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CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION of AUSTRALIA
VICTORIAN DIVISION
MELBOURNE CUP REGATTA
A carnival of yacht racing evolutions with Classic Yachts and Sailing Couta Boats on the Northern waters of Port Phillip Bay
Competing for the
The Stradbroke II Perpetual Trophy
and
Trans Tasman Cup
With
Match Racing for the 1000 Guineas Cup
OCTOBER 29,30 and 31 2011
Organising Authority
ROYAL YACHT CLUB OF VICTORIA
on behalf of the
CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION of AUSTRALIA
Notice of Race (Word Doc format)
Notice of Race (PDF format)
Dear Skippers and Crews of our Classic Yacht fleet.
The 2011/2012 Classic Yacht Association (Vic) Summer Series is now open for entry submissions.
The attachments have the Summer Series Notice of Race documentation plus the various entry and subs renewal forms. Completion of at least one of these forms is required to compete in the 2011-2012 Summer Series of 8 races. Before entering any data select the print layout option from the view toolbar. You will have better content orientation and will see the Notice of Race background image.
The scheduled race dates are outlined in the Notice of Race.
The race date spread for this series is to allow skippers and crews to opportunity to also participate in the 4 Bay Regattas and the Sydney Old Gaffers Regatta.
Closing date for the Summer Series entry is nominally Oct 9.
To enter information on the attached content protected forms use the TAB key or the arrow keys or mouse to position the screen cursor on the required line. If the enter key is accidentally used, and I know it will be, use the back space key till content orientation restoration takes place. This feature cannot be resolved until we have a Web based entry/subs renewal form.
The preferred entry fee/subs payment process is the on-line transfer from your account to the Classics account. Classics don’t have a BPay account.
Save the completed form as either Classics 2012 Summer Series Entry or Classics 2012 Subs Renewal and attach it to your return mail.
The 2012 membership year begins on Oct 1
The same subs renewal and new member forms will be sent out with the Melbourne Cup Regatta Notice of Race documentation and Cup Entry form.
Next year, maybe a membership renewal invoice can be generated on line to each member instead of this form filling out process.
A special note.
One item on our membership data base we must keep up to date is your home yacht club membership status. The Classic Yacht Association is affiliated with Yachting Victoria with the status of a non fee paying association member. To maintain this status, the association is required to produce annually, evidence 60% of our membership has a Yachting Australia silver card. We are at the 63% mark. Below 60% we go into the territory of big affiliation fees, $000’s. Without YV affiliation, no YV affiliated yacht club will conduct a yacht race for us.
To assist, I’ve attached the new member form to this mail. Remember no nomination fee and $50 PA. The individual memberships of a member with multiple club memberships also count.
If people have managed to stay reading this far I have a request.
Anyone know who has the Winter Series Trophy? The Rusty Shackle. If so, let me know and bring it along for our Sunday Presentation. I’ve asked the usual suspects, of course they all know nothing.
Regards to all
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
Dear Skippers and Crew
The final race of our 2011 Winter Series is scheduled to be run on Sept 11.
The Race 8 Sailing Instructions and the entry list with the allocated group start times are attached.
This Race date of Sept 11 was re- confirmed on Weds Aug 31 with RYCV Race Director.
I received a number of queries about the race date mix up. There was a communication problem. I’m worried and will feel bad if someone will be caught out by this and cannot sail. I sincerely hope this is not the case and humbly apologise if it is the case.
There’s one additional Sailing Instruction item skippers need to be aware of with this pursuit race.
Skippers are required to verbally notify the Race Director in the Royals Marina start box their boat is racing in the Classics Race 8. The allocated course number can also be confirm at the same time.
Evolutions for Race 8, under control of RYCV Race Director Graeme West, past RYCV commodore, are scheduled to begin at 10:25 am.
The time interval between some group starts is only one minute. Normally pursuit race group start intervals are two or more minutes. As the series result will be decided with this race, Royals agreed to use my formula based group start times. These group start times are based on the current allocated handicap for each yacht and include Race 7 adjustments.
I’m attempting to give the skippers and crews going for the series result, as fair a chance as possible to knock off their opponents.
The current allocated handicaps, calculated after Race 7, will be posted on the web site. These handicaps may be modified after Race 8.
The actual RYCV course allocated for the race is the decision of the race director. If there’s a requirement for a shortened course, Royals will have a crash boat on the water to handle this.
Check out the S I’s for the group start procedure and mandatory course gate sail through.
