Albert Sailing Club News |

Thursday Snippets, 22 October

By Rod Thomas | Published: October 22, 2020

Hi Everyone Hope you are taking advantage of the move in Melbourne Metre to 25 kilometre range for exercise and travel without restriction on period away. Sailing is now a permitted activity within a defined set of restrictions as per https://www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/vic/ . No organised club activity as yet, but looking likely for an early to mid November resumption, with announcements on easing of restrictions for community sport, hopefully starting in next week, if not the week after.

We had a few people down to checkout Albert Park Lake and the ASC area on wednesday afternoon, with a few out for a sail. The photo enclosed is of Orlando from Royal Brighton who sailed on wednesday, with the Lake the only stretch of water he could sail on within 25 k’s from home. A few people have indicated they are likely to come down on the long weekend. The weather forecast suggests Friday will be the best of the days, with a cold front due through on saturday morning. If the weather is looking good, it is likely there will also be some down next wednesday afternoon.

In accordance with Government regulations the ASC clubrooms are still closed, however, toilets can be used if you have a pass to access the clubrooms. The ASC COVID19 guidelines for members and visitors on our club website www.albertsc.org.au are being updated weekly and should be looked at if you are coming down. Also be aware that the Parks Victoria parking inspectors are in operation, so if coming by car you need a current annual or daily parking permit. If your annual permit has expired the safest approach is to purchase a daily ticket. In the next two weeks we aim to provide an update in Thursday Snippets on how best to renew or apply for a new pass.

There will be an ASC Virtual Drinks and Chat session on saturday 22nd from 4 to 5.15 pm on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83794843459. All ASC members and contacts welcome.

In Other News
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The Australian Sailing annual Awards are being announced online this week on https://www.facebook.com/AustSail/ Congatulations to Royal Gellong Yacht Club as being awarded Australian Yacht Club of the year in recognition of their huge program of events over the 2019/20 summer including Australian and World Championships. Also well done to the other Victorian finalists, and those declared as winners in a number of the categories.

Rod Thomas

for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 15 October

By Rod Thomas | Published: October 14, 2020

On saturday 17th there is another of our weekly online ASC Drinks and Chat at Doug’s ASC Virtual Bar from 4pm to 5.30. Join us via
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88697975641

The ASC bathtub Boat Building competition has closed and online judging by club Members and Contacts is open until Sunday 18th October. There are 9 entries in ASC family, ASC individual member and Contact categories. The boat builders have taken a variety of approaches and produced an interesting collection of boats of different materials and construction.
A Bathtup Boat Building post with photos of the 9 entries have been placed on https://www.facebook.com/AlbertSailing/
To view them click on the link or enter the https address in your web browser.
Vote on your favourite by sending photo number and boat name of your favourite for each of the 3 categories to Rod via training@albertsc.org.au by the end of Sunday 18th October.

In Other News
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There was plenty of good discussion at the club’s monthly committee meeting on Monday 12th including on :
* Correspondence from Parks Victoria Albert Park (PV) advising that due to legal issues PV will initiate a refund process to all known parties who appealed a parking infringement prior to 13 March 2019, had their appeal rejected and subsequently paid the infringement. PV will go through their records and notify those entitled to a refund.
PV has also sought input on the next trimming of aquatic weed in the Lake scheduled for November.
* Ideas for a couple of grants recently opened, including PV’s annual Albert Park Reserve grants, were discussed. Applications are being prepared for funding a sail training program and some new training boats.
* A sailing committee meeting is being convened by our Rear Commodore Steve Dunn to discuss sailing activity and duty rosters for the remainder of 2020, assuming restrictions ease soon to allow some club sailing activity in Melbourne Metro.
* An updated COVID19 Safe Plan for Albert Sailing Club was tabled by Rod Thomas and endorsed by the committee. As we return to the club we will need to take personal and collective responsibility for ensuring we all keep safe and comply with Government regulations when at ASC. A copy of the plan and current ASC guidelines are being placed on www.albertsc.org.au
* We aim to produce an ASC Mudpuddler newsletter in mid to late November. Articles, photos and items of interest should be sent to training@albertsc.org.au. We need someone to assist with editing of Mudpuddler. The process and templates are well defined, and do not require much time and minimal previous experience. Contact our Commodore, Cindy Tilbrook if you could assist.

