What a great long weekend in company with beautiful classic Yachts, friends and guests from New Zealand lots of very interesting people a very special dog Foxy and lot of sailing in Williamstown.
It all started Thursday at noon when Helen, her dog Foxy, Iain from New Zealand and Iain’s Cousin Jane Williamson (maiden name) who grew up with sailing in Mornington met in front of Mornington Yacht Club and took off in the old beautiful classic boat Oenone. It was a nice windy day with lot of sunshine and easy sailing. And as usual Helen had her picnic basket with the most delicious rolls with prawns and avocado and for though who wanted it there was also coriander and of course we had to have a glass of cold white wine with the rolls too. It only took us about 4 hours to sail to Williamstown. Iain is a friend of Helen she met through the classic sailing. The regatta is on every year but every 2nd year the regatta is held in New Zealand (Auckland).
I was lucky enough to have the chance to sleep at Helens place in Melbourne and even that we were sleepy after the day on the water she insisted that I should see a bit of the night life in Melbourne and she took me to a fancy bar “The botanical” and after that we went to a Japanese restaurant. The next day we had a long walk in the botanic garden with Foxy and the garden was so beautiful I will say it must have been at its best. I never knew that Melbourne was so beautiful. After leaving Foxy at home we went to a sail maker Doyle in Melbourne to pick up new sails for Oenone. There was a main sail, a topsail, a jib and a staysail. All these words for sails, there is a lot to learn. Colin at Doyle explained a lot and gave us a few tips and showed us how he thought the sails should be folded including how a woolen tread can make life easier when it is tired around the Jib.
After picking up the sails we spend the rest of Friday with taken the old sails of the pretty girl and got the new one on her. It was a much bigger job than I thought it would be but the new sails looks great and I learned a lot again. And then it was time to meet all the sailors at the Cup Regatta Cocktail Function.
Saturday it was time for racing and the sail maker Colin was on the boat to be sure that the sails looked correct and he adjusted a few things and off we took together with Helens daughter Linke and a New Zealander Penelope. After sailing we joint the New Zealand group of people at an Italian restaurant in Williamstown and had a great evening and then back to Melbourne and have a much needed sleep.
Sunday morning Peter Costolloe did send a “Gale warning. RYCV advice no racing today” so we went to a café had a coffee with Linke and her boyfriend and then we went back to Mornington and I must admit that it was a warm and nice day but I was so sleepy that I took a good granny nab at the couch.
Monday morning I went to Helens home in Mornington at 7am and we took off for the last day of racing in Williamstown. There was a lot of wind and it was great to sail again. Helen, Linke, Richard McCrae and I had the joy to sail together and I had another great day. After the sailing we all had lunch together and it was time for Trophy presentation. Helen got the most beautiful trophy of all for the best presented boat and she got a Boat Hook from The Wooden Boat Shop in Sorrento in bronze head with teak handle. I can’t express how beautiful it is.
It was great days, great people, great sailing and not to forget GREAT FUN.
Majbritt
Crew trainee
It all started Thursday at noon when Helen, her dog Foxy, Iain from New Zealand and Iain’s Cousin Jane Williamson (maiden name) who grew up with sailing in Mornington met in front of Mornington Yacht Club and took off in the old beautiful classic boat Oenone. It was a nice windy day with lot of sunshine and easy sailing. And as usual Helen had her picnic basket with the most delicious rolls with prawns and avocado and for though who wanted it there was also coriander and of course we had to have a glass of cold white wine with the rolls too. It only took us about 4 hours to sail to Williamstown. Iain is a friend of Helen she met through the classic sailing. The regatta is on every year but every 2nd year the regatta is held in New Zealand (Auckland).
I was lucky enough to have the chance to sleep at Helens place in Melbourne and even that we were sleepy after the day on the water she insisted that I should see a bit of the night life in Melbourne and she took me to a fancy bar “The botanical” and after that we went to a Japanese restaurant. The next day we had a long walk in the botanic garden with Foxy and the garden was so beautiful I will say it must have been at its best. I never knew that Melbourne was so beautiful. After leaving Foxy at home we went to a sail maker Doyle in Melbourne to pick up new sails for Oenone. There was a main sail, a topsail, a jib and a staysail. All these words for sails, there is a lot to learn. Colin at Doyle explained a lot and gave us a few tips and showed us how he thought the sails should be folded including how a woolen tread can make life easier when it is tired around the Jib.
After picking up the sails we spend the rest of Friday with taken the old sails of the pretty girl and got the new one on her. It was a much bigger job than I thought it would be but the new sails looks great and I learned a lot again. And then it was time to meet all the sailors at the Cup Regatta Cocktail Function.
Saturday it was time for racing and the sail maker Colin was on the boat to be sure that the sails looked correct and he adjusted a few things and off we took together with Helens daughter Linke and a New Zealander Penelope. After sailing we joint the New Zealand group of people at an Italian restaurant in Williamstown and had a great evening and then back to Melbourne and have a much needed sleep.
Sunday morning Peter Costolloe did send a “Gale warning. RYCV advice no racing today” so we went to a café had a coffee with Linke and her boyfriend and then we went back to Mornington and I must admit that it was a warm and nice day but I was so sleepy that I took a good granny nab at the couch.
Monday morning I went to Helens home in Mornington at 7am and we took off for the last day of racing in Williamstown. There was a lot of wind and it was great to sail again. Helen, Linke, Richard McCrae and I had the joy to sail together and I had another great day. After the sailing we all had lunch together and it was time for Trophy presentation. Helen got the most beautiful trophy of all for the best presented boat and she got a Boat Hook from The Wooden Boat Shop in Sorrento in bronze head with teak handle. I can’t express how beautiful it is.
It was great days, great people, great sailing and not to forget GREAT FUN.
Majbritt
Crew trainee
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