After the race, the skippers and crews of visiting Classics are invited to tie up at Royals for the knee’s up and presentation of the Rusty Shackle Trophy to the most successful skipper of the 2011 Winter Series. The BBQ is BYO.
One last item.
Next week we will be on the receiving end of multiple mail outs from the Association. It’s 2011/2012 Summer Series and 2011 Cup Regatta entry time. NOR’s including entry forms for each event will be mailed out to all Vic members of the Association. Embedded in each entry will be the first of our subs renewal offers for existing Association skippers and crews.
We need to be financial to be accepted as entrants in the local Association Summer Series and Cup Regatta. Of course, we know our beloved Classics won’t rest at night until they are back with their mates in the Association.
Attached to these next week mail outs will be a new member entry form. Classic Skippers and Crew can use this form to assist those who wish to become part of the local and national Classic Yacht action.
FYI. Between now and April next year we have 4 Regattas on Port Phillip and Corio Bays plus the upcoming Vic Summer Series.
First Regatta up is our Oct 29 Cup Regatta with its attendant social knees up and racing action including the Guineas Trophy. There’s a bunch of Sorrento Coutas coming up. 20 Kiwi’s from the NZ Classic Yacht Association are coming over. Every time the Kiwis come over, they leave behind their enthusiasm and knowledge of Classic Yachting that began with the 1888 Centenary Intercolonial Regatta on Port Phillip Bay.
Nationally, we have the October Gaffer Regatta in Sydney, the Classic Yacht Regatta in New Zealand in Feb. and the Queensland Vintage Yacht Regatta in June. There’s also Classic Yacht action in Perth. These regattas present Victorian Association members the opportunity to meet and sail with other members of our national association and their Classic Yachts.
Enough said, it’s hit the line and start living again time, on Sept 11 from 10:30 onwards.
Sail hard and sail safe.
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
Due to RYCV running the Women’s Elliot Regatta the final race of the 2011 Winter Series has been bought forward to 11th September.
Summer Series Notice of race and entry form will be published soon, the first race is on Oct 16.
Musings from the couch after our Race 7 on Sunday Aug 21
Inspired by the insights of Col Bandy
The race committee finally made their mind up at 10:54. with the race postponement signal being lowered for an 11:00am start.
As usual the Tums came to the rescue. They were the only yachts the race committee could trust for indicators of wind activity. So after the third course selection and second pin end relocation, R26 it was. This course kept the fleet relatively close and in sight of each other. It also allowed the race committee to shorten course in a manner that all the fleet obtained a finish time within 60 minutes of the first finisher. 59 minutes and 24 seconds to be exact.
The start was notable for the high number of yachts all hitting the line close to the start time in such light conditions and with no problems. The most notable start seen from the race committee boat was Martini’s. They hit that line with clear air and one second to spare. After the race the skipper and crew were queried, I knew Bertrand and Co. required lessons from this bunch. The Martini people let me in on their starting tactics but extracted a promise from me never to reveal them. So, all those hot shot guns needn’t bother trying to find the elixir of fantastic starts from the ultimate starting hotshots, Martini.
Once again the light sailing conditions provided opportunity for skippers and crews to show their sailing skills needed keep the yachts moving. Stop and you’re dead.
Acrospire and Boambillee showed the fleet how by clearing out after the start. The start from Dingo and Zephyr was also notable. Both boats worked hard to maintain access to clear air up to the windward mark.
Michael McTavish, skippering Serifa, hunted down one of the elusive vertical wind sheers the bay is known for. Watching Serifa pass Tandanya, from the committee boat, showed how it’s done. Maybe the 5 litres of fluid Serifa started with was running low and a refuelling urgency was catalyst for their crack sailing. Whatever the story from Tandanya’s tactician, Bob Munro, this action was a great watch.
Across the top of the bay, stirring stuff with Boambillee and Pastime trying to nail the stalled Acrospire. Mr. Anderson and the Acrospire crew saw the danger. Acrospire was tasked to find that wind sheer. No problems and the finish gun was the payoff.
Boambillee finished their race with great crew work holding their shy kite with the wind well forward of their beam on the run to the finish.
The fleet of 3 Tums showed some tight sailing with a consecutive elapsed time finishes by Dingo, Zephyr and Avian with that great man, Roger, directing her racing evolutions. How much can one man know?
Bungoona, with Cameron Dorrough on the helm, managed the coup of the day. Using skill and tactics of one designer sailing, Cyan was fought off for a one second win in an over the line no quarter battle.
