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West Headings February 2021

1 Mar 2021 9:08 PM | Anonymous

Ready About

COVID Update: The Clubhouse and kitchen are now open for use by members. Please follow the state government guidelines on social distancing, remaining at home if unwell and follow all directions around quarantine and isolation. 


From the Editor's Desk

Wow, what a start to the year!

It has been amazing to share good times with friends as restrictions continue to lift.

Thank you so much to Peter Alexandrovics in creating our photos page including images of members, sailors and video footage from our tower set up! 

In this issue we hear from Alan Farrar, Rick Barker, John Sweeney and Brian Coleman. 

I look forward to competing in this weekend's Pacer State Titles with Rose F, hope to see you around the club. 

Lucy 

From the Helm

Dear FYC Members,

It is a pleasure to welcome you to our February issue of West Headings.

Finally, some summer weather has arrived, albeit only for a few days and now autumn has arrived.

Despite the cooler than expected weather, our sailing activities are going from strength to strength.

Our Off The Beach crews have represented the club with outstanding results. On Sunday, at Somers Yacht Club’s SheSails Regatta, Lily Fogarty and Mischa Englisch, with Emma & Meike Frucehtl continued to demonstrate that FYC can produce great sailors. Lily & Mischa’s results of one win and one second in the Pacer class was an outstanding result.

Our Keel Boats have enjoyed spirited Aggregate racing in recent weeks with Pete Dawson and Clay Manners yacht, Valkyrie, taking it right up to the bigger boats.

Recent Twilights have been a handicapper’s dream with the boats finishing within minutes of each other. Of course the stories of close finishes grew over the following hours at “Dining on the Deck”.

Most members are aware of Angus Fletcher’s recent passing. A great yachtsman and a great ambassador to our sport.

Sadly, we lost another of our keel boat skippers a few weeks ago. David Kennedy, one of our earliest members, with his beloved Quickmatch, a 30ft Beneteau, was a quite though canny opponent of all in a race.

I wish you all well and look forward to seeing you on Saturday at a Covid modified Labour Day Weekend dinner which will follow our now standard BYO Everything practice.

Sincerely,

Alan Farrar

Commodore


Buoy Room

Some really nice sailing days recently, we have welcomed some new sailors – Mishca, Luka and Andrew  and Sarah, Tabitha and Scarlet in the Club Pacers, this has meant on many days the Pacers have been fully booked! Please make our new sailors really welcome!

The Club Championships and Aggregates are well underway and in the Championship less than a point separates the first 3 boats so it is all app for grabs, Anton & Meike have a good lead in the OTB Aggregate and the Keel Boat aggregate is also very close!

See https://www.flindersyc.com.au/Sailing for full results.

Peter has put some great photos and videos on the web site – see https://www.flindersyc.com.au/Sailing-Pictures

Rick, Leigh and Ed attended the recent Laser Regatta at Point Leo with Ed finishing 2nd and Rick 3rd it was a great sail down to PL in 15+ Knots and a very tiring 3 races, we all slept well that night.

Upcoming:

Leigh Glover will be at the Laser State Championships this week end – Good Luck!

Meike, Emma, Lilly & Mischa are doing some training at Somers at the SASSY Regatta this week end so best of luck in the races there also.

4 or 5 FYC Pacers will be back at Somers over the Labour Day weekend for the Pacer State Championships which is a great turn out and will be great fun – good luck to all.

Montalto Marathon:

Sunday 28 March sees the in augural Montalto Marathon, do you think you have what it takes to sail to Somers and back? Well this is the race for you! Keel Boats and OTB all welcome.  Volunteers needed for the rescue boats .  More detail to follow.

Big thanks to John Mitchell and Montalto for supporting this event.

Buoy Room (Mark Room) – RRS18.2

  • (a)    When boats are overlapped the outside boat shall give the inside boat mark-room, unless rule 18.2(b) applies.
  • (b)    If boats are overlapped when the first of them reaches the zone, the outside boat at that moment shall thereafter give the inside boat mark-room. If a boat is clear ahead when she reaches the zone, the boat clear astern at that moment shall thereafter give her mark-room.
  • (c)     When a boat is required to give mark-room by rule 18.2(b),
  • (1)    she shall continue to do so even if later an overlap is broken or a new overlap begins;
  • (2)    if she becomes overlapped inside the boat entitled to mark-room, she shall also give that boat room to sail her proper  course while they remain overlapped.

