Sailing Club
Tell Tales
29th & 30th March 2025Learn to Sail’s final celebration session for the season was a blast!
Friday night’s Learn to Sail Program on the 21st of March, was blessed with glorious conditions last week. 13 participants enjoyed the relatively uncrowded session using 3 pacers and 3 Optimists. The theme for the session, Give Sailing a Go was enthusiastically embraced by all with a resounding Hell Yeah! The passion and joy was evident throughout the evening, even though or perhaps because many sailors pushed through some nervousness or angst in settling in to their sailing. We were all delighted to see all the boats having so much fun zooming around the harbour together with the level of sailing skill and confidence being very impressive.
The Friday 28th of March was a special sailing-based celebration event with end of season prizes and awards to congratulate and acknowledge all the participants. The everyone enjoyed a capsizing session before derigging and preparing for the presentations. All participants were recognised and received a genuine Dooley’s Ice Cream voucher! Most improved sailors Ruby and Milo were thrilled to have their names on the perpetual trophies. Best junior sailor was Edmond by a smiling mile. His assistance and competency in the LTS program and his dedicated involvement with the Helena G, the club’s rescue boat during Saturday races was most magnificent.
The celebration event was really awesome with great optimism about sailing into next season.
May 17/18 Marathon Weekend – volunteers needed across the weekend. This is the biggest fundraiser for the club and every volunteer makes a difference. Keep an eye out for the volunteer roster or get your name down early for any preferred spot 0478615523 or
Saturday 29th April 2pm Race - Although the sky was overcast, a stark contrast to the stunning weather we’ve enjoyed recently, the sailors were buzzing with anticipation at the 10-15 knot southerly forecast for the race. Five Flying 15 yachts jostled for their positions, with April Dancer crossing the starting line first, closely pursued by Black Pearl and Affrodite, followed by Euffemism and Sota not far behind. 10+1, in the keelboat division, helmed by David with his crew made another fantastic start, making it their second in as many weeks.
Affro was third to the top mark, but after rounding it managed to turn the spinnaker into a wine glass allowing April Dancer and Black Pearl passed. This was the start of a great tussle between these 3 for the race.
With the good wind 10+1 hunted down the small boats and worked its way through the fleet
Bruce and Geraldine on April Dancer showed consistency counts and crossed the finish line first, followed by Black Pearl a fantastic effort by Pete with a new crew Stu onboard, in 3rd Affrodite with Tim and Katie, Tim back after a long absence, followed by 10+1 then Euffemism, Bournie & Chris and SOTA, Igor & Rob who both did a good job making up time.
At the post-race festivities, you could see kens and David’s smiles a mile away due to the steady 15knot winds that favoured their boat 10+1. Also, there was considerable banter about the current race series positions with 10+1, Black Pearl and Windswept all sitting at 13 points followed by April Dancer at 16 points. This sets up a nail bitting end for the 2024-2025 race season.
Results
Handicap Keel YS Dinghy YS
1. 10+1 1. 10+1 1. Dancer
2. Effemism 2. Black Pearl 3. April Dancer 3. Affrodite
4. Sota 4. Effemism
5. Affrodite 5. Sota
6.Black Pearl
Results
| Handicap | Keel YS | Dinghy YS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 10+1 | 1. 10+1 | 1. April Dancer |
| 2. Euffamism | 2. Black Pearl | |
| 3. April Dancer | 3. Affrodite | |
| 4. SOTA | 4. Euffamism | |
| 5. Affrodite | 5. SOTA | |
| 6. Black Pearl |
Life is good. Come Sailing!
To find out more please see our Facebook group - Apollo Bay Sailing Club.