That’s it for another week. Keep following updates through Snippets, Facebook and our club website.
Looking forward to some sailing on Albert Park Lake soon.

Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club

PHOTO Attached

‘Memories’ trimaran from Team Wright.

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Thursday Snippets, 8 October

By Rod Thomas | Published: October 8, 2020

On saturday 10th we have ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm on saturday at Doug’s ASC Virtual Bar via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88569989933.

The club’s monthly general committee meeting is another meet on Monday 12th October at 7.30. Contact the Commodore or Secretary if you have something to raise.

In Other News
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The ASC bathtub Boat Building competition closed this week with a mixed fleet of 9 entries including two trimarans, a tall ship, 5 monohulls, and a two litre container boat. Photos of entries are on their way to the start line on the club website, and will be up for judging next week.

A couple of weeks ago Ron ‘Lacko’ Lackington forwarded a suggestion for a new pontoon type craft for the club to consider for one of the grants we are currently applying for. The Shuttle bike is an Italian design which is best suited to flat water Lake conditions. It comes in a handy carry bag, with instrructions for inflation/deflation and use. In lockdown Ron has got his road bike out of the garage and taken to the road to build up fitness for a possible Shuttle bike try out on the Lake. This provides another activity for all of us to look forward to.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 1 October

By Rod Thomas | Published: October 1, 2020

October has arrived. Victoria moves to Daylight Saving Time Zone on saturday night
We have ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm on saturday at Doug’s ASC Virtual Bar via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86811272216

On 28 September Step 2 of the Victorian Government COVID19 Roadmap commenced. Exercise is permitted within 5 kilometres of your home or permitted workplace for up to 2 hours per day.
Australian Sailing Victoria has been liaising with Sport and Recreation Victoria and has posted an advice on sailing as a form of exercise in Step 2. Details can be accessed from the home page of our club website www.albertsc.org.au.
The club’s COVID Safe plan on our club website continues to be updated. Dates and arrangements for a return to sailing and club activity will depend upon government announcements on a move to Step 3 of their Roadmap and the specifics applying to community sport.

Final entries for the ASC Bathtub Boat building competition are coming in with photos for all entries need to be sent to training@albertsc.org.au by end of Monday 5th October. Attached is the the Team Wilson entry which is a scale model of the family’s Mirror dinghy ” No Chance”. The Mirror has been constructed from a cardboard milk container with sticky tape bonding of panels. The rig has satay stick Mast, gaff and boom spars with nylon sails. More entries to be shared in upcoming Snippets.

Looking forward to sailing on Albert Park Lake later this month.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 24 September

By Rod Thomas | Published: September 24, 2020

A wintry blast of weather in Melbourne for the final weekend of September. We have another ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm on saturday at Doug’s ASC Virtual Bar. Members and friends most welcome. This will include a chat on return to operations at Albert Sailing Club when restrictions allow. The Albert Sailing Club Bathtub Boat building competition is progressing well. Entrant online registration via link on club website, by saturday 26th September with boat photos submitted by 5th October.
Join the ASC Drinks and Chat session on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84236713394

The article ‘Sydney 2000 and its Sailing Legacy” has been published on the Australian Sailing website and is a recommended read. Our own Tom King with his crew John Dransfield won a gold medal in the 470 class in the last week of September of the year 2000. The article includes a catchup with Tom and John, and the other sailing medallists from those games.
https://www.sailing.org.au/news/sydney-2000-and-its-sailing-legacy/

On 19th September it was International Talk Like a Pirate Day. To brush up on pirate speak an extract on pirate lingo from the IRLaPD website is provided below. Melbourne’s tall ship Enterprize is the closest we have to a Pirate Ship. The Enterprize has been in lockdown at Melbourne’s Docklands since mid March. The latest crew photos on https://www.facebook.com/tallshipenterprize capture the enthusiasm of the crew when they have had their annual pirate days in past years.

