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
———–

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 19th March at 7.30 p.m. for those unable to attend the club on the 16th.

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
————

* 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
———–
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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Thursday Snippets,

By Rod Thomas | Published: February 14, 2024

Club sailing program resumes with Club Sailing Days including Summer Season Races at 2.30 on saturdays 17 and 24 February and 2 March. We welcome Sue back for the Club Galley which operates at lunchtimes on saturdays. On sunday 18th Week 2 of the club’s Summer Learn to Sail course. The weather forecast is for mild summer weather across the weekend which should be good for sailing on the Lake after the burst of hot windy weather earlier in the week.

The annual Top of the Bay Regatta for dinghy sailing clubs from Elwood around to Altona including Albert Park Lake clubs was sailed in the waters between Williamstown and Port Melbourne on saturday 10th. A good fleet of 78 boats sailed the Regatta Race in a very pleasant 5 – 10 knot sea breeze with calm seas. Phillip, Rod and Gianne from ASC sailed their ILCA6 Lasers from Port Melbourne and finished just two and a half minutes apart in a race time of around 80 minutes. The 3 ASC boats plus 4 from Albert Park Yacht Club formed the Albert Park Lake team, which didn’t quite make the threshold of ten boats for an interclub team result.
Some interesting “nuggests of information” supplied by the hosting Williamstown Sailing Club race management team is included below.

Otherwise. Jaemie and David have sailed all week, except the windy tuesday, in the World Fireball Championships in Corio Bay off Geelong which conclude on saturday 17th.
The ILCA (Laser) Masters World Championship s concluded in Adelaide last weekend. The 20 or so competitors from Victoria in the fleet of 230 boats had good results with 3 division winners and a close second across the 9 divisions which included the Legends division for competitors 65 years of age plus.

Rod Thomas
for Committee and members
Albert Sailing Club

A few interesting nuggets from the 2024 Top of the Bay Regatta results:
* Port Melbourne with 9 of the top 20 placings narrowly won the interclub challenge trophy from Altona which had 5 of the top 10 results.
* Shannon Wilson from Altona in a Mosquito sloop catamaran took first overall individual placing.
* Biggest classes were Impulses and ILCA6s with 9 boats each
* Williamstown with 29 entries had the largest number of entries closely followed by Port Melbourne with 25 entries.
* 28 classes in total – only 7 had entries from more than one Club (Impulse, 125, ILCA6, Sabre, ILCA7, Pacer, Aero7). Shows that TOTB is a great event for mixed fleet racing
* Moving forward need to think about how to encourage Elwood and Albert Park sailors to join in so there is more contention for the interclub trophy.

Rod’s Boat 2024 Top of the Bay Regatta

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Thursday Snippets, 8 February

By Rod Thomas | Published: February 7, 2024


Saturday 10 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Williamstown Sailing Club. Boats launching from Altona, Williamstown, Port Melbourne and Elwood for racing area between Williamstown and Port Melbourne, No programmed sailing at Lake on saturday 10th,

Sunday 11 February ASC Summer Learn to Sail course commences for 9 new club members. Program am and pm for three succwsssive sundays, Finishes am on saturday 3rd March. A big welcome to our new members in training.

Saturday 17 February Resumption of Club Summer Series, with saturday afternoon races three successive saturdays.

ASC’s Jaemie Wilson and David Scammell are sailing at Royal Geelong in a fleet of 65 Fireballs in the Australian Fireball Championships until 9 February and then the World Fireball Champiosnhsips 11th to 16th. Go Jaemie and David.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

Photo of Jaemie and David in training on Port Phillip.






www.albertsc.org.au

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Thursday Snippets, 1 February

