Airlie Beach Race Week

With 2 days to go and Race 2 abandoned the Saturday due to lack of wind, MHYC boats are in with a chance to get a podium position.

Zen, owned by Gordon Ketelbey, is currently coming 3^rd in IRC and also in ORC General Purpose, but leader on Scratch coming 1^st across the line each race.

Tempo (Michael Smith) is coming first in ORC General Purpose Division and 5^th in IRC.

Peter Sorensen in Advanced Philosophy was second in yesterday’s race, but still fourth overall.

The Hanse 575 Fourth Dimension IV owned by Adam Griffin is coming 3^rd in Performance Cruising Division 1

Airlie Beach Race Week | Festival Of Sailing Mixed With Fun & Excitement (abrw.com.au)

Read more: Airlie Beach Race Week

Breezy Open Day for the MHYC Sail Past

Middle Harbour Yacht Club kicked off its 2022-2023 season on Saturday with a champagne breakfast followed by speeches from CEO Mark Maybury, Local Member of  NSW Parliament Felicity Wilson and Club Captain Bryan Moore, who awarded Jack Stening his 50^th anniversary badge.  Jack is a dedicated member, volunteering much of his time supporting the marina committee and raising money for many projects around the club including the new race committee boat, Jack Stening, names in his honour. His Sydney 36, Stormaway is often on the podium in the many series they compete in. Ms Wilson and the Mark both spoke of the importance of volunteers to the club and community.

The official party then moved to the marina to acknowledge club yachts and powerboats participating in the annual Sail Past.  Unfortunately, the freshening breeze meant that the Commodore's Front Up Cup pursuit race was abandoned, but a great social afternoon was had at the club with many crews dressed up in this year’s Black and White theme. Stormaway was the popular winner of the inaugural Matt Pyne trophy for the best dressed boat.

Many thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin for the many photos, more of which can be viewed here.

Read more: Breezy Open Day for the MHYC Sail Past

Hamilton Island Race Week

MHYC would like to wish all the boats from our club good luck in the Hamilton Island Race Week which is running straight after Airlie Beach from 20 - 27 August 2022.

Crew of MHYC boats attending the Hamilton Island Race Week are invited to join us for a Club get together during the regatta.

When:                  Tuesday 23 August, 2022

Time:                    5.30pm onwards

Where:                 Marina Tavern (Private Room) @ the Hamilton Island Marina

There 15 boats from our club competing. 

In the Rating Series competing are:

• FARR N AWAY - Graeme Lee
• POPEYE - Craig Douglas 
• S1 - Brendan McAssey  
• TOY BOX 2 - Ian Box
• ZEN - Gordon Ketelbey

Hamilton Island Class

• CA VA - Phil Dressler
• FLYING CLOUD - George Martin
• FLYINGFISH LET LOOSE - Andrew Fairclough
• KAYIMAI - Peter Byford
• LAW CONNECT - John Ahern
• LAZY DOG - Shaun Lane
• LLAMA II - Jon Linton
• RUMBA - Steph Cook /Rob Carr & Kerry Burke

Non Spinnaker Class

SMITTEN - David Grice

Multihull Hamilton Island Class

FLO - Andrew Pearson

Follow all the excitement on their website: Hamilton Island Race Week | Australia's Largest Offshore Sailing Regatta

Read more: Hamilton Island Race Week

Inshore Sprint Series starts September

Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s (MHYC) popular Inshore Sprint Series starts again this spring and the Club is expecting a good roll-up when the first two Sydney Harbour races are sailed on Saturday 24 September.

The series is open to mixed keelboat divisions for boats from J/24s to DK46s, along with One-Design racing for Farr 40s and Adams 10 and others. All boats with a current Cat 7 rating and insurance are welcome to come and take part in the fun short races of approximately 40-50 minutes. Racing starts from 1pm each day.

Courses usually comprise two-lap windward-leewards with a gate. Run by an experienced race management team, racing will take place on The Sound or south of Sow and Pigs Reef, depending on conditions.

A regular participant is Tracy Richardson, who brings her Adams 10, Artemis, from Mosman Bay to race in the summer and winter sprints. She also takes part in other MHYC events, including the Sydney Harbour Regatta in March, where she sailed Artemis to second place in the Adams 10 division. This after leading Brian Lees’ Contentious on countback coming into the final day.

