Albert Sailing Club News |

Thursday Snippets, 16 May

By Rod Thomas | Published: May 15, 2024

Sailing at Albert Sailing Club both days of the 18/19 May weekend.
* Saturday Winter Championship Race 2 from 2pm, with visitors welcome. Club open from 10am, with club training boats available for hire by members from 10.30 for morning or afternoon sailing.
* Sunday we welcome Optimist junior sailors and their families from Melbourne and Regional Victorian Clubs for the start of the VIODA Optimist Class Winter Coaching program which runs 1 to 4pm on sunday afternoons through to early September. The May/June Block 1 program is fully booked with 45 junior sailors,

Upcoming
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Albert Sailing Club’s Top of the Lake Regatta is on 22/23 June, with multiple short races scheduled for the saturday afternoon, and sunday mid morning to mid afternoon. The Notice of Race and Registration link is now available on the Regatta 2024 link on www.albertsc.org.au. Regatta volunteers (either on-water or off-water, one or both days) are now being sought contact Cindy Tilbrook via admin@albertsc.org.au if you are available.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

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Thursday Snippets, 11 May

By Rod Thomas | Published: May 8, 2024

The Winter Sailing Season on saturdays is underway.
On 11th May there is Winter Handicap 1 club race at 2pm.
* Following sailing on 11th at 4.45 there is presentation of ASC Perpetual trophies afor the 2023/24 season and at 5pm the club’s Annual General Meeting for members. Doug’s Bar will be open with ‘nibblies’ from 4.30. Post AGM there will be an informal light meal for people staying on with people staying for the meal asked to send an email to Cindy via admin@albertsc.org.au or add their name(s) to the list on the Galley servery.
* We look forward to good turnout of members at the AGM, both newer and longer term members. AGM documentation is available under The Club – Annual General Meeting tab on www.albertsc.org.au. This includes the Agenda, Reports and nominations for General Committee and the Zoom meeting link for anyone wanting to sit in remotely on line. The option for Q&A follows the meeting.

* The Winter Season continues on saturdays till late September. Details on options and the Registration link for members of other clubs joining as Winter Associates is on our club website www.albertsc.org.au.
Attached photo is of the first of our Winter Associates Raf and Mal Heale from Westernport Yacht Club, sailing the ex-Jaemie Wilson Mirror to win the Victorian Mirror Championships sailed at Williamstown at the end of April. Raf sailed Flying Ants at our club in the winter season in the late 1980’s and had a season sailing with Tom King culminting in their win in the World Mirror Chmpionships in 1991. Welcome Raf and Mal. We look forward to other Mirrors sailing on the Lake in winter.

* For members with boats in our club boatyard.
Due to the high usage of racks in the winter season, masts needs to be stored in a mast rack. A number not in the rack of their boat have been moved to accomodate incoming boats.

Mast racks are currently available at the top level of Bay 15, 16, 20, 22, 29, 35, 40, 41, and 42 and in mast racks above walkways between aisles.
Please write your sail number on the mast and spars.
If you cannot find your mast, please look for a bay in your row.
Additional mast racks are being considered. Please stay informed.

Also a number of unmarked boat trolleys not on boats have been moved to upper racks. It is essential that trolleys are clearly marked with the members name and boat. At some stage later in the year we will be looking to dispose of abandoned trolleys.
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members.

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Thursday Snippets, 2 May

By Rod Thomas | Published: May 1, 2024

The Winter Season commences with a full day of sailing on saturday 4th May with the Virgo Ladies and Girls Skippers race in the morning and Winter Series 1 club race from 2pm. On 11th May there is Winter Handicap club race at 2pm followed by the club’s Annual General Meeting for members at 5pm, preceded by presentation of Perpetual trophies afor the 2023/24 season.

* For the Virgo Race on 4th arrive and sign on 9.30 to 9.50 am. Information Session in clubrooms at 10.15 for a 10.45(ish) start.
This will be a short informal race of up to around an hour for women and girls skippers at all levels of experience. Sail your own boat or a club boat, with a female or male crew, with 1up option depending on boat availability. Female skippers from other clubs most welcome. Also male skippers welcome to sail, with a separate start.

* The Winter Season is on saturdays from 4 May to late September. We look forward to adult and junior members of other clubs sailing a range of dinghy classes with us over the Winter Season. Details on options and the Registration link for members of other clubs joining as Winter Associates and VIODA Optimist members is on our club website www.albertsc.org.au.

