australian sailing

Melissa Yeomans

Keep on going

You know you have had a hectic month when you have to look at the Calendar to work out what you have actually been doing!  Crazy!  Either that or I have fried my brain with all the study I have done lately.  Last night I sat for the National Judge Exam just another step forward since becoming an umpire.  Yes I passed so all the study of non match racing rules was worth it.   I would not have been able to do this without the support of my umpire/judge friends who have been amazing since I started umpiring!

The last month has been wrapped up in a lot of sessions at the Gym:  Pilates with the Awesome Michelle at Virgin Active Frenches Forest, Zumba with Claudine and her Aqua Zumba which I am certain is more of a workout for her than those of us in the pool, weights and the usual Bike, Treadmill etc.  I can see that I am on the road to recovery which is such a nice feeling.  My core really has been giving me so much trouble and as I can’t afford to go to the Physio as much as I would like it is taking longer to get stronger.   I can’t wait to go sailing this season.  Yes I said it.  I don’t think I can wait much longer to be honest but don’t want to go too soon and set myself back again.   I might have to test myself on a no-extras day or something and see how I go first.

Many of my mornings were also spent watching the Kiwis take out the Louis Vuitton which will see them in September go up against Oracle USA for the America’s Cup.  We have been talking about it a lot on Sailing Chix with Nix especially as Nic D has been over there!  On Monday Morning the Red Bull Youth AC starts which will see some very early rises at 4am for the Aussies wanting to cheer on Team Objective!  We also had Liesl Tesch fill in whilst Nic was away as a guest Co-Host!  SO much fun to have her in studio talking about her quiet year, which in everyone else’s words is hectic.  Liesl was also let loose in the Warehouse getting new Liros Rope for the Skud.  For those who don’t know much about her google her!  She is an inspiration and I am lucky to call her a friend as she inspires me all the time.

Playing with new Liros Rope for the Skud
Liesl Tesch Playing with new Liros Rope for the Skud at DeckHardware

I also got the chance to head out and watch the Sound Regatta at MHYC.  When I was growing up sailing there we had one of the biggest events that kicked off the Sailing Season and it was great to see this happening once more.

Photos of the Sound Regatta

The next few weeks are just as crazy with a visit to Wangi due this weekend to see some friends, MHYC 75th Opening Day, Manly Relay for Life, The Youth AC and the big one the America’s Cup 30 years since the team on Australia II showed the world how good Aussie Sailors Are!  I can not wait to watch these events and wish I could make it there.

Melissa Yeomans

How many clubs can I visit?

It has been an action packed time for me.  I have spent time at RPAYC, BSC, SFS plus my home clubs MHYC and M16’SSC.  Most of this has been for Seminars, Meetings or Umpire dinners etc.   It has been a busy month and I think my head may have exploded a few times there trying to take it all in and learn even more.

Last weekend was the Start of the Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race.  What a slow start!  The video will give you a great idea of what the conditions were like for the race, given how long it took to get out of Sydney Harbour and head offshore.

 

I only took a few photos of the event.  Yeah ok more than a few but it wasn’t my normal effort as I was also trying to post on Instagram at the same time as well as video too!  Here they are.

This weekend I am back in Umpire mode as we have the Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Championships on both days at the CYCA.  They will be long days on the water and hopefully the weather will play nice as it is our first event with the new boats!

Who would have thought this is winter?  I have been so busy!  What on earth will spring be like with all the Australian Match Racing Championships happening at the CYCA.  Plus over the next few weeks the America’s Cup will be a good reason to wake up early to watch all the racing online as it ramps up into semi final mode for the LVC.   Good Luck to the boys on Artemis!

Melissa Yeomans

Sydney Harbour

I am so lucky to live in Sydney.  Days like this remind me why that is as winter turns the sky an amazing blue.  The Harbour too shows off the varying depths and colours.  I could watch the Harbour for hours as it changes through the day.

Sydney Harbour in Winter
Sydney Harbour in Winter
Middle Harbour in Winter
Middle Harbour in Winter

I am hoping the weather stays beautiful as once again this Saturday I am umpiring at the CYCA.   Last week was week one of the Capt John Piper regatta with this week the finals.  It has been a busy few weeks as prior to that we also had the East Coast Champs at MHYC my home club.  Which was a full weekend on the start boat and in the protest room on a Sunday night to hear a couple of protests.

The conditions on the Saturday of the East Coast Champs were interesting with light breeze and a big seaway out on the sound as the video shows.

Melissa Yeomans

Umpiring takes over again

Last weekend I spent the entire time indoors with the umpire team doing a seminar. Huge thanks to Gary Manuel for his time and effort in putting together the seminar!  Thanks to Erica Kirby for making it happen too! A room full of umpires and I am sure you can imagine the topics and discussions that occurred.

This past weekend we got back out on the water which was much needed. It reminded us of why we love to umpire. How lucky are we! Amazing harbour, blue sky’s and sunshine…  If only the breeze could behave haha, there is no chance it is winter breezes! And to think this is the off season if there were such a thing, match racing is just starting up. It’ll be a big year for match racing in Sydney with some very special anniversary events at the CYCA.

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Sydney Harbour

Melissa Yeomans

Sydney Harbour turns it on

On Sunday I was on the water for the NSW High Schools Teams Racing Championships.   It is days like this that make me well aware of how lucky I am to be able to spend time on Sydney Harbour. It was a very long day but views like this make it worth while!   I am extremely lucky to live in a city with such an amazing Harbour full of sailors enjoying the beautiful sunshine.  To think this is the CYCA Winter Series sailing past?  So lucky.

The photos were taken with my iphone using a waterproof casing for on the water and not the best for photography.