In May, Richardson became the inaugural recipient of the Jules Trophy (dedicated to Julie Hodder, a past  Commodore of the Club). The trophy is to be awarded to the MHYC Yachtswoman of the Year at the end of each sailing season and Richardson received it for her standout performances  during 2021-2022.  

Commenting on the Inshore Sprint Series, Richardson said, “We love the close competitiveness of it. It’s exciting and fast paced with quick manoeuvres. I love the tactics of it too. I love racing against similar boats; it prepares us for our states and nationals and other Adams 10 events.

“We will be doing the upcoming series with my regular Artemis crew,” added Richardson, who won Division 1 of the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta in June on a borrowed Adams 10,

2Xtreme.

For winning Australia’s premier women’s keelboat regatta, the Sydney sailor received the privilege of being the first to have her name engraved on the inaugural Gail Clough Memorial Trophy. Clough, who founded and regularly sailed in the regatta, passed away in 2020.

“We invite our own club members and those from clubs all over NSW to come and take part. It’s a great series for honing skills on tight courses,” MHYC Commodore, Rob Aldis said.

Inshore Spring Series program:

• Races 1 and 2 - Saturday 24 September 2022
• Races 3 and 4 - Saturday 29 October
• Races 5 and 6 - Saturday 19 November
• Races 7 and 8 – Saturday 21 January 2023
• Races 9 and 10 – Saturday 1 April

To view the Sprint Series Sailing Instructions - click here

To enter - click here

By Di Pearson

Read more: Inshore Sprint Series starts September

Centreboard season ends with lively racing and prizegiving

MHYC’s Youth Sailing Prizegiving for 2021-2022 was held today at the conclusion of the Centreboard Winter Series.  Two races in a moderate to fresh westerly capped off a great year of racing in the Optimist and 29er classes.

The ceremonies kicked off with the formal launch of the Julie Hodder, Agosto and Giselle, the Safety RHIBs that were added to the MHYC fleet recently thanks to the generosity of private donors and the MHYC Foundation Frank Likely Fund. Julie Hodder was accompanied by Lisa Wilkinson and John Sturrock to pour the champagne and christen the new boats.

Prizes were awarded for the MHYC 2021-2022 Club Championship with the International 29er division going to Harry Gill & Ollie Ross.  The International Optimist division was won by Will Wilkinson who also claimed of the Centreboard Summer Series win.  The top sailor in the Centreboard Winter Series was Miles Greenwood.

A number Youth Sailing Special Awards were presented.  The John Merricks Trophy for best performance in a World or International Championship went to 29er sailors Tyler Dransfield & Jamie Stodart.  The President’s Trophy for best performance in a National Championship was presented to Will Wilkinson.  The Doris Burke ‘Alcyone’ Junior Trophy for consistency, improvement & sportsmanship went to Miles Greenwood.  Seamanship Awards for outstanding sailing savvy were presented to Meg Bates & Angus Griffin.

As a fitting close to the prizegiving ceremony, Julie Hodder re-presented Will Wilkinson with the Tig Thomas Distinction Trophy that her received in May at the MHYC Keelboat Prizegiving, the first time it has been presented to a Youth Member of the club.

Congratulations to all the trophy winners and a huge thankyou to the MHYC Youth Committee and a great group of parents who volunteered on and off the water to make the year such a success.

To view all the results and the awards presentation – click here

Youth Sailing Prizegiving 2021-2022

Centreboard Winter Series 14 August 2022

Read more: Centreboard season ends with lively racing and prizegiving

Hamilton Island Race Week Report

The first couple of days we saw beautiful 15-18kt SE tradewinds across the racetrack which led to some very close racing. However yesterday, the winds lightened making it difficult for the heavier boats. Some cruising boats had difficulty finishing.

On Tuesday night, the huge number of MHYC boats and crew got together at the pub’s function room for a social gathering and catch up with free drinks! It was a fun and great bonding event with everyone swapping stories. Several people said, “I must join this club!”. Thanks must go to past Commodore Peter Lewis and current Commodore Rob Aldis for organsing it.

