Greenwich Flying Squadron

From Australian Sailing.

Dear Skippers,

The GFS committee is giving consideration to establishing a tender service on race days, especially twilights. The tender service would enable skippers and limited crew to get from club to vessel and pick up after racing.

We are in early planning and envisage the following:

· Cover moorings within sight of the club and to Woodford Bay

· Convenience for skippers

· Limit the need for more dinghy spaces and dinghy movements on race days.

Insurance and staffing requirements are being considered however we need to gauge the level of interest amongst members for such a service.

Please respond to GFSsafetyofficer@gmail.com with the following:

1. Are you interested?

2. Would you pay for such a service?

3. Would you pay an annual levy for such a service?

4. Any other comments or suggestions.

Thank you all

David Leslie

GFS Safety Officer.

On behalf of your GFS Committee, welcome to the 2021-22 Sailing Season.  Your Commodore  and Rear Commodores have been busy planning and preparing for Twilght and Saturday Racing and we are ready to go.  However, as you are all aware we are being foiled again by Covid19. Community sports are not possible now, and potentially until at least the end of October.  I am being optimistic!

As Safety Officer my plans for hands on safety audits prior to racing are also foiled. Although the days were scheduled in the Sailing Programme, these are obviously placed on hold.  Your Committee have endorsed that in accordance with recommendation by Sailing Australia and, consistent with other Sydney Sailing Clubs, the validity of Safety Audits expiring 30 June 2021, is extended until 31/12/2021.  When we know if and when Sailing events can recommence, we will advise a programme of Safety Audits at GFS.

In the meantime I make the following advice to skippers:

• Responsibility of the Person in Charge – AS Special Regulation 1.02

The safety of a boat and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the person in charge who shall do their best to ensure that the boat is fully found, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who have undergone appropriate training and are physically fit to face bad weather.  He/She must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear.  He/She shall ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew know where it is kept and how it is to be used.  He/She shall also nominate a person to take over the responsibilities of the person in charge in the event of the skippers incapacitation.

• Under the Health Orders, you can visit a vessel on mooring or in a marina, to check the soundness and safety of the vessel and moorings and ensure that on board systems remain functional and safe.
• A vessel can be driven to for from a slipway or maintenance facility for purposes of service and repair.
• The 2021-24 Safety Audit Forms for Cat 7, 5 and 4 are downloadable from the GFS Website Racing Information Tab. Now is the time to download the form and undertake the skipper’s requirements for forthcoming audits. At the least:
  • Check your First Aid Kit contents for quantities and expiry dates. First Aid requirements have been simplified for Cat 7-5 so this is not onerous but sensible.
  • Now is the time to do your inflatable PFD surveys. Skippers are reminded that NSW Roads and Maritime can stop and check vessels on the water at any time for safety compliance.
  • Check your lights and torches are functional and spare batteries available;
  • Download, print and study your 21-22 GFS Sailing Instructions. There is new stuff in there!
  • Radio checks are simple, easy and essential.

A note with respect to radios. With the potential for outside starts and outside finishes during the twilight series a functional radio will be essential for race management reasons aswell as safety.

STAY SAFE: David Leslie, GFS Safety Officer                                             

It is highly unlikely that the 2021 – 2022 sailing season will start in September. However, entries are now open on TopYacht in anticipation for the go ahead sometime this year.

Go to https://www.topyacht.com.au/db/kb/1416

Race information – 2021 – 2022 Program, Sailing Instructions, Twilight and Saturday Courses and Equipment Audit forms are on the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information tab.

COVID restrictions put an early end to the West Harbour Winter Series. With only 4 races sailed the Series Scores were finalised.

The Balmain club in a wave of Olympic Euphoria gave the end of series medal tally –

Well done to the GFS participants.

GFS Winter results

Div 1                    Div 2                                Div 3                          Div 4

Passion X            Beware of the Dog        Allons-Y                   Salty Sea Dog 2

Irukandji             Jester GBR32                Aurora =                  Capriole

…………….        On Y Va                         Hasta La Vista =     Joka

It is with great sadness that I advise the passing of Egon Ostergaard one of our longstanding GFS members. Egon was diagnosed with a brain aneurism 3 weeks ago and despite undergoing several operations finally succumbed and passed away in his sleep on July 18^th 2021. He was aged 83 and had  only recently celebrated his 60^th wedding anniversary with his wife Grethe.

Egon was an enthusiastic sailor and regularly participated in GFS races in his yacht L’Attitude. He particularly enjoyed Twilight races and loved to share post- race dinners with his family and friends.

On behalf of all GFS members, I express my sincere condolences to Egon’s wife Grethe, his family and many friends.

Pam Joy, Commodore

This message has been emailed to members with the link to a ‘zoom meeting’ . Pleas contact GFS is you did not receive the email.

Dear GFS members,

Sydney might be in Lockdown and the sailing season on hold, but GFS members can still share a drink and catch up with friends on a virtual deck.

