From Googling Offshore Racing to Getting Hooked—Hear about Next Gen Sailor Shashi’s first year offshore

We caught up with Next Gen (ORCV Members age 16-24) sailor Shashi Anjan to hear about his journey into offshore sailing, what he’s learned, and what’s next.

Shashi only started sailing about a year ago. It wasn’t something he had planned for long.

“I just realised how many sailing clubs there are around the bay, and it seemed like something I could actually try.”

At first, he was unsure.

“I thought it would be expensive, time-consuming, and hard to get into.”

But he kept coming across the same advice. Just show up.

“So I did. I started turning up once a week, did a Competent Crew course, and after that I was hooked.”

Offshore sailing came unexpectedly

“I was just Googling offshore racing and the ORCV website came up. I didn’t even realise it was all happening here in Victoria.”

The Beyond the Bay course was starting the following week.

“I called up and said, ‘I haven’t done much sailing, but I’m keen to learn.’ They said it would still be useful, so I just signed up.”

At that point, it wasn’t about committing to offshore. It was about understanding what it actually involved.

“But once I got on those boats, that was it. It just kept building from there.”

A big part of his journey has been the people around him, especially his crew on Faster Forward

“Matt Fahey's (owner of Faster Forward) been a big help. He saw that I kept showing up, and the more I showed up, the more opportunities I got.”

That eventually led to a delivery from Hobart.

“That was a big moment. I’m honestly really grateful. Even if I stopped sailing tomorrow, I’d owe a lot to him.”

He’s also sailed on Mercedes 4 in Williamstown and spent time on Stealth. His first boat was Silver Cloud, a Yamaha 27.

“Each boat’s been a bit different. The classic yachts are more relaxed and a bit quirky. It’s good experience.”

The biggest learning curve has been the reality

“You hear about it in courses, but when you’re actually out there, competing in an offshore race, it’s a lot more real.”

Long hours, tough conditions, and nowhere to go.

“You’re wet, cold, tired, and you just have to keep going.”

There’s also the dynamic of being on a boat with the same group for extended periods.

“You can’t really get away from each other, so you’ve got to manage that. You can’t let your emotions take over.”

He credits his crew for making that side of it easier.

“We get along really well. We can have tough conversations, but we move on from them.”

It’s a very different experience to inshore sailing.

“Inshore, you’re out for a few hours and come back in. Offshore is a completely different feeling.”

Shashi’s first offshore race was King Island

“I’d heard a lot about it. People say it’s their favourite race.”

The race itself was tough.

“There were definitely moments where I thought I don’t know if I want to do this again.”

But arriving made it all worthwhile.

“That’s the best part about destination races. You get somewhere you’ve never been and suddenly you’re part of it.”

At King Island, the whole community gets involved.

“It’s not just sailors. Locals come down, everyone’s at the yacht club, even the mayor turns up.”

It changed how he saw the whole experience.

“That’s when it all made sense. The race to get there is hard, but once you arrive, it’s completely worth it.”

Shashi is keeping things simple

“I’m still really new to the sport, so I’m not trying to rush anything.”

There’s been talk of bigger races like a Hobart, but he’s not in a hurry.

“It depends when I’m ready.”

Instead, he’s focused on building experience step by step.

“I’ll keep putting my hand up. Port Fairy, coastal races, Sea Pilots. Just keep learning.”

One thing he’s clear on.

“Offshore racing is a completely different beast. You don’t want to rush into it.”

For him, it’s about doing it properly.

“I just want to make sure I know what I’m doing and can actually help the crew.”

Because offshore, it matters.

“You’ve got other people relying on you. You don’t want to be unprepared.”

Interviewed by Melissa Warren (Next Gen lead)

For more information about joining ORCV and accessing the benefits of our Next Gen program, please click here

 

The ORCV is pleased to invite you to the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria's Annual Awards Evening. This prestigious event serves as a tribute to the exceptional individuals and teams who have demonstrated remarkable talent, dedication, and sportsmanship in the world of ocean racing. We also celebrate our special award winners who contribute to build the overall growth and development of ocean racing and the ORCV.

Join us as we celebrate their outstanding achievements and the unwavering support they receive from fellow sailors, families, and friends.

