Hi there fellow locked down sailors and supporters
Victoria has moved to Stage 3 of COVid-19 Restrictions
* Our ASC clubrooms have been closed. The boatyard is still acessible for members who have a club key, with need to following all Government mandated health guidelines. We are liasing with SEDA group as to whether they will resume at ASC for any midweek classes from start of term 2.
* The Government’s Marine Safety Victoria has asked Victorians to stop all forms of recreational boating as part of Stage 3 restrictions. The Premier has described exercise as ‘a walk round the block or a bike ride’. and this does not include recreational boating.
Upcoming
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A new “Albert Park Non-Sailing Corona Series’ is being developed to commence online at 2pm on saturday afternoons from saturday 4 April. There will be a ‘racing’ format with entrants to answer a number of boating/sailing related questions in the fastest possible time. Scoring in the traditional sailing format, with the first correct response received within the race time limit being awarded 1 point, the second correct response 2 points etc. Incorrect answers a “DNF”. Overall series scoring and a prize awarded at the end of the series (perhaps a case of Corona beer?). To find out further details, visit http://albertsc.org.au/index.
Ocean Talks: Captain Cook – Man or Myth? 6.30 to 7.30 on Thursday 2 April. First of a series of online nautical webinars from Australian National Maritime Museum. Register on https://www.sea.museum/whats-on/events/cook-man-or-myth?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=cook_ocean_talk
Retrospective
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In March there were a number of sailing and boating events in which members participated.
The Paynesville Classic Boat Rally on Gippsland Lakes on the first weekend of March. APYC’s classic Acrospire was trailered down and was a popular entrant. Plenty of photos and other media on https://www.paynesvilleclassicboatrally.com.au/index.php/gallery
The Marley Point Overnight Race for trailable boats on the Gippsland Lakes was on the second weekend in March. ASC’s Brian Finlayson sailed his Investigator 563 trailable in a fleet of 101 boats. We are seeking a report from Brian.
Sailing Videos
There are plenty on the Internet.
Try SailingMore. A couple of their Corona Virus related sailing videos: https://www.facebook.com/SailingMore/videos/1662239877257554/
https://www.facebook.com/SailingMore/videos/659060471556111/
We plan to keep Thursday Snippets going.
If you have a contribition send it to me via training@albertsc.org.au
Rod Thomas
Thursday Snippets, 9 April
Hi there fellow locked down sailors and supporters.
It was a wild and windy weekend in Melbourne last weekend. Sailing would have been cancelled even if it was scheduled. The Albert Park area had some good downpours such that the Lake continues to be full. Sad that we are not able to go out for a sail with current COVID-19 Stage 3 restrictions.
We still have some club related activities and News to share.
UPCOMING
Albert Park Non-Sailing Corona Series
Four hearty sailors participated in our practice race last Saturday, with regular fleet leader Jonathan Pulham coming in the winner. The ‘real’ Autumn series commences this Saturday promptly at 2 p.m. and will consist of 8 races each Saturday to the end of May. You need to complete at least 5 of the 8 races to be eligible to win the prize (yet to be determined). It would be great to have a fleet of 40 or 50 boats in the series, so brush up your sailing knowledge and internet searching skills and let’s see if someone can stop Jonathan. (Come on ASC sailors!) You’ll need to be ready on the start line promptly at 2 p.m., as all answers in the practice race came in within 30 minutes, with the winner setting a cracking pace of only 3 minutes to complete the 6 easy practice questions. For further details go to http://albertsc.org.au/index.php/racing/social-sailing1/ .
ASC April General Committee Meeting online Wednesday 15th April at 7.30. The committee had a video hookup this week to discuss COV-19 membership impacts. An email/letter from our Commodore should be sent out next few days on this and some other items.
MEMBERS NEWS
Ron Lackington update
Ron ‘Lacko; Lackington is one of our club legends, and has reported in on his response to the community lockdown. Ron has been revisiting Tai Chi “something he did 50 years ago in Wagga when working at the Daily Advertiser and playing football. “An old Chinese guy who was about 80 taught a few of us footballers, Rugby and Auz Rules players during the day. He used to say with his hands in the greeting position “I’m trying hard but oh my pupils so clumsy”. I can only remember a couple of moves he used to insist on but have a detailed book I’m trying to digest and use. Trouble is it keeps saying it takes one year to master basic exercise before moving to simple form and that’s supposed to be seven days a week!” Simple Form is the more complicated part of an already complicated discipline. Anyway the exercise is good and a very different way of killing an hour or so stumbling around. I’ll be happy to just get my head around the 125 odd moves that form the exercise bit. Don’t hang any hats on a demonstration – not happening!”
“I’d like to See That” with Ron doing Tai Chi.
Brian Finlayson Marlay Point Race report
Brian’s report on the 2020 Marlay Point race is provided below. This race is sailed on the Gippsland Lakes from Lake Wellington Yacht Club (21 kms east of Sale) to Paynesville, approximately 70 kms by road. It is the only overnight race for trailer sailors boats in Australia and has earned a reputation as the Sydney-Hobart for trailer sailor yachts. (generally monohull boats 4 to 7 metres in length with a cabin).
We are looking for updates from Members and Past Members on their recent, current or future activities to include in Snippets. Updates of 1 to 3 paragraphs preferred with a jpeg photo if you have one.
This week’s Sailing Video Clips
https://www.facebook.com/168535683283054/posts/1819774748159131/
https://www.facebook.com/168535683283054/posts/1819399758196630/
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee
Brian Finlayson Report
I’ve sailed 8 Marlay Point races on Gippsland Lakes since 2008. I sailed the 2020 Marlay Point race in early March in my Investigator 435. This year sailed two handed with John Price (a former ASC member), with our third crew member a late withdrawal which made for a long sleepless night. Since 2008 I have been praying for a westerly wind. It would be great to cross the start line with the spinnaker up and keep it up to the finish. However, it has never happened to me on the Marlay Point even though it is possible, This year we sailed into a fairly strong headwind for the whole race, which made for a relatively cold and wet passage.
We started the race from Lake Wellington Yacht Club at dusk with a small headsail and a reef in the main then increased the sail area after we got through McLennan Strait. However, even with our shortened sail we had problems with rounding up into the wind. Our other problem was that sailing into the wind all night with only two of us meant it was difficult to maintain concentration so we spent a lot of time either pointing too high or not high enough. This is a long-winded way for me to tell you that we didn’t win. Not only did we not win, we had our worst Marlay Point result ever. We were 34th over the line in eleven and a half hours and 31st on handicap in a fleet of 35 boats in Division A.. The only other Investigator in the race was just ahead of us and 29th on handicap. 102 starters in Total.
In mid March I have moved up to my Central Queensland winter home. For the autumn and winter months I usually sail with the Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club in central Queenslandand. This year we plan to hold a weekend of racing for trailable yachts on the first weekend of September. Come and join us with your boat (COVID-19 permitting).