Greenwich Flying Squadron

If you are interested, the link below details the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust’s master plan for Cockatoo Island. As well as the trust’s vision for the future, the document details the history (human and natural), changes to the island over time and planned restoration of significant infrastructure.

View the master plan here – cockatoo-island-wareamah-master-plan

A Women’s Sailing Session will be held at the Club on Monday 16 December from 5pm to 7.30pm. 

The aim is to encourage women’s participation by creating a safe, friendly environment for sailors of varying skill levels and experience.

• Women – learn skills, build confidence, meet other Club members.
• Skippers – consider offering your boat and sharing your knowledge and experience.

Sailing on different boats is a wonderful way to learn.  So please let us know if you’d like to come, and state if you’re interested in crewing, helming, or both.

Prior to the session, women will be assigned to boats.  We’ll meet at the Club, head off for a sail around 5.30pm for an hour or so, and come back for a chat about how it went.  Women sailors are invited to bring drinks and nibbles to share with Host Boats back at the Club.

If you would like to be a host boat, please advise asap, no later than Monday 9 December.

If you would like to be a participant, please advise asap, no later than Wednesday 11 December.

Numbers will be limited to places available.  And if the weather’s bad, we’ll postpone.

Questions?  Please get in touch.  Leigh McLaughlin  Twilight Captain  twilightcaptain@gfs.org.au

A total of 35 children (from difficult backgrounds) and accompanying Youth Workers will have the opportunity to sail on a yacht and receive a meal, soft drink, ice cream and a ‘Goodie’ bag to take away with them.

Just a reminder to all skippers that GFS is hosting Youth off the Streets kids and their Youth workers for our twilight sail and BBQ on the first Wednesday in December. In the unlikely case of a cancellation due to too much wind, we will drop back to Wednesday 11 December. The kids and their workers should be here from 4.45/5.00 pm  so that Yachts picking up crew and/or kids/workers can do so well ahead of their starts.

As with previous occasions, we will be arranging for a bulk entry of the visitors’ names and details into the RevSport system, so they will all have AS#s and have access to the Australian Sailing personal safety insurance arrangements. The occasion is treated as a Discover Sailing Day Event. Bottom line is that skippers do not have to make any separate arrangements to host the kids/workers. However please do give them a safety briefing and for any that need or want it, access to a Personal Flotation Device.

We trust you will enjoy the night on what has become a highlight of our sailing year. Many thanks to all those who have made a donation to help support this event.

GFS Committee

This is a reminder that you must enter the Twilight and Saturday Summer Series separately. The first race of the Saturday Summer Series is next Saturday, November 30. The list of starters is on the Sailing – Yacht Division Results page or here.

To maintain consistency – Twilight orange division’s start flag is orange and Saturday Down Harbour Division 3 is now ‘Orange Division’ and their start flag will be orange.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Graeme Davey at 8.15pm on 23 October.

Graeme was an enthusiastic and capable member of GFS for many years, initially as crew and for the last decade as Joint Skipper with Ann on their yacht G-Whizz.

Graeme was always ready to lend a hand to anyone needing help and a keen participant in all GFS activities. He was a great friend to many.

A service to commemorate Graeme’s life will be held at  12.00 noon Friday, 1 November at Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens, South Chapel. 199 Delhi Rd North Ryde 2113

The link below will allow those that cannot attend to live stream the service

Invitation to view service of Graeme Davey

A celebration will be held at the GFS Clubhouse from 5.30pm – 7.30pm on Sunday 3 November to allow members to meet and remember Graeme.

Canapes will be supplied by Bern and drinks will be provided by the club.

Can you please RSVP by Wednesday 30 October to gfscommodore@gmail.com if you wish to attend so we can plan the catering.

John Veale, Commodore

gfscommodore@gmail.com

An email was sent to members noting significant rules discussed at The GFS rules night held on October 15. The session was presented by national sailing judge Erica Kirby, who is also a member of Balmain Sailing Club.

The aim was to clarify the rules arising from perennial questions such as Mark Room, Continuous Obstructions and Start/Finish line.

A lot of time was spent on the scenario in which a row of slower boats is ahead of faster boats in a narrow stretch of water such as Humbug.

A detailed summary of the points discussed can be viewed here – Highlights from the Rules Night

Purpose

To increase the safety and enjoyment of twilight racing by fostering greater understanding of and adherence to the racing rules

Process

• A table will be set up on the deck for the Rules Corner from 8pm to 9pm Wednesday evenings
• Two or three experienced skippers (the Panel) will be seated as rules advisers
• A whiteboard, markers and model boats will be on the table to recreate situations
• Skippers (with crew) may approach the table for a discussion (first come first served) with or without the other skippers involved
• The Panel will listen to the skipper’s story and recreate the situation on the whiteboard
• The Panel will discuss the rules that are relevant to the situation
• The Panel will offer an opinion on how the rules apply and explain their thinking
• The focus will be on shared learning and encouraging correct behaviour, not on criticising incorrect actions
• The aim is to create a ‘safe space’ for exploring an issue
• The Panel will be able to explain the steps involved in Protests
• The Rules Corner is not a Protest Committee and will not make rulings or impose penalties.

Thanks – your feedback is always welcome. 

Leigh McLaughlin, Twilight Captain, twighlightcaptain@gfs.org.au

1. Courses will be decided at around 4.30pm based on on current and forecast conditions.

2. Courses will be notified by:

• The board at the GFS Clubhouse
• The board on the port side of the GFS start boat
• By text message to GFS boat owners after 4.30. If the owner is not on board the owner/crew will need to make other arrangements
• The course for each division will be announced soon after its start sequence begins
• Etchells, Gold and Black Divisions sail the Black Course
• Red Division sails the Red Course
• White, Green and Blue Divisions sail the White Course

3. Given the number of divisions and courses, with only one start/finishing boat (and no finishing boat when races start at the clubhouse) it is not possible to shorten courses.

4. Please do not call the starters on Channel 72 during the start sequence. They are busy making sure the start sequence is underway. Any questions please call on Channel 71 and they will call you back when they have a chance to do so.

5. Retiring boats must call on Channel 72 to let the starters know.

GFS Twilight Race Committee

Leigh McLauchlan

John Veale

Steve Bradley

The following amendment has been made to the GFS Sailing Instructions

The course number for Orange Division will be displayed on a red board, the course for Green Division, White Division and Blue Division on a white board and the course for the Etchells Class, Gold Division, Black Division and X Division will be on a black board. 

Please note there is no X Division in the 2024 – 2025 Season.

Please be aware the safe water mark off Bradley’s Head has moved. The mark is currently a yellow buoy and is located in a different position (more East). NSW Maritime are trialling different positions to relocate the buoy. Details can be found here.

Ships will navigate inbound and outbound between Bradleys Head and the new Special Mark.

Ferries and other commercial vessels will pass the Special Mark on their port side.

Boaters are reminded to keep clear of large ships and their escorts, keep a proper lookout at all times and travel at a safe speed.

The roster and responsibilities of rostered persons at the clubhouse after Twilight racing can be found on the Sailing – Twilight Duty Rosters page of this website or here – Roster and Responsibilities

Greenwich Flying Squadron is holding a yacht racing rules event on Tuesday October 15 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm at the clubhouse.

We have been fortunate to secure the services of Erica Kirby, a well respected national judge and national umpire for the evening.

All members are encouraged to attend to refresh your understanding of the racing rules and ask questions about areas you are unclear about. Understanding and obeying the rules is an important element of keeping our racing safe and enjoyable and we hope to see all skippers and many crew there on the evening.