The sail of the day must go to Jean. This race was the first time Jean has been with the classic fleet since her significant makeover. With John Raff and Phil Edwards keeping Jean at her least resistance water attack angle throughout the race, the day was her day. No doubt she’ll be rewarded with the usual benevolence from the fleet handicapper.
All up, the race and time on the water has again made life worth living. At least for 3 weeks.
The next race, Sept 11, is the last of the 2011 Winter series. The series points status is tight. With a Royals marina pursuit start and finish, the race result and series result will be on view, real time, for all to watch. The 3 week race break is due to, two consecutive ORCV winter series conducted by RYCV.
The Race 7 results and series status points are on our web site results page.
General Classic Notes
HBYC are conducting a MOB night Aug 24. Classic members are welcome to attend. FYI, RBYC require an individual crew sign off on MOB training for their Saturday club racing. Further information on this seminar is provided in the attachment.
The Notices of Race for both the 2011/2012 Summer Series and the Melbourne Cup Regatta will be issued shortly. There’s a significant Kiwi contingent on their way for the Cup Regatta.
Subs are another issue. Sept 30 is the membership year end. I’ll send out a notice with the renewal form shortly. Without our Classic Yacht Association where would we be.
Early 2012, there’s 3 regattas our association is involved with, Geelong Australia Day, Geelong Wooden Boat Festival and the Queencliff Maritime Museum Regatta.
The Association will have an onshore presence at the Geelong WBF. Details on what role the Association will have at these regattas will be provided after our Melbourne Cup Regatta.
And last is the regulatory black cloud on our horizon.
The Vic. Dept. of Transport, Marine Safety regulations currently in force expire on Dec 2012. The replacement regulations don’t make pleasant reading. One example is that penalty for some common regulatory infringements increases from 1.2 to 5.0 penalty units. $130.00 approx to $600 approx.
Lots of fees to obtain a Hull Identification Number (HIN) when selling a boat.
New description of Port Phillip Bay Waters with no definition.
The devils in the detail with these new regs.
Have a look at the Dept. of Trans web site for more details.
http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/about-us/legislation/new-marine-safety-laws
Till next race when we, Classic Skippers and Crew, and our Classic yachts live again.
Regards
Peter Costolloe
Classic (Vic) Handicapper
Results available here,
classic-yacht.asn.au/results/
Also some pictures from Pastime II here.
Notes for Skippers and Crew for CYAA (Vic) 2011 Winter Series Race 7 August 21.
Dear Classic Skippers and Crews
This Sunday, August 21st, the 2011 Winter Series Race 6 will be conducted for the CYAA by the Hobsons Bay Yacht club. Racing evolutions under the control of Bob Tanner, Ex HBYC and ORYC Commodore, are scheduled to commence when HBYC Committee Vessel “Privateer” displays the “On station” and “Designated Course” signals.
Attached is the CYAA Winter Series Race 7 list of Entrants, their allocated handicaps, plus the Race 7 Sailing Instructions. No marina finish for this race.
Here’s a small story about our (CYAA) system of assigning handicaps, ACH’s.
Leading up to our Oct 29 Melbourne Cup Regatta the CYAA handicap of yachts racing in the last two series was compared to the Yachting Victoria (Allocated Calculated Handicap) ACH calculation formula.
Result.
Excluding yachts with insufficient results data, the variation was 0.8%. How about that!
Why the comparison?
When the association conducts the Oct 29 Melbourne Cup Regatta, the Yachting Victoria formula for ACH corrections during a regatta will be used. We need to know our initial, Race 1, ACH values are fair. The problem will be assigning initial ACH’s to yachts that enter but have not raced with us regularly. That’s a problem we hope to have.
To all Skippers and Crews of our classics fleet, great racing Sunday. The 10:30am line’s waiting for you. Sail hard but safely.
I’ll be on the HBYC race committee boat again.
Regards
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
“Musings from the couch”
Race 6 Aug 7 2011
Race abandoned!!
When what wind there was shifts from north to nor’ west and the outgoing
tide stops all those on a starboard start from crossing the line and no further wind predicted happens. What can a race committee do? Mercedes with her blinding start and Martin Ryan on the helm, certainly had other ideas.
Still. There’s no such thing as a bad day on the water. When sailing our classics, details like no wind are irrelevant. Great boats, great company, say no more.
Today’s the count of the classic fleet was 18. No doubt about it, a sight to be seen.
Watching Dingo, with Jim Hutchison on the helm, tack her way to the fleet in the light wind conditions from St Kilda was inspirational. Galatea with George Low and Chris Lawrence was also back with us. No doubt ready to make up for their no show disappointment of being bush wacked by a dingy for the previous race.
