Please note these have been revised and are different to the previous season.

There are two versions a PDF and Word file. The word filencan be downloaded and resized to aid ‘night’ vision.

They are also available on the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information page.

Due to Covid 19 restrictions on presentations and venue, our Skippers Brieifng is not being held as an event this year.

Skippers are requested to  review the Skippers Notes already sent with special emphasis on:

1. Ensure you are familiar with TopYacht crew list registration system and how to register your crew lists on a week by week basis;
2. Ensure you complete your Cat 7 Audit.  Last years Audit’s expire today.  David and other auditors will be available for new skippers and vessels this weekend where a hands on audit is  required;
3. Please review your Twilight Captain’s posting re safe movement for crew around the club pre and post racing.
   • Please book your pick up time so crew are not congregating;
   • Please use alternative pick up and parking areas such as Northwood Wharf, Bay St Wharf or Woolwich as there will be no after race gatherings at GFS;
   • Adhere to Covid Safe distancing and the number limits on the deck etc when getting on and off boats.
4. Ensure you have a functional radio on board per the sailing instructions.  Leave it on for the duration Ch72.  Our new committee vessel will allow shortened races and the use of “outside” finish lines so skippers will need to be aware of course changes during a race.
5. To that extent please review the Sailing Instructions and 2020 Course sheets.  As a skipper nothing annoys me more than hearing radio calls to starters seeking outside assistance because competitors haven’t read the instructions before the race.

I look forward to seeing us all on the water again for the 20/21 Sailing Season.

David Leslie, GFS Safety Officer

Please read and comply with the full GFS Covid Safety Plan.

Click or download GFS-COVID-19-Safety-Plan-June-2020

For every race you sail in you MUST also enter the crew list into TopYacht.  Once it is set up on your phone it is a simple process that can easily be done before each race.  Please see “Important – Persons on Board” notice below.

Directions for Race entries were published previously in the Club Notice:

Skippers are reminded that a self-audited Equipment Audit form must be lodged prior to September 30, 2020. The requirements for self-audits have been emailed to skippers previously by the GFS Safety Officer.   Once an audit is lodged it will be checked and followed up if required.   Boats new to the club or boats of new members will be required to book a dockside audit with the GFS Safety Officer – gfssafetyofficer@gmail.com.

With reduced opportunity for face-to-face communication, skippers are reminded that VHF radios are compulsory on all yachts.  It will be important to listen to announcements from the Starters.    Our new sponsor Sydney 4×4 can offer discounts on GME brand radios if you let them know you are a GFS member.

https://syd4x4.com.au/about

Race results will be published on-line after each race as in previous seasons.   The announcements in person and weekly prizes at the Clubhouse have been temporarily suspended.

Best of luck in the Twilight Series, Nick Murphy GFS Twilight Captain

Twilight Series 2020 – 2021

To all twilight sailors, welcome back for another season.

The 1st race is on Wednesday 6 October.  The full race program can be viewed here:

There are some changes this season due to the Covid situation.   The major changes are that the dinners have been suspended and access to the clubhouse and pontoon are restricted.   Crew members for every race need to be recorded in TopYacht as well.

The Covid situation has been addressed with a Covid Safety Plan.   Due to the current level of restrictions, we have had to introduce some temporary changes to our Twilight Race events:

•  Dinners and race announcements at the clubhouse are postponed until further notice;

•  Maximum 25 people on the deck, including the pontoon, at any one time;

•  Social distancing of 1.5m to be maintained as far as possible;

• No gatherings allowed inside the clubhouse;

• Maximum two people allowed in the clubhouse to collect or stow a dinghy;

•  Access to the pontoon via the deck instead of the clubhouse;

•  Kitchen and fridge are off-limits;

•  No rafting up allowed at the pontoon;

• Alternative crew pick-up points are encouraged, such as Bay St Wharf, Northwood Wharf, Woolwich Dock Pontoon.

