Sabot State Championships Round 2. Drummoyne 13th and 14th February

A fleet of 46 boats competed in Round 2 of the Sabot State Championships hosted by Drummoyne Sailing Club and Team Vaucluse was well represented with a team of 8 of our best young sailors fronting the start lines off Cockatoo Island. The winds were moderate but strengthened in the afternoon. Sunday afternoon’s final races proved challenging with plenty of capsizes and shifting winds.

Max Nearn, in Thunderstruck once again produced the best results for Vaucluse finishing , 12th overall. This was not without some competition from Zac Golovsky who was often right on his transom. Emma Badger sailed 1 up in club boat Do or Die and proved that she can handle the helm solo with confidence and determination. Luella Ugarte received a special mention for her sailing effort on Sunday, sensibly completing a granny gibe in the middle of a big gust on the wing mark while 3 boats capsized around her.

Sailing back to back races in different waters is a great opportunity to extend and challenge our sailors to think about wind shifts and seamanship. The learning curve is as big as it gets. It is a big effort and significant achievement for all of our sailors to have competed at State level and its always a great opportunity to compete against the many talented Sabot sailors in NSW.

Special mention should also be made to the effort of parents, our sailors cannot compete without their teamwork and commitment to collecting loading and delivering boats unscathed to regattas. These regattas are important to personal development and building confidence.

Click on the photos to see a slide show of the weekend.

Flying 11 State Championships Round 2 21st and 22nd February at Port Kembla Sailing Club

Round 2 of the Flying 11 State Championships were held last weekend on the beautiful sailing waters of Lake Illawarra. The winds were moderate nor’easters on Saturday and light easterlies on Sunday. 3 boats represented Team Vaucluse in the fleet of over 40 boats. The competition was fierce from clubs such as Manly and Belmont and the quality of the sailing from these kids was exceptional.

Protagonist, skippered by Max Nearn and crewed by Zac Golovsky, was our best performing boat coming in at a respectable 23rd position overall. The boys showed great skill and resilience to mix it up with the top of the fleet at times against boats with much more experienced crews.

All of our kids had a great time in the beautiful conditions. Not only did they improve on their skills and gain valuable experience, but they had a smile on their faces fo the whole weekend which was a delight to see.

These three boats are in their first year of Flying 11s and were up against kids older than them and with many more races under their belts. It was a great preparation for the National Championships to be held on Lake Macquarie over Easter and there are big things to come from these young sailors.

Photos and videos will be in next weeks newsletter so watch this space.

Green Fleet Racing starts this Sunday

Now that the newer kids have honed their skills in the sailing camps and learn to sail classes, its time to hit the start line. VA12SC will be running Green Fleet Races starting from 11.05 am each Sunday for the rest of the term.

The races will be short and sharp and the kids will be able to be coached around the course by our instructors and parents. It is a great way to reinforce what they have learnt in their classes and it is also a great preparation for future regatta sailing.

The club has many boats, both Sabots and PJs, that the kids can use to get them into racing, so if you think that your child has what it takes then let us know this Sunday morning and we will have a boat rigged and ready to go to get them on the course.

Welcome to 2021 @ VA12SC

Our Sailing School and Sunday Racing return this Sunday and so I would like to welcome you all to Term 1 of 2021 @ VA12SC. I hope you have enjoyed some restful time over the festive season and that you and your families are all safe and well.

We have seen over 100 kids through our sailing camps these school holidays. They’ve had a great time and we hope many are keen to continue along their sailing passage! There are plenty of boats in the clubhouse just waiting to get wet each Sunday. If you think your child would prefer to sail with a friend, then why not combine a captain and a crew in our 2 up class. If your child is small and social then they have already ticked 2 boxes! It’s a great next step from a holiday camp or learn to sail so if you think that might be the way to go then please just let us know.

Learn to Sail launches again this Sunday at 0800 hours sharp! We will have the full armada on the water and the forecast light conditions will suit the transition for most of the participants. Please head on down early and get involved. The peak hour for boat rigging starts at 8am and many hands make light work.

