ORCV Port Phillip Heads Rip Tour 24th March 2024

Once a year, the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) conducts a tour of Port Phillip Heads to provide insight into how to transition the "The Rip" safely.

We invite you, your family, and friends to join us for the 2024 tour on Sunday, March 24^th, departing Queenscliff at 9.45 am.

The tour is on a chartered Searoad Ferry, the 36-meter, 300-passenger, 'Peninsula Princess' and is suitable for all boating enthusiasts or those just interested in a tour of the heads for an enjoyable day out on the water.

Conducted by experienced ORCV sailors and navigators who will provide onboard commentary on the following:

• Navigational aids and hazards of The Rip
• Leads, beacons, navigation aids, shipping channels of the entrance to Port Phillip
• Identification of safe conditions and dangers
• Radio protocols
• Inbound and outbound traffic and obligations
• Differences in day and night aids
• Weather conditions and their effect on tidal streams in 'The Rip'
• Tour length; 1.5 hours

The tour concentrates on the "pincers" between the two peninsulas, Point Lonsdale in the West, and Point Nepean in the East, known collectively as "The Heads". The rip is that passage of water between these two points. The educational tour provides knowledge of how to transit safely, both in and out.

Guests can join the 2024 tour from Sorrento Searoad Ferry Pier at 9.00 am or Queenscliff Searoad Ferry Pier at 9.45 am on Sunday, March 24^th.

The price of a ticket is $145.00.  For further information and bookings click here

Safety & Sea Survival Refresher Course

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria is Australia’s most popular and well-regarded Safety & Sea Survival Certificate and Refresher Course provider. Our instructors are a vastly experienced group of committed ocean-going sailors. The course content is provided in line with Australian Sailing’s Accredited Course Provider standards. It has been honed and developed over many years to provide the best practical and theoretical examples possible to ensure a sound knowledge of Safety & Sea Survival.

A Safety & Sea Survival Certificate (SSS) is valid for five years. Check your current Safety & Sea Survival (SSS) validity here.

ORCV offers a refresher course designed for active offshore racing and cruising sailors. If your expired SSS is within 2 years, you can revalidate by completing the SSS Refresher course which will provide certification for a further five years.  If your SSS is more than 2 years old, as per Australian Sailing Special Regulation 6.01 you will need to undertake the full SSS course.

To be re-certified by an ORCV instructor, you must:

• Complete the eLearning theory and exam before attending your in-person day
• Attend an in-person day and demonstrate competency in set tasks

The dates below are for your in-person day. Please choose your date carefully knowing that you must complete the theory via the ORCV self-paced eLearning platform prior to attending. You will be enrolled in the theory soon after booking into a practical day. You can start and stop and redo sections as you need, it will take several hours to complete.

The in-person sessions are a mixture of instructor-led classroom discussions and practical exercises. They are conducted at Wesley College (St Kilda Campus) from 9 am to 4 pm. To maximise your learning, we conduct the wet drill practical in a heated swimming pool.

In-Person SSS Refresher Course Dates

Sunday 7 September 2025

Sunday 30 November 2025

2025 Cost

$320 - ORCV Members’ Discount Rate *
$420 - Non-ORCV Members
$150 - Youth (16-25 years old)

*Join ORCV prior to booking your course and immediately take advantage of ORCV Members’ Discount on your SSSC booking. Learn more about ORCV Membership, how to support our great club, and member benefits on courses and races.

Part 1 Theory - Online Study and Exam

ORCV’s experienced instructors have created a comprehensive e-learning package that provides the flexibility of self-paced learning.

Soon after booking your course with us, you will be emailed with details to access the online material and exam. You can set your own timeframe for learning, however, the online exam component must be completed before taking part in the Practical Day.

Part 2 The Practical Day - Wet Drill, Flare Shoot and Incident Review

This day focuses on updates on equipment & regulations and safety information plus revisiting the practical skills in the use of life rafts and lifejackets (PFD), as well as handheld flares. A group discussion will take place where valuable lessons can be learned from recent past incidents offshore. All attendees will receive a pack that includes the latest Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Sea Survival Handbook.

What to bring & Location Details

Click here to find out what you need to bring and more about the location

Safety & Sea Survival Course (SSSC)

The Safety & Sea Survival Full Course is conducted over a period of at least sixteen hours. To be certified by an ORCV instructor, you must:

• Complete the eLearning theory prior to attending your in person day
• Complete the homework exercises, the weather exercise on the Wednesday prior
• Attend the in-person day and show competency in life raft and flare related tasks
• Complete the online exam.

The dates below are for the in-person day. Please choose your dates carefully knowing that you must complete the theory via the ORCV self-paced eLearning platform before attending. You will be enrolled into the theory soon after booking into a practical day, and you can start and stop and/or redo sections as you need to. It will take at least 9 hours to complete the online material and homework.

The in-person sessions are a mixture of classroom and practical exercises where you must demonstrate competency. They are conducted at Wesley College (St Kilda Campus) from 9 am to 5 pm. To maximise your learning, we conduct the wet drill practical in a heated swimming pool.

If you have done this course before, you may wish to consider the Safety & Sea Survival Refresher Course page here.

Book your in-person Course Dates

Sunday 7 September 2025

Sunday 30 November 2025

2025 Cost

ORCV Members $395
Non-Members $495
Youth  (16-25) $195

Places in this course are limited and cannot be reserved. The only way to ensure your place is to enrol and pay the correct fee at the time of registration.

*Join ORCV prior to booking your course and immediately take advantage of ORCV Members’ Discount on your SSSC booking. Learn more about ORCV Membership, how to support our great club, and member benefits on courses and races.

