Race entry is now open for all fleets for this years racing. There are few changes in the Online entry system from last year but please email us if you have a query on any aspect.

The Notice of Race is also available for download from the Seasons racing HQ page

Mornington Yacht Club has six Pacer dinghies available for hire. Whether you’re brushing up your skills or just want a fun sail, it’s an easy way to get on the water.
Hire Rates (per boat, 4 hours):

• Members: $35
• Non-members: $70 (plus required Sail Pass)

What’s Included:

• Short induction session before you launch
• Use of Club boats and lifejackets
• 4 hours of sailing fun

​Key Conditions:

• Boats can only be used during club hours and when not required for training or racing
• Deposit required at booking
• Bookings through the MYC office (24 hrs’ notice weekdays / by 4pm Friday for weekends)
• Hirers must be over 16
• Weather limits apply (no hire if winds exceed 15 knots without approval)
• All hirers must complete and sign the Pacer Hire Policy & Agreement

To book your pacer, contact contact [email protected]

Looking for something unique for your Christmas party, Easter celebration, or team building day?
Step out of the office and onto the water with Mornington Yacht Club. Our Corporate Sailing Days combine hands-on sailing, relaxed hospitality, and waterfront dining on the Mornington Peninsula.
🌊 What’s Included

• Guided sailing adventures with qualified instructors
• Shore-side hospitality with coffee, pastries, grazing platters, seafood and sparkling wine
• Fun & social activities – lawn games, networking, team challenges
• Wrap-up celebrations with canapés, drinks and light-hearted prizegiving
• Optional upgrade: Two-course dinner at The Rocks Restaurant overlooking the harbour

🎁 Perfect For

• Christmas parties & end-of-year celebrations
• Easter & mid-year events
• Rewarding clients or staff
• Team building & leadership days

💼 Package Options
Full Day Sailing & Celebration

• Morning welcome & coffee
• Rotating sailing sessions across the day
• Grazing lunch dockside
• Afternoon games & social time
• Wrap-up drinks & prizegiving
• Optional dinner upgrade

Half-Day Sailing Experience

• Welcome coffee & pastries
• Two extended sailing rotations (everyone sails longer)
• Shore-side lawn games & social hub
• Dockside grazing platters & sparkling wine
• Wrap-up drinks & prizegiving

✨ Why Choose MYC?

• Stunning Mornington Peninsula location, just over an hour from Melbourne
• A perfect balance of adventure, bonding & celebration
• Professional instructors & a dedicated events team
• Flexible packages for groups large or small

📩 Book your Corporate Sailing Day 
Packages start from *$100 +GST per person
*Conditions apply

A KISS of Confidence for a Family at Sea

How one ORCV training course turned nerves apprehension into know-how and helped Kim Lawler steer her family through their first big adventure.

When Kim Lawler walked into the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s (ORCV) KISS (Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy) program in 2023, she joined with one goal, build the confidence to take her family offshore.

Kim and Duncan pretending to surf past Nazare, famous amidst surfers & known for its 100m waves

At that point, Kim and her partner Duncan had already committed to an adventure many only dream of. They had purchased a brand-new 42-foot Fontaine Pajot Astera catamaran called Satellite in France with the goal of sailing Europe’s coasts whilst waiting to do the Atlantic Crossing in December and bring her home to charter in Australia. With their 12-year-old daughter in tow, they were about to swap routine life for 18 months at sea.  
But Kim knew that before crossing notorious passages like the Bay of Biscay, she needed to sharpen her skills and strengthen her courage. That’s where KISS came in.
 
Training Without the Intimidation
KISS is built on the idea that anyone can become a capable keelboat sailor with the right guidance, structure, and support. Designed as a welcoming, women-led pathway, the program gives beginners practical skills in a supportive team environment. For Kim, the program provided more than knowledge — it delivered the mindset to tackle the unknown and provided a community of likeminded sailors that offered generous support and shared inspirational stories of their own incredible adventures at sea.
“KISS felt approachable and practical. I wasn’t intimidated walking in. Whilst I had experience of life on the water, it gave me the seamanship, navigation, weather awareness, and safety foundations that set me up for everything that came later.”

Kim and Duncan's first sea trial & sail on Satellite, off the coast of La Rochelle, France

She completed the KISS program and then since completed some additional ORCV training — Safety & Sea Survival, weather courses, and radio qualifications — giving her the confidence to step onto her catamaran in La Rochelle ready to begin the journey of a lifetime.

