Todays race will be one to remember.

0 to 10 knot Easterly swinging  left and right from North Easterly to South Easterly and also contending with  a South Westerly at the latter part of the race that only filled in at the top half of the course.
Congratulations to RO John Mills and team Tania and Christine to running the best course possible in the weather experienced.

All boats experienced a level of disappointment and elation throughout  the race and I appreciated the yachties on the deck afterwards appreciated "It is what it is...!!" 

Thankyou heaps today to Steve, Sue, John, Tom (Sara Driver) and Ross from Dark Joker

Div.1,2 and 3 Aggregate and Championship Series

Club Championship
Race 4  AMS 
Div 1 1st Seduction - Richard Nichols
Div 2 1st Easterly II - Cameron McKenzie

Race 4 CBH
Div. 3 Magic Pudding  - Phil Mannes

Series after Race 4
Div.1 1st Windsong - Jim Watson
Div.2 1st Easterly II - Cameroin McKenzie
Div.3 1st Magic Pudding - Phil mannes (on countback)
Click here for Full Championship results 

Aggregate Race 8 - PHC 
Div 1 1st Seduction - Richard Nichols
Div 2 1st Easterly II - Cameron McKenzie
Div. 3 Magic Pudding  - Phil Mannes

Aggregate Series after  Race 8
Div 1 1st Windsong - Jim Watson
Div 2 1st Easterly II - Cameron McKenzie
Div. 3 Just Another Toy - David Blennerhassett
Click here  for Full Aggregate Series

Etchells and Flying Fifteens Aggregate and Class Series
Race 16 Aggregate  - PHC
Etchells
1st AUS 850 Pale and Stout Mathew Hazelwinkle
2nd AUS813 Easy Rider Reece James

Flying Fifteen 
1st 3662 Ffat Chance - John Best and Ian Robertson
2nd 3857 Under the pump - Joe Etherson

Series Aggregate after 16 races are as per above.
Click Here for full results

Race 16 Class LH
Etchells
1st AUS 850 Pale and Stout Mathew Hazelwinkle
2nd AUS813 Easy Rider Reece James (Not sure why Jacko on Quantum Leap  not there?)

Flying Fifteen 
1st 3857 Under the pump - Joe Etherson
2nd 3662 Ffat Chance - John Best and Ian Robertson

Series Class  after 16 races are as per above.
Click Here for Full Results

Click Here for the entire Picture Gallery of today's pics

Welcome to Hobsons Bay Yacht Club. Today was the Mornington Cup 
​Part of their long distance series.

Less than 24 hours ago Geelong was hit with once in a 100 year storm and less than 2 hours before the race the MYC weather cam was showing dark anvil clouds and ominous signs the race would not go ahead...BUT then Steve Bardsley arrived at MYC, the weather settled and 26 boats enjoyed beautiful SE 10 knot conditions,

Happy Birthday Robert Relph and hoped you enjoyed your MYC complimentary Birthday drink

The top 3 boats were only separated by 15 seconds
1st The Doctor, Grahame Holmes
2nd Mixed Nuts, Tim O'Grady
3rd Sundara , Jon and Annie  Storm
Click Here for Race 6 results

One race to go in the 7 race series and the competition hots up!
1st Sundara, Jon and Annie Storm 20pts
2nd The Doctor, Grahame Holmes 27 pts
3rd Tub Thumper, G Heard and A. Creed 31 pts
Click Here for Series results after Race 6

Best Start - Jessie , Trevor Neate

Thank You Sponsors Harcourts Real Estate
Thanks You Race Tower and results Volunteers
Thank you Michael our tender driver and today's photographer
Thank you Skippers and Crew

A BIG THANK YOU to the Mornington families, MYC Junior team, Tony Harvey, Michelle Pickford, Jacko  for making the day heap of fun! Thanks Andrew Weber for these pics capturing how much fun it was.
Click Here for the Gallery.