We are hosting a zoom session on Friday from 4.30 to 6 for members to meet with other GFS sailors to chat over drinks and nibbles. This will be a virtual “deck of knowledge” session so make sure you have your own drinks on hand and be ready to share news, advice and plans for the forthcoming season.

We are hoping to run these “Members’ catch -up sessions” on a weekly basis so let us know about your interests and preferred days and times.

Hope to see you on “the deck” on Friday

Pam Joy Commodore 19 July 2021

In response to the current Covid restrictions, the GFS Annual General Meeting will still go head on Tuesday July 13 commencing at 7.30pm online using Zoom.

Voting will be, as usual, by a show of hands or acclamation and you will be unmuted by the host for this. If a vote needs to be counted, there is an online feature called ‘show of hands’ and this will be explained if required during the meeting.

Questions from members are encouraged and can be submitted in advance by email to secretarygfs@gmail.com.

Questions during the meeting can be submitted via the ‘chat function’ on Zoom.

The club apologises for the multiple emails which have been sent about the AGM but the committee is doing its best in difficult circumstances.

We encourage and look forward to your presence online for the GFS 2021 AGM.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there will be no racing in the combined club’s West Harbour Winter Series until after the 9^th of July. Balmain Sailing Club will remain closed and the BSC’s Friday Afternoon Series is also postponed.

Sailing Australia has updated their NSW COVID-19 Information Page and will continue to update the information as new information is published by the NSW Government – https://www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/nsw/

 The following restrictions now apply and must be adhered to by all community sport and recreation groups across Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour:

Face Masks

The following rules and restrictions now apply regarding the wearing of face masks –

a)  A person must wear a fitted face covering over both their nose and mouth while in any indoor area of non-residential premises; and

b)  A person must wear a fitted face covering over both their nose and mouth while attending a COVID-safe outdoor gathering or controlled outdoor public gathering.

This applies to all persons in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour, as well as any persons who were in any of these Greater Sydney areas in the previous 14 days.

Removing Face Masks:

a)  A person may remove a face mask if the person is engaging in strenuous physical activity.

b)  The person must resume wearing the face mask as soon as practical after the strenuous physical activity ends.

Capacity limits:

An occupier of a premises must ensure the number of persons on the premises does not exceed the greater of;

• 1 person per 4 square metres of space or
• 25 persons

New Racing Rules of Sailing apply from January 1, 2021. Every year, at the Conference of World Sailing, improvements and amendments are made to the racing rules. They are re-published every 4 years.

If you are new to racing, comparing what the rules were to what they are now will be of little interest. Simply download the new rule book and either purchase a book or visit a website which explains the rules.

Download – 2021-2024 Racing Rules of Sailing ‘Blue Book’ with Australian Sailing Prescriptions –   https://www.sailingresources.org.au/class-assoc/racing-rules/

The following link is to a listing of important changes in the order they appear in the ‘new’ rule book with the more significant in red. The attachment is more relevant for sailors who have been racing for a while. Download – RRS Changes

As usual there are many small changes aimed at making the rules easier to understand or less ambiguous. There are also some changes that affect the way we play the game of sailing.

The International Sailing Federation has changed its name again and is now known as ‘World Sailing’.

Please save the date – Saturday May 29.

The prize presentation will be held at the clubhouse from 1430 hrs.

Finger food will be provided.

Race 1 of the West Harbour Winter Series is this Sunday May 9 (for those of you lucky enough to escape Mothers’ Day duties).

The number of entrants in the 2021 West Harbour Winter Series is currently an impressive 65.

After much consideration, there will be  four relatively large divisions with the aim being to create competitive racing amongst boats with closely related performance characteristics.

Performance Handicapping will be the default system, however for those wishing to compete on a measurement basis, we will be processing results for those boats with an ORC Certificate.

Please see the List of Competitors by Division for Race 1 of the West Harbour Winter Series.

If you intend racing and your boat is not on the list, please Enter Now.

The Sailing Instructions and Course Maps are now online.

Please enjoy this 9^th edition of the West Harbour Winter Series and sail safely.

Congratulations to Peter Hamilton and crew with Red Williams’ first place in the Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup series non-spinnaker division.

Red William

Also congratulations to Rob Hale and crew on Jackpot – 1st in Performance Cruising Division 1 and John Veale and crew on Hasta La Vista 3rd in Performance Cruising Division 3. Koko were unlucky to be relegated to 4th in Division 2 Performance Cruising on a count back.

Well done also to the Tana crew for first place in Division 3 Performance Cruising Race 3.

Check the GFS Facebook page for some excellent pictures of GFS participants in the event.

Once again the West Harbour Winter Series is being organised by Balmain Sailing Club.

Please note that dates published in the GFS program have been changed and are now –

9 May

23 May

6 June

20 June

4  July

18 July

1 August

Details and entry is via the links below –

Notice of Race for the 2021 West Harbour Winter Series

The dates have been updated since my previous email so that there will be no sailing on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

Please see the link to the current list of entrants.

If you intend racing and your boat is not on the list, please Enter Now.