Looking forward to sailing on Albert Park Lake again soon.

Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee

How To …… Talk* Like a Pirate

Pirate lingo is rich and complicated, sort of like a good stew. Here are the five basic words that you cannot live without. Master them, and you can face Talk Like a Pirate with a smile on your face and a parrot on your shoulder, if that’s your thing.
Ahoy! – “Hello!”
Avast! – Stop and give attention. It can be used in a sense of surprise, “Whoa! Get a load of that!” which today makes it more of a “Check it out” or “No way!” or “Get off!
”Aye! – “Why yes, I agree most heartily with everything you just said or did.”Aye aye! – “I’ll get right on that sir, as soon as my break is over.”
Arrr! – This one is often confused with arrrgh, which is of course the sound you make when you sit on a belaying pin. “Arrr!” can mean, variously, “yes,” “I agree,” “I’m happy,” “I’m enjoying this beer,” “My team is going to win it all,” “I saw that television show, it sucked!” and “That was a clever remark you or I just made.” And those are just a few of the myriad possibilities of Arrr!

And one more
Bung hole – Victuals on a ship were stored in wooden casks. The stopper in the barrel is called the bung, and the hole is called the bung hole. That’s all. It sounds a lot worse, doesn’t it? On TLAP Day – When dinner is served you’ll make quite an impression when you say, “Well, me hearties, let’s see what crawled out of the bung hole.” That statement will be instantly followed by the sound of people putting down their utensils and pushing themselves away from the table.

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Thursday Snippets, 17 September

By Rod Thomas | Published: September 17, 2020

This week ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm on saturday at Doug’s ASC Virtual Bar and a reminder for ASC members and contacts to enter the Albert Sailing Club Bathtub Boat building competition. Also sad news of the death of a long term member.

Join the ASC Drinks and Chat session on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83254578982

Time for members, and non member contacts currently not ASC members, to get on with an entry for the ASC Bathtub Boat building competition. Online entry has been extended to 23 September, with boats to be completed and photos submitted by 5 October. Build a sailboat 0.2 to 0.5 metres in length – any construction and any materials. The competition provides a practical project to be undertaken at home individually or as part of a family group over the next 3 weeks, which includes the school holidays, Simple rules and Entry details at https://albertsc.org.au/index.php/racing/social-sailing The final extra requirement is for ‘ASC 2020’ or a favourite sail number to be displayed on one of the two sails.

Sad news this week of the death on Thursday 10th September of Bill Avallone after a long illness. Bill was a long term member who was our club secretary for 7 years up to 2016. Some background on Bill’s involvement at ASC and funeral arrangements on Friday is below.

In normal circumstances the club’s Winter Series would conclude on saturday 19th September with week 3 of the Bill Hooper Series. The Bill Hooper short race series is named after Albert Sailing Club’s first Commodore Bill Hooper, and has a perpetual shield trophy that dates back to the 1950’s. Bill and a small group formed the Albert Sailing Club in 1948 in the loft of the Hooper’s Jolly Roger Boatshed which until 1995 was located on the current site of the Australian Sailing Albert Park Boatshed . If you have a memory to share of Bill, the Hooper family or the Jolly Roger Sailing School leave a comment on this week’s Snippets post on Albert Sailing Club Facebook.

This week Regional Victoria has skipped to stage 3 of the Victorian Government COVID19 roadmap, with sailing competition and training permitted within guidelines. At this stage non contact sports including sailing not possible in Melbourne until Melbourne Metro progresses to stage 3, notionally the end of October. We will continue to monitor and report on further government and Australian Sailing advices.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

Bill Avallone
It is with great sadness that we advise of notice of the death of Bill Avallone, Bill was one of our long term members who retired from ASC membership in 2018. He passed away peacefully on Thursday 10th September after an extended period of poor health.

