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.
Thursday Snippets, 17 September
Thursday Snippets, 3 September
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
Thursday Snippets, 27 August
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
Thursday Snippets, 20 August
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
Thursday Snippets, 13 August
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
Thursday Snippets, 6 August
Half a dozen ASC sailors sailed on the Lake on sunday 2nd , the last day before Stage 4 lockdown of Melbourne. A post with photo has been placed on Albert Sailing Club Facebook of Phoebe Pearce, one of our new members from late 2019, sailing her OK dinghy on sunday. Phoebe lives within 2 ks of the Lake and walks in with her gear, which depending on COVID19 restrictions, has been nearly weekly since early May. She like many others looks forward to being able to get out again on Albert Park Lake later in Spring.
There is another Virtual online “ASC Drinks and Chat” 4pm – 5pm on saturday 8th August. Join us at “Doug’s Virtual Bar” using the Zoom link : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86154459992 Last week Tim spoke of his new ebike and his rides in and around Camberwell. Rod shared a photo of Melbourne’s Tall Ship Enterprize in a stiff breeze in Bass Strait. What will people bring to the table this week ?
Other News
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The OK on the Lake on the 2nd of August reminded me of the rich history of the OK at Albert Sailing Club, and the importance of ASC as the foundation club for OK’s in Victoria. “The Birth of the OK Class in Victoria”, by Bob Coate, from a club Newsletter in mid 1996, tells the story of OK’s at ASC from 1960, now 60 years ago. Bob was an active member of the club and a strong supporter of the OK in the 1980’s and 1990’s. An extract from that article, with a brief update follows.
Extract from “The Birth of the OK Class in Victoria” by Bob Coate KA615 “Good Vibrations” Published in The Mudpuddler Newsletter of Albert Sailing Club in 1996.
In 1960, the then ASC Commodore Bill Larkins established the first OK dinghy class fleet in Australia at Albert Sailing Club. The OK had its origins in the mid 1950’s, when yacht designer Knud Olsen prepared drawings for a light and fast single-handed sailing dinghy based on conventional plywood construction. The design was named the “OK”, using Knud Olsen’s initials in reverse.
In April 1960 a local boatbuilder, Mr Lang, visited the club to discuss possible building arrangements and prices. This lead to ASC adopting the class and the Victorian OK Dinghy Association being formed at ASC on 14th May 1960. A scheme to finance the building of several boats was instituted. The Ladies Committee of Albert Sailing Club loaned 50 pounds each to a number of members. (The whole boat – timber, ply, mast and sail cost about 100 pounds – about 4 weeks average wages at the time).The club exhibited an OK at the 1960 Melbourne boat show, and by the end of the 1960/61 season a total of 13 boats were either built or under construction by members.
The first Victorian Ok championships were held by Albert Sailing Club on the lake in March 1961, with Jinx sailed by Bill Cass the winner. “Canine”. KA9, was later raced successfully as part of the ASC fleet by Peter Casdorff. This boat turned up at the Club in 1980, having been abandoned by its owner and coming apart at the seams. Deemed to be beyond a reasonable repair it was given a “Vikings Funeral”.
The second Victorian Championships were run by ASC officials at Blairgowrie (due to weed in the lake) – 1st Jinx, Bill Cass; 2nd-Peppy, Bill Larkins; 3rd Bubbamoranti, John Swift: all ASC sailors.
In the mid 1960’s out of a regular fleet of all classes of 30 – 35 boats at ASC, 15 were OK’s and there were 22 on the register. These included : SALTY, Bill Larkins; CON, Bill Irwin; TEMPEST 2 John Stevens ; JINX, HEXAVATTEN, BUBBAMOANTI, CANINE, PEPPY.
Bob Coate’s article finishes up with a quote “The OK stood out a mile, maybe it was the roach of the sail. But it looked much more masculine than any of the others … A bloke’s boat. So that was the one…” Walter Chapman May 1961.
An update on the last 30 years from Rod Thomas
Fleets of 5 to 10 OK’s sailed in club races at ASC from 1980 until around 2000. By this stage OKs were built in plywood, G.R.P and composite construction; Regular club OK sailors included : Wally Chapman, Ron Parish, Mike Simpson, Gary Craig, Steve Haintz. Sean and Jamie Wilson, and John Gibson in the 1990’s They were joined by OK’s from other club’s, mainly from Black Rock YC, for our winter season, the annual regatta, and the big Grand Prix Regattas from 1996 – 1998. The evergreen and now class legend Bruce Ashton from BRYC has been a regular for the Annual Regatta and latter half of winter season up until 2017, and Mike Horvarth sailed in a number of club Regattas and some winter season races. The fleet dwindled in the early 2000’s. We had two or three sailing at various stages up until around 2016, with Ron Fergusson a regular in the 2014 – 2016 period, before he moved into the lighter weight and more nimble Aero 7.
