The 2016 Monjon Security Nationals at Sandringham are almost upon us. Infact the entries close this coming Friday (assuming you don’t want to waste any more money on a late fee) so now is the time to get your entry in – there is no prize for being the last to enter.
Of course the long term forecast is for magic sailing conditions for the week. And it will be party time ashore with the team of Carnival Doug and Partygirl Robyn (assuming she gets back from Thailand or wherever the latest party is being held) letting loose on the trail.
Can you beat The BlackPrince of Sandringham? His crown has slipped a little lately as the ‘Pace’ has gone off the boil. Now’s the time to front with your entry.
Can’t get our boat down here, no problem we have at least two boats looking for skippers and crews and we have some crew looking for spots on boats, so why not put your team together and use one of ours.
Hugo’s great ‘Battle Flag Competition’ is alive with colour with 3 flags already printed up and waiting to go aloft. Now is the time to get your flag design worked out and when you enter your flag will be sent to you so you can paint or print your flag before you come. Flags at the ready …. !
See the pic for the proportions (4m x 1m – less the logo at the top). Those not wishing to demonstrate their creative juices will be given a sponsors flag … you’d rather have your own, wouldn’t you !
Simon’s now world famous ‘Sailor Sunscreen’ – samples given away in the last State Titles, is now on the market and will be available at the regatta too – for those already asking. www.sailorsunscreen.com.au
Preparations for the 2016 Nationals in Melbourne are proceeding well and there is a feeling from talking to people around the country that we may get a record number of entries. There are still a couple of hulls for charter in Melbourne if you can’t get your own boat here.
Of course the long term weather forecast is for great weather !
The committee has taken up the suggestion from Hugo Ottaway that we have a battle flag competion as mentioned in the last newsletter. We know that not all crews will want to make their own flag and with that in mind we are having flags made up that have a blank area where you can paint / print in your own identity. For those who don’t wish to design your own, you will be given a sponsors flag to fly when you are in the marina (see NOR 3.1) weather permitting.
The idea is to introduce a great deal of colour into the marina area during the regatta and when we are not racing. The flags are being made currently and should be ready in the next 10 days. I suggest you plan your artwork now so you have time to customise your flag when you recieve it on entry. There are 15 customiseable flags so be one of the first to enter to get one and give yourself time to decorate it.
The NSW Champs showed there is plenty of tight racing in the class. With Sean Kirkjian doing the winning this year he now has the Nationals carrot dangling in front of those very focused eyes.
The Nationals are being held at Sandringham YC from the 2nd to the 8th January. Racing is the Monday 4th – 8th with a layday on the Wednesday. Registration, measurement and weigh in starts on the 2nd and there is a practice race on the Sunday 3rd
Remember, humans are what they are and things change so come back here regularly to make sure you have the latest NOR. There maybe amendments between now and the regatta.
Battle Flag Competition
Colour and excitment in the boat harbour along with hard racing on the track will be the name of the game. When you stand on the club terrace and look out over the marina we want you to see colour – lots of it. We want Sandringham to know the Js have come to town ! So we are going to have a Battle Flag competition. There will be prizes and there are some rules. Look back here for Newsletter number 3 for the details next week.
Also note that as posts come on to the site some get pushed down out of sight so Nationals information is repeated on the 2016 Nationals page under Regattas above.
John Bennett our well known supplier of masts and booms at Sparloft in Auckland, New Zealand, messaged us to say that his wife Raewyn passed away on Friday afternoon after suffering from cancer for some time. This is sad news for all of us as Raewyn was a strong supporter of the class and has visited us here in Melbourne previously with John. A memorial afternoon tea is being held at the yacht club in Panmure on Monday afternoon the 30th November for an expected large number of friends and fellow yachties. On behalf of all of us in Oz who have known Raewyn and John, we offer our thoughts to you John on Raewyn’s passing.Here are some shots John has sent me of some of Raewyns sailing adventures.
