It’s not too late to enter the 2020 Balmain Regatta!
Due to COVID-19 there will be no post-race party on the deck at the Balmain club.
We had a very encouraging turn-out of 65 boats for Spring Race 2.
At the end of the race we had 62 boats finishing which was good to see. The last of the boats were finishing after sunset, so we would like to remind skippers to keep a torch trained on your sail number and make a radio call as you finish. We would also like to remind skippers who withdraw from the race to make a radio call to the Starters as well.
We had some technical difficulties at the start, which caused the start sequence to be delayed by 10 minutes. In order to be ready for this sort of late change, we advise skippers to listen for radio calls from GFS and to watch the flags. On this occasion a series of four radio calls were made to alert skippers to the change.
We wish to thank our Course Setter Mark Rhodes and our Starters, Hugh Vaughan and James Curr.
Social Secretary
This week we would like to thank our renewing sponsors, Back Vintage, Helly Hansen, Joe Walsh Rigging, Doyle-MacDiarmid Sails, Robert Oatley Wines and Zjoosh.
Nick Murphy
In the current Covid climate you are required to submit a crew list each time you sail in a GFS event. At present some skippers are not complying with this requirement. The crew list is reset each Monday (12.00 am) – Twilight and Saturday Series crew lists will need to be added for the next race after this time.
If you set up a possible list of potential crew it is an easy process each subsequent week to select those who will be on board.
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 –
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. Very simple to just tick those on board from a list.
As from Down Harbour Race 2 (October 10) spinnakers are once more permissible for yachts in Saturday and Down Harbour Series races. Yachts will also accrue points in series and overall pointscores. Please continue to follow Covid-19 protocols where possible.
The first race in the Twilight Series started well with a very good turn out of 56 boats. Very light and changeable winds proved difficult but 31 of the contestants still made it across the finish line in time. At the club pontoon it was pleasing to see that members were respectful of the current social distancing requirements. We wish to thank our course setter, Mark Rhodes, who faced a difficult task with the variable winds. We thank our Starters, Hugh Vaughan and James Curr
Social Secretary announcements.
With the pandemic restrictions we have suspend the weekly divisional prizes for the time being. Prizes will still be awarded for the End of each Series. Please check the website each week for changes. ML Foods and Franc Lauc are still engaged as our official caters and we are considering catering options for the future. This season we are pleased to announce we have two new sponsors, Yachtworks and Sydney 4×4. They will be sponsoring prizes for the end of each season and are providing discounts to GFS members.
A reminder Twilight Spring Series Race 1 is this evening (October 7). Covid rules are still in place and there will be no post-race gathering at the clubhouse. Start times are as per the Sailing Instructions and 2020-2021 courses are different to the previous season.
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:
- Ensure you are familiar with TopYacht crew list registration system and how to register your crew lists on a week by week basis;
- 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;
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 –
- Skippers are responsible for monitoring the health and safety of their crew
- Where practicable sail with crew from designated areas – see map in a previous post
- 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
- Race starts will mainly be from the GFS Clubhouse
- Saturday Series and Down Harbout races will be all non-spinnaker
- No pre- or post-race gathering on the deck
- 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.
- Skippers are responsible for monitoring the health and safety of their crew
- Sail with crew from designated areas where practicable
- Crew lists are to be submitted for each race on TopYacht
- Race starts will mainly be from the GFS Clubhouse
- Saturday Series races will be all non-spinnaker (sorry Etchells)
- Down Harbour races will be reviewed
- No pre- or post-race gathering on the deck
- Race results will be published (later and not just after the race)
- Race results will not be included in series and season point scores