Well that's clear then! Remember the 'Zone' is the imaginary 3 boat lengths, and the start buoy is not a turning mark so buoy room does not apply.

See you on the water!

Rick Barker

Club Captain


Moorings

Keel sailing season 2021 racing continues albeit fleets a little depleted and a few cancelled races due to thunder storm weather.

The Wayne Gannon January Twilight Series saw some tight sailing results with the final race tie breaking three yachts vying  for the series win. Down to the wire the J70 Soixant Dix achieved 1st position on 7 points, 2nd Valkyrie 8 points and 3rd Act Of Faith 9 points. Congratulations to Andrew Kings and his able crew on a consistent performance with two wins, one second and a third.   

Other series under way include the February Twilight Series where we have Act Of Faith, Valkyrie and Soixant Dix again engaged in battle on the water and with two races to go. The Aggregate Series is taking shape with four races completed and another five to go including one postponed from the Covid lock down weekend. From Aggregate racing completed to date we have again a tight competition with four yachts 1 or 2 points off the current leader Valkyrie on 6 points, Montalto 7, and Soixant Dix and Act Of Faith both on 8 points.  

In recent weeks our Flinders harbour has experienced some fairly heavy easterly weather conditions that pushed yacht mooring safety to the limits. Several non-FYC craft were unfortunately washed ashore - a distressing sight. Thankfully our regular (required) mooring safety checks have proved a vital safeguard, nevertheless boat owners are reminded to undertake regular interim underwater checks. Whilst summer weather conditions have posed some challenges so far this season, racing continues and we remain optimistic about a rush of great summer days into February right up to the Easter season close.

John Sweeney

KK

Memories of Angus Fletcher
Brian Coleman

I was very saddened to learn of Angus Fletcher's death; I've always thought of him as one of the indestructibles.  Thinking of Angus and his first Tevake brought back memories. When I first joined the Sailing Committee, the Club Captain was Bob Boynton. He gave me two jobs - one to take over OB results and handicapping from Ant Grage, and the other to review and improve the Club's Sailing Instructions. You will be well aware of just how long both tasks stuck with me.  My first attempt at the SIs was for the 85-86 season. Reviews and re-writes followed at regular intervals - ten in all - usually coinciding with, and sometimes necessitated by, RRS revisions.   (Incidentally, I've just discovered I have preserved all my notes and products, right up to 2013 - perhaps I need a clean-out!)

For my second attempt I can recall spending a long evening at Angus's with him providing the keel-boat expertise, and Holly keeping us sustained. At the time Tevake was a major force in the keel-boat fleet, and Angus was already very highly regarded. As he proved with Tevake 2, he was a devoted Joe Adams fan, and Tedd Warden's Act of Faith is a reminder. I've always thought of Adams boats as narrow, fast, and wet! (Perhaps I fall into the same category since the Leader
("Farandole") I sailed at Flinders for many years before relaxing in a Laser was a Joe Adams venture into dinghy design). Shortly after this Angus sought fresh fields and greater challenges Bayside and beyond, but always kept well in touch with us - still a good member at Flinders despite his commitments at Hobsons Bay.

On Watch


The overwintering project: Westernport

FYC member Dominic White will be one of the artists featured in this exhibition at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. We would like to congratulate Dominic and encourage our members to visit the exhibition. 


We also congratulate Lilly Fogarty and Misha Englisch on placing 2nd overall at the SheSails women’s sailing event at Somers Yacht Club! https://www.sailingclubresults.com/results/club_1421/2020-2021/series14002.html



Stay up to date on the club Facebook and the member's Instagram page!

Thank you to our valued sponsors for their continued support 


Flinders Yacht Club Inc. Registration No A2045

Foreshore Reserve, Flinders 3929

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