Guest Speakers

Shevaun Bruland, President of Australian Sailing

Richard Grant, 2025 Melbourne to Osaka competitor - "Managing Catastrophes at Sea"

Date and Venue

Date: Saturday, 27 June 2026
Venue: Sandringham Yacht Club, 32 Jetty Rd, Sandringham VIC 3191
Time: 6.30pm to 9.30 pm

Evening Highlights

Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy a sumptuous 2-course meal, refreshing beverages, captivating speakers, and lively entertainment to ensure a vibrant atmosphere. Whether you are an avid sailor, sponsor, or simply an enthusiast of the sailing community and the ORCV, this event promises to be a night to remember.

Dress Code

Please note that the dress code for the evening is cocktail attire, creating an elegant and sophisticated ambiance in line with the occasion.

Let's Celebrate!

We look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our volunteers, sponsors, partners, and sailors, both cruisers and racers alike. Together, let's raise our glasses to toast another successful year on the open waters!

Nominate Someone for our Special Awards

Each year we ask you to nominate those who have contributed to the overall growth and development of Ocean Racing and our Club.

We seek candidates for 4 categories: Ocean Racer of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Crew Encouragement and Young Sailor of the Year. Click here to read more and to nominate someone.

Silent Auction and Raffle

Our fabulous Silent Auction returns, full of prizes donated by our generous sailing community. Thank you!  Click here to view the items. You can bid on our items even if you can't attend, using our bid form

Bring your loose change ready to bid on a Magnum of Champagne in our Raffle. Electronic payment will also be available on the night.

Reserve Your Seat

Go to TryBooking to book your seat now. Spaces are limited, and high demand is expected. If you are part of a crew, let us know your boat name. If you would like to be seated with a particular group, you can also let us know.

If you have any questions, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

Member Spotlight

We celebrate one of our sailors who recently bought a new yacht after completing the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) Beyond the Bay program and participated in his first ocean race. This brings fresh energy, ambition, competition and fresh faces to our offshore racing scene.

Blueprint for Future Plans

Blueprint ready for the mast again / Photo by John Bearsley

John Bearsley may have had a hiatus from sailing for some years due to family and work commitments, but he has recently purchased the McConaghy MC38 Blueprint after completing the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) Beyond the Bay program.

“Blueprint, is a 12-year-old MC38, previously known as Swish and well regarded in one-design Sydney racing circles.

“It’s a 38-foot carbon boat, a great bay racer, made by Australian boat builder McConaghy,” John laughs, saying, “We’ve probably bitten off a lot and are chewing madly.”

“The name ‘Blueprint’ says it all,” John explains. “It’s the detailed plan to build sailing skills, crew and knowledge within the ORCV and Sandringham sailing network.”

“Blueprint will be sailed fully crewed on the bay as John continues to build experience. With a longer-term goal in a couple of years to step up into a more ocean performance cruiser style yacht for offshore passages.”

Blueprint in the cradle / Photo by John Bearsley

“There’s a little more work to be completed on Blueprint with the mast soon to go back in,” explained John. “My wife Aoife enjoys the more social bay races, where I enjoy the challenge of the ocean side of sailing.”

“The Beyond the Bay program was a great way to stitch together the pieces you need to ocean sail. The Safety & Sea Survival Course was awesome. I never thought I’d need an angle grinder as part of my sailing kit. It certainly whetted my appetite to learn more.”

John Bearsley on his first ocean race / Photo by John Bearsley

Through the network developed during the Beyond the Bay program, John has since thrown himself into crewing opportunities with fellow ORCV members aboard Faster Forward and Foggy Dew, completing races including the Melbourne to Devonport, Hobart (Westcoaster) and King Island.

Deliveries home extended the learning curve even further. “From Hobart, we came back via the East Coast, stopping at Flinders, which extended my navigation skills, although we were lucky to have some navigation tracks shared by fellow ORCV member Neville Rose as we wove our way to Lady Baron.” A stopover at Flinders Island even saw the crew join the local Killiecrankie Yacht Club regatta, rewarded with crayfish and beer for their efforts.

Having gone on to complete his RYA Day Skipper certificate and charter a yacht for five days in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, John summed up this sailing with, “I love that sailing is very much a team sport, and a bit easier on 50+ year old bodies than rugby or footy. With the kids now young adults and a bit more financial freedom now is the perfect time for us to rekindle our love of sailing. While I'm also enjoying the racing side, we also love that sailing is multifaceted and is something that Aoife and I can enjoy doing together.

“We still pinch ourselves, and I’m taking every sailing opportunity to get out on the water and to learn.”

