Rosie Colahan: Guiding the Future of Incident Management  

All ORCV races, both bay and ocean, have a dedicated shore-based team ready to monitor and assist as needed. This Incident Management Team (IMT) supports the Race Directors with a variety of skills and strengths, often working from home to keep a watchful eye on the racers.  

Rosie Colahan has been ORCV medical officer from 2006 and an integral part of the IMT, since its inception in 2008, driven by the need for offshore and international races to have a well-trained shore-based team to assist and back up the Race Directors. Now, she is stepping into a leading role for the IMT team.  

Rosie Colahan (LHS) with fellow IMT member Robyn Brooke (RHS) 

A passionate sailor with over 75,000 offshore nm and inspirational motivator, Rosie has been dedicated to educating and encouraging more women to take up sailing. She played a key role in establishing the Ocean Girls group and Women Skippers Navigators Race at the ORCV along with the Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series in 2013, and, together with Lee Renfree, rolled out the highly successful Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) program in 2022.  

So Rosie, what’s next in this new role?  

“I’m fortunate to have worked with current IMT lead, Rik Head since 2008. Rik has amazing skills in the emergency rescue space and has built a legacy of great systems to date. His ongoing guidance and assistance as we transition and continue to build the team will be invaluable for all. 

“There are some great people in our community who are as passionate about safety as I am and are able to offer assistance periodically to ensure we all can continue to sail safely. I’m eager to hear from these individuals—experienced sailors, compassionate and organized people, and those with medical backgrounds —as we turn to next year and a full program, including Melbourne to Osaka.  

“With 2024 KISS program wrapping this month, I look forward to working with Rik and ORCV Sail Committee to continue building diverse support skills in our ORCV IMT team, and for those interested in joining the team, to share your skills and interest with us via this link

Two Way Communication

For those who attended the recent ORCV/SYC Marine Expo, AMSA’s Lynda Berryman, Advisor Communication Systems, delivered news of some exciting developments around personal safety beacons and the streamlining and acknowledgement of communications.

The development of new Personal Locator Beacons incorporating both satellite and AIS in one beacon along with acknowledgement of receipt of a distress signal is a real boon for offshore sailors, who will be able to reduce the number of devices that have until now been progressively added as yet another item to one’s PFD.

Like all personal beacons, unless you have them on your person when you have an incident, they are of no value in alerting rescue authorities.  So it makes sense to put your PFD with your sophisticated distress beacons on before you leave the pen, as you would put on a seat belt before driving in a car.

The technology is rapidly improving, but there are human limitations that interfere with the chain of information that can be life-saving in a situation of distress.

The ORCV has an enviable safety record and is committed to best practices in Safety at Sea. This includes risk management for all races and training programs to share knowledge and experience to reduce risk.

There is also a responsibility for boat owners and crew members to do their own risk assessment for every race and return voyage to ensure the best outcomes.

So on the human scale,  “two-way communication” is essential for the ORCV as the organising authority for these races to be equipped with all the information required within the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions from all race participants well prior to the event.  The quality of the data provided must also conform to the parameters in the race documents.

In the most recent passage race in Port Phillip, the Winter Series Melbourne to Blairgowrie passage event, 17 crew out of 323 (5.3%), had not correctly completed details for their Emergency Contact (EC) person and/or their Next of Kin (NOK). Your Emergency Contact must be a person with whom the ORCV can contact and explain the gravity of a situation and on confirmation that they have the facts correct they can support the next of kin in receiving the news and dealing with the situation at hand.

So the rules for ensuring we can invoke meaningful two-way communication are -

• Do not nominate yourself as your emergency contact or your next of kin
• Do not nominate someone else in the fleet who is in the race or pursuing other offshore sailing
• Do not nominate someone not living in Australia
• Do not nominate someone who does not have a mobile phone number.

We understand that often the paperwork defaults to the boat owner due to difficulties for crew to get into the TopYacht system. The boat owner has multiple other responsibilities to deal with so why not volunteer to be the Boat Team Manager and undertake the responsibility for ensuring all paperwork for all crew members is up to date and checked before each race. It could be life saving so please help us to help you.  The ORCV has a guide to assist you to update and use Topyacht correctly as way to educate crew on using the system correctly.