Acrospire’s showing today was also a welcome visage. Col Anderson and his crew were also bush wacked last race. An uncooperative bum boat battery caused their no show The becalmed fleet was on the receiving end of an Acrospire crew ‘Happy Birthday” serenade to their skipper. No doubt, the gaff and topsail hoisting procedures must have been forgiven by then. So, from the fleet, Happy Birthday, Col.
Bob Munro on Tandanya provided his usual flag etiquette lesson to the fleet with the flying of Classic Yacht burgee’s from his lower port spreader. Today, burgee’s of the Australian and New Zealand Classic Yacht Associations were flown by Tandanya, in the correct order, Australia in the high order and the Kiwi in the lower order. And to think the Australian constitution still records New Zealand as part of Australia, (Item 6 of the preamble).
Pass me the smelling salts fast.
Talking about unpleasant topics, I have one more. It’s soon to be subs time.
Our Vic membership of the Association is 120 strong. To both the general yachting fraternity and general public, this group of 120 souls has maintained the image and awareness of Classic Yachting in Victoria, to such a degree that whenever the comment is made, ” I sail with the Classics” the immediate response is one of keen interest and awareness. This image and goodwill is no accident. It’s due to the quality of commitment to our beloved classic yachts by our 120 membership souls.
All this is a rev up for us, in Classics Victoria, to renew our subs. Date due, Sept 30th. No more to be said on this subject, except, no change to the subs fee scale.
Recently Classics Vic has become stronger. From Brighton, we now have Kingurra, with Ian MacFarlane and the spirit of Peter Joubert with us. This week, another Mornington Classic has joined our Fleet, Arapala, a New England Cutter with Colin and Ginny Bibby. They now team up with Athena sailed by Martin and Anne Bryan to be our Mornington fleet.
A welcome is also extended to our members receiving the after race ‘Musing” for the first time. This informal after race newsletter began with, unfortunately no longer with us, Col Bandy. On the Sunday evenings, after the race, he would sit down and put pen to paper as an effort to record his recollections of the days race. His named his efforts “Musings from the couch” These Musings by Col became an important part of the race day for the on water participants.
To remember Col and to appreciate his love for the Classic Yachts, the on water recollections were continued. The Musing were first circulated to the skippers only. Over time the musings circulation has developed to include all Victorian Association skippers and crew members that participated in the race of the day. So why not include our entire Vic. Membership.
Up coming classic Yachting events are also referred to in the musings. Preparations have started for the next Summer Series and the Cup Regatta. A 36 item list has been generated for our Cup Regatta sub-committee. Couta Boat participation is high on that list.
To first time recipients of the “Musing from the Couch”, Welcome.
To provide all the Vic. Members information about the Vic. Fleets racing activity the Pre Race rev up will also be sent out. Race entry lists with yacht handicaps and associated Sailing Instructions along with handicapper comments not wrapped in cotton wool are covered. The Musing and the Pre Race information is also published on our web site by Scott McDonald of “Pastime II”
The link to the CYAA Vic News page is
http://classic-yacht.asn.au/category/news/vic/
I’ve generated a series points after race 6 table. There’s no change except to show today’s race abandoned. We now have two abandoned races, so no individual race drops.
So, for two weeks we live the first four lines of that brilliant Irish song
“The Isle of Innisfree”.
Till Sunday August 21, when we come alive again, at 10:30am for Race 7.
Regards to all
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
Dear Classics Skippers and Crews
This Sunday, August 7th, the 2011 Winter Series Race 6 will be conducted for the CYAA by the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. Racing evolutions under control of RYCV Race Director, David LeRoy, are scheduled to commence when RYCV Race Committee Vessel “Thorsen” displays the “On station” and “Designated Course” signals.
Note: The RYCV race committee vessel “Thorsen” will display the International Code Flag “O” as the signal to indicate if the RYCV Marina finish line is to be the finish line for the designated course.
Attached is the CYAA Winter Series Race 6 list of Entrants and their allocated handicaps, plus the Race 6 Sailing Instructions.
No doubt skippers are aware when racing under ISAF racing rules of sailing, common sense must prevail. Don’t push the safety envelope, what can go wrong will go wrong.
When sailing on the Port Phillip Bay, skippers are required to be aware of and comply with the provisions of the Marine Act of 1988 as amended in January 2011. Here’s the link to this Victorian legislation.