* Albert Sailing Club Annual General Meeting details including Agenda and Committee Nomination Forms are on the club website, with Commodore and Treasurer Reports being added first week of May. Nominations for club committee need to be with the club secretary by 5pm on saturday 4 May. We look forward to good turnout of members at the AGM, whether nominating for general committee or to show interest in the club and its future operations and activities. Speak to Greg, Rod, Cindy or a club committee member about involvement in club committee or another role in 2024/25.

In mid April the Mudpuddler Newsletter Autumn edition was forwarded by email direct to members. The online Autumn Mudpuddler can now be downloaded from the club website www.albertsc.org,au. The Newsletter has plenty of articles and photos of interest, and is worthy of a read and sharing with others with an interst in our activities.

The more settled Autumn weather has arrived and the water level in the Lake is close to its maximum following above average rains in April. It is a good time to visit the club and get out for a sail and catchup with club members and visitors.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

Go to www.albertsc.org.au to download the Newsletter.

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Thursday Snippets, 25 April

By Rod Thomas | Published: April 25, 2024

For the coming few weeks :
* Social sailing Anzac Day afternoon from 1.30 with club boats available for hire by members. Come down to sail or have afternoon tea and a chat. From afar check out sailing on club webcam.

* Club Trophy Race from 2pm on saturday 27th

* Full program on saturday 4th May for start of the Winter Season. We are looking forward to a good turnout for the annual Virgo ladies skippers race at 10.45, then club race at 2pm.

* For the Virgo Race arrive and sign on 9.30 to 9.50 am, Information Session in clubrooms at 10.15. This will be a short informal race of up to 1 hour for women and girls skippers at all levels of experience. Sail your own boat or a club boat, with a female or male crew, with 1up option depending on boat availability. Female skippers from other clubs most welcome.

* Winter Season on saturdays from 4 May to late September. Details and Registration link for members of other clubs joining as Winter Associates on our club website www.albertsc.org.au.

* Albert Sailing Club Annual General Meeting at 5pm after sailing on saturday 11th May. All the details including Agenda and Committee Nomination Forms are on the club website. Nominations for club committee need to be with the club secretary by 4 May. Speak to Greg, Rod, Cindy or a club committee member about involvement in club committee or another role in 2024/25.

* The VIODA Winter Training program on sunday afternoons is on again for junior Optimist sailors at all levels from Melbourne and country clubs. Details and registration now available on vioda.org.au. The first 4 week block commences on sunday 19th May, and has 35 registrations to date. ASC member enquiries can be directed to Rod or Shinsuke at the club on a saturday or via training@albertsc.org.au.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

Photo : Lucy Matthews and Fleur Chapman, multiple winners of the annual Virgo Ladies skippers race in the period 1989 to 1993, at the ‘wake’ on wednesday following the Memorial Service for Lucy’s dad Geoff, a past Commodore of Albert Sailing Club.

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Thursday Snippets, 11 April

By Rod Thomas | Published: April 10, 2024

Club Sailing Day on saturday 13 April with club open from 10am and Club Championship Race at 2pm with Information session at 1.15 at Albert Sailing Club (note earlier times with end of Daylight Saving period.

The water level in the Lake has improved nicely with the rain of the last couple of weeks. Most dinghy classes should now be able to sail with centreboards fully down or raised just a few centimetres (with adjustments for weed!). A couple more good rain day should bring it close to max.

ANZAC Day Social Sailing and BBQ Buffet Dinner @ASC, 25 April
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* Members, family and friends are warmly invited to join us for an afternoon of social sailing and a delicious BBQ dinner. Pre-register with names and numbers via email to admin@albertsc.org.au or on list on Doug’s Bar at ASC.
* The club will be open from 1.00pm, with social sailing from 2.00pm.
* Serve yourself afternoon tea available from 2.00pm-4.30pm.
* Relax with a pre dinner drink before enjoying a BBQ dinner @ 5.30pm.
* Club boats will be available for hire up to 15 knots of wind on the day (please see Don or Greg)
* Drinks and BBQ Dinner WILL PROCEED regardless of weather !

Upcoming Regattas
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Regattas at Yarrawonga, incl. Impulse State titles (25 April), Williamstown, incl. Mirror State titles (27/28 April), Sail Bellarine (4/5 May)

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

Photo : ASC start/finish boat out of water for some repairs and TLC.

