first 3 will take a handicap hit but nothing dramatic until next race, we look to be going into the Regatta with a set of handicaps that don’t allow for crewing or tactical (Skipper) errors.
So all up, Race 1 was the type of race weather conditions we hope will stay with us for the season. Maybe a book should be run on this point.
A couple of general notes.
First up. As mentioned over at Royals last Sunday, after the results were announced ,we will be making a change to our racing calendar. The race 5, scheduled for 2013 Feb 10 has been put back to 2013 Feb 17. This is to allow members to take part in the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand and to reciprocate for the 14 of their members coming over for our Regatta. The re-schedule will also to allow members take in the Australian Wooden Boat Festival action down in Hobart. Moving the race to an earlier date was not possible either.
Second note is we have a sponsor for our second race. “Anchorage Marine” from The Strand. Some more on that before our next race. This sponsorship is part of the 121st celebrations by the “Anchorage” of their time when known as “Parsons” and last run by the redoubtable “Olive Parsons”. In days gone by this was a place where diesel was sold from a wharf located pump, your yacht had to be classed as a road tax exempt vehicle. How about that. Scott O’Hare from the Anchorage is aware of the after race situation with us but would appreciate a turn up of our members for the presentation of “The Anchorage Perpetual Trophy”. Tie up facilities will be available.
Keep in mind, days pass very fast now so do something soon with the Regatta entry and sort out your Friday pm Regatta Cocktail Session show up plans. Our Guineas Trophy race between“Mercedes III”and “Boambillee”and the two gun Couta Boats kicks of the Regatta on Friday pm Nov 2.
Dear Skippers and Crews of the 2012/3 Summers Series.
Attached are the Entries, Assigned handicaps and Sailing Instructions for Race 1.
The race will be conducted for us by Hobsons Bay Yacht club under direction of Tony Dawson, Club Sailing Director and National Protest Judge. Tony will be ably assisted by Bob Tanner, ex ORCV Commodore. Bob will be also operating the HBYC Rescue boat.
Our season will be opened with a display of our new CYAA division pennant and “Marque” pennant on the Race Committee vessel “Privateer”. Congratulations to those skippers dressing their Classic Yacht with the Association’s pennant from the Starboard spreader. Whenever a Classic Association event is under way, the Association pennant will be flown from the starboard yard arm of the RYCV signal mast.
While we start a new season of Classic Yacht racing, let’s not forget our previous 2012 Winter season, where Col Anderson and his crew took out the series overall best performance “Rusty Shackle Trophy” with “Acrospire III” and “Boambillee”, skippered by George Fischer and Michael Rhodes and their crew took out Peter Lloyds trophy for being the most consistent performer of our 2011/2012 Summer and 2012 Winter Series. That was a tight series. “Ellida” with Charlie Salter and Phil Aitkens made “Acrospire III” work hard for their trophy. Congratulations to Charlie and “Ellida” for their great and sustained performance. Not forgetting that tight run for third spot by Doug Jenkin and the Sollys duo, all working hard to bring the recently restored Tum “Ettrick” back to her Richard Downey winning ways.
So, let the season begin. Again, we have a quality fleet entry. To see these entries coming in makes the handicapper, who you all know and love, shed a tear about how much handicapping justice will be dispensed over the season. To start the season, Race 1 assigned handicaps are those used to calculate the start times of the last (pursuit) race from previous season. Weather characteristics of the last season racing made performance analysis difficult but trends were there.
Irrespective of whatever handicap is assigned, the big picture is we are keeping our Classic yachts up to a racing standard, that is what our racing and belonging to the Association is all about. On that subject, we have a welcome return to our fleet with the Tumlare “Zea”, with a pedigree as long as your arm, skippered by Lindsay Holland.
Closely watched Tums is the word for Race 1.
The forecast weather for Sunday indicates a fast and tough race. Will this type of weather hold for the season? Last season we all thought it would, sure enough it laid an egg. Doesn’t matter.
It’s two more sleeps for Greg Hynes then it’s hit the line time.
Again, it doesn’t matter if we lose an hours sleep on Sunday because of Daylight saving. Let’s go.
Dear Skippers and Crews of our now completed 2012 Winter Series.
The 2012 Winter Series Race 7.
Although we may have preferred the on water time for Race 7 to not have been as long the pay off was a great day on the water with our fleet sailing together. Images such as those of our classic beauties “Sayonara” and Acrosopire III” dueling with Tumlarens are rare.
For Greg Hynes with “Jan” and Clive Mulday in “Blackadder” the breeze wasn’t enough but there’s always next time. Our first turning Mark fleet leaders of “Zephyr” with Anne Batson and the boys on “Loama” that on shore Elwood breeze was missing in action. Andy Indrans with “Corio Vertue” was another solid competitor on the day. Analysing the fleets handicap based performance for Race 7 showed Kents Bacons crew “Renene”, “Loama” and “Zephyr” to be mid fleet performers. Looking over the results show’s there was a battle happening for Doug Jenkin to helm “Ettrick” to pip the “Kingurra” team with Ian Macfarlane on the helm.a 27 second “Jean” with John Raff on the helm and Phil Edwards attending also put in a great down hill run between the RMYS F and A marks was 21 seconds away from giving Martin Ryans “Mercedes” a shake.
