Peccadillo looking for crew Adelaide-Melbourne

After a very enjoyable Port Lincoln regatta (report coming soon when we get the pictures sorted), Peccadillo is in Adelaide. We are looking for crew for the return trip starting around Monday 5th March. Should take about 4 days.  May be able to assist with airfare if needed. Interested? Then contact Charles Meredith on 0419 280 322.

Festival of Sail 2012

                                                                        Terri Dodds photo.



Melbourne to Geelong Race continued: We now only had Shogun V in front and were 200 metres from the gate, Bare foiled all the way up to their stern before the wind dropped off and we slowed to 10knts keeping pace with them. Shogun lifted to squeeze us out of the gate so we tucked in behind comforted by the fact we had the channel to come with cracked sheets. Once through the gate the wind returned, we hardened up to go around number 1 and were amazed as we foiled over the top of them and 2-3 knts quicker.

Once we entered the channel “it was showtime”. With no boats in front to get in our way, we sent The Bare to Geelong and what a ride it was up to pile 10. No screecher required and certainly No Rums Required!! One fisherman anchored just outside the channel nearly dropped his can when we went passed at 20 knts, main hull lifting out and only 5 metres away from him. By the time we rounded pile 10 Shogun was only half way down the channel and it was hard to contain the wry smile on my face.

Up we headed to the finish line, trying to find the 2 boats with a flag on top. Something serious would have to happen now for us not to win; however I did let that smile slip out a few minutes ago which can bring you bad luck. 500 metres from the finish and suddenly someone turned the wind off. Golly gosh I thought (possibly not the exact thoughts), it couldn’t happen to us could it??? The boat sat down with crew scampering to the leeward side. We putted along for a few minutes with Shogun getting larger every second. But without notice it returned and we crossed the line; HOOOOT what a lovely sound it was to hear. 3 hours 35 minutes and 57 seconds we did it! Hugs and kisses all-round (Please note kissing with Libby only) and we all had a can to celebrate while we watched the first few boats finish. We dropped the sails and motored over to the moorings where lunch and a swim were enjoyed.

Some will say we were lucky as the weather suited Bare Essentials and yes maybe there right, but Bare Essentials didn’t sail herself and at times we did push her to the limits. It was a great sail and it was great to sail with a fantastic team and share a memorable moment. Congratulations to Rob, Cruisey and Libby, take a bow and enjoy!

Festival of Sail 2012

                                                            Terri Dodd Photograph.

Melbourne to Geelong Race. 630am and up for coffee and bacon and eggs. Everything here seems reasonably priced, food, grog and Waterfront City berthing was $45 per night. Clean towels for showering and a yachty lounge where you can relax with a cuppa watching TV in air conditioning or jump on their 2 computers or simply plug in your own. 9am start and we were off on the sth. start line with the big boys. Left Waterfront City at 7.30am to give us plenty of time. There’s something about sailing out of the Yarra and looking out at all the other boats. It certainly gets the blood pumping, Having a ship as big as the Titanic coming out of the river at the same time also is a little nerve racking. That is one time I wish our trimaran was  a little thinner!!

We decided to make a pin end start and try and find some clear air. The water was chopped up a lot with all the boats and our small light tri didn't like it. We footed off and headed to shore and tacked our way up to the first mark. After a  minor port Starboard incident at the first mark, (like we were on starboard and they on port!!!) we settled down to chase to the second mark. It was disappointing to be approximately the 20th boat round with the first few boats already on the Horizon. We sailed along keeping pace with the 30-40 footers before the wind came in. Once we were able to foil the main hull lifted out of the water and we increase to around 15 knts which we held until we could ease sheets at channel marker 12A.

 At this stage the 4 tp52's and living doll were still in front with the first 2 boats well down the leg. Now we were into the $1000000 boys and looking down the track thought they were too far in front to catch. With a steady 16-18knts blowing now, Bare Essentials was reaching a long at 18knts hitting 20knts in the gusts. We seem to pass Living Doll and the first TP52 quite quickly and suddenly dawned on me we might have a chance to be first over the line. Rob checked his GPS out and we still had 4 miles to the gate and a screaming reach up the channel after that. Well as the saying goes “No Guts No Glory” Lets go for it and see what happens.

“Put the screecher up and lets really chase these wonderful monos down” (not exact words used on the day). Libby moved to leeward and started un-clipping the screecher ready for hoisting. Just as she did, mother nature unleashed a bullet and we shot off at 20knts straight into a wave and for the first time on Bare I saw Cruisey shoot the Jib to lift the bow. Libby got wet a little I believe and I think it was a group decision that the screecher could stay exactly where it was! The “NO RUMS REQUIRED RULE’ came into play. For those of you not familiar with this rule, please see Chris sooky paints Culph from Sknot to explain.....Stay tuned for part 2.....

Festival Of Sail 2012

We brought the boat round early to sail a couple of club races at BYS,  take any interested members out for a sail and cruise with the family.