Nick Murphy

Each time you sail in a GFS race you MUST enter the crew list to TopYacht.

The information is deleted on Monday at 12.00am so you must enter the crew list each week. To do this is in your best interest.

It is easy to set up.

If you initially add all of the possible crew who will be on your boat, it is a simple process to select the crew for each race and the easiest way is from your mobile phone just prior to the race by ticking relevant boxes.

The lists are mandatory and are stored for reference in case of the need for contact tracing during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Instructions are here – https://gfs.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Persons-on-Board-Instructions.pdf

At this stage GFS is operating under restricted conditions related to NSW Health advice related to Covid-19. This means –

1. Skippers are responsible for monitoring the health and safety of their crew
2. Where practicable sail with crew from designated areas – see map in a previous post
3. Crew lists are to be submitted for each race on TopYacht – for instructions go to – https://gfs.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Persons-on-Board-Instructions.pdf
4. Race starts will mainly be from the GFS Clubhouse
5. Saturday Series and Down Harbout races will be all non-spinnaker 
6. No pre- or post-race gathering on the deck
7. Race results will be published (later and not just after the race on the GFS Website)

For Down Harbour Race 1 the selected course will not venture too far East of the bridge or will remain on the Western side Spinnakers will not be permitted.

Current GFS restrictions will be reviewed for races after September.

The Junior sailing Program has been re-vamped. Please check the new Junior Sailing website for details – go to https://juniors.gfs.org.au.

Please be reminded that each time you sail in a GFS race you MUST enter the crew list to TopYacht.

Once set up it is a simple process using tick boxes. It can be done from a mobile phone easily just prior to the race once it is set up and your phone linked to an app.

The lists are stored for reference in case of the need for contact tracing during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Instructions are in the post below titled ‘PERSONS ON BOARD’ or here – https://gfs.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Persons-on-Board-Instructions.pdf

Australian Sailing has received advice from NSW Health about community sport in the current Covid environment. Sailors are requested to heed the recommendations from the Chief Health Officer for all community sports to avoid inter-regional mixing within the Greater Sydney area. NSW Health have requested State Sporting Organisations for water-based sports in Greater Sydney (i.e. Sydney Harbour) to designate at least three (3) ‘regions’. 

Australian Sailing have followed this request for the longer term benefits of the sport and put forward  regional zones as requested. These recommendations are in play at this stage until the end of September

Skippers are requested, where practicable, under these recommendations to sail with a crew who usually reside in their own local area and from a club in their local area, to help discourage travelling for community sport.

This literally means, if you live in Area A, you should ideally sail with a crew all from Area A where possible. As this is not a recommendation GFS is able to monitor and enforce and it will be left to individual skippers to take responsibility for the health and safety of their crew.

So not to disadvantage skippers who feel they are unable to compete because of area restrictions, races will not be included in Series or Overall Season Point-Scores whilst the current restrictions remain in force. Most clubs are following this.

This is a change to how sailors would normally sail on many boats and with various clubs. Australian Sailing seeks your assistance to comply with the recommendations which will help ensure that sailing and racing are able to continue during this pandemic.

GFS response while these restrictions remain.

1. Skippers are responsible for monitoring the health and safety of their crew
2. Sail with crew from designated areas where practicable
3. Crew lists are to be submitted for each race on TopYacht
4. Race starts will mainly be from the GFS Clubhouse
5. Saturday Series races will be all non-spinnaker (sorry Etchells)
6. Down Harbour races will be reviewed
7. No pre- or post-race gathering on the deck
8. Race results will be published (later and not just after the race)
9. Race results will not be included in series and season point scores

As a part of NSW Health contact tracing you are required to nominate the persons on board your boat each time you sail in a GFS event.

Once you have initially set this up it is an easy process each subsequent week.

Initial set up is via the TopYacht entry link –

https://www.topyacht.com.au/db/kb/1272

Once you have added a crew list you can update your crew from the following link –

https://tymob.net.au/1272

Detailed instructions are here – click to open or download

There are instructions included to allow you to set up a mobile device to update crew.