Last weekend MYC hosted the Australia Day Cup .
13 boats Div 1,2 3 boats participated in a strong southerly sea breeze.
All divisions were sailing against one another on Handicap .
Well done to:-
1st  YT2 Stuart Gooley 
2nd Take One Kellie Knowles , 
3rd Himalyan Women P. Dynes, A Cincotta
Click here for full results.
​
4 Flying fifteens raced and only 2 finished
​1st  Fly By Night , Richard Trembath and David Griersmith
2nd Goose , Karl Baker and Mark Burton
Click here for Full results

 8 Mornington Boats are competing at Festival of Sails, Geelong  this weekend in 7 different divisions.
Seduction, Richard Nichols, Cruising AMS Div. 2

1. Trim, Tony Grundy, Cruising Spinnaker Div.1 
2. Windsong of Mornington, Jim Watson Cruising Spinnaker Div.2 
3. Friday Harbour, Kon Chili  Cruising Spinnaker Div.3 
4. Hasta La Vista, David Sullivan Performance Racing Div.1
5. Kiss, Greg Sherwinski, Sports Boats
6. Scratch, D. Eickmeyer and Stuart Schafer,  Sports Boats
7. Athena, Ron Caddy Classis Yacht Division

​Festival of Sails results ​Click here 

Also receiving special mention at  Festival of Sails is John the Painter
Age shall not weary him, nor a lifetime of great sailing. That is the motto of Mornington Yacht Club's John Petkovsek, known more familiarly as 'JP' or John the Painter.
He’s back for his umpteenth Festival of Sails, racing with clubmate Jimmy Watson on the Hunter 41, Windsong of Mornington in Cruising Spinnaker Division 2.
“I am 31. No, no, sorry. I am 81 in June, although I wouldn’t mind being 31 again..." Petkovsek quips.
The Windsong team won their division last year, but struggled during Saturday's passage race. “Light airs she doesn’t like."

The next cruise ship arrives in Mornington this Saturday the 30th of January 2016 at 8am and departs at 6pm.  The first tender generally arrives at the pier at 9am and the expected number of tourists is approx 1200.  As with previous visits the Mornington Yacht Club will be opening it's doors to and welcoming cruise ship visitors to use our club fascilities.

Ladies! Don't forget to enter the Women in Sailing Challenge event being held at SYC in 2 weeks time.  For flyer click here.

Last Sunday 2 races of the Aggregate Series , Race 8 and 9 were held.

Opti Open Div.
Race 8 
1st  AUS587 Opty Mystic Millie Evenden
2nd AUS1075 The Force, Will McKenzie
3rd, AUS1213 Uno, Jolei Spicer

Race 9 
1st  AUS587Opty Mystic Millie Evenden
2nd  AUS432 Speedy Stingray, James Jackson
3rd, AUS1664, Racer X, Jack Eickmeyer

Series Results after Race 9 
1st  AUS876 Sonic Dash, Jay James 18.5pts
2nd AUS 611 Pearl, Sophie McKenzie 27 pts
3rd, AUS 587Opty Mystic, Millie Evenden  29pts

Opti Green Fleet
Race 8 
1st AUS919 My Precious Thomas Morgan-Payler
2nd AUS612 Flower Power Jacinta Byrne
3rd AUS351 Honu Matilda Hannaford

Race 9
1st AUS919 My Precious Thomas Morgan-Payler  
2nd AUS1021 Jack Hammer, Jack Morgan-Payler
3rd AUS351 Honu Matilda Hannaford​

Series Results after Race 9
1st AUS612 Flower Power, Jacinta Byrne 17pts
2nd AUS611 Speedy Lego, Digby Taylor 19pts
3rd AUS587 Opthomas, Thomas Hutchison 19 pts

Click Here  for full results

Thank you for those that contributed to the 70th Birthday Video Documentary. The sailing could not have been better ,  with a photo finish (we thought) for first and the First Light and Bigger Day Out Match race finish was a highlight. At the club we had all our champions, Jonno Neate, Contender World Champion, GT Etchell National Champ and Nick Sharman Australia  420 and Youth 420 Champ and happy to be interviewed.  Weather was perfect with Steve Bardsley switching on the 10 knot ESE breeze at 5.45pm yet again. The BBQ tasted superb with Pam Heyes and her volunteer team cooking their "10,000th sausage in 10 years." Thank your Pam.  

Cameraman David Campbell is doing a wonderful job producing our video to be ready by or 70th celebrations  at our Back to Mornington YC Weekend 20th-21st February.