Member Spotlight

We celebrate the sailors who’ve recently shifted into new yachts, and stepped up into the ocean-going fleet. This brings fresh energy, ambition, competition and fresh faces to our offshore racing scene. From exciting upgrades to plans for bigger blue-water challenges, read on to see how our fleet is growing and evolving as we head towards the 2026 King Island Race.

From Valiant to Voodoo Child: for Jason Farnell

Voodoo Child Farewell Beacon / Photo Colleen Darcy

Jason Farnell, upgraded from Valiant, his Adams 10, to Voodoo Child, a Northshore 369, to step up his family’s offshore racing ambitions.

‘Voodoo Child is a nice solid yacht suitable for offshore sailing...’ Having just completed the Launceston to Hobart race this year with his son Will and daughter Imogen plus Conall and Mason, all young sailors with origins from Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

“Will (ORCV Young Sailor of the Year 2025) was the driving force for change,” explained Jason, “with a desire to do more offshore races and compete in a Tasmanian race this summer.”

Having so many young sailors on board for the Launceston race, Voodoo Child served its purpose and until a better planning boat comes to light, “Voodoo Child is our boat for summer providing that stepping stone” for his younger keen sailors to enjoy more offshore sailing.

“We hope to one day take on the Melbourne Hobart, Westcoaster which is more convenient to our home base in Geelong but in the meantime, may do another Cat 3 Launceston race next year,” with his young crew.

Phoenix a new chapter for Brenton & Jenn Carnell

Phoenix line honours winner 2025 Cock of Bay / Photo MIchael Currie

Rising from the ashes and regenerated feels entirely fitting for Phoenix, the Marten 49 formerly known as Carrera S, now owned by Brenton and Jenn Carnell.  

After years of sailing everything from Etchells to a highly successful Sydney 38 campaign,  and later a Melges 32, Brenton and Jenn were ready for a change.  

Brenton explained “The Marten 49 ticked every box: speed, power, comfort and a strong carbon hull, all beautifully maintained by former owner Gerry Cantwell.” 

With more than 34 Hobarts between them and loads of experience racing offshore, Brenton and Jenn knew exactly what they want from a boat. While Brenton had his eye on a Fast 40, Jenn drew the line at for safety reasons at it having runners, with the Marten 49 Carrera S being the perfect compromise.  

Now reborn as Phoenix with new owners taking over on 1st November 2025, they entered the ORCV Cock of Bay for the first windward race. 

“We left Geelong at 3am to make the start and then led all the way to the finish to claim Line Honours” before turning for home and a long day and the start of a new chapter. 

Phoenix is also about people, not just performance. Brenton and Jenn are passionate about bringing young dinghy sailors and into keelboat racing, with five current crew members under 23. As Jenn puts it, “They just love wearing the uniform and being part of the crew.”

Tevake 11, Under New Helm with Tobias Swanson

Tobias Swanson and Tevake II / Photo provided by Tobias Swanson

January 2026 marks the start of the Radford designed, Tevake 11 journey under new ownership of Tobias Swanson, formally the owner of Dark and Stormy from Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

“I’ve always liked the Radford / Adams designed yachts for their sleek solid design, having first following Don McIntyre’s round the world campaign on his 50 foot yacht Buttercup, a Graham Radford / Joe Adams custom design.” said Toby.

“I was unsuccessful in buying Tevake 11 the first time it came onto the market a couple of years ago”, going on to explain “that he knew Angus knew boats and had setup Tevake 11 well with heavy duty gear for offshore and Southern Ocean sailing.”

“Currently Tevake 11 is on the hard stand, getting anti fouled and back up to Cat 2 standards with plans to race in 2026 King Island and all races including the Westcoaster this year.”

“Over time there are plans to upgrade the electronics, give it a new coat of paint and upgrade the sails.” said Tobias although I first need to get on the water and learn how to sail it well.

“With Dark and Stormy now sold and about to depart to new owners in Hobart”, Tobias said he can focus on learning how to sail Tevake 11, honouring the late Angus Fletcher and preparing the boat for its new chapter of racing, knowing he has “big shoes to fill with the Angus’s legacy.”

A New Foggy Dew? Robert D’Arcy’s Interim Upgrade

The J99 Foggy Dew / Photo by Spirit of Downunder crew

There’s a new Foggy Dew in the fleet, with skipper Robert D’Arcy still at the helm with Janet Wilks (Wilksie Marine) as co skipper.

Robert has long had his sights set on the next Melbourne to Osaka race, looking to continue offshore double-handed sailing with a little more comfort, speed and performance than the 2025 Foggy Dew, a Northshore 369, which has now been sold, and an order placed for the new Foggy Dew, a 48-foot JPK yacht.