Overview

The popular, biennial Fastnet race, was first held in 1925 in the Irish Sea and is run by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. A severe storm during the 1979 race resulted in the deaths of seventeen competitors and the loss or abandonment of twenty-three yachts. This led to a major overhaul of the rules and the equipment required for the competition.

In the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race of 1998, fierce storms and violent winds battered the fleet with the loss of six sailors and five yachts. A total of fifty-five sailors were rescued and a subsequent coroner’s inquest made recommendations which have been adopted into the Australian Sailing Special Regulations.

In an Australian Sailing affiliated offshore race, at least 50% of the crew (including the skipper) when racing in Category 1 or at least 30% for Category 2 shall hold a Safety & Sea Survival Course certificate of competence. The ORCV requires 50% for Category 2 offshore events and both co-skippers for double-handed. Regardless, it is strongly recommended that all offshore sailors undertake the course, whether racing or cruising. This course is a prerequisite for ocean racing, not only to meet the safety requirements but to demonstrate an acceptance of your personal and team responsibilities for safety on board an ocean-going boat.

All who are planning to spend time on a boat offshore will find this course stimulating and enlightening. It is not only of interest to sailors but also to those with power boats. It also helps shore crew to understand the safety requirements of offshore sailing along with the search and rescue process in the event of an emergency.

Outcomes

• To assist offshore skippers and crew develop an awareness of respective responsibilities.
• To increase the knowledge of offshore skippers and crew, to ensure a more proactive approach to staying safe offshore.
• To offer and discuss practical strategies for coping with emergencies at sea.
  To familiarise skippers and crew with safety and emergency equipment, its purpose, deployment, and use.

An SSS certificate will be issued by Australian Sailing to successful candidates and will be valid for five years.

Pre-Requisites

Your fitness to be able to complete the wet drill and other activities is expected. If you have any fitness or agility concerns or special needs please discuss that with us prior to the course.

Safety & Sea Survival Course Content

The theory component of the syllabus comprises five sections.

1. Boat preparation
2. Crew preparation
3. Weather
4. Emergencies
5. Abandon ship

The theory will cover the following elements:

• Introduction - Causes of marine emergencies
• Principles of survival
• Personal lifesaving appliances
• Areas of risk and emergencies
• Abandoning ship
• Search and rescue
• Use of pyrotechnics
• Fire prevention and fire fighting
• Emergency communications
• First aid and early management of injury or illness
• Duty of care

The wet drill practical is held in a heated pool. You will be in full wet weather gear and will work individually and as part of a team on the following:

• Man overboard drill
• Inflating personal flotation device (PFD)
• Testing PFD buoyancy
• Swimming techniques
• Conserving heat
• Teamwork
• Retrieving and donning a life jacket while in the water
• Righting an upturned liferaft
• Entering a life raft unassisted
• Bringing an unconscious person onto the liferaft
• Contents of a survival kit
• Retrieving crew with throwing line

The practical flare shoot will include igniting a handheld flare.

Assessments

Theory Exam 80% pass mark; and
Practical competency (wet drill and flare drill)

What to Bring and Location Details

Click here for What to Bring to the in-person day and location details.

Volunteering Opportunities

If you are interested, we would love to discuss these roles further. Please get in touch with the ORCV office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The ORCV is mainly a volunteer-led organisation that year after year run offshore races and provide training opportunities to keep all safe at sea.   Just a couple of roles currently on offer although do drop us a line if you have a skill set that you'd like to offer even if it's not mentioned below.

Event Champion Assistants (2024/2025 Races):

Support the Event Champion in race planning and execution.

• Engage in various club facets: marketing, race management, destination clubs, and external partnerships.
• Ideal candidates possess strong communication skills from marketing, sales, planning, or project management backgrounds.

Rip Tour Assistants (March 2024):

Assist in planning the popular Rip Tour event.

• Seeking individuals with strong communication skills from marketing, sales, planning, or project management backgrounds.
• Multiple roles are available: assisting with event coordination, check-ins, ushering, and onboard attendee support.

Spotlight on Volunteer: David Schuller

David wears multiple hats as a Race Director, Incident Management Team (IMT) member, and General Committee (GC) member whose commitment stems from believing every member should contribute to their club, regardless of the role’s size. He saw volunteering as a vital way to give back and enhance the community. For the past two years, David has been an integral part of the ORCV, channelling his energies into ensuring race safety and managing incidents during races. In his dual role as Race Director and IMT member, David ensures races run smoothly and safely. This involves meticulous planning, managing incidents, and upholding the club's safety standards.

Volunteering at ORCV isn’t just about service but personal growth. David revels in applying his skills in areas aligned with the club’s activities, enriching his professional expertise while having a blast. One of David's standout experiences was contributing as Assistant Race Director for the 50th Hobart, a demanding yet incredibly rewarding role that underscored the immense value of dedicated volunteerism. Volunteering has reshaped David's perspective on ocean sailing, highlighting safety, compliance, and risk management. This newfound lens has enhanced David’s approach to racing personally, blending newfound insights with his love for our sport.

Volunteers like David are instrumental in the ORCV’s future, serving as part of the next-generation team for Race Direction and the IMT, showcasing a commitment to the club’s sustained success. David advocates for delivering on commitments, emphasising the importance of dedication and reliability. He highlights the significance of teamwork and the joy of being part of a cohesive unit. David offers a simple yet powerful message to those considering volunteering for the first time: “Take that first step. Embrace the opportunity to contribute and make a difference.”

David embodies the spirit of selfless dedication and skilful contribution at ORCV. His journey as a volunteer is not just about fulfilling roles; it’s about fostering a community that thrives on collective efforts and shared experiences.