An evening with Jeanne Socrates, record breaking solo sailor, unassisted circumnavigation via the Five Great Capes

Join the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) in partnership with the Royal Brighton Yacht Club (RBYC) for an evening of inspiration and adventure as we delve into the world of solo circumnavigation with Jeanne Socrates.

A renowned British yachtswoman, Jeanne is hailed as a true trailblazer in the world of sailing. Born on 17 August 1942 in Lymington, she has achieved remarkable feats in her sailing career, which she started at the age of 50. Jeanne holds the record as the oldest female to have circumnavigated the world single-handedly and is the only woman to have circumnavigated solo nonstop from North America, having achieved this aged 77.

Jeanne's accomplishments have been widely recognized and celebrated. She was awarded the Cruising Club of America's Blue Water Medal and the Royal Cruising Club Medal for Seamanship in 2013. In the same year, she received the Ocean Cruising Club's prestigious Barton Cup and was elected as an Honorary Member of the OCC in 2020.

Despite facing setbacks due to a major injury in 2017, Jeanne's determination prevailed. On 3 October 2018, she embarked on her latest attempt to solo circumnavigate the world, and on 7 September 2019, she became the oldest person ever to achieve this feat non-stop. While her record may have been surpassed since then, Jeanne remains the oldest person to have sailed round the world "singlehandedly, unassisted and non-stop via the Five Great Capes.

In recognition of her incredible achievement, the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority in Victoria, Canada, named the inner harbor commercial dock as the "Jeanne Socrates Dock."

Jeanne will dial in from New Zealand and share her remarkable journey, providing insights into her experience, challenges, and triumphs as she conquered the world's oceans.

Event Details:

Date: 17th April 2024

Time: 6:45 pm

Venue: The Royal Brighton Yacht Club, 253 Esplanade, Brighton VIC 3186

To secure your place at this event, please book your ticket here.

Come for dinner ahead of time at the RBYC Olympic restaurant and bar

For a table at the Olympic restaurant book here.

We look forward to sharing this remarkable evening with you.

Jo-Anne Harpur: Assistant Race Director

Recently, we welcomed Jo into our volunteer Race Management team. This was off the back of her completing the 2023 ORCV Race Director training course.

Giving her another dimension to her racing and possibly a “leg up” to the thinking that goes on behind the scenes with setting courses and the use of technology, she immediately jumped at the chance to become an Assistant Race Director for the November 2023 West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint.

Jo as Assistant Race Director in the background with Tyson her mentor and Race Director.  Photo Tyson Smallman

Jo is the owner and skipper of the Jeanneau Sunfast 36, ‘Spirit of Freya’. She bought this 1996 version of the current slim-down modern version and refers to her as the golden child that cost her a fortune.

Having started sailing in 2007, she developed a passion for sailing double-handed. Her first Westcoaster was completed on Magazan. Since then, Spirit of Freya has competed in multiple Apollo Bay, Stanley, and Rudder Cup races and has done one Sydney to Hobart race in 2019, again on her boat.

We had the pleasure of discussing what drew Jo to volunteer with us. Here’s what Jo had to say.

"...I can’t complain, we’ve got the ORCV Race Van parked right at the point of Point Nepean with this stunning view of the fleet. The van is well set up and breakfast and morning tea were also great. I’m working with and being mentored by Tyson Smallman who started out his Race Director role some years back with the first Coastal Sprint and has years of knowledge with the race. Summing it up, 5* for location, view and team. It’s great to also support and give back so we can continue to provide races for us to all enjoy."

Welcome to the team Jo! It's great to have you onboard.

We’re always looking for more volunteers, if you’d like to contribute to the success of the club, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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 and 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

 for the in-person day on  Sunday 2nd June 2024

 for the in-person day on Sunday 8th September 2024

 for the in-person day on Sunday 1st December 2024

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