“I was originally looking at a slightly smaller JPK model, which would have taken about 18 to 24 months to arrive” explained Robert. “When they mentioned the 48-footer, it was only another twelve months beyond that.

“I’m young enough to wait, and it will be that little bit more comfort and performance.” explained Robert.

“Selling the Northshore 369 Foggy Dew wasn’t originally part of the plan, but a strong offer, combined with the opportunity to purchase an interim boat, changed the timeline.” Enter the J/99 Foggy Dew (formerly Rum Rebellion from Sydney), which was already well set up for Category 1 double-handed sailing.

“What the J/99 Foggy Dew lacks in length, it promises to make up for in speed and simplicity,” said Robert. “These boats have a great reputation. It’s well prepared for Category 1 double-handed racing, requiring little extra investment, and it’s much easier to move around without a large wheel in the middle of the deck.”

After putting the new J/99 Foggy Dew through her paces at the Festival of Sails, the next test will be the 2026 King Island Race in early March, as plans continue for offshore double-handed racing and fully crewed sailing in the bay, while the wait begins for Robert’s next-generation Foggy Dew, a JPK to arrive.

ORA – Allan Gontar 

Ora / Photo by Al Dillon

ORA, skippered and owned by Allan Gontar is a well-appointed Sydney 36CR, which Allan believes is possibly the last of the Sydney 36s ever built. Originally commissioned by Martin Vaughan with a clear vision and set up with double-handed sailing in mind, he describes the boat as a “solid and capable offshore platform capable of being sailed fully crewed or double handed.”  

ORA was previously known around the bay as Coco and originally named Wildside. 

“I’ve previously crewed on boats like YOKO and Cadibarra, and now I’m really looking forward to building a good, solid ocean crew, having owning and campaigning ORA for the past 12 months on bay races.” 

With 15–20 years of ocean racing experience, Allan is focused on building miles and developing both crew and boat. “We ventured offshore for our first ocean race to  Devonport late last year, and now we’re building towards King Island and the Coastal Sprint series,” he says with “a Westcoaster” definitely on the radar. 

Allan plans to campaign her both fully crewed and double-handed, already ticking off a personal milestone by sailing her solo back from Devonport last year, a long-time bucket list achievement. 

BELLE – skippered by Richard Taylor and Kylie Balharrie

Belle / Photo by Damien King

Having owned Belle for the past two years, Richard Taylor and Kylie Balharrie are now stepping up from Category 3 to Category 2 sailing, with their next major venture being King Island.

First launched in South Africa in 2004, Belle, the LY60–designed yacht, cruised the Mediterranean and completed an Atlantic crossing before being brought to Melbourne, where she passed through multiple owners.

“We bought Belle roughly two years ago,” Kylie explained, recalling how sad she had looked. “For about eight years, Belle had been left in the marina pen, without a mast and completely untouched.”

“Richard and I worked full time on the restoration for three months, sanding and restoring the carbon mast and bringing her back up to standard, completing all the work ourselves. Our goal was to be able to sail Belle to New Year’s Eve in Docklands, which we did.”

On deck, Belle features a special carbon in-boom furler that allows three reefs to be put in while still maintaining beautiful sail shape, along with an A4 spinnaker boasting some 280m² of sail area. Down below, she is beautifully appointed, with generous cabins, hot showers, and a well-set-up galley.

“Getting to Category 2 has been a lot of work, but rewarding in other ways,” Kylie explained. “We connected with the original European designer, who provided documentation on the boat’s polars, measurements, stability data and other fascinating information.”

Over the past two years, the focus has been on building miles, cruising to Deal Island, around Tasmania, including ORCV Category 3 races to Apollo Bay and the Coastal Sprint.

“In our first year alone, we had her out more than 70 times. More recently, we’ve begun competing double-handed with ORCV and SYC on the Bay, with our focus now shifting to fully crewed offshore racing as we build toward King Island, Apollo Bay and hopefully a Westcoaster this year.”

They also have a busy sailing calendar ahead, both in Melbourne and overseas. Later this year they’ll join family, Sally Ann Balharrie and Mark Chew, to compete in the Swan Worlds in Spain, before returning to SYC for the J24 Worlds. Both Kylie and Richard are accomplished sailors, and these events form an exciting part of their broader campaign beyond Belle.

