Ocean Racing Club of Victoria
Steb Fisher
  We are the ORCV !!

Go Coastal Training Program for Skippers

The Go Coastal Training Program is designed to provide support for established bay racing skippers who wish to join the ORCV Coastal Sprints fleet but have not previously raced outside the Heads.

The program includes assistance with boat preparation, plus practical and theoretical training focussed on safe exit and re-entry through Port Phillip Heads. It also includes entry to the Coastal Sprint Race 2 on 21 November 2020. Skippers may choose to include their navigator in the Rip navigation training sessions also.

Program Content

Core modules of the program cover:-

  • Assistance in assessing boat suitability and preparation for coastal racing (Cat 3).
  • Navigation of the Port Phillip Heads (Rip) and ORCV Coastal Sprint course. This will include expected conditions, tidal flows, lights, sea conditions, exclusion zones and Cape Schanck and Western Port challenges.
  • These key skills, will be learnt through theory and on water practice so that you can :-
  • safely and confidently exit and enter Port PhilIip Bay.
  • meet navigational requirements in the course areas used by ORCV in its Coastal Sprints.
  • Knowledge of ORCV race and communication procedures
  • Understanding and experience with using the race entry system and meeting compliance requirements minimising the initial “learning curve for skippers and crew.
  • Participation in Coastal Sprint Race 2

  • Additional Modules

Course Prerequisites

The program is open to skippers who intend to Race in an ORCV Coastal Sprints in the 2020-21 season plus, if nominated by the skipper, a second person from their crew, normally the navigator.

Course participants are expected to:-

  • Be established bay racing sailors.
  • Have basic chart reading and navigation skills and to be familiar with the use of their own boat software.
  • Provide their own charts covering the entrance to Port Phillip and the coastal area between Westernport and Apollo Bay.

Go Coastal Image only

Module 1

Late July 2020 - Boat Review (Practical)

  • General review of boat condition and suitability

  • Attended by Skipper

Module 2

From Mid August 2020 (by arrangement) - Cat 3 Equipment Inspection (Practical)

  • This is required by 13th September practical
  • Cat 3 and regulations are found here


Module 3

Tuesday 1st September 2020 - Navigating Port Phillip Heads and Coastal Sprint Courses (Theory)

Content: 
Specifically designed for skippers and navigators participating in ORCV Coastal Sprints for the first time.

  • Expected conditions and their impact – Rip, Cape Schanck, Westernport.
  • Safe Navigation of the Rip - exit & entry, lights, tidal flow, sea conditions
  • Exclusion zones
  • Westernport Fairway buoy.
  • Skipper to attend.*


Module 4

Saturday 12th September 2020 6 - 7 pm - Blairgowrie Briefing (Theory - in person)

Content:

  • Chart refresher and briefing for Skipper and Navigator and follow up to 1st September theory.


Module 5

Sunday 13th September 2020 - Sail Out Port Phillip Heads (Practical)

Content:

  • Depart BYS at 8 am, Start at 9.30am  
  • Radio Procedure and Heads Exit Sail out and return on ebb tide via Portsea wave buoy and HMAS Canberra Site. Includes radio comms, start procedures use of virtual marks. 
  • Skippers plus crew on their own boat.  Mentors available.


Module 6

5 - 10th November 2020 (as arranged) - Top Yacht and Race Compliance (Theory and Practical)

Content: 

  • Guides and assistance to setting up your First Race Entry in Top Yacht with initial data load.
  • Online support available from the ORCV office 


Module 7

21st November 2020 0730 - ORCV Coastal Sprint Race 2 (practical)

Content: 

  • Participation into the ORCV Coastal Sprint Race 2.
     

Pricing

All pricing includes Entry into the ORCV Coastal Sprint Race on November 21st 2020 for the Skipper and boat.

  • ORCV Member Skipper $283.00 (including entry to Coastal Sprint 2)
  • NEW Member Special $456.00 (includes ORCV Membership valued at $280.00 and entry to Coastal Sprint 2)
  • Non Member $333.00 (includes entry to Coastal Sprint 2)


*Skipper nominated second person to various modules

  • ORCV Member $84.15
  • Non Member $99.00

Bookings

Book in for this course here

 

Additional Training Considerations

is available through a number of ORCV’s standard programs including

  • Fundamental Navigation (reserved sessions by demand on 4 & 6 August 2020) (please contact the ORCV office to book for this course)
  • Safety Sea and Survival Courses, book here

Outport Membership

Outport membership is open to those whose primary residence is outside the 80km radius (straight line) from the GPO Melbourne.