The racing fleets start the year with the Summer Sprint Series Week 1 with up to 3 races for each class.

The Team Vaucluse Sabot Fleet will be focused on some healthy competition to lead them into the zones and the states which are to be held in February and March. The road to the Sabot Nationals in Townsville also starts now. There is no better time to be in Townsville than in July and any regatta is fun for all the family so Let’s Go Team. How many boats can we get on the road to FNQ?

The Team Vaucluse Flying 11 Fleet has even less time to prepare for the Flying !! Nationals with the regatta being postponed till April 10 to 17 on beautiful Lake Macquarie. The Team have enjoyed some great training days over the summer and are keen to take it to the next level over the coming months.

For the Team Vaucluse Cherub Fleet it will be all about home as most of their championship events have been cancelled for the season. But, don’t think that will hold them back. The competition for the Club Championship in this class is nothing short of scintillating. Watch This Space.

So, there is plenty of action planned down at the club for the next few months. Let’s all make the most of it. Get involved and have a go ‘cause the sailing club is not for show.

See you all down there.

Robert Ugarte
Commodore

Silent Auction for Key Dates This Summer

As mentioned last week, the silent auction for the key dates for exclusive club use this summer is on now.

With a minimum bid as low as $1000 you could have the best spot on the harbour for up to 40 of your family and closest friends. So make a plan and lodge your bid stating the date, proposed usage and bid amount to sailing@va12sc.org.au

The remaining dates for auction and minimum bids are as follows;

• Boxing Day for the Sydney to Hobart start - Min bid $2000

• New Years Day - Min bid $1500

• Australia Day - Min bid $1000

Bids for Boxing Day and New Years Day close next Thursday at midnight so there is not much time.

Folks, tell your family and friends,, start planning, and make us an offer we can’t refuse!

DICK WINNING FUN DAY AND PRIZEGIVING THIS SUNDAY

DICK WINNING FUN DAY

COMBINED WITH THE

2019/20 SEASON PRIZE GIVING

AT VA12SC

When: Sunday, 13th December

Time: From 10am

The final, and funnest, event of Term 4 is this Sunday - the Dick Winning Fun Day! Named in honour of (Uncle) Dick Winning, a long time friend and supporter of the club, this is one of the marquee events in our calendar - with a firm focus on socialising and fun!

Due to COVID restrictions, we haven’t been able to hold the 2019/20 Season Prize Giving so we are combining both events this year.

Our canteen rock stars are preparing a special lunch for $10/head. They need to know numbers for the catering so please RSVP here (or below) by midday Friday 11th Dec. Cold drinks will be available for sale at the canteen. Tea & Coffee will be served in the morning, but we won’t be doing the breakfast BBQ due to the later start time.

Program For The Day

10.00 am: Beach Games (Tug of War & Treasure Hunt)

Greasy Pole

Swimming Races (kids & parent categories)

Pacer sailing

12.00 pm: Lunch. Kids$5, Adults $10 RSVP

12.45 pm Santa arrives!

1.15pm: 2019/20 Season Prize Giving

2.00 pm: Pacer Races for kids and parents. Start line from clubhouse.

3.00pm: Afternoon Tea and drinks.

Please bring…

Please bring a modest gift, wrapped & labelled, to put under the tree for your child - For afternoon tea we request that guests bring a plate.

It is going to be a great day so we hope you can join us for fun, food and fantastic company.

See you all on Sunday.

Good Bye 2020

What a year it has been! So, let’s see it out with a bang.

This weekend, 6th December, we host our annual “Head of the Harbour Regatta” when VA12SC hosts sabots from our zone and further to race on our beautiful waters. See the post below for the info and get involved in what promises to be a great day. The forecast is for gusty westerlies so the elements may have a bit in store!

