Commodore s Comments. July 2009

Transcription

1 Ocean Racing Club of Victoria July 2009 Commodore s Comments ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Club s AGM will be held on 24 th September and we present the Ocean Racer of the Year Trophy at that time. If you have a nomination for this prestigious award please contact the Club office for further information AROUND AUSTRALIA RACE Our Club has been collaborating with Bob Williams from Perth in the development of this fantastic initiative. Many of our members receive the Sail-world newsletters and have responded to questionnaires about the event. An information night will be held at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria on Friday evening 17th July at 7pm and it would be good to have significant representation from the ORCV members. It is also proposed to resurrect the Melbourne to Sydney Trophy for that leg of the race. This race was last run in VANUATU RACE 2010 This time next year many of our members will be heading to the warmer climate of Vanuatu. The who is going section has been added top the website and preparations are under way by several of the yachts. Vanuatu has been named the friendliest place on earth so plan to join this happy event next year. ROUND LORD HOWE ISLAND RACE The Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club has also asked the ORCV to assist in the administration of this race in May next year. If you are not ready to head off into international waters to Vanuatu the Lord Howe event might be an introduction to sailing out of sight of land? AUSTRALIAN STORY Club members who participated in the SSSC course this month will be aware that the ABC was filming a documentary about our Club member Brian McDermott. Please watch out for this to be shown on the ABC in the near future. George Shaw Commodore Published by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria Inc A E Street Address Unit 27, 91 Moreland Street Footscray VIC 3011 Tel: Fax Mobile orcv@orcv.org.au Web Site: Flag Officers George Shaw Commodore Richard McGarvie Vice Donald Fraser Rear Honorary Secretary Robin Hewitt Treasurer Noel May Immediate Past Commodore Noel May General Committee Ian Court Simon Dryden Marissa McManus Robert Tanner William Trueman Manager Guy Dwyer Race Administration Dennis Livingston Newsletter Editor Robert Tanner

2 Page 2 July 2009 Technology Hints and Kinks Marine Radio 4 - Antenna Topics This is the fourth in a series prepared by Rik Head and Andrew Boon on technology hints and kinks relevant to ocean sailors. This month our focus is on antennas for HF, VHF and your mobile phone as well as providing an internet link for the topic of earthing. The previous articles in the series can be found on the ORCV web site. A reminder, if you have a good idea that you think is worth sharing with your fellow sailors send the details to sailing@c3plus.com.au and we will consider including it. HF Back-Stay Aerials All backstay antennas (aerials) should have insulators top and bottom in order to operate effectively. Some boats have wire inside spectra rope as a combined HF antenna and backstay, but with no insulators. This combination has potential problems when the rope gets wet it can short the transmitter/antenna tuner to ground preventing effective transmission and it may permanently damage to the radio. In addition, the rope can stretch more than the internal wire resulting in a broken antenna without any visible indication of the problem. Always keep clear of the HF antenna when transmitting as there are high voltages present. Antenna feed cables should be routed away from other boat wiring when at all possible. This will minimise the pick up of electrical noise or the induction of RF into the boat wiring. The effectiveness of any HF antenna is also dependant on a good quality RF ground connection within the boat. Your HF antenna tuner should be mounted as close as possible to the backstay antenna connection on the deck. Earthing Marine grounding systems is an important and complex issue and includes consideration of DC ground, AC ground, lightning ground, RF ground, bonding, galvanic protection and electrolytic corrosion. Every boat will be different and depends on your specific needs. However, a good earthing system with appropriate sacrificial anodes is essential. Due to the complexity of the subject of grounding we recommend that you investigate standard texts and check the internet. There is a good general article on marine grounding by Stan Honey that was published in Practical Sailor in This can be found by a Google search using marine grounding systems. VHF Masthead Antenna The latest Blue Book now requires a mast-head VHF antenna for racing yachts with a mast height greater than 11m above the water (P224). This height will provide improved coverage when compared to a rail mounted or other lower antenna. Be aware that VHF antennas do deteriorate with age due to the harsh marine environment. You should plan to replace your VHF antenna every 5-8 years.

