Skipper's Survey Results

From a skippers survey came the decision to run a Cat 2 race next February instead of the traditional Easter weekend. 

The survey extended to all yachts participating in ORCV offshore races in the past 3 seasons with an effective response rate of 75%.  

In planning the proposed event, the ability to start races early was a key issue. We asked skippers to review their experience in the 2022-23 King Island and Devonport races, which started at 5pm and 6pm respectively. The responses indicated that the early starts had not been a constraint on entries in those 2 events. 

• 64% preferred the early start,  
• 95% of the boats who planned to race were able to do so, albeit with the absence of some of their regular crew on 3 yachts. 
• 86% of the skippers advised that the late afternoon starts had not caused crew constraints  
• Only 2 boats advised that the earlier start times had led then to decide not to race. 

Forty-seven of the surveyed skippers advised that they are planning to race in Cat 2 races next season. We asked this group to indicate their start time preference. The result was a clear preference for late afternoon starts- 

• Late afternoon - 68%
• Early evening (after 7pm) -13%  
• Traditional night Starts (first suitable tide after midnight) - 19% 

The level of interest for the proposed Cat 2 race in February was high. 72% of the boats reported that they would seriously consider participating and a further 11% supported the idea although they would not participate in 2025.  

Importantly, more than 80% Skippers who would seriously consider entering the February race advised that their participation would be in addition to their currently planned races. 

Port Fairy and Stanley were equally weighted by skippers as the preferred destination but if the race was run to Port Fairy, they would be more likely to continue to Adelaide and participate in the Port Lincoln Regatta.   

The New Race 

The Club has decided to run a race to Port Fairy starting at 1630 hrs on Friday 14 February 2025, thirty minutes before the start of the ebb. 

Port Fairy was chosen as the destination in 2025 partly because of its role as a feeder race for the 75th anniversary of the Port Lincoln races (which start one week later) but also due to the need to reliably meet two key design parameters for the race:- 

• The ability for some crew members to return to Melbourne on Sunday night if required  
• The ability for the remaining delivery crew to be back at their clubs on Monday night. 

Strong support from the Port Fairy Club and Community for the race and the availability of scheduled coach-rail service leaving late afternoon for the return to Melbourne are additional elements in the decision. 

We hope to attract a large fleet and look forward to seeing you on the water next February. 

Paul Roberts 
Rear Commodore & Sailing Captain  

We’ve been weird, wonderful and winners

Casting our gaze over the recent offshore season, the Clean Oceans team are incredibly proud of the efforts and enthusiasm exhibited by the club and members to deliver initiatives in the name of sustainability. The ocean racing community is one of great passion, and a vote for protecting our oceans is a vote for the longevity of the sport we know and love. Let‘s look back over some of the highlights so far:

The ORCV’s destination races saw the introduction of the Species Showcase, a corner that shines the light on unique marine species, iconic to the area our fleet are visiting. Beginning in Hobart with the 2023 Westcoaster, the Handfish became the star of the show, with one species, the critically endangered Red Handfish, found ONLY in the Derwent River. These abstract looking creatures have also attracted the nickname of the world’s rarest fish as their numbers continue to be heavily impacted by habitat change, ocean warming and pollution; and are the focus of a dedicated research conservation team.

Shifting our focus to the Melbourne to King Island, our fleet was greeted by the unmissable chorus of Little Penguins, our next showcased species. For a bird only 30cm in size, these little fellas are truly impressive with their long-distance deep diving, spanning tens of kilometers each day. Recent research investigating growing levels of chemical pollution recorded in the penguins’ blood is a stark reminder that at the end of the day, our land-based actions are intrinsically linked to like above and below the water.

Finally, we wrapped up the season with the crowd favorite, the Nudies! The Apollo Bay race featured the Vercos Nudibranch, a flamboyant and almost fictional looking creature, that inhabits the local marina and coastal reefs along southern Australia. Nudies are the dazzling jewels in the crown of our marine fauna. Like a neon sign, they remind us just how intricate and interconnected the ocean and its life is, and what wonders lay beneath the surface.