After talking to a family friend he kindly offered his mooring to us as he had sold his boat. After checking it out several times we were happy the boat was safe with plenty of swing room etc.

Anyway, didn’t quite check it out enough and ended up kissing a boat nearby. Quickly we pulled it out and up to Mornington to repair a couple superficial blemishes on the starboard float ready for our Festival of Sail regatta.

Tuesday 24^th we met the Green Gorby boys and Daylight Robbery at Martha’s Cove and set up the boats for a cruise to Docklands the next day. Shaun and the Frassle crew sailed up from Blairgowrie and joined the cruise Nth.

David and Sophie Renouf  brought their new Corsair sprint down from Pittwater and stayed the night with Rob and myself. They caught the first ferry from Sorrento with Leon (Rainbow Man) to Queenscliff and set the boat up at Geelong so their car and trailer were there for a quick exit. Surprisingly they did all this and got into Docklands only 60-90 minutes after the rest of us. After a few drinks and an official  welcome from Doug Jarvious (Manager) we all showered and all went out for dinner with the Patronas Crew who arrived 2 days before. Geoff Cruise our crusty import from Qld. was well lubricated after spending the day with Keith (Freddy) Dunstan and his commitment was questioned as he choice to sleep on the floating caravan instead of the pedigree.

It was a nice day sailing up to Melbourne with 5 to 15 knts from the Sth. sth West which meant spinnakers were flown and great to catch up with everybody over dinner before the fun started….. Day 1 Passage Race coming soon.

Report on MYCV promotional stand at Melbourne Summer Boat Show

I had a look through my stack of flyers after the show and found that we had handed out 50 in total so probably not a bad result given the relatively low attendance at the show.  I hope that we will welcome some new members into the club that we met at the event.  I'd like to thank Ian Andersen for being stalwart and putting in two full days on the stand my father Graeme McKenzie for dropping in one arvo to help and Terry Pemberton for surviving natures onslaught, manning the stand on Sunday and staying on to help with packing up.  Looking forward to getting some more promotional material together for the club and maybe printing up some more colour banners to make a more eyecatching display in future.

Peccadillo's Going to Port Lincoln - Still Some Room

Peccadillo's off to try their luck in the Port Lincoln Passage Race and the subsequent regatta. As a couple of crew had to pull out due to work commitments, we are looking for others who may wish to join us. We have a spot on the delivery trip (leaving Melb Sat 11 Feb - and there is the option of joining us just to Port Fairy or Portland, where Sean will be joining us), and a spot for the racing (17-24 Feb). As the skipper has to be back on the 26th, we will be leaving the boat in Adelaide and all returning to Melb then. So there will be several spots available for the return from Adelaide, leaving about 4 March. If you are interested, call me on 0419 280 322 or email chasm200@bigpond.com. Cheers, Charles Meredith

Buoy What a Week

Its 2am Tuesday 24.1.2012, the tide is in at Hastings, Lisa Fitzel has arrived and woken Simon and me so its time to set sail for Port Phillip bay. A nice sail down to Sandy Pt then a bit of motor sailing, a nice sun rise near West Head, a bit more motoring then at Cape Shank the wind came in for a fast reach to the Rip just in time for 10.30 slack water and a very nice sail down to Blairgowrie by 11.30. Wednesday morning, kite run to Martha Cove to pick up Rod and meet "Daylight Robbery", "Sknot" and "Bare Essentials" for a Cruise to Waterfront City. We set of with good intentions but the South Westerly got the better of me and up went the kite for a great run up to Williamson and on to Docklands for the night. Thursday, down the Yarra and over to St Kilda for the start of the passage race to Geelong. This start line is a bit scary but once the gun goes you settle down a bit, with a beat to Sandringham then cracked of a bit to Port Arlington then ease more for a reach into Geelong passing quite a few monos on the way (Bare Essentials ran out of monos to pass well done Tim, Rob, Geoff and Libby. I think Shogun V won but they had a little tri in front of them?) picked up a mooring for the night. Friday morning, race down the Hopetoun channel into the outer harbour around the buoys for more reaching practise. Friday twilight race a couple of laps of Corio Bay with a few monos, all was going well until a big bear away to avoid a boat tacking in front saw Frassld mount the Cunningham cube buoy hiding it and dragging it some distance once deflated we managed to finish the race. Saturday, passage race to Port Arlington and back we had a good start and moor reaching, Bare Essentials soon passed us and sailed out of sight but they kindly waited for us all to catch up including the monos then a bit of chaos at the rounding mark sailing back through the fleet and to Geelong for the finish at 15.45. We turned around for the best reach of the week making it to Prince George light by 17.00 then a beat to the Rip for slack water at 19.40 and more beating to Cape Shank around midnight and into Hastings Yacht Club by 5am Sunday. Thanks to Lisa, Rod and Simon for great crew work. Buoy What a Week. Shaun