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/ma198875/s19.html
To better understand what is defined as a reportable marine incident, use this link to the National Marine Safety Committee web site.
http://www.nmsc.gov.au/nmsc_and_you/index.php?MID=14&CID=14
To assist skippers with their on water responsibilities the CYAA (Vic) will operate a register of reportable safety incidents. Operational details of this register will provided in due course.
Being aware of their responsibilities will allow skippers, with their crew, to sail hard but safely. That’s what’s racing our Classic’s is all about.
To all Skippers and Crews of their loved Classics, great racing Sunday. There’s a line to be hit at 10:30:03am.
Regards
Peter Costolloe
CYAA (Vic) Handicapper
Going through the results from our Sunday race in the evening is a process I’ve enjoyed for some time now. Especially when thawed out. For a normal winters day on the bay with flat water, reasonable breeze but bone chilling weather, you may wonder why 17 classic yachts and 80 odd people show up for a race. The answer! We love our classics. No questions! And racing them together, there’s no better way for our yachts to return the feeling to their caring owners and crews.
When observed from the race committee vessel, it’s a sight to see the race fleet numbers develop, as yachts arrive for the start from all the clubs on the bay. I’m not too sure about the scene the race committee presented to the fleet, while disengaging the pin end mark mooring line from the committee vessel prop.
On to the start. At 3minutes and 50 seconds it was commitment time. The fleet was an image of gathering storm clouds. After the 5 minute signal went ,only 3 seconds elapsed before 95% of the fleet hit the line. Here we are with classic yachts ranging from powerful ocean racers, gentleman day sailers, Tumlarens, the dancing sylphs of the bay and race proven couta boats all going for the line together. Albeit, a slight barging incident prevented Mercedes from her perceived intention to repaint the committee vessel.
After settling from the adrenalin pumping start, Kingurra showed her power by moving clear from the fleet. For some, the tide and wind shifts during the beat to the top mark took care of their great starts.
On the run to St Kilda, the Boambillee crew showed the fleet how to hold a spinnaker on a tight reach.
After the rounding of the A mark, twinkle toes with his Nureyev style ballet work on the fore deck of Avian eventually had his kite flying What next from that great man? A Dame Joan performance?
The Cyan crew did their usual smart work, not matter what the weather, up goes the kite.
Blackadder had a bone between her teeth approaching the A mark. Impressive.
The beat from the F mark to the finish presented tactical opportunities to all skippers. Remember the words? “It’s not over till it’s over”. Boambillee and Avian showed this to be true with impressive time differences between themselves and adjacent yachts at mark roundings and across the line.
Lovely to see Matilda with Richard Hart and Dingo with Jim Hutchinson, back on the water. Eva and her “Jolly Dogs” made up the welcome additions to our winter series fleet. A solid performance from the skipper and crews of these yachts. After race discussions with Eva’s helmsman Doug Hem revealed the usual earnest honesty of all yachtsmen. He claimed Eva’s performance was a training run only.
The corrected times show a tight race where all participating yachts finished well within the time limit. No doubt there will be some slight ACH upward adjustments to the first three.
Congratulations to skipper Ian McFarlane and his crew with Kingurra’s line and corrected time honors. Crew performance plus here. The hard work by Anne Batson and Doug Jenkin on Zephyr and Jim Hutchinson on Dingo paid off with a 2nd and 3rd. Renene’s skipper and crew didn’t waste their bang on the line start, to take the 4th placing. Consistency’s the word for Mike Williams and Ross Clark on Martini and Bob Munro on Tandanya for their 4th and 5th placing. The series points status shows consistency is the name of the game.
The overall results and series points status are shown in the attachments.
There was a slight error with the generation of the initial corrected times. Race 2 ACH’s were used against yachts with ACH’s amended for Races 3 and 4. Memory stick file selection problem at HBYC. The HBYC web based results will be changed. No fingers will be pointed here. The placings of Zephyr and Dingo were interchanged, Serifa was knocked down couple. This problem was picked up when I doubled checked the results for BCH calculations and series points status. The two points Zephyr gained through the results change may be important.
So come on August 7th and 10:30am, the date and time for our next Classics race.
Some items coming up on our sailing horizon are our 2011 Summer Series that begins on Oct 23 as a lead up race to our October/Nov Cup Regatta. Further on we have the 2012 Australia Day Regatta at Geelong. There’s a Division for Classic passage and regatta races. In March the Geelong Wooden Boat Festival at RGYC is on again. The program includes a Classic Yacht passage race, a small regatta race, and a sail past. There’s also the Queenscliff Maritime Weekend. The Maritime museum cannot give a date at this time, sometime late March is expected.
Peter Costolloe
Classics (Vic) Handicapper