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January 2016
Every race is a fresh start, an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, refine your skills and improve technique…better your (sailing) self… so to each New Year brings us an opportunity to begin with a fresh new start to the year. Often many of us take this opportunity by making a new personal commitment to ourselves with news years resolutions such as quitting smoking, having fun, getting healthier, exercising more… perhaps you know of an inactive family member, friend or work colleague who has made a similar resolution and not yet started on it. If you do, take them sailing.
What is Get Active Sailing?
Get Active Sailing is a program developed in conjunction with VicHealth to get inactive people active through the sport of sailing. Through the use of proven sailing programs (such as Discover sailing days, Discover sailing training courses, Women & Girls in Sailing, Sailability and club twilight and social sailing) matched to targeted groups, we are looking to further grow sailing in Victoria.
Yachting Victoria has identified that family members, friends and colleagues of current members are the ideal demographic for sailing clubs growth, due to the connection we will already have with our sport and club. Download the Get Active Sailing Brochure (link) to learn more about how you can be involved.
In closing I wish all members and their families a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Simon van den Berg | Commodore
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Discover Sailing Day – a huge success
We had a very successful Discover Sailing Day at the club on Sunday 10 January. Over 120 visitors came through on the day, with 50 sailing sessions. The Ozi Optis proved popular with small and big kids alike. The club Pacers were also well used, as were the trailable yachts. We had couples through who had Googled us whilst sailing in the Caribbean off Cuba on their honeymoon, others who were on a date, plenty of families and some who joined us at the club last Saturday for the race.
A big thank you to Peter Behrendt who organised the day, and to all the volunteers who made the day a huge success helping with tasks from front desk, canteen, BBQ, rescue boats, and of course sailing.
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Social calendar - upcoming events
Photo: If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Lois and Julie take a break from Xmas party preparations on a very hot day, jumping in with the TACKERS - fully clothed!
Friday nights at the club with live music and food – Friday 5 February
Don’t miss it folks. The next Friday night music and food gig is on Friday 5 February. Bar open from 6pm, music and food from 6.30pm. We have live music from the Angelicats. So come and enjoy the long summer evening, great views, home cooked food and the friendly atmosphere. Families are very welcome.
Sunday 14 February – Family fun day
Come and join in our family fun day at the club on Sunday 14 February from 10am to 2pm. We will have some organised activities including a bush band and some bush dancing, the Optis boats will be available for kids and adults to use, maybe even have a paddle in some of the canoes, a fishing casting competition off the pier, swimming off the pier and use of table tennis, foozball etc. We will have a full BBQ running where you can buy lunch. The bar will be open from midday for refreshments. The idea is to encourage any members to bring their kids or grandkids down to make use of the club and our facilities. We are conscious that most of our social activities are generally not child friendly, so hopefully this day will provide a more family focus for some social interaction. You are welcome to bring friends, particularly if you are trying to encourage them to join the club, but the focus for the day is for our own club members. We are certainly not limiting activities to just families, so you do not need to have kids to come along and join in, so don’t be shy! There may even be a seniors Opti boat relay race- so don’t miss out on that! Get your cameras ready.
Past social events
Christmas party
Over 100 club members enjoyed a very successful and fun Christmas party at the club on 19 December. The very hot day transformed into a lovely mild evening. Thanks to the our club member David Baird, and his musical partner Patsy, who provided great live music as the ‘Long and Short of it’ to get the dancers toe tapping. An excellent night was had by all - good food, good fun and a great atmosphere. Thanks to all those who helped with food preparation, room set up, cleaning up and running the bar. A real team effort. Financially it was a successful night, raising well over a $1000 for the club.
New year’s eve
NYE is becoming a busy night at the sailing club, due to our great view of the city skyline and fireworks. There were around 120 adults, kids and teenagers enjoying the location and facilities. It was a very positive thing to see so many of our new members joining us for the first time this year.. Many members also brought along friends to enjoy the evening. The bar had a very big night raising funds for the club. A special big thank you to Jude, our volunteer Bar Manager and her hardworking team who keep the bar running at all functions at the club, including after race BBQs.
See the website for more information.
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New members for 2015-16
We would like to welcome all the new faces that have joined the club since July last year. It’s great to see so many enthusiastic new members, who have become involved in lots of different ways around the club. Since last July we have had 45 total new members, made up of 31 sailing members, 10 general members and 4 social members. Among these there have been 6 family memberships. So, if you see someone you don’t know around the club, introduce yourself and broaden your network of club members you know.