Covid brought around life-changing decisions
The idea of a family sailing adventure had been building for years. Kim had spent her twenties working and living on boats in the Kimberley, falling in love with life afloat. Duncan had grown up sailing in Melbourne, confident on the water. Together, they dreamed of cruising, exploring, and giving their daughter experiences beyond the everyday.
Just as they were about to buy a boat, Covid hit and the family also experienced personal loss — including the passing of Duncan’s mother. This sharpened their resolve. “Life is short,” Kim recalls. “We decided we weren’t going to wait any longer. We were going to live it now.”  

Perfect spinnaker day off the coast of Portugal. Passage: Lagos & Portimao to Tavilla, Portugal

That decision led them to pivot their business in Melbourne and commission their dream boat in France, spending months outfitting her in La Rochelle, and finally step aboard as a family in April 2024.

From seasick to sea strong, Biscay was their first test
The first major hurdle was the Bay of Biscay, a passage infamous for unpredictable seas. To prepare, Kim arranged for a professional skipper to join them. “I told him he had one job: to set the scene perfectly for our daughter’s first big crossing.”

Kim and daughter Sophia,watching dolphins, counting sharks & crabs during 220 nautical miles, crossing of the Bay of Biscay, France

"I told him he had one job: to find the right weather window to make the passage as favourable as possible for our daughter’s first big crossing, and set the scene for our 18 month voyage home.”  
Instead, the Biscay gave them a reality check. Four-metre waves and above, head-on seas, and ten hours of relentless seasickness tested every ounce of determination.
“Nothing prepares you for the moment you’re so seasick you can’t even move your little finger. But thanks to KISS, I knew what was happening, I knew others had gone through it, and that kept me calm.”
After the rough sea came calm — 20 hours of glassy seas, the catamaran gliding through a gentle swell. The experience, Kim says, was transformative: “It showed us the highs and lows of sailing in just one passage, and gave me enormous respect for preparation and mindset.”

Six months and five hours gave me confidence

Nearing the port of Santander. Passage: 51nm Port of Bilbao to the Port of Santander, Spain

From there, the family spent two months exploring Spain and Portugal’s Atlantic coast, constantly monitoring for orcas, tuna nets, and weather systems. Despite the challenges of the Atlantic, the Atlantic coast remains a highlight for all of the ports they were able to experience that they would otherwise have never seen - A Coruña, Gijón, Vigo, Baiona, Lagos, Cádiz, Tavira where they had the best flaming chorizo at the tiny Port .  
They celebrated their arrival in Gibraltar — a milestone marking survival of the Atlantic leg — before opening the next chapter: the Mediterranean.
Kim recalls her proudest moment at the helm:
“Duncan was homeschooling our daughter, my stepson Max had joined us and was lounging in the sun, and I just kept helming. Before I knew it, I’d sailed my family from the Port of La Duquesa, 53 nautical miles, which was roughly five hours along the coast to the next port Málaga, Spain. To arrive safely, on my own watch having done the weather forecasting, navigation & helming, was the most rewarding feeling. That confidence came directly from KISS which gave me a great head start, and stronger foundations to continue building my skills along the way.”

Finding playmates and horses across the ocean
Sailing with a child brought rewards and challenges in equal measure. Their daughter was initially reluctant to leave friends behind and, at times, missed having peers nearby.
“Whenever we connected with other ‘kid boats,’ the difference was game changing,” Kim reflects. “If we’d known where those communities were earlier on, we would have planned our route differently.”

Sophia’s riding lesson at La Flotte, Île de Ré, France

Yet the positives outweighed the difficulties, and it gave their daughter an invaluable taste of Europe. From horse riding in small towns to building independence onboard, their daughter gained memories, maturity and resilience that will last a lifetime.

Be open to plans changing:
As with any great adventure, plans evolved. An early return to Australia unexpectedly opened the door for their boat, Satellite, to enter charter in Montenegro—offering a rich and unplanned experience. Wintering onboard while preparing for charter allowed them to connect deeply with locals, gaining insight into the region’s layered history and rapid development. Satellite remains in charter in Montenegro for the timebeing, and Kim dreams of hosting annual women’s sailing courses aboard in the future. 

Lessons for others, prepare and seize the moment

Arrival toast after the KISS rally in 2023 on Martilse
Kim and Duncan’s adventure is not just a sailing story — it’s a testament to preparation, courage, and seizing the moment. Her advice for others considering a big leap:

• Prepare, but don’t over-wait. “If we’d waited until we felt 100% ready, we never would have left.”
• Invest in training. KISS, Safety & Sea Survival, navigation, weather, and radio courses “were instrumental in keeping us safe.”
• Add experience step by step. Paid skippers or experienced crew initially helped bridge their skill gaps with their new catamaran until they were confident alone.
• Never underestimate local knowledge and leverage from others experience.  The insight into local Ports, navigating language barriers and understanding the nuances of the Atlantic coast provided additional confidence alongside the crucial preparation for the family's planned December Atlantic crossing.
• Understand the weather. “If there’s one skill to prioritise, it’s weather forecasting. It shapes every decision.”
• Keep perspective. Boats of every age and budget can cross oceans, what matters is seaworthiness and preparedness.