3 July 2009 Page 3 Marine Radio 4 - Antenna Topics Cont. Emergency Antennas The Blue Book requires racing yachts to have an emergency antenna for both HF and VHF when the regular antenna depends on the mast (P224). Have you ever connected your emergency antenna and checked that they do work? How difficult is it get into the back of your VHF radio to connect your emergency antenna, especially in a big rolling sea? Then how and where do you install the antenna to ensure it will work effectively? Maybe it should be preinstalled. Installation of an External Antenna for Mobile Phones The installation of an external antenna will significantly improve the mobile phone coverage from your boat when compared with standing on a moving deck or being down below, when you are effectively at or just below sea level. Mobile phone antennas are readily available and can be mounted on a rail, or preferably up the mast. However, obtaining an adapter suitable for connection your phone may be more of a challenge. Search the internet for a supplier. The mobile phone antenna can also be used to access wireless broadband and provide internet access while at sea. If you ever need to call Triple Zero you will access the nearest compatible mobile phone base site within range, regardless of your choice of phone carrier or their specific coverage. Next Month we address a number of topics including using GPS. Coming Events with ORCV Friday 17 July at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria 7.00 pm, Information Night, 2011 Round Australia Yacht Race/Rally. Dinner will be available, please book with RYCV ORCV Winter Series - Heat 1 has gone but you can still enter the remainder of the Series, or even individual races; heat 2 on 19th July then every 2nd Sunday until the Western Port Race on Saturday 12th September. Meteorology Course - July 25/26 at RBYC - there s still time to book for this; get first hand knowledge of weather prediction from the experts. The ORCV Annual General Meeting and Trophy Presentation Night will be held at Sandringham Yacht Club on Thursday 24th September Safety and Sea Survival Course. Sun-Mon September, If you missed the course last month, book early for this one - includes an update course for those who originally did it 5 years or more ago. Rip Tour - The next Rip Tour will go ahead in September, date to be confirmed shortly. Ensure you meet the ORCV s requirements for familiarisation with Port Phillip Heads register your interest now!

4 Page 4 July 2009 Wintry Start to Winter Series The first Sunday in July and a bleak day greeted competitors with rainy showers, SW 14 knots and 20 in the cloud fronts along with an icy wind. At the anointed time for the flare training and armed with several parachute rockets, we joined the turnout of yachts participating. I have fired maybe hundreds before but always find it a challenge to remember how the different types are triggered. This time my hands were wet as were the other crewmembers on board. We found that we could not successfully hold them when discharging such that they slid out of our hands with recoil, except for the Comet brand which has ribs on the bottom of the tube. I must remember if I have a distress situation to make sure it is daylight and not raining or with spray about! The course was in the general vicinity of Sandringham out to Fawkner beacon with a 225 work. The start was reasonably orderly although three boats were over and some early tacks to port caused some hasty manoeuvres. Ninety Seven (Alan Saunders) won the start being right on the line at the gun - a matter of centimetres. Five minutes later, division 2 approached the line and although a boats length away at the gun, the line was so good no winner could be identified. At the gybe mark after the work to windward, Calm (Calm Consortium) led Flirt (Chris Dare) who was followed by Shogun (Rob Hanna) then Living Doll (Michael Hiatt), recovering after having to restart. Goldfinger (Peter Blake/Kate Mitchell) and Chutzpah (Bruce Taylor) were next with a fair gap to a bunch led by Veloce (Phil Simpfendorfer). In general, there were few kite set adventures either at the windward mark set or the gybe which is a little unusual for a winter series first race. The second division leaders at the gybe mark were Addiction (Richard McGarvie), Insx (Robert Sill) then Gienah (Rod Miller) At the third windward mark rounding a shower swept down just north of the course as Rush (John Paterson), Chutzpah & XLR8 (Ray Shaw) approached. Some shifts were there for the wise and big gains. The breeze had by now dropped to seven knots slowing progress considerably and many kites had opening problems being banded too heavily. Living Doll (Michael Hiatt) on the way to Line Honours in Race 1 of the Winter Series.