Rod Thomas
Thursday Snippets, 30 July
With no club racing or training activity possible we have a Virtual online “ASC Drinks and Chat” 4pm – 5pm on saturday 1st August. Join in at “Doug’s Virtual Bar” using the Zoom link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84088296179
Recreational sailing is possible on Albert Park Lake under specific regulations and guidelines for exercise in Melbourne. Guidelines have been posted on our club website www.albertsc.org.au.
To participate in the Zoom chat on saturday you need a PC, laptop or smartphone with inbuilt or connected microphone and camera. When admitted to the session click on the video and audio icons.
An item belonging to Dr A Illingworth was found on the club premises Monday morning. Contact Rod via training@albertsc.org.au if this is yours.
Other News
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A new Australian Sabre class website was launched mid July and is recommended for Sabre sailors at all levels and anyone sailing a single handed dinghy class boat. Check it out at www.sabre.org.au It has been purpose-built to provide up-to-date class information with direct links to Facebook, Email Newsletter, Sabre Your Tube Videos, a Sabre Forum and Boats for Sale.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee
Thursday Snippets, 23 July
Hi everyone. Very quiet for sailing in Melbourne during this current lockdown period – both in terms of sailing activity and wind strength. The odd boat out on Albert Park Lake. At the northern end of Port Philip a few Lasers out from Port Melbourne a couple of days per week and the odd Sabre from Black Rock. A few sail boarders from St Kilda, and a few keel boats from the top of the bay keel boat clubs.
Recreational sailing is possible for exercise in single handed dinghy boats if you are so inclined, now with face mask or bandana type cover if 12 years or over. Double handed boat if from same family, living at same address. Relevant government restrictions on sport from 22 July are on https://sport.vic.gov.au/our-work/return-to-play/restrictions-for-metropolitan-Melbourne-and-Mitchell-Shire.
The only access to Albert Sailing Club is by members taking their boat to or from the club boatyard. To do so sign in in foyer and directly proceed to boatyard. Members can use club toilets, but not changerooms or any other facilities Lock gates and doors and wipe all shared surfaces you touch.
Upcoming
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Virtual drinks and chat for ASC members and supporters via Zoom next saturday afternoon 1st August is being organised. Details in next week’s Snippets.
Other News
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Updated Racing Rules of Sailing for 2021 – 2024 apply from 1 January. A copy is to be available for download from the ISAF website. Hard copy ‘blue books’ with Rules, Appendicies and prescriptions will be available in early 2021 for $55 each. ASC members can pre-order a Waterproof (blue book) Rules book at an early bird price of $40, with delivery expected in December. Orders to Rod via training@albertsc.org.au by this Sunday 26th July, with payment on Invoice at a later date.
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee
Thursday Snippets, 16 July
The Winter season of club races on Albert Park Lake has been suspended due to the COVID sitation and Government Restrictions.
Recreational sailing on Albert Park Lake is still possible under COVID19 stage 3 restrictions.. Our sailing peak body Australian Sailing has on 13th July provided an update on stage 3 regulations and advice as per https://www.sailingresources.org.au/covid-19/vic/ Main points of clarification are :
. You can go sailing recreationally (not organised club racing/ training) in a single-handed dinghy
• You can go sailing recreationally (not organised club racing/ training) in a keel boat with a maximum of two (2) people (if they do not live with you) as long as you keep the 1.5mtr distancing
• Sailing with family members from the same house is allowed with no social distancing requirements.
• Cleaning of all equipment to take place before and after activity including participants own equipment and boats
• Cleaning of all equipment to take place before and after activity including participants own equipment and boat
• Rigging space and marina / dock separation should be maintained while ashore.
If you are coming to sail at the Lake come dressed to go sailing, as changerooms are closed. If you need to access your boat in the boatyard sign in on forms in club foyer, and proceed directly to your boat. After boat is taken from yard or returned ensure gates are locked and locks, handles and other shared surfaces touched are given a disinfectant wipe before you exit.
The 2020 VIODA Winter training program at Albert Sailing Club for junior Optimist sailors has been paused after the 3rd sunday afternoon session on 5th July and the midweek two day training camp the previous week. The VIODA committee posted on the VIODA Facebook. “It is a difficult decision as we had just started at Albert Sailing Club but a wise decision for our community’s health.
We would like to thank ASC for welcoming VIODA sailors in the past few weeks as well as the sailors, their parents, and the coaches for respecting the processes we had to put in place at the lake.
We recommend all sailors to continue to sail as much as they can at their respective club (as long as they can) respecting clubs’ guidelines.
We (VIODA) will be closely monitoring the government’s recommendation and we hope to resume the program as soon as we can.”
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee
Thursday Snippets, 24 September
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.