Bill was drawn to sailing and Albert Sailing Club in the late 1980’s when he purchased a Mirror which he sailed with his son Bill. When his son stopped sailing, Bill retired from sailing but continued as an active club member. Bill served on the ASC general committee for around 12 years, with seven years from 2010 to 2017 as secretary. In the 2000’s and 2010’s Bill and his wife Beni were at the club most Saturdays, with lunchtime for socialising After the lunch break Bill regularly assisted with Race Management usually in the Club Tower, sometimes on the water in a club RHIB. In this period Bill and Beni attended most club functions and were regularly involved in ASC Discover Sailing and Community Sailing Days.
Bill is fondly remembered as a good story-teller, with stories about their Kiwani club activities, Bill’s Coast Guard radio operator updates, trips back to their native Malta and the roller coaster ride with the St Kilda football team.

The Funeral Mass for Bill will be Webcast via Tobin Brothers website on Friday 18th September, 2020 at 2.00 p.m.

Our condolences are with Beni and the Avallone family.

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Thursday Snippets, 3 September

By Rod Thomas | Published: September 2, 2020

This week we have ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm on saturday at Doug’s Virtual Bar and announce a new competition at Albert Sailing Club for the month of September – the ASC Bathtub Boat building competition.

Join the ASC Drinks and Chat session on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89775007782

The inaugural Bathtub Boat building competition is for everyone – ASC club members and club contacts who are currently not ASC club members. Build a sailboat 0.2 to 0.5 metres in length – any construction and any materials. Simple rules and Entry details at https://albertsc.org.au/index.php/racing/social-sailing

The ASC Bathtub Boat building competition provides a practical project to be undertaken at home individually or as part of a family group. It will unlock creative skills and provide some fun in a period when COVID19 restrictions limit options. If you are short on ideas you could try your favourite internet search engine for examples.

There are ASC merchandise prizes for the winning Bath tub sail boat for ASC individual member, ASC family, and ASC Contacts categories, with judging by ‘popular acclaim’ based on photos of constructed boats.

Upcoming
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The ASC general committee has its monthly meeting as a Zoom meet at 7.30 on Wednesday. Resumption of club activities in the Spring will be a key Agenda item. Hopefully, the Victorian Government’s Roadmap to Recovery announcement this weekend provides some easing of Restrictions and guidelines which will allow some plans for Return to ASC to be advanced. Contact a club committee member if you have any matters you would like put forward at the meeting.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 27 August

By Rod Thomas | Published: August 27, 2020

Hi ASC members and Snippets followers Week 4 of the 6 weeks Stage 4 lockdown restrictions in Melbourne. On saturday there will be another ASC Drinks and Chat 4 to 5pm at Doug’s Virtual Bar on https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81143239910
Also an online an ASC Virtual Sailing Session at 2.30. To participate send an email to Steve via rearcommodore@albertsc.org.au.

News in this week that  the 2021 Australian Wooden Boat Festival scheduled for Hobart in February will not be proceeding due to the COVID19 situation. The next festival is now being planned for February 2023. This is Hobart’s best summer festival, Tasmania’s largest free event, and one of the world’s premier wooden boat festivals. A number of us have attended this biennial festival in the past, in a number of cases sailing on Melbourne’s tall ship Enterprize. The organisers explored a whole range of options for a 2021 festival ranging from an event heavy with fencing, security, and strict crowd controls to the possibility of moving the whole Festival online. In the end it was decided that it was too big a risk in the middle of a global pandemic from health logistical and financial perspectives. They have committed to ensure that the festival flourishes again in 2023.

Retrospective
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It is now 18 years since the publication in 2002 of “Sandy” A. J. Mackinnon’s book ‘The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de Crow A.J. Sandy’s book provides a charming and eccentric account of his year long adventure sailing a Mirror dinghy on a 5000 kilometre nautical odyssey from North Wales to the Black Sea. Sails magazine recently caught up with Sandy at home in Victoria to discuss his reflections on his amazing journey  https://www.sailsmagazine.com.au/reflections-fantastic-voyage/

ABC Conversations also earlier this year re-broadcast Richard Fiedler’s interview in 2014 with Sandy McKinnon on his Jack de Crowe Adventure.
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/sandy-mackinnon-rpt/12199356
Many of us have enjoyed the book and can recommend purchasing a copy or loaning through a public library when they re-open.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 20 August

