Light winds for Winter Pursuit Race

The wind was looking dire as we cast out eye down the glassy waters of Middle Harbour shortly before race 3 of the Winter pursuit series. The Adams 10 class came to a unanimous decision to abandon their division leaving the race committee the difficult task of picking a course appropriate for a possible shorten if the rest of the fleet managed to get away. The sailors were keen to try and the horn blew at 12.30 with very little wind coming from the nor west but just enough for most to fill a spinnaker setting them off at a snail’s pace.  A shorten was inevitable and the race committee set up at Lady Bay for the shortened course.

In Division 1 Rob Aldis got the gun on Kayimai  closely followed by Stormaway ( Jack Stening and Colin Gunn) with Khaleesi

(Sandy Farquharson) only a second behind for third place.

In Division 2  Peter Charteris took out 1^st place on Dania followed by Innamincka (John Crawford) and Escape (Dean Dransfield) in third.

For full results click here

Read more: Light winds for Winter Pursuit Race

Breakout Series Postponed

Due to the ongoing situation in NSW with Covid-19, and after consultation with the relevant authorities, the Organising Committee has today decided to postpone the Breakout Series to an appropriate future date to be advised.  This is very disappointing news but MHYC, RPAYC, NCYC and PSYC as joint organisers thank the 83 entered boats and their crews for their interest and support.  All entry fees are being refunded and a more detailed announcement will be circulated to entrants in the coming days.

www.breakoutseries.com.au

Read more: Breakout Series Postponed

Sailing to re-commence at MHYC in June

The NSW Government have eased restrictions to allow sailing to resume under a phased approach.  This means that MHYC and other NSW clubs have the opportunity to re-commence their racing and training programs from early June. 

The return to sailing is being done in a consistent and coordinated manner thanks to the cooperation of the major Sydney clubs.  The Commodores of MHYC, CYCA, RSYS, RANSA, RPAYC, RMYCBB, SASC, MYC and RPEYC have met weekly with Australian Sailing since the Covid-19 pandemic first impacted our programs.

While detailed plans are yet to be finalised and approved, we are hopeful that MHYC’s Wednesday Pursuits will be able to start on June 10 and a modified Saturday racing program can also get underway later that week.  Members need to be aware there will be changes to these programs, particularly for related shore-side activities, as clubs are obliged to ensure that sailing at this time is CovidSAFE.

Please stand by for further details which will be released next week.

Looking forward to seeing you on the water soon.

Peter Lewis – Commodore MHYC

Read more: Sailing to re-commence at MHYC in June

Breakout Series 2021 Postponed

The Breakout Series, already postponed from August 2020, will not go ahead in January but will be rescheduled for August 2021.

A meeting of the joint clubs Organising Committee - Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Royal Motor Yacht Club Broken Bay and Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club - today decided that in considering the current Covid-19 situation and recommendations of NSW Health, it was not feasible to proceed with the event on 18-22 January.  

Starting in Sydney, the Breakout Series includes several offshore races taking in Pittwater and Newcastle. 

“It is disappointing to postpone the Breakout Series once again but rescheduling to the original August time-frame enables the event to conclude in Port Stephens,” said Committee Chairman, Commodore Peter Lewis from Middle Harbour Yacht Club.

“This will provide an appealing series for those boats which are not travelling North for the Queensland regattas’” he said.

For more information about the Breakout Series, go to www.breakoutseries.com.au

Read more: Breakout Series 2021 Postponed

MHYC eSailing Autumn Championship decided

Will Wilkinson has today been declared the Club eSailing Autumn Champion and will now represent MHYC in the State eSailing Championships.  120 clubs have registered for the competition which will be held from Friday to Sunday next weekend. 

On race courses from Sydney Harbour to Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Will’s J/70 Rocky 2 dominated the racing again this morning.  A nervous start and a 6^th place in Race 1 was followed up with four straight wins to secure the series and selection.  It was ultra-tight for the minor placings with Dane Kearney (DK123456), Adam Mowser (Ads) and Graham Brown (Adams 10 MH26) all finishing on equal points.  Tie-breaks handed Dane and Adam the 2^nd & 3^rd placings.

