outdoors

Melissa Yeomans

Getting into this umpire stuff

On Saturday I headed over to the CYCA for the Navionics Match Racing Regatta as an umpire.   Or should I say rookie umpire.  I am not sure when I turn into an actual umpire just yet?  Learning as I go…  Maybe when I buy my whistle this week?

Talk about terrible conditions to try and learn!   So much rain it is hard to see and breeze shifting like nothing else plus holes so big appearing out of no where!   Not the best conditions for competitors or officials…  It was great though to learn a little more and witness close hand some match racing.  I think I have a lot more reading to do before I attend the next one though!   Any tips????

One of the best things about heading to the CYCA was catching up with an old friend Nicky Souter who was even colder than I was.  Someone forgot it wasn’t summer in Aus…   Or maybe she was hopeful?  Any way I donated my booties to her as I knew she would freeze in just thongs even with wet weather pants.   It is one thing being on a boat hard at work sailing.  It is something else all together sitting around watching others sail!  You get so cold so fast not working a mainsheet or kite sheet or helm.

Driving home in clothes that were soaking wet from the walk to my car with Nicky was just a little crazy…   It took a few hours, a hot shower, a couple of glasses of Red wine and a hot dinner to come good.   I did have to laugh when Nicky asked if I minded her getting in my car when she was so wet!  I just said “look at me”!  Two drowned rats…   I don’t think we have ever sailed together when it wasn’t a nice day!   Maybe that tells us we are better off sailing than umpiring haha.

There is a little story on the CYCA website.

Seriously though any tips or websites to check out to learn more would be greatly appreciated.   I  might watch some youtube videos of match racing too!  I only ever did a little at the CYCA on their Friday afternoon training sessions.   Years ago so it is all a memory…

Melissa Yeomans

Weekend on Animus

It was a great weekend even though we managed to blow up a block on Saturday which resulted in us doing a leg and a half under Mainsail only. Sunday was a girls day out with just the four of us enjoying a lovely warm day.

It was a lovely weekend with lots of wind on Saturday and next to no breeze on the Sunday. Here are a couple of pictures taken by Sam from Animus after we ended up cruising around the course on Saturday and then in the light breeze on Sunday.

Photos

Melissa Yeomans

Sirius and Animus head to the Nationals

There was discussion held as to who would go under the bridge first to avoid being the first to run aground. Luckily this was no problem and both made it to the clubhouse unscathed.

Friday 7th January at approximately 9pm Animus and Sirius left MHYC for the trip north to Lake Macquarie. The conditions looked to be favourable for the trip with a 10-knot easterly.

Animus commenced the trip without any incidents leaving the harbour under #1 headsail. Perhaps the boat should be renamed to describe our minimal way of approaching things.

Sirius however decided to get underway with their #3. Perhaps this was due to the fact they were still trying to set up their bedding with (cushions, sleeping bags etc) and pack their esky with the freezer bricks they had brought for the overnight trip. That could explain the reason that one of their crew mistook a ship for new units at Mosman.

We reached Long Reef and the wind dropped completely so on went the motors. Damian slept under the tiller to keep the outboard in the water. Whilst I tried to get some rest on the cockpit floor using lifejackets or wet weather gear for pillows. Due to the connection breaking on the motor we had to jiggle the fuel into the top fuel tank and try not to run out of fuel, which unfortunately did happen a few times.

Off Norah Head the Southerly change finally caught up with us. We cleared the headsail off the deck and set the Hounds Spinnaker. Sirius was 4-6 miles further out in the set deciding to pole out their #1 headsail. Great rides in the 3-4m swell, reaching 10.9 knots on one.

Sirius carried their main all the way to the Bridge for that little extra speed. Arriving just in time to catch the 8am bridge with Animus. The tide at this time was still on the way in, as it was my first time entering the lake by boat I was amazed at the speed that it was running. My parents have often told stories over the years of the entrance and how many boats had to be dragged across the bar.

There was discussion held as to who would go under the bridge first to avoid being the first to run aground. Luckily this was no problem and both made it to the clubhouse unscathed.

It was suggested that Ben needed to recharge his smock supplied by Anthony – Djuice Hot Pink.

Within minutes of leaving the lake for the trip home all fell asleep.

Melissa Yeomans

MHYC LADIES DAY RACE 2004

Even though the weather was not on our side the day was just as good as the last time we all got together.

The fleet made up of 3 all female and 10 mixed crews, with several Sydney 38’s, J24’s and Adams 10’s competing against each other.  Nigel Holman was good enough to lend his brand new Match 42 Cuckoos Nest to an all female boat which was later renamed to The Harken Angels as Pam Fagence and Akkim Lim from Harken were on board with Halos for the crew and wings for their skipper Vanessa Dudley.  Harken staff were also represented onboard the Match 35 Fordified by Greg Butchart who had flown in that morning after attending the Harken University in the USA.

 

Animus – Melissa Yeomans, was decked out with Tiara, sequenced and ribbon hair elastics with a token featherboa on the backstay as it was too wet to wear them.  Marita Wilmot flew in from London that morning to present the crew with shirts embroidered with the Harken Logo and race name.

 

Uncensored – Simone Grout, the third all female boat also had bags of goodies but were unable to dress for the occasion due to the weather.  Seeing this you would have thought that the onwater competitiveness would not have been of a high level.  Well you soon found out this was wrong as once the start gun went off there were almost several collisions.

In a light easterly the course was set between North Head and Balmoral for three rounds with a very hard run in tide and a small confusing seaway to compete with.  Nicky Bethwaite soon settled in and led around the Edwards Beach Mark. 

The Commodore did not fare as well as they were required to recover from a MAN overboard incident.  The two small boats of the fleet Innamincka and Kaotic (J24’s) kept intouch with the fleet of larger yachts in the light conditions to come 1st and 2nd in the mixed crew.

In the second half of the race there was some very close racing between many of the boats including the leaders This Way Up steered by Nicky Souter, Estate Master – Lisa Hill and Eve’s Delight – Nicky Bethwaite.

The Harken Perpetual Trophy was presented by their representative Robyn Yeomans to Animus steered by Melissa Yeomans.  With the Ron Hyde Memorial presented to Innamincka steered by Amanda Cook.

 

We would like to thank MHYC, Oregon Scientific and Sturrocks for joining with Harken to make this a very memorable day for all.

Photos