Saturday 22 March. Club sailing day at Albert Sailing Club with Summer Series Race at 2.30 and club open from 10.30. Access to Aquatic Drive behind the club is via the Steel Gates entrance of Albert Road. The Lake water level is ‘sub-optimal’ requiring partially raised centreboards, and is at a similar level to that on the last club sailing day on 8 March. Club sailing committee representatives will continue to monitor suitability for club racing and we all look forward to rain and water in flows to bring the level up.
Saturday 29 March there is a club race at 2.30, with an important members meeting in our clubrooms from 11 to 12.30. The committee is looking for member feedback and involvement. An email from the ASC Commodore on the meeting context has been forwarded from AlbertSailingClub@wildapricot.org to club members in the past two weeks, If you are a member and have not seen it check your email junk folders. If you cannot find it, email commodore@albertsc.org,au requesting a copy.
Our club financial year ends on 31 March, Any current Member Reimbursement claims and Invoices requiring payment should be submitted to treasurer@albertsc.org.au by the 29th.
Upcoming Club and Class Regattas
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Victorian Mirror Class State Championships 22 & 23 March. Mount Martha Yacht Club.
Australian Sailing’s annual Victorian Youth Sail Regatta 12 & 13 April preceded by optional Coaching Clinic 10 & 11 April. For junior and youth classes. Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club.
Sail Bellarine 3 & 4 May Indented Head Yacht Club. A well organised and relaxed regatta For most adult and junior classes sailed at ASC, Camp ground next to the Club.
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members
Photo : School group having fun in Ozi Optis from the Boatshed on tuesday 18 March, two days after the soggy F1 Grand Prix event.
The Albert Park Boatshed has junior Tackers and adult Start Sailing programs in April.
Thursday Snippets, 20 March
Thursday Snippets, 27 February
Club Sailing Day on saturday 1st March. Club open from 9.30am.
Informal Race and Casual Sailing morning. Morning sailing sail own boat or hire/use club training boat, with boat allocations 9.30 to 10am. Information Session in ASC clubrooms at 10.15 for 11am Start for Informal Race.
Summer Handicap Race at 2.30, with APYC the host club.
Finally a weekend forecast with light to moderate Southerly winds.
Next club sailing day then programmed for 22 March, with long weekend and F1 Grand Prix first two weekends of March.
No access to Club and Park from evening of 10 March to 17 March due to F1 Grand Prix week.
Hoping for some rain in March, as water level continues in Lake continues to drop with hot days and no rainfall.
Upcoming – Busy month of March for Class State Champs.
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1-2 March RS Aero titles at Blairgowrie YS. Go Ron
8 – 10 March
Impulse State Titles at Altona YC. Go ASC and APYC Impulses.
Pacer State Titles at Port Melbourne Yacht Club
Optimist State Titles at Sorrento SCBC
Marlay Point Trailer Sailer Overnight Race, Gippsland Lakes.
22-23 March Mirror State Tirles at Mt Martha Yacht Club
10- 11 April Youth Sail Victoria Coaching Camp, followed by Champs Regatta 12 – 13 April
Sail or visit one of these to get the vibe of fleet sailing and the friendly sailing community.
Next Snippets mid March
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members.
Photo : Lasers returning to shore Australian ILCA (Laser) Masters Championships at Westernport Yacht Club on 22 February.
Thursday Snippets, 20 February
Club Sailing Day on saturday 22nd. Club open from 10am. Summer championship at 2.30, with ASC the host club. There is also Social Sailing from APYC on sunday, with a few Mirrors from Mirror Association planning to visit. Check weekend forecasts as some windier weather is being predicted on the weekend – again !
Saturday 1st March club sailing day with Informal Race and Casual Sailing session in the morning and Summer Series Race in the afternoon.
Upcoming
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21 – 24 February Australian ILCA (Laser) Masters Championships at Westernport Yacht Club. No ASC Lasers this year, but Cindy Tilbrook from ASC is one of the on water Race Officers.
8 – 9 March Labour Day weekend. Impulse State Titles at Altona YC.
Marley Point Trailer Sailer Overnight Race, Gippsland Lakes.
No programmed sailing on Albert Park Lake, with Lake and Park closed for a week late on Monday 10th for a week for F1 Grand Prix.
This Week’s News Special
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Our regular ASC Optimist sailor Kengo has built a Lego NZ America’s Cup boat.
His parents Mai and Shinsuke report :
Kengo was given the Lego set as his birthday gift. He built and completed by himself.
