ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

The Sunday Sessions.

Just like London's famous Ministry of Sound, He of the Countdown Timer has decided that a Sunday Sesh at RBYC, with a live band and lots of drinks is the go - and announced such to all who were on Port Phillip with their ears turned on. This seemed to see a lot of cast iron mainsheets spring to life in a black cloud and hit the redline, as crews thought about that - for a second!

Other highlights to stem from the Committee's decision to abandon racing for the day come from Young Ones who said they were going home to rearrange the fridge magnets.

Young Ones felt the fridge magnets would be more exciting.

I tried and it really didn't do it for me.... Got bored really quickly.

Allegresse were also out for the count and when the Committee told them they could go home and mow the lawns, Kathryn de Garis felt that was far too energetic and that a nice lunch in Williamstown was a decidedly more appropriate activity.

No word as yet on the requirement to re-run this race next week, but if I heard correctly, you won't have to disturb Father's Day lunch, which means you'll all be primed and ready for the M2G!!!

More on it all, right here, over the next little while.... While we're at it, a reminder that whilst R6 is the last of the laid course events, it is only the penultimate of the 2010 MWS. The final event is the M2G on 11/09/10. So far, just 19 of the 40 odd racing boats have completed the additional information that is required if you are going. A few of these are even coming out of their Winter retirement to be in amongst it all.

Now you Racing Division types have almost been surpassed by the new Cruising Division, of which there are now 15 entries. Last year, verging on 60 boats went to Geelong. Time to get a wiggle on, eh. BTW. FREE, yes we said free if you entered the entire MWS. FREE!!!!!!!!!!

The full MWS results to date are HERE.

You can still enter individual MWS races HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions will be offered for the latter event.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

Thank you to David Judge and Tony Dawson from Hoobo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.

ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

It's off to the races - for lunch.

With light and oh so variable winds the order of the day for R6 of the MWS, it was never going to be long before the first retirements started to come in.

First to make plans was Stampede who informed the Committee Boat that they were off to Port Melbourne for fish and chips.

Next was Slice of Heaven, who said they had a booking for lunch, to which the Committee Boat's reply was, 'Bon Apetit!' (Clearly this image is R5!!!)

As we went to air, Schüss also retired as they were not doing any of the kinds of things, as pictured here. The Committee were happy to reply, 'Thank you for your patience.'

Sun's out and the wind is nowhere in particular and not much of it either. Will it be two hoots and off to the pub???? That IS the question.

Hhhhmmmmm - couple of doughnuts around the Bay... (Committee will be keen to get a race in, if at all possible, so as to avoid the Father's Day number...) 12 Noon will see a final call being made by the Brass.

More on it all, right here, over the next little while.... While we're at it, a reminder that whilst R6 is the last of the laid course events, it is only the penultimate of the 2010 MWS. The final event is the M2G on 11/09/10. So far, just 18 of the 40 odd racing boats have completed the additional information that is required if you are going. A few of these are even coming out of their Winter retirement to be in amongst it all.

Now you Racing Division types have almost been surpassed by the new Cruising Division, of which there are now 14 entries. Last year, verging on 60 boats went to Geelong. Time to get a wiggle on, eh. BTW. FREE, yes we said free if you entered the entire MWS. FREE!!!!!!!!!!

The full MWS results to date are HERE.

You can still enter individual MWS races HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions will be offered for the latter event.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

Thank you to David Judge and Tony Dawson from Hoobo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.

ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

It's Warm Brass (for R6, the final laid marks race).

It had to happen...

It's like saying you're going out into Bass Strait and not expect an absolute pasting at some point during a race or return voyage.

We already saw that the Rocket Man's theory had been blown apart and now the Brass have also signed up for the 'mild is wild' time on Sunday. In the end, you can take some solace in the fact that at least you'll be one kite full warmer than previously. So get your gear off (that's the boat you naughty things) and put some extra drinking water on.

The Brass have offered the following, which includes both information from our friends at PredictWind and the new BoM material, which we featured HERE. "Looking at the weather map and precipitation chart for Sunday, the best thing you can say about it is that it’s going to be dry. So, no gradient wind, warmer temperatures and the seabreeze will come into play. However, you know the rule, no opposing gradient wind equals a weak seabreeze. Therefore, a light ship will be the order of the day and for those crew deemed to be a little unlucky, well, they'll be down below, sitting on top of the keel." Just think though - you're closer to the tea making facilities....