By Rod Thomas | Published: January 31, 2024



Saturday 3 February has Resumption of Club saturday Summer Sailing Days, with a forecast for warm, sunny conditions and an afternoon sea breeze.
* At 11am there will be on of our monthly Informal Race and/or non-competitive casual sailing sessions, with APYC and members from other clubs welcome. Arrive between 9.30 and 9.45 to rig or partially rig a boat prior to an Information session at 10.10 in our clubrooms. For ASC members without a boat or wanting to try another class ASC club training boats will be available.
* ASC-APYC Summer Series Race at 2.30pm with Information Session at 1,45 in front of APYC. Impulse sailors have a specific invite to sail the afternoon race in APYC’s “Mike Howell Memorial Impulse Race” After sailing members of ASC have been invited to join APYC members on their clubrooms decking for BBQ snags, drinks from the APYC bar and prizes for the Mike Howell Race.

Saturday 10 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Williamstown Sailing Club with 2pm start for members of clubs from Elwood to Altona including combined ASC and APYC club entry. Notice of Race and online entry at www.williamstownsailingclub.org.au/events/218302/  Sailing Instuctions are to be posted on the event site in the next few days.
Boats can be rigged at Port Melbourne or Williamstown with the course roughly midway between. Also Williamstown are likely to have a Green Fleet sailing session 9.30 to 11.30.   Any club members seeking more information on the day can speak to Rod at our club on saturday or via training@albertsc.org.au. 


On Friday 26th the club had a well supported and well received BBQ and Social Sailing Day.
A Short post event report and photos from Lisa, who was part of the organising group.
We were thrilled to have over 50 people (including members, family, friends and folk from APYC) come along to enjoy our inaugural ASC Australia Day BBQ and Social Sailing.🇦🇺
 
It was a really relaxed, fun and sociable day with a good number enjoying a morning sail, followed by a delicious BBQ buffet replete with eucalyptus leaves and Australian flags; a spot of Australia Day trivia (taken out by the “Yeah-Nah” team) and fittingly finished off with pavlova and lamingtons. (The big question based on previous BBQ’s is were there Onions on the BBQ Rowley!)
 
It was wonderful to see so many of our new members supporting the day (including several who had only joined the club in the last week!), and comments on the friendliness of people at the club.

Well done to those in the Social Committee Group who put it all together, and Commodore Greg for his on water support.

Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club Committee and Members
 
 

 

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Thursday Snippets, 25 January

By Rod Thomas | Published: January 24, 2024


Friday 26 January Australia Day and Social Sailing at Albert Sailing for ASC members, family and friends.
A BBQ lunch will be served from 1.00pm @ $12 pp. Bar will be open. Good numbers of people have registered to date. Late registrations email Gai (moondogy@pac.com.au) with payment on the day.
The club will be open from 10.30am on 26th, with Social Sailing from 11.00am-1.00pm (weather permitting). Given the forecast two days out the availability of club boats for members to hire is uncertain with a decision to be made by Don McK at the club on Friday morning. THE BBQ WILL PROCEED IN RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE!

Saturday 3 February Resumption of Club saturday Summer Sailing Days with club open from 9.30 for Informal Short Race from 11am and Summer Series Race from 2.30. The afternoon race will incorporate Albert Park Yacht Club holding of the “Mike Howell Memorial Race” for the Impulse class., with an invite for current and past Impulse sailors. The APYC bar will be open along with BBQ snags and prizes to be awarded after the race on the APYC Deck.

Saturday 10 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Williamstown Sailing Club for members of clubs from Elwood to Altona including combined ASC and APYC club entry. Notice of Race and online enrty at www.williamstownsailingclub.org.au/events/218302/ Sailing Instuctions to be posted on event site in the next few days.

On the Australia Day weekend there are a number of regattas including :
Friday and Saturday  McCrae Yacht Club regatta for Off the Beach classes.
Friday Festival of Sails Passage races for keel boats from Melbourne and Morninton to Geelong starting at 9.30. Races in Corio Bay and Waterfront festival saturday and sunday.
Friday to Sunday  Yarrawonga Yacht Club Regatta for Off the Beach classes and trailables.
Friday and Saturday Buxton Cup  at Sorrento Sailing and Couta Boat Club for junior Off the Beach classes. ASC’s Kengo is entered to have his first race on Port Phillip in the Optimist Green Fleet division. Go Kengo.
Photo : On water shot from Sorrento SCBC.

Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members

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Snippets 18 January 2024

By Rod Thomas | Published: January 17, 2024

This Saturday at the Club:

Saturday 20th January is Week 3 and the final week of the ASC-APYC Commodore Short Race Series, and the weather is looking fantastic with no rain and moderate winds. Two or three short-course races will commence at 2.30 p.m. and there will be a Green Fleet Division for less experienced people.

Whilst the Club Galley remains closed until early Feb, the BBQ will be serving the usual fare from 12 noon on the deck.  So come along and enjoy a wonderful day at the club.

Upcoming:

Friday 26 January  Australia Day and Social Sailing at Albert Sailing Club.

ASC members, family and friends are invited to come along and enjoy a fun day of good company and a tasty BBQ lunch on the clubhouse deck.

A delicious BBQ lunch (baked potatoes, grilled corn, salads, variety of meats and pavlova) will be served from 1.00pm @ $12 pp. Bar will be open. To assist with catering, please email Gai (moondogy@pac.com.au) with numbers or indicate on the list at the galley bar. Payment to be made on the day.

The club will be open from 10.30am, with Social Sailing from 11.00am-1.00pm (weather permitting). Club boats will be available for hire by approved members. Cancellation of sailing due to unfavourable weather will be advised on the ASC website the afternoon prior.

PLEASE NOTE: THE BBQ WILL PROCEED IN RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday 3 February  Resumption of Club Summer Series.

Summer Championship Race 6 takes place on 3 February for all Divisions.  The Impulse Division race will incorporate a Mike Howell Memorial Race for Impulse sailors from APYC, ASC and other Victorian clubs, organised by the Albert Park Yacht Club in memory of long term APYC Impulse sailor Mike Howell. The trophy presentation for this special race will take place after sailing on the APYC deck, together with drinks from the APYC bar and a BBQ.

Saturday 10 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Williamstown Sailing Club

For members of clubs from Elwood to Altona including the two Albert Park Lake clubs. Notice of Race and online entry for this annual event on the afternoon of 10 February is at https://www.williamstownsailingclub.org.au/events/218302/
This year there will again be a combined ASC and APYC club entry, and we need at least 5 entries from each club.  There will be no racing at the Lake on that day.

Aero National Championships at Mount Martha Yacht Club:

Ron Fergusson was against a tough fleet at these National Championships, including Krystal Weir, ex World Champion and Olympian.  Not surprisingly, Krystal won the Aero 7 title, with Ron in a very credible 10th position overall, including one 3rd placing.  Great effort Ron.

(Photo courtesy of the Mount Martha Yacht Club)

Recycling Cans and Bottles:

The club now has an account so that you can save all of those 10c recyclable containers and then donate the money to the club. If you want to collect/donate locally, full details of how to do this and the relevant bar-code/ID number are available from Cindy (admin@albertsc.org.au or at the club).  The kids/grandkids will love the process of feeding your cans into the machine if you have a local depot!

Alternatively, save and bring your eligible bottles/cans to the club and deposit them where indicated  in the marked containers near the upstairs door and downstairs near the bins.  Please check the eligibility mark on the can/bottle first and do not crush any cans.  Wine bottles are not eligible.This is an easy way to contribute to club funds as well as helping the environment.  Collect your own, collect from your neighbours, and let’s all get on board with this simple fundraising effort for our club.  If 50 club members each donated 1 container per day, the club would be over $1800 better of at the end of one year.  Very worthwhile.

Cindy Tilbrook

On behalf of Rod who is on a well-deserved break.