Kengo enjoyed building it so much. Especially, he loves the keel system controlled by a pneumatic system and double-filmed main sail with a rotating mast. It even comes with jib and main sheets to trim the sails.
This opened up Kengo’s strong interest in America’s cup. He started reading books about the rich history of America’s cup.
His favourite class is AC75. And his favourite boat is Australia II.
Well done Kengo ! Well assembled and a great effort.
Rod Thomas
for ASC committee and members
Thursday Snippets, 13 February
Albert Sailing Club open from 10.30 on saturday 15 March, Summer Series race at 2.30, with Sign on at APYC and Info Session APYCclubrooms at 1.45. Check the forecast in advance as early forecasts are for winds on the strong side.
From 13 to 16 February ASC members Jaemie Wilson and David Scammell are sailing in a fleet of around 20 in the Australian Fireball classs championships at Twofold Bay Yacht Club, near Eden, Sail well and enjoy Jaemie and David.
In other News
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Past Commodores at AWBF 2025
Past ASC commodores Robert Caulfield and Peter Wright metup in Hobart in February at Australia’s largest classic wooden boat festival the be-ennial Australian Wooden Boat Festival. Both were instrumental in the negotiations, development and fitting out of the ASC club rooms in the 1990’s and ASC winning Victorian club of the year and members winning many titles. Both sailed mirror dinghies with family members on the lake, with Peter moving on to sail a Laser and Rob an Impulse. Peter built his first Mirror in a first floor flat in St Kilda 50 years ago. That mirror was Tobermory which the family sailed on the lake for many years. Tobermory was recently passed on by Peter to the Tasmania Heritage Boat Society and was on display at AWBF 2025. Peter now lives in Hobart, is a member of Montrose Bay Yacht Club, and sails a wooden sabre and his Explorer 16 trailer sailer. Robert is still a member of ASC as well as Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, Port Douglas Yacht Club and is a regular at Safety Beach, crewing on a Bavaria 45. Robert has recently sailed as part of winning teams in the Couta Boat club and state championships and the Keel boat club championships at Safety Beach.
ASC has recenty taken posession of a well credentialled ex- Selina Chapman wooden Mirror ‘Virgo’ The boat is for sale. If interested contact Rod via training@albertsc.org.au.
Parks Victoria has updated there have been several instances of bird deaths and sick birds at Albert Park due to avian botulism which is a common disease with outbreaks found in wild birds. Signage has been placed around the Lake, to advise park users and reporting information.
Also seeing more instances of dead fish in the Lake which may or may not be related. The advice is if come across dead fish to report to Parks Victoria office Albert Park Office on 8427 2010. and not take action to remove yourself.
Thursday Snippets, 5 February
For 8/9 February weekend no programmed racing at the Lake with Top of Bay Regatta at Elwood on saturday, and Social/Social Sailing afternoon at Albert SC on Sunday.
Saturday 8 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Elwood Sailing Club for members of clubs from Elwood around to Altona including the two Albert Park Lake clubs . Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and online entry on https://www.elwoodsc.com/ Competitor Information Session at 12.30 and Division starts from 2pm. SI includes diagram of paid and unpaid parking areas, and area next to club for Boat trailers.
Sunday 9 February Clubrooms open from 12 noon. Option to have BYO lunch or lunch from nearby Cafe. Club RHIB in water and club training boats available for members use in 1.30 to 4pm period, with boat allocations through Rod 1.30 to 2pm. (Watching BOM Marine forecast for sunday. Decision on Facebook at mid Sunday on use of club boats if winds over 20 knots).
Tuesday 11 February Albert Sailing Club committee meeting in clubrooms from 7.30 pm, with club members welcome.
Upcoming
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14 to 16 March Australian F1 Grand Prix.
From Monday 10 February to early April Lakeside Drive and most of Aughtie Drive will be closed most of the time. Access to Sailing Clubs via Steel gates on Albert Road, and Albert Drive Road open except for short term mid week temporary closures. All roads closed for Grand Prix Week from 11 March to 17 March.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members
Photo : Giane rounding leeward mark in her Laser Radial (thanks to APYC member Daryl for photo).
Thursday Snippets, 30 January
Saturday 1st February back to sailing at the Lake. Option of short informal race at 11am or casual sailing morning and lunchtime period. Summer Series Race at 2.30.
