The MYC board, after much consideration, has made a decision to repair our Slipway to become operational again and to establish an ongoing maintenance program within our budget restraints.

The establishment of the Slipway sub-committee, some 12 months ago, was to investigate and review all options and also to consider the member submissions.   70% of the 21 submissions received favoured exploration of all viable repair options. This task was completed by the sub-committee and recommendations were put to the board on 15th October 2019 and the following motion passed;
 
"To undertake sufficient works that will enable the slipway to become operational and maintained for safe use with feasible funding.
The design and plan for these repairs have been endorsed by a structural engineer providing the posts are free from excessive deterioration.
Works to be undertaken by a qualified contractor following a report on the condition of the posts by the diver and acceptance by engineer.
The operation of the slipway will follow strict protocols to ensure the safety of people in proximity to the slipway.
The maintenance of the slipway is a legal condition of our lease and is considered a requirement for the club to maintain its rights to that seabed section of our lease. This is to ensure any future strategy vision proposed for this area, for development by the club, is possible."
 
All posts have been inspected and reported on by AEG Divers and Industrial Divers and both teams have confirmed the posts that require immediate repair.

Advice has also been obtained from Bryan Clague structural engineer (retired) and diver. A  MYC member from 2000 to 2016, involved in previous maintenance of slipway.  His advice will be incorporated in the repair process.

The repair method has been approved by JV Consulting Engineers for the use of galvanized steel and epoxy painted beams in place of timber crossheads to avoid "Teredo Worm" attack. The cost of initial repair work estimate $10K-$12K. The estimated loss of annual revenue attributable to Slipway closure is approximately $32K.

Unfortunately large amounts of funding this year has been taken up with essential building repairs and a lift replacement which is essential for the use of people with disabilities in order to access our club rooms and patronise the Rocks Restaurant.

At the forum we held in regards to the state of the slipway a number of members pledged $1,000 to underwrite the necessary repairs. We now ask for donations of $750 in accordance with the pledges expressed at that meeting.

Please find attached a document asking members in particular keel boat owners to lodge a donation to assist in this essential work and help our club meet our slipway maintenance obligations.

All donations paid to the MYC Foundation for this project are tax deductable.

There are 3 ways that donation's can be made:

• Directly on the ASF website- Mornington Yacht Club Slipway Maintenance Project (see link below)
  
• By mail to the ASF (see donation form link below)
  
• By having the office submit the donation to the ASF (pls complete donation form)
  

Regards
Greg Martin
Commodore

BEING A CLUB MEMBER
Firstly, what is a Club?   The dictionary definition of a Club is:
 
“An association dedicated to a particular interest or activity whose members participate in the activity but also contribute to the running of the activities”
 
Mornington Yacht Club has as its main objective sailing in a variety of forms - from Learn to Sail, through to racing in the iconic Sydney to Hobart Race.
 
Our Club is organised into many areas, some requiring staff, others relying totally on members to volunteer their time to make things happen. Our staff, from the cleaner to the Club Manager ensure the important day to day routine tasks of running our Organisation are successfully undertaken.
 
The Board of Directors and the Finance Committee - who are all volunteers - plan and execute what has to be done to ensure our Club is well managed on a day to day basis and is structured to enable survival into the future.
 
There are several volunteer groups within the Club, but one such group is the ‘TAG’ team who carry out minor maintenance around the Club every Thursday morning - with their number one job being to empty the wheelie bins.
 
So, who manages all the sailing activities?

• The Sailing Committee, the Race Committee and the Training and Development Committee, all of whom are volunteers who plan and ensure that all sailing, racing and training take place in a safe and friendly manner.

But who does the week to week running of these sailing activities?