Woman on water about1991 at CYCA with ‘The Pound’Rhode Is USA Rolex 1990New York
Thank you to the crew of 16 crews, and all the staff and committee and volunteers at RPEYC for making the NSW J24 State Championships last weekend such a great regatta. Two days of good breezy racing kept the fleet happy and I am sure you will all agree that the Saturday night dinner was a great success and hopefully you all had chance to mingle with other sailors you hadn’t previously spoken with!
Scratch Results
1st Kaotic -Arthur Crothers/Sean Kirkjian
2nd Convicts Revenge – Stephen Girdis
3rd Innamincka – John Crawford
4th Waterborne Again – Marc & Oloff Tromp/Brendan Lee
Lots of people are already talking about the Nationals, lots of questions being asked about sailing in Melbourne in January. There’s lots to tell and some potential big news …. but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Firstly let’s get the NSW States done and dusted.
I hear Kirj is trying to back up his win at Gosford, got the gun team on Arthurs boat ! I hear the Cronullans are getting around 5 boats to the states ….. go shire ! From Melbourne, Simon is steering with Tim, Brendan is steering a Sydney boat and Ron is bringing Kicking to tussle with Janette for the NEW Thommo Cup. If the weather gods are on our side it will be a beautiful regatta again at Prince Edwards, perhaps the best secret yacht club in Sydney.
So back to the Nationals, this season, gauging from the interest shown already we may be looking at the first 30 boat Nationals for a very long time.
The NOR will be out online shortly, but for those not already looking at the calendar page above, you’ll need to know that the Nationals are being held at Sandringham YC from the 2nd to the 8th January. Racing is the Monday 4th – 8th with a layday on the Wednesday. Registration, measurement and weigh in starts on the 2nd and there is a practice race on the Sunday 3rd, probably around 2pm, regardless of whether you do the practice race or not your boats need to be in the water by then. I know, none of you will sail through the finish line (might save on race management if we don’t need one !)
So plenty of hard racing, 12 of them in fact – 13 if you count the practice race, so most will be pretty hung out by the end of it. But for those with plenty of energy there will be a full social program as well.
First hang over opportunity will be the welcome sausage sizzle on the 3rd after the practice race – well, once you are cleaned up a little bit – I’m sure you all want to make a good impression. Not enough for you? Try Big Tuesday, a tradition with the Nationals in Melbourne, the big themed party at the yacht club (no idea what the theme is yet – we’ll let you know in good time to prepare for it !). You’ll need the lay day if you play hard in that one. Still not enough for you, President Doug is a tiger for punishment and wants to take you all out to St Kilda on the Thursday night, show you the town etc. – remember though Doug is Scottish so bring your own money!
And someone is going to win the whole thing – we’ve got a few wannabes thinking it’s themselves already, visitors should read up on the Black Prince of Sandringham before they come, he’s on a bit of a roll at the moment, but there will be some big names in the running – trust me. Winners means happiness – for some … and that means a humongous prize giving dinner on the Friday night. If you aren’t lying in a heap in the boat yard on Saturday morning – you didn’t try hard enough !
Ok a few house-keeping things, yes it does cost money – $500 entry but it is well worth it to rub shoulders with the best. Of course you can do that in the bar, but you’ll need to be on the water by 1100 each race day if you want to do it on the bay.
Visiting? Then you will have a trailer – no worries we’ll store them at the club for you safely (although if you make up a little trailer sign “Simon’s Boat Trailer Hire” I could make a few bucks while you are all out sailing!) And there will be club FOB keys available as well. Accommodation is something you might need and you should work this out ASAP, you might get a bed with a local or for those with money and high taste there are plenty of local establishments nearby.
If you have any queries, Victorian President Doug’s your man – he is passionate about you coming to Melbourne, so why not give him a call on 0400 584 067 or you can call me for an ‘unbiased’ chat about all things J. 0413 870 046