Congratulations to Laurie White  skippering his new Sydney 38  "Obsession" fin an MYC race  for the first time. Crossing the line in first position was really exciting BUT if only he had completed an MYC entry and Boat registration.

AND Jeff and Sheila , Licence to Chill for being all class enjoying  Champagne and in the perfect position to view the exciting a finish from the mooring..

Today's Podium was Mixed and all Nuts!

1st Trailable, Mix Nuts Tim O'Grady
2nd Keelboat,  The Doctor Grahame Holmes
3rd Flying Fifteen ,Fly By Night Richard Trembath
CLICK HERE FOR FULL RACE 5 RESULTS 

​The Harcourt Series is hotting up with over 10 boats still with a chance to win.
After 5 races
1st Sundara, Jon and Annie  Storm  17 pts
2nd Tub Thumper, G.Heard and A Creed  19 pts
3rd Beau Brummel, Tonia and Graeme Vertigan 19 pts
​CLICK HERE FOR FULL SERIES RESULTS

Thank You to all the Volunteers that made the racing possible.
Thank You Harcourts Real Estate
I cant wait to see the video footage of today and I wish  my camera had not ran out of juice.

Our Youth champions feature in this weeks Mornington Peninsula News. ​http://issuu.com/morningtonnews/docs/mn_19th_january_2016/1

On its return from the ORCV Melb to Hobart Westcoaster,  the 1997 40ft (12.2 mtr) Delange built, Cameron designed  (fractional rig), Spirit of Downunder has returned to say hello to Peter Delange.  Spirit of Downunder is still owned by Pete's partner Laurie Ford and son's Tim Ford and Stuart now run the yacht.. This year the boat came 4th on LH and in 2014 won on line honours.
The boat has actively participated in many many Melbourne and Sydney to Hobart races but also 2 Melbourne to Osaka races including  a clash with a giant sailfish shedding the keel and hull of fibreglass but miraculously still completed the race.
Talking with Pete the boat is a one off custom design built in Mornington opposite where Mal Hart's  Boat works is today. After many years building Cameron custom designed  radio remote boats it was felt it was time to upgrade and they did and have done very well.  It is great to have these types of boats dropping in at MYC.