• Volunteers, Race Officers, the Race Crew, on the water and in the Tower.
•  On Saturdays there are currently just two dedicated volunteers who conduct racing on the water.
• There are 10 dedicated volunteers rostered to man the Tower and the Race Office every Thursday and Saturday to do a variety of jobs from Race Management, competitor safety (both on and off the water) through to race results.
• Sunday racing sees a few more volunteers ensuring racing takes place - some of whom are parents of the juniors just starting out in our sport. 
• To lay courses on the water, there are people required to take out boats, position and move buoys as required.

For Saturday races, help from the membership is required as it is just not possible for the two dedicated Race Officers on board Retriever to lay buoys to setup a course. This help is once again derived from our volunteer base and they become known as the ‘Duty Boat Crew’ – a crew that becomes part of the Race Management team and is rostered on each week to help on the water.
 
Have you been rostered to participate as the Duty Boat Crew?

• So far this season there have been 7 Saturdays requiring a Duty Boat Crew but only 3 boats have provided a crew and showed up to help out.

Being a Club member at MYC means volunteering when duty calls. You are usually only required once every two years, but our Club needs you to help keep the place working.
 
We hear a lot of members giving the excuse “but I only sail on Thursdays so why should I have to help on Saturdays?  Remember, the Tower is run by dedicated VOLUNTEERS on Thursday as well.
 
Our Club has been very soft on volunteering. Unfortunately, there is too much left to too few. It’s not hard to give up a few hours every two years to be part of the running of our Club.
 
Our Club is not just the Board or the sub Committees….
 
….it’s ALL OF US!!
 
Greg Martin, Commodore and Bill Bennett, Rear Commodore

We are looking for volunteers to help man the BBQ during the 420 Regatta which is coming up very soon!

We are in the process of organising a roster so whether you can spare 1 hour or more during the dates: 1st to 8th of January 2020 we'd love to hear from you!

No experience necessary, come along and enjoy the wonderful job of feeding hungry sailors in a great regatta atmosphere!!!

Please contact Michelle: [email protected] and let us know of your availability
Thank you!

Saturday Racing Report 14th December 2019
 
This week I spent some time interstate with work and it came as a shock that the rest of Australia is indeed experiencing a phenomenon known as “Summer.” Unfortunately, once again we had to lower our weather expectations and 18 boats headed to the start for the Blairgowrie destination race in grey skies, fresh winds and lumpy seas. Division 3 boats headed off first on a slightly shorter course to R1 followed by Division 1 & 2 who headed for the East Cardinal Marker. From the radio chatter following the Division 1 & 2 start I think we know that a rule book is the Christmas list for Obsession.

Boats heading to R1 soon split into 2 groups either side of the mussel farm. The general consensus of the Div. 3 boats was that apart from one short reach, the wind settled into a position roughly dead ahead of where ever we needed to sail. With lots of windward work the Division 3 boats stayed relatively bunched, with the exception of Zip who cleared off, reaching the finish at Blairgowrie well ahead of the rest of the fleet. Whilst crew of Zip were relaxing at BYS the rest of the MYC fleet finished as a procession of sails stretching down the Sorrento Channel.

It’s always interesting sailing in the southern areas of Port Phillip such as Blairgowrie where tide, sandbars, and commercial shipping have to be considered as part of every race. It makes you appreciate the truly amazing sailing conditions we have at our club. Deep water, little to no tide to worry about and no shipping within miles.  Truly the best sailing on the bay.

A smaller group than last year attended dinner at the BYS, with many boats choosing to return to Mornington for Christmas functions (maybe something to consider in next year’s race schedule). Those crews that decided to stay on enjoyed a great night, where most world problems were solved over a few bottles of red and some scribbles on the back of drink coasters. Pity the coasters were thrown out, and with them so many great ideas.