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Upstairs kitchen
Members are welcome to use the upstairs kitchen, as long as they leave it clean and tidy. We have just installed a new dishwasher - but if you use it, please make sure you empty it (and not leave it full for the next person). Any utensils, cooking equipment etc. in the upstairs kitchen belongs to the club. Regrettably some of it has been disappearing lately. Please be considerate and don't take home club property.
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2015 Sailing World Cup - Melbourne wrap up
Kevin Wilson and Paul Pascoe reflect on the 2015 Sailing World Cup Olympic and Invited Classes regatta and its new move to St Kilda. Read the article on the Yachting Australia website.
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Canteen helpers needed
We always looking for a few extra people to help with canteen duty on Saturday mornings from about 10.30am till 1.30pm. We have a small number of regulars and they would always love an extra helper or two to share the load. Helping in the canteen is a great way to get to know people around the club. If you would be available to help us in the canteen, even if it's just once over the summer, please call Lois on 0412341223.
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Yachting Victoria training courses
Find the right Dinghy, Keelboat, Powerboat, Instructor, Coach or Race Officials course online at Yachting Victoria.
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Upcoming regattas
Top of the Bay - Saturday 6 February
Sailing instructions are now available for the annual Top of Bay Regatta hosted by Altona Yacht Club (AYC).
2016 Victorian Trailable Yacht & Sports Boat Championships
Melbourne Trailable Yacht Club and Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron are co-hosting the 2016 Four Winds Marine Victorian Trailable Yacht and Sports Boat Championships on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February.The event includes the RL 24 Class Association State Titles and Castle Class Association State Titles.
Fast facts:
- Entry Fee: $60 – includes overnight berthing at RMYS.
- Short course racing format for Saturday PM and Sunday.
- BBQ dinner available at the RMYS club on Saturday night.
- Event details, including contacts for further information is included with the Notice Of Race.
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TACKERS sailing programs
Saturday mornings
What a great turn out we are getting at Saturday morning TACKERS fleet program. Many new faces have come through the Discover Sailing Day.
We welcome visitors to come and try TACKERS fleet a few times. If they wish to continue, the children will have to join the club to continue being involved. As Junior Sailing members, the children will be registered with Yachting Victoria and covered for racing and insurance on the water. We are hoping that families of our TACKERS kids also get involved in the club through either social, general or sailing memberships. Saturday morning TACKERS fleet will continue to the end of the sailing season.
School holiday TACKERS programs
The formal TACKERS programs held the week before Christmas and the one on this week have been very successful. These programs have brought about 20 new families into contact with our club, and we are getting a number of families looking at joining the club. The success of the TACKERS program is due to the hard work, great effort and happy atmosphere created by Grace, our TACKERS instructor, and her three assistant instructors, Hayden, Jarrod and Oliver. These young club members are doing a great job to develop our future sailors.
Leadership training
To continue to develop the skills and leadership of our teenage members over 2016, we will put two of our young sailors, Jarrod and Alice, through their TACKERS Instructors qualification to give us extra flexibility in training programs. Over the next few years we will continue to provide leadership opportunities and training to other young club sailors. Working in the TACKERS program and undertaking the formal training involved provides an ideal opportunity for our teenage members to develop their skills, leadership potential and have fun along the way.
Good luck Grace
We would like to wish Grace, our popular TACKERS instructor all the best for her upcoming university exchange to Malaysia for first semester. She heads off in mid-February. She will be back on deck to help us run next season's TACKERS programs.
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Boat ramp usage reminder
All members who use the boat ramp for either sailing or power boat use are reminded that there are some basic common sense rules we would like you to follow. As we are part of our local community we should always be mindful of maintaining good relations with local residents and fellow club members.
One of the most important rules is to remember is not to drive your boat up onto your trailer with your motor, always use your winch instead. This prevents eroding the ramp substrate structure which eventually leads to trailer wheels getting stuck.
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New members wanting to sail
This season the club’s larger training boat, the James Pearl is sailing every Saturday. This is specifically with the focus of providing a few spots each week for new members and visitors to come and try sailing, or help them make the step from learn to sail to racing. We have had a great influx of new members, so we are busier than ever to help people get on the water. The reality is we have more requests for places than we can often fill. This means we are often looking for crew space on trainable or someone who needs crew for a Pacer. If you can help out on Saturdays with space for crew, or you need crew, please let Brian or Lois know on Saturday mornings.
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