5 Page 5 July 2009 Wintry Start to Winter Series cont. Challenge (Lou Abrahams) led the Sydney 38s all the way to the finish while Slinky Malinky (Eric Marsh) seemed to spend the race close dueling all the time. At the finish, Living Doll made a spectacular gain to jump three places in a hot field and take the gun comfortably. Two second division yachts elected to do another round although the course flags were clear and also announced on radio. (Verified from the tape recorder!) Still, it was great sailing, so enjoy! Calm disappeared off the course and we can only suppose all well as nothing was heard. Several close finishes but none more so than Mirrabooka (David Bingham) & Slinky Malinky desperately trying for a dead heat. Addiction received the second division gun to cap off an excellent sailing start for the series. By Robin Hewitt For the full results of Winter Series Race 1 check the website. ORCV Membership Renewal ORCV Membership Renewals for are now due. Take advantage of benefits offered to Club Members, including: The ORCV Yearbook Discounted race entry fees and training course fees No crew fees for financial members Affiliation, where requested, with Yachting Australia Sponsor discounts, including Gill clothing, Donaghys Ropes Sail away from Winter 2010! This time next year you should be on the way to Vanuatu! The second Melbourne to Vanuatu Race starts at Portsea on Sunday July 4th 2010, the preliminary Notice of Race is on the ORCV website now.

6 Page 6 July 2009 Yachting Australia Special Regulations - Changes to requirements for proof of Stability The Special Regulations which have come into effect on the 1 st July this year will have a major effect on the ORCV and the way that yachts provide their proof of stability to us. The ORCV will be requiring competitors to comply with the current Special Regulations. We need all of you to consider this urgently as the new rules will apply to this years Melbourne to Stanley race. The new rules require you to provide a declaration and proof of stability by one of the following methods for Category 2 races: IMS or ORCI stability index of 110 or greater ISO or IRC category A IRC SSS base value of 28 or greater (If your IRC Certificate shows a STIX number of 35 or greater then this qualifies for Cat 1 and so is obviously accepted for Cat 2) For an IMS certificate to be a valid proof of stability it needs to meet the following requirements: The boat is still owned by the holder of the certificate The certificate has been issued in the last five years The Boat has not been modified The current freeboard measurements have been confirmed as being consistent with the certificate Some boat owners will find that their yacht has complied with stability requirements in the past but that the IRC SSS Base value is below 28. In this case you will need to find an alternative means of proof How to Comply: The first step is to find out if you boat has one of the following: ISO or IRC Category A certificate (these can be found on some IRC certificates) A GZ curve provide by the yacht designer IRC SSS number greater than 28 IMS certificate in your name that is less than five years old. If you have one of the above and you are happy to declare that no changes have been made to you boat that affect the stability you will then meet the new requirements. If you do not have one of the above you have 3 choices: Revalidate your boats IMS certificate Measure for an IRC certificate and hope that the SSS base value is above 28 Obtain a GZ curve for your boat Of the above the third option is the hardest to get but if you are keeping you boat for a long time it will be the best value. To revalidate your IMS certificate you need to do the following: Check that Yachting Australia has a record of your IMS certificate Incline your yacht Confirm the yacht s freeboard measurements. If you have moved the heavy items (engine for example) on your yacht this will affect your freeboard measurements.

7 July 2009 Page 7 Yachting Australia Special Regulations - Changes to requirements for proof of Stability The Costs: Inclination and freeboard measurements $300 Yachting Australia revalidation fee $250 To obtain your IRC certificate Get your boat and sails measured by an IRC measurer Weigh your boat The Costs: The measurers time at $ 80 per hour (4 hours approximately) Weighing the boat individually is very expensive as you need a suitably sized crane and a load cell. Yachting Victoria conducts weighing days which are much better value. The cost of the IRC certificate is LOA by $28.50 per metre GZ Curve A GZ curve is calculated by the yacht designer or naval architect. It is easily done if you or the yacht s designer has an electronic hull file. You will then need to provide an inclination and the boats weight. If you have the lines plan of your yacht, some naval architects will convert these plans to a hull file. I cannot give you an accurate cost for this process as you will have to negotiate with the yacht s designer or a naval architect. How can the ORCV help you? We have arranged that we can incline your boat and measure your freeboards. We will happily arrange a weighing day. Please give me a call if you need any further information Simon Dryden, Other changes to Special Regs: The Yachting Australia website lists the major changes to Special Regs for See The big ticket item for all crew members is the requirement for Personal Locator Beacons (PLB s) for all Cat 2 races. There s likely to be a rush on these later in the year, so please ensure that you get in early for purchase and registration. The other item to check closely is the Medical Kit contents, where numerous items have been added, replaced or deleted.