Sunday the 13th of December we have our annual Dick Winning Fun Day where we play lots of games have lots of fun and get a visit by water from Santa Claus himself! There will be sailing relays, greasy pole pillow fights, a tug of war, and treasure hunts on the beach, followed by fantastic food, music, drinks and a BBQ for one and all. Don’t miss out!

This year the Dick Winning Fun Day will also include the presentation and prize giving for the 2019-2020 season. Special guest passed members will be presenting our kids with trophies and medals and inspirational stories of just how far a well-trimmed sail can take you! The programme for the day will be published in Kutti News next Thursday so keep the date free and watch this space.

We then take a well-earned break (except if you are training for the Flying 11 Nationals on the 10th of January), where we are all encouraged to make the most of our most beautiful and privileged location and the hot summer weather.

On behalf of our committee, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members and their families a most enjoyable festive season and a fabulous end to a challenging year. We hope you find time to spend on the important things in life like family, books, and boats!

So……Live Slow and Sail Fast!

See you down at the club!

Club Dates for Silent Auction.

The clubs 2020 fund raiser “Kutti Cocktails” was nothing less than pandemically impaired and so we still have not auctioned off our key dates for club use over the 2020-2021 summer.

Dates for auction include.

• Boxing Day

• New Years Eve

• New Years Day

• Australia Day

• Easter

• And any other special day for you

The most financially beneficial, club-friendly, water activity-based, proposals will win the pleasure of club use on your preferred day.

Submit your proposal to sailing@va12sc.org.au stating the date, function brief and amount to be donated. Of course, all proposals will need to be covid friendly and within the club usage policy. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to double your donation amount!!

Great Start to the Summer

It was really great to see so many keen sailors down at the club on Sunday. The first day of season is always a challenge and so it was probably just as well that the winds started so light before kicking in for the racing fleets. Club Championship Race 1 saw some close racing and lots of fun was had by all in the race fleets as well as in the sailing school and adventure sailing.

Thanks to all of you who helped out in preparation and on the day! Without you none of this would be possible. Please let us know of all of your hidden talents. Our club runs on the kind assistance of our volunteers and as we all know….Many hands make light work.

See you all at the club!

Season Opening

Its almost summer and our new 2020/2021 sailing season starts with a bang on Sunday the 18th of October.

Our Sabot, Flying 11 and Cherub classes will be lining up off Watsons Bay to start their campaigns for the 2020/2021 Titles. There has been a few boats getting in some pre season training over the past few weeks and now is the time to tune your boat and your skills.

The days are getting warmer and daylight saving starts in 2 weeks so there is no excuse.

Our Covid Safe plan is in place for your safety. You can review it here before you come down and sign in.

Sign up, come on down and get on the water. Register here and let us know what you want to achieve this summer. We cater for all ages and skill levels. We are looking for experienced sailors to skipper and crew Flying 11s and Cherubs as well as Sabots, PJs and Pacers. Which one suits you?

We look forward to seeing @va12sc.

Pre Season Working Bee

With the new season fast approaching we will be preparing the club with our annual pre season working bee. This year with Covid we are spreading things out over the next 2 weekends. There will be a list of works at the door so you can check it out, pick a task, and get it done at a time that suits you.

If you can help then please email sailing@va12sc.org.au or just come on down and let us know what you can do and the best time for you.

The club will be open during the warmer hours on both weekends so we hope to see you down there.

Annual General Meeting - Virtual

Wednesday, 15th July 2020, 6.30pm.

Annual General Meeting - Virtual

Our Annual General Meeting will take place virtually on Wednesday 15th July at 6.30pm.
IMPORTANT: Due to COVID-19 restrictions the meeting will be held virtually and a Zoom link will be provided to enable you to join the meeting.
NOTE: Our Annual Report containing our Financial Statements will be published shortly.
 

Please find AGM agenda below:
*****************************************************************************************
NOTICE is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the members of the VAUCLUSE AMATEUR 12FT SAILING CLUB is to be held virtually 6.30pm, Wednesday 15th July, 2020.
 