This radius takes into consideration the following locations.

Radius Map for Outport

 

If you are unsure if are outside this boundary a closer examination can be made by doing the following

  • Open google maps on maps.google.com
  • Enter the GPO Melbourne as your starting point.
  • Right click on the GPO Melbourne Pin location and select Measure Distance.
  • Now click on this pointer and drag it to your address to reveal the km distance, as a straight line

 

Join Button

 

Crew Fees

All non-members participating in ocean races will pay a crew fee. The crew fees are outlined in the Notice of Race and are the order of $60 for Devonport, Hobart, Port Fairy, King Island, Apollo Bay and each Coastal Sprint.  

In addition, if a crew member does not have current membership with the ORCV or another Australian Sailing Member Club they will need to pay for temporary membership via an Ocean Pass (for Devonport, Hobart, King Island, Port Fairy and Apollo Bay) or Coastal Pass (for the Coastal Sprints) or Bay Pass (for all bay races).  The temporary membership is in addition to crew fees.

Eliminate crew fees by Joining the ORCV.  Join now and enjoy Membership benefits until 30 September each year.


Buy Ocean, Coastal & Bay Passes

An Ocean, Coastal or Bay pass provides you temporary membership for the duration of that one race.

These passes are required if you do not currently hold membership to the ORCV or another Australian Sailing Member Club and will give you a temporary Australian Sailing Number and insurance for one race.   Ocean and Coastal passes are in addition to crew fees.  

Eliminate crew fees and the need to buy a pass by becoming an ORCV Member. Membership starts at $125 pa with membership taking you through 30th September each year.

Ocean Passes

Please select the race you require an Ocean Pass for.  Each Ocean Pass will cover you for the race and a set number of days on the return journey.  Crew fees will be in addition to your ocean pass

2023 Melbourne to Devonport click here

2023 Melbourne to Hobart click here

2024 Melbourne to King Island click here 

2024 Melbourne to Apollo Bay click here

Coastal Passes

Coastal Sprints & Coastal Passage  click here

Bay Pass

For the Cock of the Bay, Double Handed, Winter Series and Overnight Challenge click here for your Bay Pass

Save on crew fees and passes by becoming an ORCV Member here 

 

 

 

 

Race to the Pacific Survey Results

Race to Pacific image alone 

We had 74 people respond with over 50% as skippers interested in participating and another 15% as crew who thought they could convince and support their skipper to becoming involved.

On other questions asked, it seems that:

  • 11 days seems to be optimal,
  • Vanuatu lead slightly over Noumea and then Fiji as destinations
  • June and July were preferred
  • with 50% indicating being interested in a rally back to Australia (23% doing their own cruise back) and
  • 71% overall indicating that they’d like to join at least 1 race week in Queensland.

Thank you also for sharing your experiences in these locations and knowledge as it helps us understand the undertaking and what is out there in terms of marinas at the various locations.

So where to now you ask? All the feedback and responses have been collated and transferred through to the Sailing Committee who will work through the responses in the coming months.

We will keep in touch and yes let’s all keep dreaming of sailing off to somewhere warm, somewhere in the Pacific.

Martin Vaughan
ORCV Commodore

 

Vale - Graeme Ainley, known also by the name of GA 

Graeme a long-standing member and participant of the ORCV has sadly passed away.

Graeme co-owner of BACARDI and GEORGIA with John "Willo" William sailed BACARDI in many ORCV events, including a win on IRC in the 2004 ORCV Melbourne to Stanley race and competitor in the 25th ORCV Melbourne to Hobart race in 1996, coming 6th. Together BACARDI won the ORCV Melbourne to King Island race in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004 ahead of a second overall placing in the 2006 Sydney Hobart.

bacardi

Graeme also was part owner of CALM who won the ORCV Melbourne to King Island race in 2012. 

Graeme was an active and very competitive member sailing offshore, completing 25 Sydney to Hobart yacht races, as well as being a long-standing member of Sandringham Yacht Club (SYC), SYC Commodore 1995 - 1996, Former President of Yachting Victoria, Former President of Australian Sailing (in 2003 when it was known as Australian Yachting Federation). 