The usual tight racing was seen on Boambillee to bring her home second while Sayonara put in a welcome appearance to be in the first 3 Classics over the line.
For the rest of us, the weather man is on notice. Perform for the next series or else.
Classic thanks of the day go to our race management team. From Tom Leroy handling the multiple and variable pursuit start time sequences to Mal Botterill on the water handling the shortened course situation, the race went off with no dramas. The course was selected on the basis that the starting time breeze would persist. Looking at the fleet crowed around the RMYS F mark indicated a finish that could have been with a decent wind strength.
The results appeared in the Sun sports results on Monday. A little bit astray unfortunately. It doesn’t pay to run 3 databases on the one subject. All the skippers involved in the miscalculation were notified.
Results of the 2012 Winter Series Race 7 are available here.
Below is the link to pics of our Race 7 Fleet taken by Scott McDonald.
It took the last race to find our best overall for the series and the results are in. With extra light winds prevailing Col Anderson kept the 1923 Charlie Peel designed and built “Acrospire III” sailing over a long dog leg down wind run to finish two boats in front of Charlie Salters Tumlare “Ellida” with Doug Jenkin helming the rebuilt “Tumlare “Ettrick” coming home third in the series. Congratulations to George Fischer and Michael Rhodes and their crew on “Boambillee” with their taking out of the “Marie Louise III” consistency trophy for their sailing performance over during the last two series.
The series overall points score, along with the Marie Louise III Consistency award, are available here.
So as our 2012 Winter Series slips away into the annals our classic yacht racing history on Port Phillip we have a new series Classic Yacht racing to keep us going. The 2012/2013 Summer Series.
The 2012/2013 Summer Series
The Cup Regatta and the 2012/2013 Summer Series Notices of race and entry forms are on our web site. To tell the world what the Classic Fleet are up to, a poster celebrating the Summer Series will be sent to our home yacht clubs.
To save a bit of time the Series notice of race and entry form are available here.
First race Oct 7, not long to go. The series handicapping, under control of that handicapper you all know and love, will follow on from those handicaps developed during the recent Winter Series. The weather!! Who want’s to answer to what we have endured recently? Still we always live for the next race so it doesn’t matter.
The 2012 Cup Regatta
The NOR and Entry form for the Cup Regatta have been generated. There’s also an entry for the Cocktail reception. One feature of our cocktail reception is the staying on for dinner at Royals after the reception. Although Friday dinner at Royals is not a Cup Regatta program item, to assist Royals catering let’s know on the cocktail reception entry form if you intend to do dinner and how many attending. All the Cup Regatta docs are on the Web site.
Our Pennant
The Flying Dutchman of Pennants has been put to rest. 25 of our Association pennants from Ivor Evans Flags have been sewn up. I’ll have them tomorrow. After sending this mail out, I‘ll run up an order form and have Scott McDonald post it on our Web site. $65.00 a pennant. 25 more on their way.
Ron Seath from Ivor Evans tells me his order book is full till April. So if size variations are requested or we run out we may be able to squeeze in.
Membership Renewal.
The classics webmail site is reeling under the onslaught of renewals. Immediate work is needed on it. It’s storage capacity is taking a big hit. A small note about the fax phone number. A correction is required. It’s 9802 9255. It’s correct on the Summer Series and Regatta entry form. Doesn’t exist on the cocktail form. Must fix.
So for the moment that’s it.
Priority task
The priority right now is to submit out Summer Series entry. After such a great Winter Series fleet number, let’s see what happens with the numbers for our 2012/3 summer fleet.
Dear Skippers and Crews of the Classics 2012 Winter Series.
Attached are the Sept 9 Race 7 Sailing Instructions and Group start times.Our last race of this 2012 Winter Series. A pursuit race starting at 10:30 from the Royals Marina.
The start times for Sunday’s race were calculated on the basis to bring the fleet home in a massed finish. We know that never happens. We can put as many known’s as we like into our calculations unfortunately that variable known as, the weather on the day, trashes all the calculations. That’s the challenge of racing and why we race our Classics. It’s all about our boats and there’s always next time.
One note to keep in mind that in a pursuit race, overtaking other boats may happen. Sometimes, in the excitement, a rush of blood to the head prevents clear thinking. When any overtaking is about to happen, keep in mind the requirements of racing rules 11, 12, 14 and 15. I’ve recently completed jury work on a protest involving these rules. Ugly is the word.
Now to resolve an issue. On Sunday, we need a capable volunteer to work with Mal Botterill on the Rescue RIB. The rescue RIB is an on water requirement the Association must comply with so Royals can conduct our race down to the RMYS F and A marks. Without this on water rescue capability, Sundays race will be 7 miles around the Hobsons Bay Channel marks. Working on this RIB is the only time to be up close and personal to our fleet while racing. It’s exciting and a photo/video opportunity plus. For those who wish to help let me know by mail asap.