Final Results

Line Honours
Division 1 : Javelin: Mark Nicholson
Division 2 : YT2:  Stuart Gooley
Division 3 : Zip: S.Shafer & C.Ferris


Handicap Results

Division 1

1. Javelin: Mark Nicholson
2. Anna: Roly & Andrew de Lange
3. Seduction: Richard Nichols

Division 2

1. Beau Ciel: Alison & Terry Clough
2. YT2: Stuart Gooley
3. Friday Harbour: Kon Cili

 
Division 3

1. Zip : S.Shafer & C.Ferris
2. Tub Thumper: G. Heard & A. Creed
3. Messin About: Paul Copeland

AMS Results

Division 1

1. Javelin : Mark Nicholson
2. Seduction: Richard Nichols
3. Morticia: B.McDonald, R.Kurz & G.Alexander

Division 2

1. YT2:  Stuart Gooley
2. Wingara: John Hall
3. One-4-One: Alan Clark

 

CBH Results
 
Division 3

1. Zip : S.Shafer & C.Ferris
2. Magic Pudding : Phillip Mannes
3. Tub Thumper: G. Heard & A. Creed

Saturday Sail Racing Report 7th December 2019

Saturday saw our second combined race of the season with our neighbors at Martha Cove Yacht Squadron and Safety Beach Sailing Club. Unfortunately, the first race was abandoned due to poor weather, but that has been the story of this season to date. So, the mood was high amongst the 27-boat fleet when we found the center course bathed in sunshine and calm conditions.

Unfortunately, the calm conditions didn’t continue and after 2 attempts the fleet got underway in a freshening southerly that quickly built to 20kts plus. The start sequence seemed to surprise most skippers with many boats changing down sails and changing gears for the increasing wind strength. I don’t think I have ever seen a fleet that looked so disorganized at the start, with boats heading everywhere on the start line. The fleet soon settled down and headed for the top mark. The windward legs saw many close calls and near misses and a least one non-miss, who knew sailing was a contact sport. The mix of big boats and smaller boats in the fleet saw some tests of nerve, with Beau Brummell hailing the biggest boat in the fleet - Vincitore. It took several loud hails and possibly a ruptured tonsil to force the issue.  The choppy conditions to windward were soon forgotten once boats put their kites up and enjoyed the ride. Each down wind leg seemed to bring stronger winds and the ride under spinnaker became a nerve-racking roller coaster ride by the last downwind leg. For some of us we were lucky to see what a great spectator sport sailing can be, with Morticia executing the broach of the year not once, but twice on the same leg. I think we saw a mast just touch the top of a wave as the boat laid over. I will never forget the image of several sets of fingers clinging over the gunnel, whilst the invisible crew attached to those fingers were suspended, unseen to us waiting for the boat to right itself. As Morticia and her crew re-gathered their senses and sailed on they left behind a trail of foaming debris from cockpit – cans, stubby holders, course sheets, sense of adventure, confidence, etc. Mind you Morticia’s mis-adventure certainly made the task of convincing the Mixed Nuts team to hoist a spinnaker that much harder.

It was great to hear the buzz on the deck post-race. There were plenty of stories being shared over very well-earned beers. Clubs are great places to celebrate together, and days like last Saturday create a shared experience that over time binds us all together as crews, sailors and friends.

Final Results


Line Honours

Division 1 : Javelin
Division 2 : Arabelle
Division 3 : Dark Side of the Moon


Handicap Results

Division 1

1. Apache: Michael Daddo
2. Anna: Roly & Andrew de Lange
3. Pale and Stout: Mathew Hazelwinkle

 
Division 2

1. Arabelle: B. Levenspiel & G. Hailes
2. Tonic: Ray Harvey
3. YT2:  Stuart Gooley

Division 3

1. Dark Side of the Moon: Steve Bolton
2. Tub Thumper: G. Heard & A. Creed
3. Himalayen Women: Paul Dynes
   

AMS Results

Division 1

1. Apache: Michael Daddo
2. Morticia : McDonald, Kurz & Alexander
3. Javelin : Mark Nicholson

Division 2

1. Arabelle: B. Levenspiel & G. Hailes
2. YT2:  Stuart Gooley
3. Tonic: Ray Harvey

CBH Results
 
Division 3
 

1. Dark Side of the Moon: Steve Bolton

1. Himalayen Women: Paul Dynes
2. Magic Pudding : Phillip Mannes

 