Club open from 9.30. Information Session for morning session in clubrooms at 10.20 for 11am start. ASC, APYC members and visitors other clubs welcome. Sail own boat or ASC members can hire a club training boat, with allocations through Rod 9.45 to 10.15 or lunchtime period. For afternoon race Sign On and Information Session at Albert Sailing Club.
8/9 February No programmed racing at Lake with Top of Bay Regatta at Elwood, but just added in a Social/Social Sailing afternoon at ASC on Sunday 9th
Saturday 8 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Elwood Sailing Club for members of clubs from Elwood around to Altona including the two Albert Park Lake clubs
There will again be a combined ASC and APYC club entry, and we need at least 5 entries from each club. . Notice of Race and online entry for this annual event on the afternoon of 8 February is on www.albertsc.org.au. ASC members can discuss further with Rear Commodore Rod, APYC members with Jonathon Pulham.
Sunday 9 February Clubrooms open from 12 noon. Option to have BYO lunch or lunch from nearby Cafe. Club RHIB in water from 1.30 to 4pm. Club training boats available for members use in the 1.30 to 4pm period, with allocations through Rod 1.30 to 2pm.
Upcoming
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11th Annual Inverloch Classic Dinghy Regatta hosted by the South Gippsland YAcht Club at Inverloch on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th February. The purpose of the regatta is for owner/sailors to get wooden dinghy class sailing boats on the water in ssome short novelty races and to display to the public the variety of timber sailing dinghies. Details on https://sgycinverloch.com.au/
Our club secretary Tim has found his local Aldi store is selling boat covers, with different sizes including large and small. Check it out if you need a cover.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members
Thursday Snippets, 23 January
The next programmed sailing day on Albert Park Lake is on Saturday 1st February with Summer Series Race in the afternoon and monthly Informal Race and Casual Sailing in the morning, with club boats available for Albert SC members. Then Top of Bay Regatta at Elwood SC on Saturday 8th February.
Members from the two Albert Park Lake clubs enjoyed the sailing and social activities at Australian Championship events over the late December to mid January period including : Paul Farrell and Jonathon Pulham in Impulse titles in Queensland, Hamish Gilsenan in ILCA titles in Queensland, Mike Horvath/Anthony Berger in Hartley TS16 titles in Victoria, Paul Taig/ Julia Ng in Pacers titles in Adelaide, Graeme Cox in Scow Moth titles in NSW, and Morton family in Mirror titles on Lake Hume.
In other National titles news
* 22 Mirrors sailed the Australian Mirror Championships at Albury – Wodonga Yacht Club in mid January. Raf and Malawa Heale, ASC 2024 Winter members, were the convincing overall winners. Reports and photos on https://www.facebook.com/MirrorsVic/
* 27 Optimist class sailors and their families sailed in the Australian Optimist Class Championships at RQYS, Brisbane in mid January. All of them sailed in the Optimist Winter Coaching program from Albert in 2024. Tom King, who was an ASC junior member from early 1980’s through to 1991 when he won the World Mirror Championship in Netherlands, gave the Victorian Opti sailors an insight on his Olympic journey (including 470 Gold medal in Sydney 2000) and his sailing life.
And in Other News
A Report and photo below of ASC club member David Scammell report on Retirement and Followup for Vendee Globe Retiree Pip Hare.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members
Vendee Globe Retiree Pip Hare’s unscheduled visit to Melbourne
In early January Albert Sailing Club member David Scammell met up with Pip Hare, one of his UK sailing buddies he sailed against back in the late 1990s in the Laser 5000 two person skiff Audi Eurocup championships, a forerunner to the 49er.
Pip was competing in her second Vendee Globe race which is a single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world sailing race contested on IMOCA monohulls,
that takes place every four years. Pip was looking to finish in the top 10, adding foils to her 20 year old IMOCA 60, Medallia.
Unfortunately disaster struck on 15 December when Medallia was dismasted deep in the Southern Ocean around 800nm from Australia. Pip’s race was over and she made her way slowly under minimal jury rig towards Melbourne arriving 15 days later on 30 December..
https://www.sail-world.com/news/282173/Medallia-dismasted-800-NM-south-of-Australia
Pip had put a call out through David’s brother Simon of Suffolk Sails in the UK for help, which led to David making and offering help any level of help to Pip through Whatsapp. .
Pip showed David the inside of her boat in early January, see attached.. She was grateful for all the help and welcoming sailors on her arrival into Melbourne, but there was much to think about and organise. Pip had already decided she wanted to sail the next Vendee in a new built and faster IMOCA. But Medallia is required back in the UK quickly to enable Pip to do the required qualifying races which start in May this year and a new boat won’t be ready then.
