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What a success! Thanks to the many participants who performed a myriad of tasks in a convivial and collaborative manner.
We can safely say the with all the cleaning and fixing the Deck of Knowledge is shipshape and ready for the upcoming sailing season which kicks off with Equipment Audits for Saturday Series yachts next Saturday August 20 and with Race 1 of the Saturday Spring Series on September 3.
The July 1, 2016 introduction of the Maritime Safety Regulation has implications that impact on both clubs and sailors regarding lifejackets – CLICK HERE for more information from RMS. Please be aware of these changes and that the club committee has a duty of care to its members and strongly suggest that you read and follow these new requirements.
Sailing Instructions and Courses are now on the yachts page or here SI_pH_16_17 for SI and here Courses 2016_2017 for Courses. Please be aware that there have been subtle changes to some courses as well as some changes to Sailing Instructions – for example start times for Twilight Black and Blue Divisions.
The club will not supply a hard copy of the Sailing Instructions. An abridged version of the Sailing Instructions for ease of download is available. Abridged version SI_16_17 Download. You will need to refer the full version for any extra details. The download version is a satisfactory requirement for your Equipment Audit.
Hard copies of the Course Sheet and Safety Card will be distributed at the time of your Equipment Audit.
Forget the Solitude of winter and watching Tana coach the Auckland Blues, leave the Mistress to Zig Zag down to the club with Flair in a blazing Fireball on August 13 to share in a Blue Chip experience with some L’Atitude in a Knockabout way at the annual working bee.
Saltbush Bill has devised a plan to rid the club of any Highland Ghosts, Infidels, Cockatoos, Fireflys, Wayward items and Eggshells left over after twilights. Possibly it will take My Turn and have a Dump Truck to remove the rubbish. As well a Beware of the Dog sign will be placed to protect the Irukandji and Dolphin populations.
All Our Girls, Chloe, Annabella, Old Mother, Sami, Izzi, Jester and Rex will be there, and, Gwhizz you don’t have to wear Tartan, just bring Passion and the result will be Worlds Apart. We will avoid any Shemozzle and will definitely improve the Seascape which will not leave you Jayded or be more than you can Bear. The whole effort will require Vitesse and the Velocity of a Force Four gale (which is really a case of Mind/Matter).
Red William will return from Out of Africa where the Umzimkulus won the Jackpot to play the Soundtrack for the event with Disco Trooper the Foxy DJ. This may turn into a Riverdance to avoid any Agrovation.
Don’t be Pistol Dawn (that’s a bit of a Naughty Call) the night before, jump on a Sweet Chariot and Flashback down to the club Avanti to help out on August 13 from 9.00am. Hasta La Vista.
The final race of the WHWS showed what this season’s racing was like with yet another race failing to be completed. Light conditions and one wet race resulted in only 4 races being sailed and with one race dropped it was a pretty skinny pointscore.
Congratulations to David Leslie and the Umzimkulu II crew for winning PHS Division 3. Also to David Edmiston and the Passion II crew for their 3rd place in ORC Division 2 and Pam Joy and Leslie Barr and the Tana crew for 2nd in ORC Division 3.
Full results can be viewed here PHS and here ORC if you are interested.
From 1 July 2016, the Marine Safety Regulation 2016 replaces the Marine Safety (General) Regulation 2009. The Marine Safety Regulation 2016 has been designed to promote safety, reduce red tape and improve administrative efficiency.
The most significant changes include:
- Reforms to boat driver licensing, including streamlining licence classes and
- application requirements, simplifying the fee structureand the introduction of
- a 10-year boat licence
- New lifejacket standards and simplified requirements for wearing lifejackets
- Vessels no longer need to display a registration label or trade plate
- Changes to streamline the administration of aquatic licences
- Changes to some penalty levels and disqualification periods
Click on the underlined links for details.
It was good to see a good winter turnout following the West Harbour Winter Series race on July 17.
Sadly the race was abandoned but this allowed the Deck of Knowledge to meet and discuss matters of importance some of which related to sailing and boats.
The final race of the 2016 WHWS was Sunday July 31 and the after race presentation for the race and for the series was at Balmain Sailing Club.
An overview of the progressive series scores detailed in a report sent to competitors by the BSC Race Manager can be read here if you are interested.
The sailing Program for the 2016 – 2017 season is available on the Yachts page or here – GFS Sailing Prog_2016 _17
The 2016 – 2017 sailing season is fast approaching with Saturday Spring Series Race 1 on September 3.