There are many MHYC boats here and will do a final roundup next week. But with still 5 races to go (3 for Hamilton Island PHS Division), and the possibility of one drop, there are still many who hope to get on the final podium.

So far doing well in the IRC racing fleet is Zen (Gordon Ketelbey) in IRC 1 who is in fourth place. In IRC Div 2, S1 (Brendan McAssey) is equal 3^rd with Toy Box (Ian Box) climbing up the ladder after the light race yesterday taking 5^th from Popeye (Craig Douglas). Lazy Dog (Shaun Lane) is leading the Super 30 Division with Infotrack (Christian Beck) third and Law Connect (Rachel Beck) sixth.

In the Hamilton Island PHS Division,  Kayimai (Peter Byford and Commodore Rob Aldis) are leading the Green Division by one point and Llama II (John Linton) is leading the Yellow Division by 3 points.

In the Purple Division Rumba (Steph Cook /Rob Carr & Kerry Burke) are seventh, but looking to do better in the latter half of the week after having a mishap in one race with a mark! Also racing in that division is Flyingfish Let Loose (Andrew Fairclough).

In the Orange Division, Ca Va (Phil Dressler with Peter Lewis onboard) just managed to finish Tuesday’s light race before the time line. Also racing are Shearwater (Guido Belgiorno-Nettis) in the Blue Division, Smitten (David Grice) in the Non Spinnaker and Flo (Andrew Pearson) who missed the first couple of days racing.

Stronger winds are expected in the latter half of the week which is good news for some.

To view the latest results - click here

Julie Hodder reporting from Hamilton Island

Read more: Hamilton Island Race Week Report

Leading Edge Underway

Race 2 of the Leading Edge Series was sailed in a moderate westerly today.  That is to say there was a moderate westerly on most of the course, however the start and finish in Middle Harbour were very much lighter.  It was a frustrating finish for some boats (especially Innamincka and Stella Polaris) who saw their hard earned lead vanish as they sat becalmed watching their competitors approaching with breeze.

Today’s winner was Andy Forbes’ Georgia Express, ahead of Another Dilemma (Jim Vaughan) and Stella Polaris (Sebastian Hultin).  To view the latest results – click here

Thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin who was on the water at the start to capture some of the action.

Read more: Leading Edge Underway

Women’s Pre-Season Sailing Social

MHYC hosted a Women’s Social & Networking Evening on Wednesday August 17 in the Harbour View Room.

The event was facilitated by our Sailing Committee Women's Representative Deborah Dalziel.  Forty five people attended - an even mix of both current members and non-members of MHYC.

In a very informal and relaxed environment, the event Involved Deb providing an overview of specific Women’s Sailing Events, K.J. from our Sailing Office with how the Sailing Office can assist you.  Vice Commodore Cruising Susanna Westling informed about Cruising Events and opportunities to learn.

Deb shared her journey with sailing story and then lead a panel of four who shared their stories of how they each became involved with sailing and where that has lead them to currently, along with their tips on how to either get started or become more involved.  Thanks Liz Charles, Tracy Richardson, Simone Hill and Katie O’Mara for sharing your stories and advice.

Everyone enjoyed getting social with new and familiar faces, all helping each other with advice and how-to’s.

Thanks Marg Fraser-Martin for the photos............

Read more: Women’s Pre-Season Sailing Social

Get ready for the MHYC 2022-2023 Season

With the opening of the new season less than a month away, it is time to make some plans.

The 2022-2023 Keelboat Sailing Handbook will be available in print shortly, but a digital version can be downloaded now from the website.

The overall schedule has also been posted to the web in Excel and PDF versions.  The Excel can be filtered by series name or class to assist with planning.  All the schedule documents and individual series Sailing Instructions can be downloaded from the racing schedule page. 

The Season Notice of Race has been posted to the Keelboat Racing Noticeboard along with the Sail Past Instructions and Commodore’s Front Up! Cup Sailing Instructions for the first race of the new season on September 3.

Online entry is now open via the SailSys platform.  Go to the Sailing > Online Entry on the website or click here.

Read more: Get ready for the MHYC 2022-2023 Season