Graeme Taylor, Richie Allanson and James Mayor are the new Australian Champions in the Etchells Class. Sailing against a fleet resplendent with some of the country’s best talent, these totally gleeful athletes took Magpie to an emphatic win, sealing it all with a triumphant and uniform raising of their right arms as they crossed the line to take out the last race of the day and the series.
Of course, a series that had already seen no wind, searing heat, massive shifts and then been completely blown off the track by a strong Southerly change was going to deliver more excitement before it was over. However, today’s intrigue was not caused by the weather for a change. It was cool to cold and ranged from about 155˚ to 190˚, with 160 and then 180˚ being used as the axes for the two races that went out over a 1.8nm range.
Perhaps the enforced rest day on Thursday meant that the enthusiasm levels returned to their more heightened levels. This meant neither of the races got away cleanly. The first was returned after the fleet crowded the Committee Boat end and then like a massive rugby scrum, just pushed the ball over the line for a try. As in try again… Kevin and Ross Wilson then said fine, we’ll go to Code Flag U in an effort to make the 48-boat fleet play nicely.
You thought it would work and looked pretty much like it, but three crews were singled out for special attention and that meant they had to sit it out like naughty kids forced to sit in the corner at kindergarten. Sadly, one of these boats was Racer X from Hong Kong. Going into the morning they had been in second place, three points adrift of Magpie, but their regatta effectively ended there and then. Commiserations team, but thank you for coming along…
Soon it was evident that all the wasted time getting a race away had meant that the scheduled third race would have to be scrapped, for it would have started to late. The team changed to course one, which meant they would all have to work back up to the windward mark to get to the finish.
In one of the many adjustments required to have the line square and a fair and true course laid, the pin boat actually managed to ensnare the pin mark’s anchor line around their own propeller. This caused another delay, but you get the feeling the sailors needed a little more breathing space anyway, so there were no disgruntled voices to be heard.
The next race was also recalled and they were asked to play nicely once more, with the U getting yet another outing. Alas, this too did not work and another General Recall was enforced. Time for the dreaded Black Flag to get an airing! It worked. They all stayed behind the line, but not by as much as you would have thought, in the end.
Now you may have felt that this would be the last of the hijinks, but this is Etchells racing and that just would not do. Some on course incidents and gear damage led to retirements for three craft, and yet this too was not the zenith of the game.
That came in the form of a man overboard from Animal House. Another followed in the attempt to recover him. They were collected by one of the coach boats and then returned to their own craft. No worries about being wet, for the countless moguls they had gone through during the day had already accounted for that, several times over.
Still there was more to come. The media vessel drained its port tank on the run back down to the leeward mark for the first time during that last race. It required a manual transfer to the starboard tank, which involved closing off the old tank and opening the new one, including the return line for the diesel coming back after cooling the injectors.
No problem and then there was the bleeding of the lines and priming. After the first time there was a cough and a splutter and she ran for a short moment. Back down into the engine room to prime some more, but you guessed it, she did not want to run. It was about now that one Etchells was returning to the top and the boat was in her path. Might is right, after all, and they tacked away to avoid the stricken craft.
Success was achieved after the third priming session in the engine room. The person who had gone down now felt he had endured a sauna session, much like those sailors attempting to make weight before weigh-in. The only difference was the fume factor, which added to the dizziness factor by some margin.
Back ashore, the sailors from all over country were spent, but glad to have had superb breezes and ample opportunities to surf downwind. All felt it was a great track to be on and happy that they had made the journey to be part of it all.
Apart form the Royal Brighton YC volunteers and race management crew; one person was singled out in every speech for his efforts in making this hugely successful regatta come to be in the first place. Peter Coleman, the Melbourne Fleet Captain, has been hard at for over six months. It showed in the way everything ran smoothly and the people lining up to buy him a drink after it was all done.
Coleman commented after it all, “Yes it was a delight to be the organiser, but special thanks has to go to the West Australians and Racer X from Hong Kong for making the big journey. The club’s volunteers have been amazing and those Wilson brothers (Ross and Kevin) are just something else. It was an unbelievable event in the end and thank you so much to everyone for helping make it so.”
Bruce Maloney, representing the Perth Fleet, was here to sail, All Care No Responsibility, with Alistair Marchesi and Gus McBriar. There were five crews that made the trek across the Nullabor and it seems like they found it worthwhile.
In 2018, it will be their turn to hold the Australian Championships, so being at Brighton held a special significance for Maloney, who commented, “This year’s nationals was fantastic. All of us from WA have had a great time. It was great to sail against this seriously good level of competition and our time on the water has been thoroughly enjoyable.”
“Peter Coleman and his team have put together a tremendous regatta. We look forward to hosting this in 2018 and see if we can reach the same mark.”
So yes it is true. Magpie was sailed by complete champions, because they are all really nice people to boot, but then that also applies across the whole fleet when you’re talking Etchells.
Today’s interviews with the crew of Magpie can be found at:
Richie Allanson – https://youtu.be/qn3AUY7RCzc 
Graeme Taylor – https://youtu.be/iQZpGxzdkp0
James Mayor – https://youtu.be/lvUurpgLmyg

By John Curnow

Is this You?

• Stressed and needing to relax and enjoy a fun, creative day out?
• Beginner artist wanting to "free up" and move away from realistic painting?
• Carer who needs to take a day out for themselves and do something expressive?
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• READ MORE HERE

Mornington Yacht Club  is having a float in the Mornington Main Street Parade and we need members of all ages to help create and celebrate our 70th Birthday on the Mornington Yacht Club Float. If you would like to assist from 3pm - 6pm call Rod on 0477522750 or email [email protected]

Main Street Mornington will be bursting with yellow-themed floats from the Australia Day Street Parade.  With talented performers, car enthusiasts and more than 50 community-designed floats wowing the crowds in recognition of the Luke Batty Foundation.

A stellar line-up is planned for the main stage in Mornington Park featuring headline act Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows.  Other performers include soul legend Jerome Smith, children’s entertainers The Kazoos and Darren Middleton, best known for his contributions as the guitarist from Powderfinger.  Entertainment will continue into the evening culminating with a spectacular fireworks display at sundown.
The full program for Australia Day 2016 is now available online at:www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/AustrailaDay