BUSINESS
 

1. Adoption of the minutes of the previous General Meeting

1. Receive and consider the Commodore’s Report

1. Receive and consider the Treasurer’s Report

1. Receive and consider the Financial Statements for the year ended 31st May 2020

1. To elect Officeholders. In accordance with the Club’s Constitution all Officeholders shall retire at the Annual General Meeting. The following positions are therefore open for election:

• Commodore

• Vice Commodore

• Rear Commodore

• Club Captain

• Treasurer

• Secretary

• General Committee Members 

We welcome new Committee Members, if you are able to assist please send your expression of interest to Ian Hedges, Club Secretary at ian.hedges@hanson.com.au

COVID 19 Update

It is great to see that a few members were able to get out on the water last weekend. This weekend looks like it may deliver some enjoyable conditions also.

On the whole the rules were followed well, although it appears that not everyone received or adhered to the new rules. The committee asks you all to please make sure that whoever enters the club, either member or guest or contractor, by land or water, day or night, completes the checklist and signs the conformance and waiver. It is imperative that we follow the rules and do not jeopardise the enjoyment and convenience for all members.

We ask that all entry doors are closed and locked behind you upon entry. If you are waiting for others who do not have a key then please ask them to call you when they arrive and unlock the door for them.

The committee has decided to introduce a “one strike “ rule such that any member found to be not adhering will receive one chance, and repeat offenders will have to return their keys until the current rules are relaxed. It sounds harsh I know, however, we can not accept that one member risks the amenity that we are all now free to enjoy.

Don’t forget to clean all surfaces and areas that you touched or used before you leave. We have organised for our cleaners to complete a deep clean weekly on a Monday, however, all users are expected to clean the club before they leave.

Thank you all for your understanding and diligence.

Don’t forget……LIVE SLOW AND SAIL FAST!

Return to Sailing.

I am happy to announce some very good news for our members, sailing is back on!

We have been informed that we are able to open the club house for sailing however there are strict guidelines and protocols to be followed to ensure everyone remains healthy and safe.

The emphasis from Australia Sailing is “Get in, sail and get out” and to only have a maximum of 10 people in the club house at any one time. 

When you arrive at the club you will see signs with the number limits for all areas, social distancing and good hygiene.  You will also find on a table just inside the entrance a “COVID-19 Club Use Check List” which needs to be completed by every member each time they access the club for sailing.  There is also an attendance register for you to complete so that anyone else who arrives can see how many people are currently using the club house.  It’s highly unlikely however if there are already 10 people in the club please wait until they are out on the water or leave the club before you enter.

You can download and complete a copy of the “COVID-19 Club Use Check List” here prior to arriving at the club.

It’s up to all of us to follow these steps to ensure we can keep sailing and stay safe.

I would like to thank our committee for their hard work in developing this plan , rules and checklist to ensure your security. Please ensure that you respect these protocols and ENJOY YOUR SAILING!

Covid 19 Update

We hope this email finds you well and that you are managing with the new norms that have been bestowed upon us all in these strange times.

The committee have been working hard to navigate through the legislation and advice that has been communicated to us from the various authorities. Our primary objective is in keeping our members safe and well. However, now that Australia has stayed afloat through the initial risk stage and that some restrictions are being relaxed, the committee are dedicated to continue with the goal of opening the club again and allowing all of our members to get out on the water in a safe manner as soon as practically possible.

The signs coming through this week are positive and we are all optimistic that we will be back sailing shortly. We will send out an email soon confirming the clubs Covid policies, procedures and .plan to bring the club back to normal.as soon as we can. Thank you for your understanding.

All the best, and ,stay safe..

Live Slow, Sail Fast! Kutti Cup 6 This Sunday

Well, we have definitely found ourselves in uncharted waters these last few days. We have been instructed to LIVE SLOW for a while, but, that does not mean you can't still SAIL FAST.

Unfortunately, the Sabot Zones have been cancelled. But, for those of you who are well and have no COVID 19 symptoms, Round 6 of the Kutti Cup will be ON this weekend.