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Thursday Snippets, 4 April

By Rod Thomas | Published: April 3, 2024

Our club sailing program resumes on saturday 6th April with Informal Race and sailing session in morning and club race at 2.30.
* The morning sailing is directed at less experienced members, skippering or crewing in own boat ot a club training boat. Arrive 9.30 to 9.50 for unpacking and rigging of boats. Information upstairs in clubrooms at 10.20, with Informal Race/sailing from 11 to 12.If you are an ASC member who needs to sail a club boat see Rod and complete a boat hire form. Depending on demand boats will be allocated for 1up or 2up sailing. No hire fee applicable for Spring and Summer Learn to Sail course participants.
* Albert Park Yacht Club will be the lead club for racing this week. Albert Sailing Club members are asked to meet in our ASC clubrooms at 1.15. The plan for this week is that we will walk up to the APYC clubrooms to meet the APYC Commodore who will give us a tour of their buildings. Then sign on downstairs and attend the Information session to be held upstairs at the APYC building.
* After racing APYC is hosting drinks, pizzas and BBQ from 5pm for APYC and ASC members. This is the last of the summer daylight savings saturdays. We encourage ASC members to unrig, change and walk down to APYC for this. ASC will reciprocate in coming weeks.

The water level in the lake still requires sailing with raised centreboards. There were some welcome rain in Albert Park and surrounding areas on Monday into tuesday which increased the water levle from its low level of mid to late March. Following minimal rain in Melbourne since mid January We need two or more similar rain periods to bring the Lake up to a more normal level.
Our ASC start/finish boat Aerial II is scheduled to be loaded on a truck and taken to Sandringham Yacht Club for maintenance on wednesday 10th April so don’t be alarmed if you look on our webcam or salk bye and not see it in its moorin spot.

There is ASC/APYC sailing on each saturday in April. On Anzac Day Thursday 15th there is afternoon social sailing , followed by a BBQ at Albert Sailing Club, for members, and their families and friends. More details next week.

Upcoming Regattas
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20th – 21st April Yarrawonga Yacht Club Anzac Regatta including Victorian Impulse Class Championships. Details on https://www.yarrawongayachtclub.org.au/
27th – 28th April annual Williamstown Sailing Club regatta which includes the Mirror class state championships for Mirrors old and new. Short races saturday afternoon, sunday morning and early afternoon. Visitors welcome in particular Mirror, Pacer, Sabre classes. Regatta information on https://www.williamstownsailingclub.org.au/events/203889ASC member queries can be directed to Rod via training@albertsc.org.au
2&5 May Sail Bellarine hosted by Indented Head Yacht Club. Open to Aeros, Lasers (ILCA), OKs, Optis, Sabres Regatta information https://ihyc.com.au/sail-bellarine

Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club commitee and members

Photo of Impulses at Albert Park Lake for the Mike Howell Memorial Race in early February.

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Thursday Snippets, 14 March 2024

By Rod Thomas | Published: March 14, 2024

The second and last club Sailing Day for March is on saturday 16th, with no scheduled sailing on the following F1 Grand Prix and Easter weekends. There is a members meeting in our clubrooms 11am to 12,15pm, and club race at 2.30. Club training boats available for hire by members after the Members meeting subject to weather conditions and approval by Don or Rod on the day.
The water level in the lake is just OK for sailing with raised centreboards following minimal rain in Melbourne since mid January and some bursts of hot weather since mid February including the scorcher on the Labour Day long weekend. We need rain for the Lake and its surrounding catchment area over the coming weeks .
On 16 and 17 March the only access to the club is via the Steel gates off Albert Road.
The Albert Park Reserve will be closed to all public access due to the F1 Grand Prix event from midnight on Monday 18 March to midnight 25 March, with some Park road closures after this period.

To join 11am club meeting on saturday 16th via online Zoom send an email to commodore@albertsc.org.au by 10am. Topic: ASC Committee meeting Join Zoom Meeting link is
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2258624353?omn=87669399021
Meeting ID: 225 862 4353
Passcode: ASC

For members who cannot make saturday morning meet an online alternative has been scheduled for 7.30 on tuesday 19th. Send an email for details to commodore@albertsc.org.au by 9pm on Monday

Upcoming
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28 March Deadline for articles, photos and items interest for next Mucpuddler Newsletter. Send to mudpuddler@albertsc.org.au with cc to sailing@albertsc.org.au
Monday 27 March to Monday 3 April Albert Park Reserve closed to public for F1 Grand Prix. No access to ASC clubrooms or boatyard.

Saturday 6 April Albert Sailing Club autumn sailing resumes with Informal morning race at 11 and club race at 2.30

Thursday 25 April Social day at Albert Sailing Club with sailing and socialising in afternoon and bBQ dinner. Put in your diary, with more details to follow.

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 April Yarrawonga YAcht Club Anzac Regatta incorporating Impulse class Victorian Championships.Next Thursday Snippets on 4 April.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

Photo : ASC’s Kengo sailing off Sandringham in Victorian Optimist class Green Fleet State championships across the Labour Day long weekend.