The end of series race get together will happen post race on the Royals lawn. The Association will provide sausages with the usual fixings to complement the Royals salads. Association members who wish to provide for themselves, no problems. During the BBQ, the Series results will be tabulated to find and present awards to the overall leaders of the Series.
The trophies for presentation are the Rusty Shackle for best overall performance in the 2012 Winter Series and the Marie Louise III “Classic Reflections” Consistency Trophy.
This Winter Series has been our best ever. Great entrants and occasionally some great racing. Our racing weather has been better than our last summer series, but after two races with a 50% fleet DNF and one lost due to wind at gale strength we still need a small improvement from this area.
So it’s on to our next series. Notices of race and entry forms for both the 2012/2013 Summer Series and the Cup Regatta will go out on Monday. The Regatta documentation release was delayed a little to firm up the entry and cocktail reception fee aspect. No change from last year. $100 entry and $20 pp cocktail.
So forget all that for the moment. This Sunday is what it’s all about.
Dear Skippers and Crews of our 2012 Classic Winter Series
Apologies for not including the status of the series points for the Marie Louise III Trophy in the previous email that carried our race 6 results and series points status.
As there’s always a silver lining in every cloud, this error on my part, is an opportunity to remind our Victorian membership about the provenance of the Marie Louise II Trophy, previously known as the Presidents Trophy. The presentation of this trophy will take place at end of series get together after the last race of our 2012 Winter Series on Sept 9
Below is a reprint of the article, that describes the origin and rules for this trophy, previously published in the November 2010 issue of the Associations flagship magazine.
All the Associations magazines, except the current issue, are available on our web site. They’re well worth a reread. The articles are timeless and many renew our appreciation of yachts that are still active and racing with us.
Dear Skippers and Crews of the Classics 2012 Winter Series.
Attached are the results for Race 6 Aug 19 and series aggregate points status with a one race drop now included.
Often the term “Corinthian Sailing” is used when Classic Yacht racing is promoted and discussed. That term could be used to describe our fleet in yesterdays race. From the show case pre-race manoeuvres alongside Station Pier and Beaconsfield Parade to the extra tight over the finish line battle, competitive racing in the Classic Fleet is now a known feature of racing on Port Phillip.
With 22 starters and close racing, our fleet made the most of the starting breeze to make and round the first mark in good order, in spite of the strong Yarra River outflow. After race reports of near misses on rig take downs and being caught on port showed how unusually strong the river outflow was.
Those who sailed with the outflow when the breeze died came out on top. For once a later breeze build up favoured the fleets backmarkers allowing them come up for a robust finish. A great scene with several of our fleet all beating to the finish Unfortunately 3 of our fleet were done, in as the breeze rebuild line didn’t reach them in time. Commiserations to the Clive Moulday team on “Blackadder”, Greg Hynes on his Stella “Jan” by 600mtrs and Andy Indrans on “Corio Vertue” by 200mtrs.
Our Hobsons Bay YC race committee made an after race comment about the sight of our fleet beating their way to a tight finish, It’s a scene they always wait for. Yesterday they weren’t disappointed.
Comments were received about watching ,”Marie Louise” after some sharp crew action to avoid being eaten up by the fast finishing Craig Brown team on “Cyan”, followed, by a wistful gap of 0.01 of a minute, by Bob Munro’s crew Tandanya. Then followed by Ross Clark and Michael Williams working “Martini” hard by 0.65 of a minute and then “Bungoona” being tight sailed by Cameron Dorough’s team.
The sail of the day went to “Acrospire”. Reaching off with the river outflow set after the St. Kilda mark, Col Anderson, put an extra mile into “Acrospire’s” course to keep her sailing. Unfortunately the river outflow, even out by the shipping channel, was too strong for her to hit the shortened course finish line in one beat. “Ettrick” with Doug Jenkin keeping her from losing sail power in the occasional choppy conditions, came home with enough time to take out the corrected time honours.
Congratulations to Doug for the corrected time win and to Col Anderson for bringing home “Acrospire” to take out line honours.
The moment of the day was seeing “Bungoona” towing of two engineless yachts back home against the river set, along with another unknown yacht from our fleet also bringing two engineless craft home. The river outflow set was no problem, but still hard work, for “Bungoona’s” strong 40 horses. An excellent example of our fleet watching out for one another.
Published results of yesterdays race
The 2012 Winter Series final race, a pursuit start, is scheduled for Sept 9 with an after race get together on the Royals lawn.
Looking over the aggregate points status, with weather permitting, a tight race to take out the series aggregate will be on hand.
Our Cup Regatta, The Notice of Race will be out shortly. The Friday Nov 2 Cocktail reception, Nov 5 BBQ and entertainment details being sorted out.
A quick comment on the special Classic Boat Magazine subscription to members.
The August print issue has been received and the digital September issue has been available since Aug 15.