If you have any queries or feedback, please contact IMT Lead Rosie Colahan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2024 Marine Safety Expo essential as Australian boat ownership hits new highs 

Recreational boating, fishing and sailing are as much a part of Australia’s DNA as mozzie bites and vegemite, but with boating ownership on the rise across the country, that DNA must include vigilance around marine safety.  

In 2023, boat ownership reached a record high in Australia. With over 80 per cent of Australia’s population living in coastal regions, and with fishing, paddling and sailing increasingly popular leisure pursuits, the need for safety education and awareness has never been greater. 

This is the focus of the 2024 Marine Safety Expo.

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) and the Sandringham Yacht Club (SYC) are hosting the family-friendly Expo at the SYC from 10am to 4pm on Sunday the 21st of July 2024.

The event will have something for all ages and experience levels with free tours of boats and first responder vessels, air ambulance fly pasts, and lots of great activities designed to educate and raise awareness about the many facets of marine safety.

The ORCV, which has a global reputation for its leadership in offshore sailing and marine safety education, leaves nothing to chance in marine safety, and welcomes the opportunity to partner with the SYC to deliver this important and informative event.

Cyrus Allen, Commodore of the ORCV, will be attending the event and is a strong advocate for marine safety. 

“Safety is paramount when on the water for recreational, sporting and commercial endeavours.

“The [2024] Marine Safety Expo is an extension of the ORCV’s long history of dedicating time and resources to equipping our fleets with the skills and knowledge to stay safe -we’re very thankful for the support of our foundation partner SYC in running this event,” said Allen.

The event will feature a lineup of prominent speakers from the marine safety sector, and will include display stands, and static and dynamic equipment displays to engage and inform the crowds.

The day will get underway with a presentation from Linda Berryman from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) on beacons as navigation aids, with Berryman giving a taste of what the future holds for modern beacon design.

Martin Vaughan from the ORCV will host a session on safe weather navigation while David Tilsley from Ports Victoria will provide important insights into safe navigation in port waters.

Search and rescue roles, rescue preparedness, and rescues at sea will be key themes in the afternoon program with insights from the Victorian Water Police and Air Ambulance Victoria, with a range of vessels open for inspection. 

Complementing the speaker’s program will be displays from a variety of marine safety organisations covering a wide range of topics including life jacket technology, maritime careers, safety regulations, community and sustainability, and ocean racing safety. 

This year’s Expo will also provide an opportunity to get up close to important search and rescue craft with Ports Victoria offering tours of the 12.2m MV Lonsdale, which will be docked in the inner harbour.

Fire Rescue Victoria will be on hand to discuss the fire and marine rescue services they provide to the people of Victoria with a marine rescue craft docked in the inner harbour, while the Volunteer Coastguard will also have a vessel on hand to offer insights into their role and capabilities.

There will be something for everyone at the Expo.

The ORCV will be keeping everyone entertained with a scavenger hunt and a range of activities for the kids, and in the early afternoon, excitement will build in the air when the Air Ambulance and MICA conduct a fly past and hover.

The Marine Safety Expo would not be complete without some on-water action with the SYC hosting a J70 one-design sailing regatta as part of the day’s festivities. 

SYC members will also be on hand to talk all things sailing including club membership and the operation and focus of the SYC Sailing Academy.

Dave Schiller, from the ORCV/SYC/ and Race Officer for the last two Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Races, understands the importance of marine safety and is keen to talk to as many people as possible at the Expo.

“We're really excited to welcome yachties (racing and cruising), dinghy sailors, boaters, the fishing community and all other marine enthusiasts to the inaugural Marine Safety Expo at Sandringham Yacht Club. 

“On the day we'll be showcasing the latest on-water safety expertise through educating and raising awareness about marine safety,” said Schiller. 

Sponsors include Discount Yachting [DYSC], West Offshore Products and Ronstan whose generous support will allow for free entry to the event, but places are limited and registration is essential.