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Thursday Snippets, 11 January

By Rod Thomas | Published: January 10, 2024

Saturday 13th January is Week 2 of the 3 week ASC-APYC Commodore Short Race Series, Sail one, two or all three saturdays. Typically, two or three short races of 30 to 45 minutes duration from 2.30 each saturday of the Commodore Series, including a Green Fleet division for less experienced people. Club galley not operating at lunchtime in January, but will be an alternative of a BBQ from club BBQ on decking on saturday 13th

Upcoming
———–
Friday 26 January  Australia Day and Social Sailing at Albert Sailing Club. ASC members, family and friends are invite to come along and enjoy spending a pleasant day with others sailing and/or socialising. Put in your diary and stay tuned. More details soon.

Saturday 3 February  Resumption of Club Summer Series. This will incorporate a Mike Howell Memorial Race for Impulse sailors from APYC, ASC and other Victorian clubs being organised by Albert PArk YAcht Club in memory of long term APYC Impulse sailor Mike Howell. Drinks from the bar, BBQ and Trophy presentations after sailing sailing on the APYC decking.

Saturday 10 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Williamstown Sailing Club for members of clubs from Elwood to Altona including the two Albert Park Lake clubs. Notice of Race and online entry for this annual event on the afternoon of 10 Febrauary is at https://www.williamstownsailingclub.org.au/events/218302/
This year there will again be a combined ASC and APYC club entry, and we need at least 5 entries from each club.

Aero Class National Championships at Mt Martha YC from saturday 13 January. Photo of Aero and Laser class star at ASC 2023 Regatta, whcih includes ASC’s Ron Fergusson who is ailing his Aero 7 in the Aero NAtionals. Go Ron !

Finally, Recycling Cans and Bottles: the club is setting up an account so that you can save all of those 10c recyclable containers and then donate the money to the club. Full details will be provided as soon as our account is set up. In the meantime, please save all of the relevant containers and/or bring them to the club and deposit them where indicated both upstairs and downstairs. This is an easy way to contribute to club funds.



Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members

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Thursday Snippets, 3 January

By Rod Thomas | Published: January 2, 2024

Start your sailing in 2024 with the ASC-APYC Commodore Short Series Sailing Days on the first three saturdays in January. Sail one, two or all three saturdays.
The BOM forecast 3 days out for 6 January looking promising for some summer conditions, finally !
* For the Commodore Series two or three short races of 30 to 45 minutes from 2.30 each saturday, including a Green Fleet division for less experienced people. Club galley not operating at lunchtime in January, but will be an alternative of a BBQ from club BBQ on decking on saturday 6th.
* On 6th January there is an Informal Race and/or non-competitive casual sailing at 11am. Arrive between 9.30 and 9.45 to rig or partially rig a boat prior to an Information session at 10.10 in ASC clubrooms. For ASC members without a boat or wanting to try another class ASC club training boats available for hire and use in morning and/or afternoon short races on 6th. Stay on for drinks from Doug’s Bar later in the day.
* ASC Summer Learn to Sail program is scheduled to commence on sunday 11th February. Details on Learn to Sail tab of www.albertsc.org.au with expressions of interest required at the latest by 20th January.

The Christmas period into the New Year has seen lots of dinghy class championships in the southern states. More to come in January with Tasar Worlds and Aero Nationals in Melbourne and Laser Worlds and junior Optimist Nationals in Adelaide. These are some of the largest dinghy class events in Australia this year with 60 entries in the Aero Nationals and over 100 in each of the others.

The 2023/24Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, particularly for the 100 foot Maxis was a classic. There was the close port-starboard coming together near the Sydney Harbour heads. The leader Scallywag broke her bowsprit in Bass Strait and needed to retire. And the race up the Derwent with Law Connect coming from 2 kilometres behind to catch Andoo Comanche 3 kilometres or so from the finish, then engage in a gybing duel to the finish. The duel to the finish reminded us of some of the dinghy class races we have in light airs on Albert Park Lake. Highlights packages on You Tube show the action up close and the final 51 second win by Law Connect.

Happy New Year

Rod Thomas
Rear Commodore
for ASC Committee and Members

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