Please let us know if you can make it.!

Our Easter Sailing Camps have been cancelled.

Due to the uncertainty of the situation, we cannot commit to hosting the sailing camps planned for the Easter break.

This decision has not been made lightly. For those of you who want to organise it, we encourage you to come down for a sail and spend possibly the most enjoyable sailing season during the school break. The committee stresses that you must maintain all due diligence, on and off the water, while using our fabulous club.

Season Countdown!

Can you believe that we are half way through term 1 and there are only 5 sailing Sundays left this season.

We start off with the final 2 Club Championship weekends over the next two weeks..

Club Champ 6 is on this weekend the 8th of March for all classes.

Club Champ 7 is on the next weekend the 15th of March for all classes.

The Sabot Zones are on the following weekend the 21st and 22nd of March at Lane Cove Sailing Club and we will have Round 6 of the Kutti Cup at the club for those who are not away.

The 29th March sees the last of the Sprint Series for the year and almost any of our sailors can still take the prize.

Finally we have the Adventure Day on the 5th of April. This year we will be hosting a treasure hunt passage around the bay to collect clues to find treasure somewhere in the vicinity of Kutti Beach. All of our Kambala students and their families are invited as well as all of our sailing school families and of course the racing fleets. After the adventure lunch will be served in the clubhouse and we will be holding our Season Presentation and Prize giving for all levels and classes. Watch this space for the details in the coming weeks.

It looks like there may be a stiff breeze this weekend so get ready to sheet on and hike out! We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday!

Kutti Cocktails postponed to the Spring.

After much deliberation it has been decided by the members to hold Kutti Cocktails in the last weeks of term 3. This will give us the opportunity to get the new season off to a flying start. We will have plenty of time to prepare a fantastic evening for one and all. We will be able to focus on the season ahead and get all of our wonderful members really psyched for a great summer on the water and relaxing in our very special little clubhouse.

So, stay tuned for more details for Kutti Cocktails at the VA12SC sometime in September.

Midsummer Wrap

I hope you are all enjoying the holidays and looking forward to a great Australia Day.

Sunday Sailing

Sunday Sailing starts back on the 2nd of February with Sailing School from 8.30 am and Club Championship Heat 4 for all classes.

Our summer camps are getting rave reviews. We look forward to welcoming a great bunch of kids to Term 1 @ VA12SC very soon!

Sabot Nationals

The Sabot Nationals was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by many. Our club and all members can be proud of just how good a regatta it was. Kate and the whole team did an awesome job. We have received many compliments. Thank you to one and all for presenting our club so well. Click here for results, photos and more!

Huge Congratulations to all of our sailors! This is all about You!

A special mention to our best-placed sailor, Max Nearn for an admirable 22nd overall and 10th as a best place. At 11 years old he has plenty of years ahead in the sabot. He will be one to watch in years to come.

Next years Nationals are at Townsville Sailing Club. May I suggest a VA12SC New Years Eve on Magnetic Island?

The Flying 11’s have just finished their nationals at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron In Brisbane. Click here for Results. Once again our representatives did us proud.

Australia Day

This Sunday is a huge day on the harbour. We encourage all members to get involved with the celebrations. Let us know your plans so that we can manage vessels. The harbour programme for the day can be found here.

Big Year for 2020

On behalf of the committee, I extend to you all, a warm welcome to the new year. Let’s all work hard to give our kids the best experience possible while keeping it real, positive and super fast on the water.

We have a fantastic group of families at the moment and the enthusiasm can only be contagious. We look forward to welcoming lots of new members and hope that the parents add to the fantastic function of our beautiful club

Please read the emails and commit yourselves to lots of fun in term one. Till the autumn arrives and beyond. Make sure you have subscribed to the newsletter on our website and invite your friends (they can subscribe here).

Once again, Thanks to everyone who makes this club tick. We are very lucky.

See You Soon!