"Unfortunately, the various maps and tables from the BoM and PredictWind tell the same story. So this week, we have as a contrast, not so much Winter and much less wind. Accordingly, the leaders will be anxious and those in second and third will be in with a chance. Tacticians! You will have to be on your game." Boiled lollies or chocolates? That is the the question.

"See you out there." Ah huh. So take that as the Brass are going to be out in force...

Right Oh. So the only things wet out there will be the drinks in the bar afterwards!

Make sure you have the light weather trimmers onboard - and the light strings for the kite!

Cloud cover will burn off eventually, so remember specs and sunscreen - that's for you Dean!

This is what happened to him last time he forgot! Nice specs.

Winds: Nor'norwest of 5s to 10s - PredictWind chart from 1000hrs.

I read this PredictWind chart from 1300hrs, as "finish early to avoid disappointment!"

Expect a bit of this, seems to be the general idea.... Maybe not quite as warm, however. Challenge, here, have been doing well all Winter. What's this amazing, hitherto unseen light stuff going to bring about? To quote dear old Icpota, "Hhmm. Fascinating reading!"

More on it all, right here, over the next little while.... While we're at it, a reminder that whilst R6 is the last of the laid course events, it is only the penultimate of the 2010 MWS. The final event is the M2G on 11/09/10. So far, just 18 of the 40 odd racing boats have completed the additional information that is required if you are going. A few of these are even coming out of their Winter retirement to be in amongst it all.

Now you Racing Division types have almost been surpassed by the new Cruising Division, of which there are now 14 entries. Last year, verging on 60 boats went to Geelong. Time to get a wiggle on, eh. BTW. FREE, yes we said free if you entered the entire MWS. FREE!!!!!!!!!!

The full MWS results to date are HERE.

You can still enter individual MWS races HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions will be offered for the latter event.

By John Curnow

Friday 27/08/10@1100hrs

Thank you to David Judge and Tony Dawson from Hoobo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.

ORCV Melbourne Winter Series (MWS)

It's Not Rocket Science...

... when you get it wrong.

Our Rocket Man, Adam Mannix (pic above © Steb Fisher), was looking famous with his theory that the wind only blew for the fortnightly ORCV MWS races and not on the alternate weeks, when it was club racing.

That was until August 21, when it was mostly average, except for a couple of decent old squirts that wandered through the course. They looked like this.

Now, we're lucky we have Dean Robson around, who gave us the GPS Tables, with annotations no less, of the day.

As you can see and the table is a bit larger below, they cracked the 20knot barrier on the Bay, which is always an achievement and a lot of fun, as well.

Sure, it may not have been for too long, but it did get noticed and talked about!

When I asked where my pics where, I was quickly informed by the Rocket Man that, "Yer right! With 11 onboard, 35kts and land approaching very fast, we had a bit on. Clockwork weren’t far away and the word was, 'it looked awesome', even had the rooster tail thing happening. There were also the commiserations, like, "Sorry JC, you just had to be there. I have the picture permanently imprinted in my mind, though."

Dean Robson found time to be a bit more precise about it, "What a blast Saturday was. Got some stats from the GPS. When that breeze hit, our top speed was 20 knots (that's the average for 15 seconds, so the burst could have been a touch more).  We sustained 15+knots for 4 minutes. Bit of a wild ride but we all worked well together. I haven't seen that much water over the deck on the boat before. Thanks Pete and Kate for a memorable sail. Oh, and winning the race was the icing on the cakeI"

Simon Wingfield added, "Oooh BIG FUN. Just had to be there I guess. Always nice to see (feel) and grand prix boat get up and go..."

Goldfinger.

Yahoo Baby or what? We are you Foxy when you're needed?

The next race of the MWS is Race Six, on August 29, which of course raises the question, what will you get? Given it's gales and hail on the cards today, Wednesday and for the next couple, I'm told, who would know...

The full MWS results to date are HERE.

So. If you would like to go for a run with the Colts or any of the other sections represented by the Bay's best, you can. Individual entry for MWS races is HERE and the M2G is HERE - remember that Cruising Divisions are offered for the latter event.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

Thank you to David Judge and Peter Brucker from Hobbo's for ensuring Steb had a ride and we, therefore, had imagery. Many thanks to Tony Dawson on the day of his 60th Birthday for preparing the boat to go out before his gala lunch.
The Colts (Sydney 38s) are having their own fight within the battle - many thanks to Ullman Sails for providing the prize.