Weather for Sailors

Module 1, Fundamentals and planning for a 3+ day Coastal Passage

This is a resource page for those enrolled into the Weather for Sailors training course. 

Please bookmark this page as additional resources will be added throughout the course.  For course dates, please click here.

MS Teams Link

Join the course via MS Team. 

Session 2 meeting - click here

Meeting ID: 481 223 451 979

Passcode: PT7Vp96t

Session 3 meeting - click here

Meeting ID: 437 342 371 696 5

Passcode: 9rJ9C32m

The meetings will be open 30 mins before the starting time of 7:00pm.

Pre Course Learning

We ask all students to complete some pre-learning prior to attending Session 2 on Tuesday 17 June 2025. 

The ORCV uses Learnupon for delivery of this content with an email sent on how to login.  Completing this online content is estimated to take roughly 3 - 4 hours.  

Knowledge Books

These books supplement the online theory and course content and are broken into 2 sections.  Reading these books is estimated to take 2 - 4 hours.

Book 1

Book 2

 

Session Notes

2025 Weather Course Student Notes Session

2025 Weather Course Session 2 Presentation Slides

 

Session Recordings

2025 Weather Course Session 1

2025 Weather Course Session 2

 

Contact your Instructors

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Weather Tools

• Maritime Safety Information https://msi.nga.mil/Publications
• BayWinds http://www.baywx.com.au/
• ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) Long Range forecast charts. https://charts.ecmwf.int/products/medium-mslp-wind850?base_time=202406111200&projection=opencharts_australasia&valid_time=202406111200
• BOM weather Charts http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/
• BOM Marine and Ocean http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/index.shtml
• BOM MeteEye http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/meteye/
• BOM Live Coastal Weather http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/observations/coastal.shtml
• BOM Tropical Region http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/charts/glw_00z.shtml
• Windy https://www.windy.com/-Menu/menu?-37.816
• Predictwind https://www.predictwind.com/
• Grib Viewer https://www.predictwind.com/grib-files
• Predictwind Offshore App https://www.predictwind.com/apps/offshore-app#downloads 

Apps to Download 

Bom Weather in the Apple App or Google Play store

Predictwind Offshore App
 

Windy App

Navionics called Boating

Homework

Night 1

Route from SYC to Lakes Entrance

Night 2

Weather Course Homework Session 2

Winter Series Race GPX Files

Winter Series Course 1

Winter Series Course 2

Winter Series Course 3

Winter Series Course 4

Winter Series Course 5

Winter Series Geelong Race

Winter Series Geelong Return

Winter Series Blairgowrie Race

Winter Series Blairgowrie Return

Windy.com Tutorials

Click here to access the Windy tutorial: How to Plan Your Trip with Windy.com

Click here to access Windy tutorials.

PredictWind Article

Click here to access a PredictWind article, Marine Meteorology 3: Clouds

Weather Resources

BOM Video https://youtu.be/ka26qIGVEwE

First Light arrives into Hobart with Coel Brauer and Elizabeth Tucker on board after epic trip from Spain, Photo © Clint Taylor/Za Ocean Racing

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria Annual Awards Evening 2025

Join us for an evening of celebration and inspiration at the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's (ORCV) Annual Awards Evening. This prestigious event honours the outstanding achievements of our ocean racing community and the unwavering support of sailors, families, and friends.

Date: Saturday, 28 June 2025 Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM (UTC+10)

Location: Sandringham Yacht Club, 32 Jetty Road, Sandringham, Victoria 3191

Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth "Za" Tucker

We are thrilled to announce our keynote speaker, Elizabeth Tucker, an aspiring solo offshore sailor and co-founder of Za Ocean Racing. Elizabeth's journey from corporate success to pursuing her dream of competing in the Global Solo Challenge (GSC) is sure to inspire and captivate.

Elizabeth's remarkable story includes:

• Transitioning from VP Finance in renewable energy to full-time sailing in 2023
• Competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race just 18 months after taking up sailing
• Preparing for the GSC 2027, a non-stop solo circumnavigation of the globe
• Acquiring and sailing Cole Brauer's record-breaking Class 40, First Light
• Embarking on a 12,000nm journey from Spain to Australia with Cole Brauer, the first American female who previously completed a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe

Elizabeth's passion for pushing boundaries and embracing new challenges will undoubtedly motivate and encourage our sailing community.

Book your tickets today

Click here to book your seats, which includes a two-course meal and refreshments.

ORCV members: $95.00

Non-members: $110.00

ORCV members under 25 years old: $60.00

Non-ORCV members under 25 years old: $75.00

Dress Code: Dress to Impress

Nominate outstanding individuals now

Each year, in addition to those people recognised for sailing performance, we want to celebrate people who have contributed to the overall growth and development of ocean racing and the ORCV. We seek nominations for four key awards: Ocean Sailor of the Year; Volunteer of the Year; Crew Encouragement, and Young Sailor of the Year. Click here for more details.