From Port Phillip to the world
Kim is quick to credit KISS and the ORCV for laying the foundation:
“The ORCV programs gave me the tools and the belief I could do this. KISS was the spark that lit the fire. Without it, I don’t think I’d have had the courage to take my family on this adventure.”

KISS 2026: your turn
Kim’s story proves that KISS isn’t just for ocean racers. It’s for anyone who dreams of being confident on the water — whether that means twilight sailing, joining a crew across Bass Strait, or embarking on your own cruising adventure. If you’d like to experience life aboard a modern cruising catamaran, you can follow  Kim and her family,  or perhaps you would like join one of her international women's sailing groups,  go to sailingsatellite.com.
The 2026 KISS program launches on 10 November. If you’ve ever thought, “maybe that could be me”, this is your invitation.
Learn more and register here.

Photos provided by Kim Lawler
Written by Melissa Warren/ORCV Media

Jack Eickmeyer: From Portsmouth to Hamilton Island – Sailing Around the World

Our very own Jack Eickmeyer has been busy over the past few months, taking his sailing journey from youth sailing at the Mornington Yacht Club to the world stage. His adventures have taken him across the globe, from the elite SailGP circuit in the UK to competitive offshore racing back home in Australia.

SailGP – Portsmouth, UK
Jack started his overseas adventure in Portsmouth with the Australian SailGP team, serving as the fourth shore crew. In this role, he supported the team with a range of hands-on tasks, from getting into the hulls to tightening bolts, all under the guidance of sailing legends like Tom Slingsby. Meeting Tom one-on-one gave Jack a real insight into the person behind the legend—approachable, focused, and incredibly professional.

The Australian team faced a challenging week, struggling with starting positions and a few tough umpire calls, but Jack had the chance to observe the inner workings of elite teams, including the GBR SailGP team next door. He also witnessed a dramatic moment as the French team snapped their wing, then watched the team execute lightning-fast repairs, thanks to a well-stocked factory in Portsmouth. Beyond the racing, Jack noted the differences in how each team warmed up, practiced, and interacted—an invaluable lesson in team culture and professionalism.

Cape 31 – Cows Week Mini-Series
From Portsmouth, Jack headed to Hamble to compete in the Cape 31 Cows Week mini-series aboard the bright blue Jubilee. Racing in a fleet of 14 boats against some of the world’s top sailors, including Olympian Elliot Hanson, one of Britain’s best Laser sailors, Jack held the role of jib trimmer upwind and mainsail trimmer downwind.

The crew had undergone a recent reshuffle, with three of them new to the boat, so much of the event was spent learning new processes, forming team chemistry, and building friendships. Despite these challenges, the team placed an impressive 6th overall, a testament to their adaptability and Jack’s skill in one-design racing.

Airlie Beach & Hamilton Island Race Weeks
Upon returning to Australia, Jack jumped straight into Airlie Beach Race Week on the Melges 40, Veloce, a Melbourne-based boat from Sandringham. He served as strategist and grinder, battling top teams like Team Hollywood in intense one-on-one racing.

The team then travelled directly to Hamilton Island Race Week, celebrating the regatta’s 40th anniversary. Here, Jack continued his role on Veloce and also had the chance to try the AC-40 simulator at Hamilton Island Yacht Club. Racing two laps around a windward-leeward course with the best four-person crew, the team posted a respectable 4:30 time on their first foiling simulation, gaining valuable experience in high-performance tactics.

Looking Back and Forward
Jack’s journey from club-level youth sailing to competing internationally and offshore against some of the world’s finest sailors is inspiring. He has seen firsth and the professionalism of SailGP teams, experienced the thrill of one-design racing against world-class competitors, and contributed to strong results in major Australian regattas.

For our younger members, Jack’s adventures are a powerful reminder of what dedication, hard work, and passion can achieve. For our broader club community, it is a point of pride to see one of our own represent the Mornington Yacht Club on the world stage.

MYC is offering a one-off combined Start Powerboating & Powerboat Handling course—1.5 days of theory and practical training covering safety, skills, and handling techniques (normally $300+). Perfect for those working towards Instructor or Coaching courses—limited spots, ​only $20! REGISTER HERE>

*MYC Members only price

This course is also open to any non members  - $300 + $20 Australian Sailing Fee - please book via this link - ​https://www.revolutionise.com.au/morningtonyc/events/314819www.revolutionise.com.au/morningtonyc/events/314819