Robin Hewitt recounted how returning yachts from Hobart via the west coast would call into Port Davey for some cricket and a BBQ on the beach at Schooner Cove. So popular was the event that GA and Willo devised the Melleuca Inlet Yacht Club. Membership was the price of the club T-Shirt. A sojourn at Clayton’s Corner Hut where a shower and fireplace were enjoyed for the evening was followed by a headsail only race back to Schooner Cove, BBQ and refreshments before the trip back to Port Phillip. 

 

Robin went onto telling about one celebrated King Island race with some 25 entries encountered a gale for the start. Only 4 yachts started including Barcardi and Yoko. Both had a wager of a keg for first arrival at King Island. A pretty tough sail where one went East and the other West miraculously meeting with just 100M between them off Naracoopa. Then ensued a fierce tacking duel to Grassy where Yoko finished just ahead, Bacardi having sheared the top off their pedestal winch.  The whole of King Island were lining the shores after word got out of the close race in 40-45 knots. Whilst consuming the shared wager, a remark was made about the sign-on of race starters. GA said as an Alpha call up, Bacardi was early on the sign-on list and we knew Yoko would be a starter so we had to sign on. The crowd at Grassy was enormous and the King Island Boat Club sold a record quantity of beveridge in spite of just two yachts finishing.

"Sailing with GA was rarely dull and often exceptionally entertaining" said Hugh Halliburton. "Two incidents from the latter years on Georgia come to mind. When we were delivering the boat from New Zealand.  We got absolutely hammered for the first few days in 30-40 knots right on the nose. Early one evening, GA was on the helm and we dropped off a bad wave which dislodged the very expensive, custom made carbon fibre wand from the top of the mast which left it swinging around on the cable. I remember saying to GA, hold her steady Graeme and I'll try and catch it if it lets go. His reply was priceless.."Bugger that, I'm trying to put it back on."

 2009 gergia500

Hugh went onto say "In the 2008 Hobart after we ripped the rudder out of the hull and were taking a lot of water, our Irish crew member was chucking buckets of water out of the hatch when he stumbled and threw one straight over GA who was dressed only in his infamous gaudily striped thermals. Gareth apologised profusely and GA replied, "Don't worry mate, I think we are about to get a lot wetter."

"There are so many more GA stories which I will save for another day. His enduring partnership with Willo was extraordinary. They were in many ways complete opposites, yet complemented each other beautifully. Whilst Willo was very droll and somewhat taciturn, Graeme was effusive and garrulous. You were never left wondering what was on his mind and if things were not happening as he wanted you could often be the receiver of a torrent of GA's particular form of 'abuse', which although extremely pointed and often very humorous, was never meant or taken as being personal or hurtful."

He truly was a very unique individual and will be missed greatly.   Our deepest sympathy to Margaret, Belinda, Mark, Michelle, Will and the entire Ainley family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ORCV Racing Season 2019/20 Suspension to Winter Series

Dear Members,

Fortunately, the government's financial support has ensured clubs like ours remain viable and our staff can remain employed, which we very much appreciate. We have used the time well, to review and refine our systems and processes and do some much needed maintenance. Not to dissimilar with boat owners who are no doubt using this down time to work on their own maintenance list.

We are starting to see positive signs with the trending down of new Covid19 cases and discussion about a gradual lifting of restrictions. We cannot wait for that time, when we can don the wet weather gear, head out on the ocean and feel the wind in our face once more. Until then, we must respect the government's directives, particularly as they apply to amateur sport. Until we see the lifting of travel restrictions and the lifting or clarification of the current social distancing rules, the club will not be running racing.

So in summary, the suspension of racing will continue, including the start of the Winter Series. If the government advice is that we can safely commence racing again, we will run what we can when we can. When we do, we commit to giving people plenty of notice so they can enter and have time to prepare their boat and crew. The ORCV office will remain operational during this period, if we can help you during this time don't hesitate to contact us.

Meanwhile we are working on a number of initiatives including the Pacific 2022 race concept you may have seen online and we encourage you to provide feedback here. We are also working on some exciting new online training initiatives focused on navigation and tactics, more on that later. We can't wait to see you back on the water, until then stay safe and stay connected.

Yours faithfully,

Martin Vaughan 

ORCV Commodore

Subcategories

Admin

ORCV Info

orcv logo reversed

3 Aquatic Drive, Albert Park VIC 3206 Ph. 0493 102 744 E. orcv@orcv.org.au