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our ocean racing community and be inspired by Elizabeth Tucker's remarkable journey. We look forward to seeing you there!

For more information, please contact our events team via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 0493 102 744.

Women's Helm, Navigator & Radio Operator Race (WHNR) & Return Sprint (WRS)

Ocean Race distance:	26 nautical miles
Safety Category:	5
Start Location:	Royal Brighton Yacht Club
Start Time:	TBA
Start Date:	26 July 2025
Race Record:	GUSTO (Ash Taylor) 4:19:56 (2015)

 Click here to enter the race

Competitor’s Guide how to Enter a Keel Boat Sailing Event

The ORCV Women's Helm, Navigator & Radio Operator Race returns in 2025 by popular demand. The inception of the WHNR race in September 2013, in recognition of the skills and passion of women participating in ocean races and other interclub events in Port Phillip, provided them the opportunity to take up lead roles in a dedicated event to showcase their skills. Initially added to the Winter Series event, as the Geelong to Melbourne (G2M) return race, the WHNR was contested annually to 2019, before the Covid years disrupted sailing. In recent years, the Winter Series return races from Blairgowrie and Geelong now constitute the Novice Return Series (NRS). 

In 2025, the reinstated WHNR is now a stand alone passage event to be run on 26 July with QCYC as the destination club. A revamp of the event, will see two divisions, Racing and Cruising, with the latter to recognise the increasing number of women becoming involved with the ORCV with the move of the KISS (Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy) program formally to ORCV Training.  The Racing Division will attract more experienced sailors whilst the Cruising Division will encourage newly graduated KISS alumni, less experienced women or those who prefer cruising. 

An additional opportunity exists for a return race from QCYC to boats’ home clubs on Sunday 27 July to maximise the opportunity for all women to actively participate across a variety of roles.  

The reintroduction of the WHNR in 2025, aligns strongly with the International Women’s Day 2025 theme to @accelerateaction. Initiatives to see more women on the water more often will build a community of passionate skilled women sailors, ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion across clubs and the sport of sailing. 

We are calling for boat owners and skippers to offer their boat for this race and we will match you and your boat with crew. Please use the Expression of Interest form and enter your boat via TopYacht.

If you are a female sailor looking for a boat to sail on please let us know via the Expression of Interest form.

If you already have a boat with a appropriate crew, please enter the race through TopYacht.

 Provisonal Program and Information:

	Date	Information	Club
	Wednesday 16 July	Race Planning and Sailing Instructions review. 8-9pm Teams meeting link will be sent to all crew before the meeting	Online
	Thursday 24 July	Weather briefing. 8-9pm Teams meeting link will be sent to all crew before the meeting	Online
	Friday 25 July	Pre-race Overnight berthing. RBYC will provide free overnight berthing for boats entered in WHNR. Please remember to book a table for dinner.	RBYC
	Saturday 26 July	Women's Helm, Navigator & Radio Operator Race Women in lead roles. Remainder of crew can be any mix. 0900 RBYC to ~1400 QCYC Choose Racing or Crusing Divisions. Cruising division no spinnakers.	ORCV (RBYC start)
	Saturday 26 July	Berthing:  Rafting up on QCYC wharf. Restrictions: Boat length <15m, draft <2.3 m. Deeper draft vessels please call ORCV office to discuss. due to space constraints, this race is open to monohulls only. Clubhouse is on Sand Island, separate from main town. Fireplace will be ablaze on arrival. Crew & visitors must be accommodated overnight on boats. Cars can remain on the island overnight. Presentation: 1730 hrs at the Clubhouse Bar: opens after the Race Dinner: BYO dinner, pizza oven and commercial kitchen provided Car access: Controlled by Dept of defence Checkpoint 1. Open 7am-7pm. All visitors must carry photo ID. No access to Queenscliff town out of hours. No foot traffic allowed on the Causeway or the Swan Bay bridge.	QCYC
	Sunday 27 July	Women's Return Sprint. 0900 Queenscliff to ~1430 finish lines in the vicinity of home clubs Women in lead roles. The rest of the crew can be any mix. Race division only. PHS.	QCYC start

 

Celebrating International Women's Day with

Melbourne to Osaka Duo: Fika

An Evening with Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders

Join us for an inspiring event featuring the mother-daughter sailing duo Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders as they prepare for the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race.

Date: 11th March 2025

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Royal Brighton Yacht Club, 253 Esplanade, Brighton VIC 3186

Price: Free for ORCV and RBYC members, $25 for non-members

Don't miss this opportunity to meet these inspiring sailors and learn about their incredible journey. Book your spot now!  Proudly sponsored by Royal Brighton Yacht Club in conjunction with KISS Alive.

Meet Fika and their boat

Fika, a Najad 1490 built in Sweden in 2001, is the vessel of choice for this remarkable duo. Named after the Swedish concept of savoring life's moments, Fika combines comfort and capability, making it ideal for long offshore races like the 2025 Melbourne Osaka Cup.