“Our five-year plan is to have Belle ready for the next Melbourne to Osaka race,” Kylie said, adding with gratitude, “We are so lucky to have the support of people like Damian King, skipper of MRV, and Aaron Cole from North Sails, who generously share their knowledge.”

“We pinch ourselves that we can do this,” Kylie finished.

 

Cheer for them in the 2026 Melbourne to King Island Race! Click here for race information, entries close Monday 23 February.

ORCV “KISS” comes “ALIVE” for International Women's Day 2026

With March approaching, women sailors from Victorian keelboat yacht clubs are rallying with enthusiasm to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, in sync with UN Women Australia’s theme to “Balance the Scales” and progress the safety and empowerment for all women and girls.

In collaboration, Ocean Racing Club of Victoria KISS ALIVE has teamed up with SYC’s Women’s Development Program for an IWD 2026 interactive forum exploring “Pathways to Balance the Scales” on Monday, 2 March 7.30 pm at Sandringham Yacht Club. Registration is essential for this free event.

"You can't be what you can't see" - emphasises the necessity of representation, role models, and vision for achievement to be able to “Balance the Scales”. In recent years, women leaders recognising the barriers for women to get into keelboat sailing, have forged ahead, creating new programs to get women onboard, building confident and competent sailors primed to find their own chosen sailing pathways amongst the wide range of sailing, racing, cruising or volunteering opportunities. So come and meet our team of fabulous women.

MC Dee Mason, a passionate sailor and presenter, will interview young keelboat owner and adventurous offshore sailor Sophie Snijders of Sailing Nakama as she “Lives the Dream”.

A stellar panel of passionate women sailors - program founders Lee Renfree (ORCV KISS - Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy) and Robyn Ragauskas (SYC Women’s Development Program), SYC Race Officer Claire Cope and alumni from both training programs, Kate Woodlock and Tao Hsu are on board to plunge the depths of opportunity. Come with your questions, curiosity and ideas and engage in an online quiz to have your voice heard. Your feedback will magnify our push to accelerate action for women sailors and “Balance the Scales”.

Reserve your seat today (entry is free)

The KISS Program

When Lee Renfree was elected the first female Commodore of the Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) in its 60 year history, her observance of low levels of female participation on the water triggered a vision for a program, by women, for women, to take them from “passenger” to active, confident “participant”. The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) as a leader in providing excellent keelboat training programs was approached to assist with technical support and the 14 week “Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy” (KISS) was born. Debuted in 2022 and run annually through the winter months, the program’s rapid growth has required greater resources and in March 2025, KISS formally became a recognised training program under ORCV Training programs with over 100 women now graduated.

With the move to the ORCV, the KISS ALIVE strategic platform was established to keep connection to our KISS alumni, participating boat owners and female mentors, to provide ongoing mentorship and promote opportunities and information about female focussed events with a centralised “Female Keelboat Sailing Events in Victoria” calendar.

Connection with keelboat clubs has also been strengthened with KISS ALIVE encouraging collaboration and providing media support for club signature women’s events. Connection to clubs enable KISS Training program introductions to boat owners and more experienced women sailors to step up to becoming mentors for delivery of on-water skills training. A strategic “win-win” all round for clubs in retaining, growing and encouraging leadership to increase female participation.

The next KISS 2026 Training Program is starting 15 April. Now is the time to act and get onboard!! Places are capped and filling fast so don’t miss out..

SYC Women’s Development Program

Robyn Ragauskus from SYC, on becoming Sail Committee Women’s Representative in 2023, embarked upon creating and launching the SYC Women’s Development Program, providing a pathway for female sailors at any level from novice to experienced to move forward on their sailing journey. Now in its third season, around 70 women attend. The courses aim to build skill development, sailing confidence and combined with the monthly social events, create a connection to an incredibly strong Women’s Sailing Community that currently has over 220 members.

The next Beginner/Intermediate Program will run 1-2-3 May 2026. More information about all SYC women’s keelboat sailing activities at SYC Women in Sailing.

Across Victoria, with 7 female focussed keelboat events over the first 15 days of March, there is a diverse array of on-water and off-water events to celebrate IWD 2026. Check out the other event options here Victorian Women Keelboat Sailors “Balance the Scales” for IWD 2026

Come and join us for a rollicking engaging evening Monday 2 March - see you there!

For further information
Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series 2025-2026 - Nov 2025 - May 2026
ORCV Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) - Program 15 April - 1 August 2026
SYC Women’s Development Program - Beginner/Intermediate Program 1-2-3 May 2026