Thanks to all the eSailors who competed.  Congratulations to Autumn Champion Will and good luck at the States!

Today’s results – click here

MHYC eSailing page – click here

Read more: MHYC eSailing Autumn Championship decided

First MC38 regatta win for Swish

By Lisa Ratcliff

Close to two years of shooting for a MC38 one design class top result finally yielded Steve Proud’s Swish team the main prize, on dreary Pittwater in the shortened five-race Act 4 winter pointscore.

“We’ve had a couple of thirds before but this is our first regatta win; we’ve been chipping away for nearly two years and it’s finally starting to come together,” a grinning Proud said back at the conducting club, the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.

Video by Tilly Lock.

“We’ve got a really good bunch of sailors. Sometimes you just have to settle down and play your own game, and not let the nerves and everything going on around you get to you. It never lets up in that fleet. Opportunities come to you and take advantage of them; that’s how we played it today,” Proud added.

The Middle Harbour Yacht Club skipper named his team one by one, a special mention going to longtime tactician Billy Sykes. “Billy has been with me from the start, he’s put a great team together. We’ve got some excellent sailors. Nobody’s putting tickets on themselves; we just get out there and do the job.”

A second by two points for John Bacon’s Dark Star - looking resplendent following a recent makeover in Newcastle - is a great result for the local team. “We’re really happy and I’m really pleased for Steven, Billy and the Swish team - they have worked so hard,” Bacon acknowledged.

Most Valuable Player of the series goes to Dark Star’s mainsheet Darren ‘Twirler’ Jones, who heads home to South Australia for his second quarantine stint in as many months, following a MC38 weekend regatta. “He’s done 28 days in quarantine for the Dark Stars,” Bacon pointed out.

“Things were supposed to be open this time,” rued Jones. “It’s no problem, I just get the dirt bike out and ride around the property. I went back home after the last series for three weeks, had one week out of quarantine then back up to Sydney. Now I’m back home for two more in isolation. I’m feeling a little institutionalised!”

Third in Act 4 went to Lazy Dog, Shaun Lane and Quentin Stewart’s MHYC team who opened day two with a bullet off Mackerel Beach on Pittwater’s western shoreline, then slid back in the rankings when the track was shifted to an area known as ‘big pond’, the expanse north of Scotland Island.

A south-moving and deepening low pressure system brought heavy rain and changeable breeze to the fleet on Sunday July 26, mostly south swinging to an easterly flow, 8-10 knots. On the verge of a fourth and final race, an attempt to make up part of Saturday’s two race shortfall, the heavens opened. The downpour reduced visibility and played havoc with the wind, RPAYC race officer Steve Merrington deciding another start was optimistic, and the cold and saturated had probably had enough.

Pointscore results

Next on the calendar is Act 5 over the weekend of September 26-27 hosted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on Sydney Harbour.

Photos by Tilly Lock Media.

Read more: First MC38 regatta win for Swish

Top eSailors competing to represent MHYC

Fifteen races have now been sailed in each of the Helly Hansen Autumn Series with Will Wilkinson’s Rocky 2 leading the Saturday Offshore Keelboat, Wednesday J70 Sportsboat and Thursday Star Non-Spinnaker pointscores.

Will tops the list of sailors who will be invited to contest an eSailing Selection Series in the J70 on Saturday morning at 11am.  The winner of the five race series will represent MHYC at the NSW eSailing Championships being held between 22-24 May and potentially go on to represent the State.

To view the Selection Series Races this Saturday from 11am, or any of the scheduled Helly Hansen eSailing Series, simply go to https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/inshore-game/, wait for the main screen to load, click on Custom Race, click on the video tab (camera icon), then select the Helly Hansen eSailing race from the list of races available to start watching.  You can follow individual boats, change the camera angle or select the birds-eye overview of the fleet.