The Expo comes at an opportune time for the growing number of entrants participating in the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka (M2O) double-handed ocean race.

The ORCV, a partnering club in the M2O event, supports the fleet and all marine enthusiasts, by offering a rolling program of training and education seminars and events.

Food and beverages will be on offer for purchase, while general parking is available at the Trey Bit Reserve. The event will be held at SYC, Jetty Road, Sandringham.

To read about the program click here https://www.orcv.org.au/club-blog/5548-2024expo

To register to attend click here https://www.trybooking.com/1213750

Race Management Team

Since the ORCV’s establishment as the Organising Authority for Victoria’s offshore racing, the club has maintained an enviable record for the safe and efficient conduct of our offshore racing program.

This record rests on three pillars:

• Together with Australian Sailing, setting appropriate safety standards and ensuring a competitor compliance regime.
• Training programs for competitors - including our well-known Safety & Survival at Sea, Practical Navigation and Weather courses.
• The less well-known but critical work of our Race Directors and Incident Management Teams.

Expressions of Interest Open

We are now calling for those interested to become involved in our incident Management Program or who would like to commence training as a Race Director to express their express their interest. 

Register your interest here

The ORCV’s Race Management team comprise:

• Volunteer Race Directors: senior ORCV representatives that take overall accountability for a race, both from a safety and competition perspective.
• Volunteer Race Assistant Race Director: supporting the Race Director, working with the race entry, race results and competitor tracking systems, liaising and supporting the Media team.
• Volunteer Incident Management Team: a team on standby to assist with any incident should it occur.

Race Directors need not only strong communication skills, but they also need team leadership skills and the ability to think on their feet. The use of enabling technology is also critical for the role to be fully effective. With a Risk Management focus, they will ensure fair and inclusive competition as well as conduct briefings and presentation events. They are the primary point of contact for many of the race stakeholders during the event. They will need to have experience in Race Administration to direct their team and undertake hands-on tasks themselves. As representatives of the ORCV they will need to follow all ORCV policies and procedures. It is expected a Race Director will have at least 5 years of Ocean Racing experience and ideally have been involved in preparing (boat, equipment and entry) as well as leading (e.g. skipper or watch leader) in offshore races. Race Directors will liaise with and report to the ORCV Sail Captain. The Race Director responsibility starts when ORCV Office Staff has completed and hands over.

Assistant Race Directors also need strong communication skills and need to be comfortable working with technology (laptop, internet, online systems, data entry). They need to be careful in terms of accuracy and aware in terms of spotting errors or anomalies. Some Assistant Race Directors work remotely, others at the finish line of a race. Assistant Race Directors will liaise with, and report to, the Race Director.

As representatives of the ORCV, both Race Directors and Assistant Race Directors will need to follow all ORCV policies and procedures.

The Incident Management Team develops response plans for effective management and communications should an incident occur, as well as assist with contingency planning as input to ORCV’s Incident Management Plan. This role will often liaise with Search and Rescue services. They are on standby, called in only when required.

The Race Director's Role

The Race Director’s (RD) role includes:

• Overall responsibility for fair and safe competition: Delivering an event in accordance with the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, managing changes through a formal Notice to Competitors process
• Handling protests, should there be one, together with the Sail Captain
• Ensuring handicapping has been completed, checking for errors and ensuring systems have been uploaded with the correct handicap
• Recording race finish times, penalties and calculation of race results
• Preparing and conducting briefing and presentation evens as required, together with the marking/event team for social aspects of the events
• Being the “face of the race”, dealing with stakeholders and working with Marketing team for social media updates
• Leadership of Assistant Race Directors with occasional hands-on Race Administration
• Standby Incident Manager (depending on circumstances)

The Assistant Race Director’s Role

The Assistant Race Director’s (ARD) role includes:

• Ensuring race management systems have accurate data. This means checking data entered by others and hands on data entry in many aspects including; Race Results, Trackers, Communications systems
• Supporting the Marketing team for social media update content
• Competitor marine radio, SMS and Email communications, for example sked updates
• Standby Incident Management (depending on circumstances)