Pip has returned to the UK. Her UK team will be back soon to remove the keel and ready Medallia for transport to the UK. Any ASC members or Facebook followers with contacts that maybe able to help with shipping / costs can contact David through Rod on sailing@albertsc.org.au.
Thursday Snippets, 9 January
Saturday 11th January is Week 2 of the 3 week ASC-APYC Commodore Sailing Days. Club open from 10am. Commodore Short Race Series from 2.30. Typically, two or three short races of 30 to 45 minutes duration from 2.30 each of the Saturdays, including a Green Fleet division for less experienced people. Club galley not operating at lunchtimes in January. Tea and Coffee making available.
A number of our club members have been away sailing in National Championships over the late December to early January period. Mike Horvath and Anthony Berger who regularly sail individually at Albert Park Lake have teamed up to sail Mike’s “True Blue” to win the Australian Hartley TS16 Championships at Paynesville. Well done Mike and Anthony.
Upcoming
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Saturday 25 to Monday 27 January Australia Day Regattas at Yarrawonga (dinghy, catamaran and trailable classes). A low key regatta, with camping available on site.
Also annual Festival of Sails Regatta for keel boat classes at Geelong with shore based entertainment and free Discover Sailing option in club RS21 boats.
Saturday 1 February Resumption of Club Summer Series.
Saturday 8 February Top of the Bay Regatta at Elwood Sailing Club for members of clubs from Elwood to Altona including the two Albert Park Lake clubs
There will again be a combined ASC and APYC club entry, and we need at least 5 entries from each club. . Notice of Race and online entry for this annual event on the afternoon of 8 February is on www.albertsc.org.au.
Rod Thomas
For Albert Sailing Club committee and members(
(taking a break for second half of January)
Photo : Mike Horvath and Anthony Berger 2025 Australian Hartley TS16 champions.
Thursday Snippets, 2 January
Happy New Year
JANUARY SAILING DAYS @ ALBERT
– Saturday 4th Morning informal race or casual sailing morning and lunchtime period. Multiple Commodore Series short races from 2.30 with Info Session in ASC clubroms at 1.45.
Club open from 9.30. Information Session for morning session in clubrooms10.30 for 11. Sail own boat or ASC members can hire a club training boat, with allocations through Rod 9.45 to 10.15 or lunchtime period.
Saturday 11th and 18th Weeks 2 and 3 of Commodore Short Race Series at 2.30pm, with club opening from mid morning.
Note : Club Galley Not Operating in January. Tea and Coffee making available.
FEBRUARY
Saturday 1st Summer Series Club racing series resumes and another Morning informal race or casual sailing morning and lunchtime period.
Saturday 8th Top of The Bay Interclub Challenge at 2pm for Top of Bay clubs including ASC and APYC hosted by Elwood Sailing Club. Notice of Race and online entry link now on Home of www.albertsc.org.au.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members
Thursday Snippets, 27 March
Club Sailing Day on saturday 29th. Club open from 10am, with ASC Members meeting in clubrooms at 11. Summer championship Race at 2.30, with Information Session at 1.45 and Sign On at APYC.
The Maurie Plant International Athletics event is on at the State Athletics Stadium behind our club startin at 5.30pm. Competitors and Spectators would be expected to arrive late afternoon, and should not effect parking in Aquatic Drive till mid to late afternoon.
Saturday 5th April club sailing day with Informal Race and Casual Sailing session in the morning and Summer Series Race in the afternoon.
The Lake water level is still less than optimal and we continue to look to the skies for rain and weekly review the Lake for suitability for sailing.
The Victorian Mirror Championships were sailed on the 22/23 March weekend at Mount Martha Yacht. While we had no current ASC members sailing this year, the Heale family who sailed wih us in our 2024 winter season were prominent. Raf Heale with a ‘rookie’ crew finsihed third, and his son Miwala crewed on the winning boat. Also of interest, Chris and George Gregory finished 10th overall and 2nd of 4 traditional Gunter rig boats in Mirror 30594, the ex- Lucy Matthews boat sailed successfully by Lucy and Fleur at ASC and elsewhere in the 1980’s. The Victorian titles were contested by 14 boats, with 10 from Victorian clubs, 1 from South Australia and 3 from NSW. The MCAV is considering sailing the 2025 Vic titles on Albert Park Lake, a venue which has been used a couple of times in the past.
Rod Thomas
for Albert Sailing Club committee and members