Annette Hesselmans, owner and co-skipper of Fika, brings a wealth of experience to this adventure. She completed the 2018 Melbourne Osaka Cup, finishing seventh overall, and has been ORCV's KISS resident navigation expert for the past two years. Annette's company, Paper Sailors Rock, offers sail training, charters, and sailing adventures, embodying her mission to promote inclusion in sailing.

Sophie Snijders, Annette's daughter and co-skipper, has already made waves in the sailing world. She's sailed double-handed around Australia and is currently based in Tasmania, where she's completing her university degree and building a YouTube channel, "Slim and Soph – Sailing Nakama."

Together, Annette and Sophie will form the first mother-daughter crew to compete in the Melbourne Osaka Cup, following in each other's wakes and inspiring women in sailing.
You can follow Annette and Sophie on the website page In Her Ocean Wake www.inheroceanwake.com or the youtube channel Sailing Nakama

An Evening of Inspiration

Our special guest interviewer, ORCV member Kate Hyde, who sails double-handed on Liberator, will guide us through:

• Annette's journey from nursing to founding Paper Sailors Rock
• Sophie's growing passion for offshore racing
• Their experiences in previous races, including the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Melbourne to Osaka
• The story of Fika and its recent upgrades for upcoming challenges
• Their preparation for the 2025 Melbourne Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race

KISS comes ALIVE in 2025

An exciting new chapter for all female keelboat sailors in Victoria is now ALIVE! We welcome you to this central hub, which aims to provide a comprehensive calendar for all female focussed keelboat events for women across Victoria and beyond. Whether training, racing, cruising, volunteering or just chilling, we want to make sure you never miss out on an opportunity to participate. Read more here

An Inspiring Evening with Melbourne to Osaka Female Duo on Fika

Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders

Tuesday, 11^th March, the ORCV along with KISS ALIVE, Melbourne to Osaka Cup and Royal Brighton Yacht Club hosted an unforgettable night celebrating International Women’s Day 2025. The event, featuring the intrepid female mother-daughter sailing duo, Annette and Sophie from Fika, skillfully moderated by Liberator sailor Kate Hyde, drew a packed house of approximately 200 attendees, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

As Fika prepares to set sail again, Annette reflected on her previous Osaka race with a touch of humor and wisdom: "It's a very long way to Japan in a very small boat." Despite the challenges, the duo exudes confidence in their abilities and graciously acknowledged the unwavering support of their partners, Gerry and Simon, who have been instrumental in their preparations and ongoing inspiration.

The evening not only celebrated these remarkable women but also raised over $1,500 to support women in sailing, underlining the event's commitment to #accelerateaction for gender equality in the sport.

Monday 17 March saw four other seasoned female sailors on the start line with Annette and Sophie, Osaka bound amongst 34 co-skippers (18% female), inspiring all women sailors to “be the change we want to see”.

There are some welcome signs of visible change on the horizon around Victorian clubs.

The ORCV has brought the KISS introductory women’s keelboat training under their Training arm with a wait list for 60+ women for the next program. KISS becomes ALIVE in 2025, a strategic platform to connect all Victorian female keelboat sailors through a central hub for collaboration and event promotion so you never miss an event or opportunity to be active, inspired and connected. 

By popular demand, July 26 will see the reboot of the ORCV Women Skippers, Navigators & Radio Operators Phillip passage event from Brighton to Queenscliff with both racing and rallying opportunities available.

RBYC caps off the summer PPWCS series with subsidised “BLiSS Experience” training sessions, fast tracking females to lead roles for the May 4 BLiSS regatta finale.

The iconic AWKR all female crew event hosted by RMYS returns June 7-9 with a following from around Australia and beyond. With the goal of its founders 33 years ago to encourage women to get involved in the sport of sailing, it is still very much at the heart of the regatta.

There has never been a better time to get onboard to #accelerateaction!

To keep up to date with all opportunities visit the KISS ALIVE page.To follow the fika crew and others in the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka race, go here https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2025-melbourne-osaka-cup-double-handed-race To watch the full event go to our youtube channel Celebrating International Womens Day with mother & daughter team Annette & Sophie Snijders on Fika - YouTube or click on the video at the top of this page. Follow us on all social media, both facebook and instagram

From left to right: Interviewer Kate Hyde, Annette Hesselmans, Sophie Snijders, Melissa Warren and Lee Renfree. Photo by Stephen Renfree

 

Thanks to our wonderful ORCV and KISS Alive volunteers for organising the International Women's Day event. Photo by Stephen Renfree

KISS comes ALIVE in 2025

An exciting new chapter for all female keelboat sailors in Victoria is now ALIVE! We welcome you to this central hub, which aims to provide a comprehensive calendar for all female focussed keelboat events for women across Victoria and beyond. Whether training, racing, cruising, volunteering or just chilling, we want to make sure you never miss out on an opportunity to participate. Read more here.