Equipment Audits for Saturday Series Yachts will take place on August 20 (Twilights – September 17 and 25). In preparation please review the required equipment you have on board before for having it checked by an auditor. The form is available both on the Yachts page or here – GFS Cat 7 Form
As an initiative to promote safety of skippers and crew you will be required to carry on board a completed GFS Safety Card copies of which will be provided at the time of your audit. These provide specific information of what to do in an emergency and a reminder to inform crew of the location of equipment which may be required. The card is available on the yachts page or here – GFS-Safety-Card-2016-2017-Season
Next Sunday July 17 is WHWS Race 5. The after race presentation is at GFS from 4:00pm. It would be good if all GFS Skippers and their crews could attend. Other skippers from Balmain and Drummoyne may also attend so it is a good opportunity to have some cross club discussion.
There is also an amendment to the Sailing Instructions to allow the provision of shorter courses. This amendment will be emailed but can also be found here. Please update your course sheet as it looks like light winds again this Sunday.
The next WHWS race is the coming Sunday July 3. Hopefully the weather gods will smile on the fleet!
A couple of GFS yachts were awarded honourable mentions in the race manager’s report.
Race 3 of the West Harbour Winter Series saw a depleted fleet of 29 competitors brave miserable wet conditions to complete the race.
In Division 1, Ray Parrott’s X332, Xray, sailed impressively leading division 1 for two-thirds of the race to place first on handicap (ORC and PHS) and second over the line ahead of Simon Oliver’s MD35 Matag’. Second place on PHS went to Bill Ure on his Hick 35 Hick Up and in third place was Conrad Johnston on his Fareast28r Wildling 2.
In Division 1 ORC, first place went to Xray ahead of Matagi and Steve Piper’s Adams 10 Coconut Telegraph.
In Division 2 (PHS) Peter Horne’s Diamond Red October placed first just 32 seconds ahead on corrected time from Craig Armour’s Hick 30 Delirium. Third place went to last years division winner Denis Speyer’s Swarbrick 945 Between Partners. In Division 2 ORC, Mal Thompson’s Young 88 Pistol Dawn placed 1st well ahead on corrected time of Adam Baggett’s Farr 1020, Tenspeed, which was in turn ahead of David Edminston’s Jeanneau 37, Passion. Passion finally received their ORC Club certificate and their back-dated results under ORC places them in equal first place for the series in division 2 ORC.
In Division 3 (PHS) Peter Francis’ Hanse 325 Wind Charmer won the daily double of first over the line and first on handicap after a closely fought battle with the slightly larger Hanse 350, Les Girls II owned by Susan Geary who crossed the line just 8 seconds after Wind Charmer. Third place went to Doug Allan’s Peterson 30 Silhouette. In Division 3 (ORC) the difference in corrected time of the first three yachts was less than 1 minute with Silhouette ahead of Les Girls II and Wind Charmer.
In Division 4 – PHS, Michael Bleakley’s modified Crossfire 20 Loose Change also was first over the line and first on handicap. In second place was Jeff Finnegan’s Endeavour 26 Witchways II a minute ahead on corrected time of third placed Hughie II Karen Abel’s Northshore 27.
At the half-way mark of the series there remain many competitors vying for podium finishes. Fingers crossed for favourable (or evan pleasant) conditions.
Race 4 of the West Harbour Winter Series is this Sunday the 3rd of July and competitors are invited back to the Balmain Sailing Club for the post-race prize-giving and sausage sizzle.
David Stenhouse, Race Manager
Following the abandonment of the race a fortnight ago, Race 3 of the WHWS will be held this Sunday.
Unless there is a Gale Warning (or worse) the race will go ahead, regardless of rain!
Following the race, competitors are invited to Drummoyne Sailing Club for the official prize-giving.
A Text has been sent cancelling WHWS Race 3.
The extreme weather/wind conditions resulting from an East Coast Low has managed to get Seabreeze’s wind prediction into the Brown Pants Zone.
Hopefully Race 4 on June 19 will have better conditions.
There is an amendment to the WHWS Sailing Instructions
It brings the scoring system to be fully in line with the RRS and the standard TOPYACHT settings. See here.
The actual published results on the website are in accordance with this amendment.
With respect to final series results, it is unlikely that any boats will be disadvantaged by this change.
However, if any boat thinks they are we will review and if required amend the final series results to ensure that is not the case.