The Incident Manager’s Role

The Incident Manager’s role includes:

• Full awareness of the ORCV Incident Management Plan and contribution to its ongoing development
• Liaison with Search and Rescue authorities
• Communication with participant Emergency contacts
• Together with Media team, preparing social media announcements
• Briefing of the ORCV Commodore (or delegate), Sail Captain (or delegate) and through them the Committee
• Subject to circumstances, communication with other stakeholders such as the media
• Competitor support which may involve logistics such as travel and accommodation
• Desirable skills and experience include
• Ocean sailing experience – at least as a crew member but ideally involved with race entry, preparation and on-water leadership
• Club level yacht Race Management experience
• Sea Safety and Survival training, ideally with First aid training too
• Computer and Internet skills
• Relevant specialist skills such as social media experience

Members who wish to become involved in our Race Management teams will need to commit to assisting with at least one race per year and to participate in regular ongoing training.

Next Step – How and When

Register your interest here which will collect with your experience, contact details and which of the roles you are interested in. We will call you to discuss the opportunities further and to answer any questions.

Training is modular and comprises:

• Race Management team welcome and overview (Separate to training and as required - online 1hr)
• Incident Management Team online (**self paced approximately 4 hours) comprising of three modules
• Incident Management Team in person (approx 3 hours) including race van familiarisation
• Race Management systems and processes overview online for RD/ARD (**self-paced, approximately 2hrs)
• Race Management systems and processes hands on for RD/ARD (1 day, large group)
• Assistant Race Director hands on mentoring/coaching (during a race)
• Race Director responsibilities and case studies (1 day, small group, dates TBA)
• Race Director and Assistant Race Director hands on mentoring/coaching (during a race)

** These self-paced training modules will become progressively available during the first two weeks of September. 

ORCV Next Gen Program

Getting Young Sailors on Deck, Offshore, and Into the Future of Our Sport

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) is proud to support the next generation of offshore sailors through the Next Gen Program—a hands-on initiative that connects young people aged 16–25 with experienced skippers and crews for real-world sailing experience, starting with boat deliveries and progressing to racing.

Whether you're a keen cadet, a school sailor, or simply passionate about life on the water, Next Gen is your chance to step beyond the classroom and into offshore sailing with support, structure, and mentorship.

What Is It?

The Next Gen Program helps bridge the gap between youth sailing and offshore racing. Through the program, we match qualified young sailors with skippers and boats in need of crew for boat deliveries—often long, scenic passages from coastal towns to their home ports.

These deliveries are more than just transport—they’re immersive learning opportunities where young sailors get a feel for passage planning, watchkeeping, sail handling, navigation, and life at sea.

Who Is It For?

Young sailors aged 16 to 25 who are:

• Passionate about sailing and keen to learn more
• Interested in offshore and coastal cruising or racing
• Ready to commit to learning and building trust with their skipper

To participate, sailors must have completed:

• The Safety and Sea Survival Course (SSSC)
• A commitment to sail at least three times inshore with the delivery skipper before heading offshore

This ensures safety, familiarity, and good communication before tackling longer passages together.

Why It Matters

Too often, young sailors hit a wall after school programs or cadet classes, unsure how to get onto bigger boats or into more serious sailing. The ORCV Next Gen Program removes that barrier.

By partnering youth with skippers for deliveries and inshore races, we:

• Build skills and confidence in real-world conditions
• Provide pathways into offshore racing
• Strengthen the sailing community by fostering intergenerational mentorship
• Help skippers build long-term relationships with capable, enthusiastic young crew

This isn’t a one-time sail—this is about long-term growth, friendships, and experience.

What Comes Next?

Many of our Next Gen participants go on to:

• Join offshore races like the Westcoaster or Apollo Bay
• Take on navigation, helm, or foredeck roles in club events
• Become advocates and mentors for the next wave of young sailors

We're not just giving young people a spot on a boat—we’re giving them a future in sailing.

Get Involved

Are you a young sailor looking for your next step?
Or a skipper keen to support the future of our sport while gaining reliable crew?

We’d love to hear from you.