What an amazing view
What more can I say? I had a little play in Instagram
Spectacular view from the WSC balcony
The fog starts to clear to show Shark Island
CYCA fleet action
CYCA Winter Series comes past
More of the CYCA fleet
Melissa Yeomans

CHS Sailing

The CHS is an amazing event that I did for many years as a teenager.  One that attracts a huge variety of classes each year.

Here is a little story on the special event that was put together during the CHS by the DeckHardware team.   When I competed in the CHS there were several different functions during the week and I decided this year to put one together.  It was a great deal of work but something that was well worth it as the night was well received by everyone.  I can not thank those enough who helped me out with the function.  I especially wish to thank those who attended as special guests:  Liesl Tesch, Karyn Gojnich, Lindsay Stead, James Burman and the Sailing Chix – Nix and Nic.  I couldn’t have put together the night without your support and enthusiasm along with those who could not attend but wished me good luck telling me to go for it.

Series results

For a bunch of photos head over to the DeckHardware Facebook page.

The Special Guests on stage
The Van setup at the CHS
Melissa Yeomans

420 and 470 State Titles

Over the weekend I was assisting at the 420 and 470 NSW State Titles out of MHYC.  What a huge weekend with BIG WAVES and BIG BREEZE!  On Saturday we actually set the course inside Middle Harbour!  Not something we would normally do but even there it was gusting 24 knots with swells rolling in every now and then.  Creating some great surfing opportunities for those competing.

On Sunday we headed into the Sound with a smaller start team on a smaller start boat!  Not ideal in a big seaway but certainly interesting.   Unfortunatly I had no chance of taking photos on the Sunday.   The breeze held steady at 15-17 knots and the swell was less than Saturday but still had some big moments.

470 Results

420 Results

A little video I took on Saturday when I had the time.

Photos from Saturday

This weekend is another HUGE weekend at Middle Harbour Yacht Club with the Sydney Harbour Regatta on.  Saturday morning sees the Sailing Chix Live on location kick starting things.  Let’s hope for beautiful sunshine and a Nor’easter!  They have been lacking lately…

Melissa Yeomans

Pittwater High Schools Teams Racing

Over the weekend I umpired over 60 teams races.   On Saturday we were lucky to have Arthur Spithill and Ian Humphries along with Murray Gordon and myself.  Sunday Murray and I were back and we threw Oscar Stranack into the deep end for the full day and he did a great job!  He even got to umpire two lots of Finals as we had a tie for 1st and 4th after two round robins.

Saturday we had to wait for the breeze to fill in and that was with a late start.  I guess I should not give the PRO a hard time as it was my father haha.   It was tricky conditions over the weekend with East to South East breeze flicking around a lot.  Sunday was fairly similar with more than a few course changes to make things interesting.

Breeze coming in – at Pittwater

The winning team came down to a best of three finals with Mater Maria and Pittwater High fighting it out and even though Mater Maria won Pittwater were in it till the finish.  It was great to see several Girls Schools out there competing as well!  There was even mention of a competitor helping out those new to the sport whilst racing against each other.  Fantastic!  There were several teams that had a few people completely new to the sport out there giving it a go.  And what a great looking weekend to do it.

Pre Start Chat among the team

I didn’t get the chance to take a photo but I must comment on the Jellyfish.  They were MASSIVE!!!

This week is a big week yet again with both my Co-Hosts from Sailing Chix with Nix having their birthdays!

Happy Birthday Chix!

I am also hoping to head over to the 18’s who are competing at the JJ’s with my good camera to watch for a day or two.   Then Sunday sees me back umpiring some Teams Racing again.  This time it is the Opti’s for just the one day.  For now I am in the office catching up on some work, designing some advertising for DeckHardware and catching up on the America’s Cup action from over the weekend that I missed.

Melissa Yeomans

An Aussie Weekend

What a weekend!  Saturday Morning as always started with the Sailing Chix on air.   It was a big show full of AC talk and lots of Match Racing, TP52’s as well as the up coming JJ’s for the 18’s.   There is plenty happening in the world of sailing this year that is for sure!

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Sunday was pretty big.   My first umpiring event for the year was the Marinassess Women’s Match Racing Regatta, won by Kathleen Stroinovsky and her crew of Lucinda Whitty, Samantha Boyd and Kate Brown, representing the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.  It was a very tricky day with the Southerly hitting early on and causing the breeze to be very shifty as well as changing strengths with the shifts.   Women’s Sailing has come a long way in the last few years and we can thank the Olympics for including Match Racing at the London Games.    It was great to see Lucinda Whitty one of our Silver Medal winners out there yesterday as that helps increase the skill of the competitors.   It is also great as the atmosphere at the event was such a friendly one as well as being competitive.  This goes for everyone including Competitors, Organizers, Race Committee and Umpires.   It really felt like everyone was there to grow and improve as well as having a great time out on our awesome Harbour.

Leaving the CYCA I managed to get home to watch the last 1.5hrs of the Bathurst 12hour.  The race could be watched online via the website which was AWESOME! The commentary was great to listen too as well. The weather was teasing so much with rain all around the Mountain making it extremely difficult to choose what car setup to go for.  I can’t wait for the V8’s to start up with the new teams mixing it up a bit!  Check out some of the video here.  Apparently I missed an incredible amount of Safety Cars in the morning part of the race as well as some of the crazy rain that had them doing 40K around the track on the wrong tyres.  I will definitely be checking out the highlight footage.  Great effort by those who put together the coverage and did the Commentary.  Loved it.

Now for another big week at DeckHardware followed by a full weekend of umpiring at the Pittwater High Schools Teams Racing this weekend up at RPAYC.  Summer truly is awesome.