For the latest MHYC eSailing results and information – go to https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/e-sailing

Read more: Top eSailors competing to represent MHYC

Not Quite a Race

It was a disappointing end to the Winter Pursuit and Adams 10 Fleet Race today with the time limit expiring before any boats had finished. 

With little breeze at the clubhouse just before 12:30, the start was moved to on-water with Hugh George setting a line near the Bombora.  A 5-8 knot easterly initially pushed the fleet comfortably around the course, but as the afternoon wore on the breeze declined and the race had to be abandoned.

Nicole Balestro was on the water to take some photos today.

Read more: Not Quite a Race

COVID-19 Update – May 13, 2020

To all MHYC Members,

On behalf of the Board and Flags, we hope that you and your families are in good health and you have adapted well to the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While it may still be some time before the Club can return to normal operations afloat and ashore, it is nevertheless welcome news that an easing of restrictions in NSW will be gradually phased in.

I have been meeting regularly with Australian Sailing and the Commodores of the other major Sydney clubs to share ideas and receive updates from Australian Sailing.  This week’s Return to COVIDSafe Sailing Update will hopefully provide a first look at the guidelines that Australian Sailing have prepared based on the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) COVID-19 Framework for organised sport, aligned with the Federal Government COVIDSafe Australia Plan.  The aim is to assist NSW clubs to have a consistent approach in their return to sailing.  All Commodores in this group have agreed to a unified and coordinated approach to a return to competitive sailing.

It is unlikely that we will be able to re-commence organised yacht racing until at least Step 3 of the COVIDSafe Australia Plan and it is uncertain when this might be, but possibly in July.

While our marina has remained open throughout this crisis and recreational sailing is permitted - provided this is undertaken in accordance with the current NSW Government Social Distancing Regulations - club sporting events (which includes any form of yacht racing, even for boats with only one or two crew) are not permitted.

As soon as the NSW Government COVID-19 Restrictions are relaxed to a point which enables clubs to resume racing, MHYC intends to re-commence its regular program at the earliest opportunity.  This includes Wednesday Non-Spinnaker Pursuit and the Winter Pursuit and Sprint Series – although the program may be modified.  However, it must be anticipated that the Social Distancing Regulations in force at that time will apply to racing and may affect crew numbers, social distancing aboard and social interaction before and after sailing.

Amongst the uncertainty, there is still some positive news…

The Sandbar Cafe re-opened at the end of April for takeaway service to support those Members using the marina.  Hopefully we will be able to soon announce an allowance for a limited number of seated guests on the deck area, but this is subject to confirming compliance with Government Regulations.

The Helly Hansen eSailing Autumn Series of virtual races for MHYC Members has proved popular.  This Saturday at 11am, a selection series will be held to choose MHYC’s representative in the NSW eSailing Championships.  Members can view the racing online.  There is more information at https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/e-sailing

With most owners already deciding to forego the Queensland regattas in August due to the uncertainty around travel and event restrictions, MHYC has been leading plans to organise a series of coastal passage and inshore races in NSW.  Details are yet to be finalised, but the likely dates of the “Breakout Series” are 8 –14 August 2020.  The event will be organised by MHYC in conjunction with Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and Port Stephens Yacht Club.  Stand by for further announcements. 

The Club is planning for a great celebration on September 5th to open the 2020-2021 season and it will be themed as a Thankyou Day.  Subject to Government Regulations, we are hoping to invite the frontline services in our community who have served us so well during this crisis.

Work on rejuvenating the front of the club is well underway and some unusual flags are being displayed on the now more visible flagpole.  Originating at the San Francisco Yacht Club, clubs around the world are displaying a signal to let their members know they will be there for them after the COVID-19 pandemic.  The MHYC flagpole is now displaying the Code Flags C over G over Numeral 1 to communicate the message - I WILL STAND BY TO ASSIST YOU.

Please stay the course and keep healthy. If you are experiencing difficulties, please reach out to us and we will endeavour to assist.

We will continue to update you as further updates become available.

Yours in Sailing

Peter Lewis (Commodore)

Read more: COVID-19 Update – May 13, 2020