By Rod Thomas | Published: August 19, 2020

Hi fellow hibernating sailors and Snippets followers. With no boating in the Greater Melbourne Metropolitan area there will be a Virtual online “ASC Drinks and Chat” 4pm – 5pm on saturday 22nd August. Join us at “Doug’s Virtual Bar” from your PC, Tablet or Smart phone using the Zoom link : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88422079103
There will also be an online ASC Virtual sailing session mid afternoon which is open to people at different levels of experience. Sail a boat around a course on Sydney Harbour. If interested send an email to our Rear Commodore Steve Dunn via rearcommodore@albertsc.org.au.

The ASC general committee had its monthly meeting online via Zoom on wednesday 12th August. Another full agenda, somewhat surprisingly. An ASC August update to Members email from our Commodore Cindy will be sent to members later this week, which includes details of the approach to be taken on 2020/21 membership subscriptions.

At last saturday’s Virtual Drinks and Chat Rod provided some details of a long distance ocean row currently being undertaken by Lia Ditton. Lia left San Francisco on 17th June and is rowing 2500 nautical miles to Hawaii in her 20 foot long boat, alone and unsupported. As at 19 August she had completed 2/3rds of the trip, and reported on a range of experiences including two capsizes. Her daily updates provide an interesting read and can be found on https://rowliarow.com/
Who is going to bring an item of interest to this saturday’s Drinks and Chat ?

In Other News
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A number of club and class newsletters have been released online this month. Unfortunately, notifications of cancelation of many regattas scheduled for second half of this year into the new year including :
* Albert Park Yacht Club’s City Sail for Women and Girl’s which was scheduled for mid September
* Albury Wodonga’s Sail Country on Lake Hume scheduled for November
* Australian Laser Championships and the following Australian youth championships which were both to be held in Perth in January.
The Sail Sandy Regatta which is usually held in October has been scheduled for 21/22 February.

No doubt there will be more cancellations and rescheduling to come as we try to negotiate those strange and different times. We look forward to being able to get back to some sailing in the next couple of months.

Keep well and keep active as best you can.
Rod Thomas for ASC committee

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Thursday Snippets, 13 August

By Rod Thomas | Published: August 13, 2020

Hi fellow hibernating sailors and supporters. With stage 4 restrictions in Melbourne no boating activity in the Greater Melbourne Metropolitan area continues. There will again be a Virtual online “ASC Drinks and Chat” 4pm – 5pm on saturday 15th August. Join us at “Doug’s Virtual Bar” from your PC, Tablet or Smart phone using the Zoom link : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89327451279

Last saturday afternoon Cindy shared a video clip of her sailing adventure on a Dutch tall ship in a storm off Gabo Island. David Scammell followed up with a video clip on his sailing in the UK on the original Ian Murray 18 foot skiff in the UK. This week there will be some discussion of online Virtual Sailing and upcoming ASC virtual sailing options. What else will people bring to this week’s Drinks and Chat ?

We are going to re-start online Virtual Sailing at ASC and are looking at options and timings for competition sails and some more laid back less competitive online sails for the next few weeks. If interested send an email to our Rear Commodore Steve Dunn via rearcommodore@albertsc.org.au. To find out more about Virtual Sailing try googling Virtual Sailing. You can join in via PC, laptop or Tablet device from an Internet browser or from a smart phone using the downloaded app. There is no fee to play the basic format and you register at Virtual Regatta

In Other News
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Parks Victoria have advised that during Stage 4 restrictions they are not processing Car Parking Permit renewals or new applications. We will advise through Snippets on when processing re-commences and the online process for doing so.

Sailing Events in Australia and around the World are few and far between at the moment., with most events being cancelled and re-scheduled. The annual Airlie Beach regatta for keel boats and trailables in Queensland finishes on the weekend. Australia’s largest annual keel boat regatta the Hamilton Island Race Week was scheduled for next week, but has been cancelled with the lockout of Race Management crew from Sydney and Melbourne a major factor.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee

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