As well as showcasing marine wildlife, we have also collaborated with some fantastic organisations working to conserve, educate, create and inspire meaningful change in the ocean community. The ORCV are incredibly grateful to have engaged with the Handfish Conservation project and Otway Ocean Care to promote conservation work, and Recolab and Castaway Textiles, for the work they do to divert waste from landfill while creating stylish and unique produce to be enjoyed by the yachting community and beyond.

We are always looking for innovative ways to engage the ocean racing community with the ocean beyond racing. Over the last 12 months we have worked to further develop the microplastics water sampling initiative for the return legs of major offshore races. Often times, in the science space, deploying teams of researchers at sea can be costly and difficult, and so the idea to create a citizen science program with our fleet, was born. In classic scientific style, we are working through trial and error to optimize and refine the method and data generation process. We look forward to reigniting this program in the new season and thank all the crews who have been part of this process so far!

In recognition of the ORCV’s efforts in the sustainability space, we have been awarded silver medals by the Sailors for The Sea Clean Regatta’s Program for our destination races, a brilliant outcome that we aim to build on with the oncoming season – going for gold! This internationally recognised certification framework is a great way to demonstrate effort over time, and nurture continuous improvement, innovation and creativity. We can’t wait to build on the already strong foundation of the 2023-24 season, so let our team know if you have any ideas or connections you think could add value in the sustainability space!

Lasty, a huge thank you goes to our members who continuously show interest and enthusiasm in the Clean Oceans Program. Our members are what bring our initiatives to life and ensure continued stewardship of our oceans

Offshore at 16: Will Farnell, the ORCV's Youth Sailor of the Year 2025

 Will helming on Smuggler with Tim Davis / Photo provided by Will Farnell

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) is proud to announce Will Farnell as the recipient of the 2025 Youth Sailor of the Year award—a young sailor whose love for the sea runs generations deep and whose commitment to the sport has already made waves far beyond his years.

At just 16, Will has clocked up more offshore miles than many adult sailors. But his story doesn’t start with trophies or accolades—it begins with family.

Will's sailing roots stretch back to Bendigo, where his grandfather Harry Farnell first discovered sailing. After the family moved to Geelong, “Pa” became a member at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and passed his passion for the water down to Will’s father, and eventually to Will and his sister.

Will on the helm of his father's boat Valiant / Photo by Tom Smeaton, Provided by Will Farnell

“My first memories of sailing are going out on Pa’s Van de Stadt 23 on Wednesday nights,” Will reflects. “I was about ten. It was just me and him—or maybe one other person. That’s where I really started learning. We’d rig the boat together after school, and I began understanding how everything worked.”

Will (far right) with father Jason (far left) on 'Pa's' boat with fellow sailing friends Charley S and Josh G / Photo provided by Will Farnell

In 2017, he took up cadet dinghy sailing, but it was keelboats that really sparked his curiosity. While most of his peers were learning to trim sails on smaller boats, Will—thanks to those early Wednesday night sails—was already managing winches and learning how to make tactical decisions.

That head start has seen him rise quickly. In the past three years alone, he’s:

• Completed three Apollo Bay races, with his dad, Jason Farnell on their Adams 10 - Valiant
• Competed in his first ocean race at just 14
• Delivered Iain Murray 37 Dark and Stormy to Sydney
• Returned Chutzpah (Reichel/Pugh Caprice 40) from Hobart to Melbourne
• Crewed on Smuggler (TP52) during a race for the Festival of Sails—after jokingly asking to join while walking past and also completed a delivery with them, with Tim Davis on board

Will credits his time offshore with building not just sailing skills but discipline and self-reliance. “In cadets, you go home to a warm bed. In ocean racing, you’ve got to stay dry, stay warm, and take care of yourself—so others can rely on you too.”