There is an updated Safety Plan now on the Club Information – Club Documents page under Club Rules, or click to view or download here.

All boats sailing in the GFS Saturday Series must lodge a self-audited Equipment Audit form for the 2020 – 2021 season prior to September 30, 2020. The requirements for self-audits will be emailed to skippers by the GFS Safety Officer.

Existing certificates from the 2019 – 2020 Season are valid for the Saturday and Down Harbour Series until September 30.

The GFS Equipment Audit form for 2020 – 2021 is on the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information page or here –

When completed, submit a scanned copy of the signed and completed audit form including the required attachments to gfssafetyofficer@gmail.com by September 30. Once an audit is lodged it will be checked and followed up if required.

Boats new to the club or boats of new members will be required to book a dockside audit with the GFS Safety Officer – gfssafetyofficer@gmail.com.

Boats of GFS members requiring an inspection for a higher category to race elsewhere can book an audit with the GFS Safety Officer.

NSW COVID-19 Update – 12 August 2020

PUBLISHED WED 12 AUG 2020

After a video call with NSW Office of Sport this morning, Australian Sailing (like all other State Sporting Organisations) has been requested to send out the following information to all clubs. With the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in young people in particular those who are school aged, the next 6 weeks have been deemed critical for cases within our state. NSW Health are currently reviewing restrictions for community sport and it is expected that these may increase over the next couple weeks.

The key points we have been requested to remind clubs include:

• REDUCE RISK
  • Reduce participants, officials and parents etc attending your club as much as possible
  • Avoid people gathering whilst sport is taking place – Do parents need to hang out the club? Is it possible to discourage siblings/ other family members hanging around the club
  • Maintain 1.5m social distancing at all times where possible. 
  • Increase warnings for those who are sick, showing symptoms etc to remain away from the club
• COVID SAFETY PLANS
  • COVID Safety Marshals have started to check on sporting clubs around NSW from this weekend for compliance. Every club with more than 20 participants (sailors, officials, spectators, parents etc) is required to have a COVID Safety Plan and this must be produced on request
  • Contact tracing should be continued to be recorded as much as possible, with ideally digital records and retained for a minimum of 28 days.
• REGATTAS/ COMPETITIONS
  • Club racing and regattas are able to continue, however clubs are being asked to where possible avoid events where competitors are coming from areas outside your clubs metro areas.
  • Avoid travel to regattas outside your local area
  • COVID plans specific to your regattas must be developed
• JUNIOR SAILING
  • Infection rate in children is of a high concern to NSW Health in particular over the next six weeks.
  • Attention needs to be put into ensuring that junior competitors/ participants are maintaining social distancing, cleaning/ hygiene requirements

Remember

• GET IN – SAIL – GET OUT still applies;
• Stay home if you are unwell;
• Club activities including racing can continue as long as the current Public Health Orders are complied with;
• Limit activities to small groups where possible;
• Practice good hand hygiene before, during and after sailing;
• Avoid physical contact where possible;
• Do not share drinks, towels, clothing etc;
• Encourage sailors to arrive dressed, ready to go.
• Contact tracing records must be kept
• Encourage the use of the COVIDSafe app for everyone whilst at your club.
• Follow the one person per 4 square metres rule ashore to ensure sufficient physical distancing between people.

Course sheets for season 2020 – 2021 are now available on the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information page or click to open or download from the following link.

Please note –

1. They are different to last season
2. The courses include Down Harbour Courses

On the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information page there is a Word file that can be downloaded and enlarged if the course sheet is too difficult to read easily.

Sailing Instructions for 2020 – 2021 are also on the the Sailing – Yacht Racing Information page. Abridged – Cockpit SI version is there too.

The 2020-2021 Yacht Program is available on the Sailing -Yacht Racing Information page or click or download below

Sailing Instructions and Course sheets will be available soon.