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Thursday Snippets, 29 February

By Rod Thomas | Published: February 28, 2024

Club Sailing Day on Saturday 2nd March. The Summer Learn to Sail group have there seventh and final session from 9.30 to 12.15. Club Summer Series race at 2.30. There will be a Welcome to New Members BBQ at lunchtime from 12.15 Please come along whether sailing or not to show your support and warmly welcome our newest ASC members as they graduate from our summer Learn to Sail Program. BBQ lunch available from 12pm and the ASC Bar will be open.
Hamburgers (beef/chicken, bread rolls, lettuce, tomato, cheese and onion) @ $6. Sausages in bread @ $2. Lunch complimentary for our new members!

Advance notice of an important club Members meeting in our clubrooms at 11am on saturday 16th March.
We are seeking members feedback and discussion on :
* Future Directions for the club, including a need for more people to step up for club roles in 2024/25
* An update on discussions with Albert Park Yacht Club on potential Unification.
There will be an online Zoom option for joining the meeting. There will also be a repeat session via Zoom will be held on Tuesday 19^th March at 7.30 p.m. for those unable to attend the club on the 16^th.

Involvement of club members in the club’s current and future activities is important and we look forward to seeing you there!

We are seeking members feedback and discussion on :
* Future Directions for the club, including succession for club roles in 2024/25
* An update on discussions with Albert Park Yacht Club on potential Unification.
There will be an online Zoom option for joining the meeting.
Involvement of club members in the club’s current and future activities is important and we look forward to seeing you there!

Upcoming
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* In the four weeks of March following 2nd March there is just one programmed Club Sailing Day at Albert Park Lake, the saturday 16th March date.
There is the Labour Day weekend 9 to 11 March, Easter 29 March to 1 April, and Melbourne’s F1 Grand Prix 22 – 24 March. The Albert Park Reserve will be closed to public access, which includes our members, from midnight on Monday 18 March to midnight 25 March. There will be road closures in the park before and after this period, but access open to Aquatic Drive behind our clubrooms with the odd ‘stop/go’ exception.

* On the Labour Day long weekend a number of dinghy classes have their Victorian championships including the junior Optimist Class at Sandringham and the Pacer class at Rhyll on Phillip Island. Also 90 or so trailables sailing the 56th annual Marley Point Overnight Rin the Gippsland Lakes 9/10 MArch.

* On Friday 1st March there is a Fundraising night at Sandringham Yacht Club 6.30 to 8.30 for a group of seven youth/young adult high performance sailors on the pathway to their Olympic dreams. This includes current IQ foilers Anna and Philip Cripsey and Tana Deyell who were junior members who sailed Optimists in club races and training programs at Albert Sailing Club in the mid to late 2010’s decade.

Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members.

Photo : Tony and Rowley assisting Learn to Sail “trainees” Cate and Spike in a club Zest.

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Thursday Snippets, 22 February

By Rod Thomas | Published: February 21, 2024

Another club Sailing Day on saturday 24 February with Summer Series Race at 2.30pm. Also another one of our monthly Informal Race at 11am or non-competitive casual sailing sessions. Sunday 25th Week 3 of the club’s Summer Learn to Sail course. Across saturday and sunday Victorian Athletics Championships at Lakeside Satdium behidnd club . If no parking spaces available in Aquatic Drive members can park on gravel areas next to club if they have current annual Parks Vic parking pass.
For informal race on saturday 24th arrive between 9.30 and 10am to rig or partially rig a boat prior to an Information session at 10.15 in our clubrooms. For ASC members without a boat or wanting to try another class ASC club training boats will be available for hire using Hire form on noticeboard at top of clubrooms stairs and OK from Don or Rod.
Saturday 2nd March a full day at Albert Sailing Club with last Learn to Sail session in morning, a lunchtime BBQ for our new members and all other club members, and Summer Handicap Series race at 2.30.

Upcoming
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Sail GP professionally raced catamarans racing in Sydney on saturday 24 and 25 February with free live streaming of event of SBS on demand from 4pm each day.

Another big championships with Australian and World single handed OK dinghy class Championships in Brisbane from saturday 24th. Mike Horvath who is a member of three Melbourne clubs including Albert Sailing club is competing. The event has 110 entries from 7 countries and is being reported as the biggest OK Dinghy world championship to ever be held in Australia. While the majority of the fleet will be taken by Australian boats there are twenty from New Zealand boats, and 18 in two containers from Europe.
Mike Horvath drove up to Brisbane this week after he and Paul Farrell our ASC Club Captain won the Victorian Hartley 16 champs event at Saint Leonards last weekend.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

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