He’s already completed ORCV’s Foredeck Essentials Course, led by Peter Dowdney—“I learned the most about dip-pole gybing,” he says—and spent the last two years working at his local shipwright (DYSC Marine Supplies) in Geelong, deepening his network and staying close to the action.

Those who’ve raced alongside him describe him as calm, curious, and quietly determined. He doesn’t shout his achievements. He listens, watches, asks questions—and takes every opportunity seriously.

Asked how he felt about receiving the award, Will is characteristically humble: “It’s something to be proud of. I’m grateful.”

What’s next? “I’d love to do a race around the world. Maybe go to Europe and just keep sailing—regattas, deliveries, whatever I can. I don’t want to work inside.”

With plans in motion for a future double-handed Hobart campaign with his dad, and likely entry into this year’s Devonport race aboard Dark and Stormy, Will is proving that age is no barrier to big ambitions.

From backyard boat builds to the bows of TP52s, Will Farnell is charting a course that’s all his own—and the ORCV couldn’t be prouder to see him grow on the journey.

By Melissa Warren/ORCV Media

Celebrating Lee Renfree: Australian Sailing Recognition & KISS Program Success

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria proudly celebrates Lee Renfree's well-deserved recognition by Australian Sailing for her exceptional contributions to our sport. This prestigious acknowledgment highlights what we at ORCV have long known—that Lee's visionary leadership and dedication have transformed the sailing landscape for women across Victoria.

Making a Difference: Honouring Lee Renfree and the KISS Program

Published Thu 22 May 2025 Australian Sailing

In 2022, Lee Renfree had a vision of a program that would empower women on the water. The reality would be the KISS Program (Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy), which has seen 80 sailors get involved and counting. For National Volunteers Week, we celebrate Lee’s contribution to getting more women involved in sailing. 

Born in a town on the Murray River, water and boats have always been a part of Lee’s life. Her sailing journey began while on holiday in Vanuatu, inspired by none other than Kay Cottee, the first woman to sail solo non-stop around the world.  

Since then, she and her husband have sailed over 15,000 nautical miles double-handed with three decades spent at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. Lee has held leadership roles in clubs across Victoria and Tasmania, including as Commodore of Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club and is a Life Member of the Cruising Yacht Association of Victoria.  

Her most enduring contribution to the sailing community has been the creation of the KISS Program. Launched during her tenure as the first female Commodore in Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club’s 60-year history, the KISS Program was born out of desire to challenge the status quo and empower women on the water. 

“Women are often the silent partner in the ownership of the family yacht,” Lee said. “They very rarely get the most out of this magnificent experience. There is nothing quite like being at the helm in the ocean on a moonlit night or having the satisfaction of navigating a vessel safely into port.” 

By providing a space for women to learn, grow and take the helm - literally and figuratively - Lee has helped transform fear into freedom. 

“Knowledge is power. If I could share my knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for the sport I love, other women could come on board and get more out of owning a boat. You can’t be what you can’t see - leading by example is my way to go.” 

Lee’s drive to volunteer stems from a deep commitment to empowering women through sailing. She’s witnessed firsthand how time on the water can build confidence, spark joy and open up new possibilities. Through her KISS Program - designed by women, for women - Lee is helping change the narrative in what has traditionally been a male-dominated sport. 

“Getting more women on the water and involved is what gets me out of bed in the morning. There is nothing like seeing the joy on their faces when they learn a new skill. I see their confidence in their own ability and value as a human being grow and their lives take off in directions they never thought possible,” she said.  

For Lee, volunteering is deeply personal and endlessly rewarding. “The most rewarding part of volunteering is knowing that my contribution enriches the lives of others and that I can truly make a difference in the world.” 

We commemorate Lee’s impact to steer change, uplift communities and chart a more inclusive future for sailing. Here’s Three Cheers for Lee! 

For more information about the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria and its activities, please visit www.orcv.org.au.