The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Australia’s oldest yacht club, will begin its 146th spring/summer sailing season on Sydney Harbour on Saturday week, 1 September.
With entries flowing into the Sailing Office, 2007-2008 is shaping up as another magnificent season, providing outstanding competition for yachts that range from the evergreen Hood 23s and Dragons through to the biggest fleet of Etchells one-design keelboats racing weekly in the country, if not the world.
The Squadron’s sailing programme now extends far beyond the traditional Saturday afternoon club racing, catering for changing trends among sailing members and their crews.
The Squadron’s high standard of race management and excellent race courses continues to attract a growing number of yachts from other clubs, who are always welcome to sail with us.
This season the Squadron will conduct mini-regattas for International Etchells, Yngling, Dragon and J24 one-design classes through the summer, there will be a new twilight regatta for Sydney 38s and Sydney 32s in November, the Gold Cup series for International Dragons through the season, and National championships for the International Farr 40 and Mumm 30 classes in February 2008.
For the more social side of sailing, there will be two evenings each week for Twilight sailing – the first Friday Twilight race will be on 2 November while the first Ladies Tuesday Twilight race be on 13 November.
Harbour racing for 2007-2008 will start with the first two Saturdays of club racing for all divisions and classes on 1 and 8 September, with the Sailing Office confident that APEC activities will not extend to the Harbour on those days.
Assistant Sailing Manager Margaret Carney is pleased with the early response from owners, particularly in the Etchells class. “We have 23 boats on the list already…and that’s very good with more than a week still to go to the first race,” she said today. “I expect we will end up with a fleet of 32 or 33 Etchells.”
Among the entries so far is Sun Tzu, skippered by Roger Hickman, who recently was nominated to become a member of the Squadron. Hickman is well known as an ocean racing yachtsman, having skippered two Sydney Hobart overall winners, but decided he also enjoys the boat-for-boat competition of big fleet Etchells racing
Moving up from the Ynglings to the Etchells this season is Graham Ross-Smith with Squid, while other new boats will be Michael Stovin-Bradford’s boat, Touch Pause & Engage, and Ben Lehmann’s The Front Row.
In the Ynglings, Pat and Joyce Warne will be lining up for yet another season, the second with their new boat Holly.
Commodore Bill Wood heads a strong line-up in Division 1 with his Beneteau 40.7 Kookaburra III, while former Commodore Bruce Dickson is also competing with Norske.
The fleet will be boosted with the inclusion of up to six Mumm 30s, always fast and spectacular. Apart from competing under handicap against other Division boats, the Mumm 30s will be racing for their own one-design trophy series.
Among the first Mumm 30s entered were RSYS member Guy Stening’s Optimumm and Dennis Thomas’ Awarua from the CYCA.
Biggest mixed fleet division so far is Division 3. Among the new boats this year will Squadron member Paul Harris with his Beneteau 27.7 Holy Gale, who will join a fleet that includes past Commodore Jim Dunstan with his Sydney Hobart Race winner Zeus II, retired from the ocean but still competitive inshore.
The strong fleet that enjoyed close competition in Division 5 last year has been moved to Division 4 this season, comprising a cross-section of smaller cruiser/racers, including Hood 23s, Folkboats and a Bonbridge 27.
The Squadron’s Offshore division is also on the increase this season, competing in a range of short ocean races, starting with Sydney Amateur Sailing Clubs’ race to Lion Island and return on Saturday, 8 September.
Max Prentice has entered his Beneteau 40.7 Ticket of Leave, while Andrew Wenham has extensively refurbished the wellknown former ocean racer Inch by Winch, a Peterson 44, to race with the Squadron Offshore division. Inch by Winch contested ten Hobart races between 1980 and 1991 as well as many other long ocean races.
James Connell, who sailed his Farr 1020, Zephyr into third place on both IRC and PHS in last season’s Morna Cup, has also entered for the regular Offshore series, as has former Admiral’s Cup skipper Graeme Lambert with his new Sydney 36CR, Impetuous Too. – Peter Campbell
- The formal 146th Opening Day will be held on Sunday, 16 September, highlighted by a colourful sail past and activities for families and friends ashore, including the Squadron’s famous barbeque.
Tickets are available by phoning reception on 9955 7171
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