Great weekend for team MYC at Goerge Mac Regatta .
6 podiums and around 25 myc sailors were involved.
A win for Lachie Weber in the laser
A win for Zac Heyes in the 29er
A win for Sophie Jackson in the Aero
Lily and Matilda Richardson, James and Lachie and Jack Eickmeyer all podium.
Also competing; Sophie McKenzie , Will McKenzie, Jay and Bret James, Sassy Taylor, Chloe Harper, Kate James and Brooke Hutchinson, Henry and Miles Levenspiel, Chloe and Lucy Laverty , Heath Jones & Leigh Harvey.
Sorry if we missed any one and well done to all ⛵️

Sailing Report Saturday 30th November, 2019
 
“In any moment of decision, the best thing to do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” - Theodore Roosevelt

I have always liked that quote and sitting on the start line before Saturdays Navigators Trophy Race, I channeled my inner Teddy Roosevelt and made a bold decision. As it turned out it was not the correct decision, but that’s the beauty of the Navigators Race - you must decide.
I have no doubt that there are many approaches navigators use to prepare for the Navigators Trophy Race. Spread sheets are filled in with data, weather models and tide charts pored over, advice is sought from “old salts”, and then there are those more relaxed souls that just toss a coin or use rock paper scissors to decide which direction to sail on the day.

Grey skies and a gentle breeze greeted a bumper crop of 25 starters. It was great to see 11 div. 3 entries, a wonderful example of the enthusiasm within this group of MYC sailors. The majority of the keel boats headed west, whilst the majority of the trailables headed south on slightly shorter course. Whilst the wind freshened early in the race and even brought some showers, eventually the grey skies cleared for a sunny afternoon, although the wind did soften considerably.

Well done to the keel boats that headed west and also to the trailables that headed south, these seemed like the better choices on the day.  But also, a special mention to those risk takers that bucked the trend and went in the opposite direction. This race would be really boring if we all went the same way. It was entertaining to listen to the radio reports at scheduled marks as there were some classic battles with lots of position changes in what was very tight racing over the entire day.  One more special mention to Zip who took line honors in div. 3 over an hour ahead of the next boat.

As you can tell I am a big fan of the Navigators Race. I have been sailing in it since I was a teenager and it still gives me a buzz. In my opinion it is a unique part of our sailing program and it would be great to make it a major sailing event. ORCV has the Cock of the Bay race, GLYC has the Marlay Point maybe we could aim to make the Navigators Race something similar? Anyway, I will climb down off my soap box for now – editorial over. Now for the results.

 Final Results


Line Honors

Division 1 : Javelin
Division 2 : YT2
Division 3 : Zip


Handicap Results

Division 1

1. Morticia : McDonald, Kurz & Alexander
2. Seduction: Richard Nicholls
   
3. Phoenix: Phoenix Syndicate #4
   

Division 2

1. YT2:  Stuart Gooley
2. Tonic: Ray Harvey
3. Beau Ciel: Alison & Terry Clough
   

Division 3

1. Endless Advice : Rob Harrison
2. Magic Pudding : Phillip Mannes
3. Beau Brummell : Tonia & Graeme Vertigan
   

AMS Results

Division 1

1. Morticia : McDonald, Kurz & Alexander
2. Seduction : Richard Nichols
3. Javelin : Mark Nicholson
   

Division 2

1. YT2:  Stuart Gooley
2. Tonic: Ray Harvey
3. One-4-One : Alan Clark
   

 
CBH Results
 
Division 3
 

1. Magic Pudding : Phillip Mannes
2. Zip : S. Shafer & C. Ferris
3. Endless Advice : Rob Harrison
   

The Special Sailing Instructions for the Blairgowrie Destination Race have now been released. Please find them waiting anxiously for you under the Sailing>>Club Race Documents>>Special Sailing Instructions heading on this website, or, you can scoot straight there by clicking here