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FFI-V April 2021 News Bulletin • Calendar dates Internationally and FFI-Aus • FFI-V 2021-2022 Calendar • FFI-V Regatta Wrap Ups

o Ossie McCutcheon Trophy regatta o 57th FFI-V State Championships

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Calendar dates - Internationally and FFI-Australia: The planned Australian and World’s Championships for 2022 in Perth are under

review and we expect an announcement in the next couple of days ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 2021-2022 FFI-V season Calendar. The FFI-V committee will shortly be seeking expressions of interest for these events:

FFI-V Ossie McCutcheon Trophy, venue TBA, Likely pre-Christmas, 2021 58TH FFI-Victorian 2022 Championships, venue TBA, Likely March, 2022

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 2020-2021 Ossie McCutcheon Trophy regatta returned to Davey’s Bay Yacht Club on Port Phillip on the weekend of 13th & 14th March 2021. It was shifted from the usual pre-Christmas time slot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ossie Mac regatta is FFI-V’s annual coaching regatta, usually preceding the Nationals and States, but this year only able to precede the State championships as the National championships had been cancelled. We would like to thank Gavin Dagley once again for coaching this year, the feedback on Gavin every year is overwhelmingly positive. Gavin was assisted this year by Stephen Fries. Although Gavin coaches both days of the regatta, competitors have five scheduled races over two sessions usually on the Sunday. There is provision to shift the racing day to Saturday if the forecast for Sunday looks difficult to get racing in. This year the Sunday looked good with winds of 15 to 20 knots predicted. Saturday’s coaching session was held in a strong Westerly with rolling gate/rabbit starts to line up all the participants to focus on tuning for each participant, with video taken to highlight different control settings specific to each boat once back on shore. Then 2-minute timed downwind starts, a novelty in itself to work out, to get all participants close for downwind boat handling coaching.

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For the Sunday Trophy heats, the fleet had a typical South Westerly breeze with strengths varying from 10knots to the occasional 18knots, challenging competitors with shifts and pressure variances. Jeni and Peter Danks sailing 3919 renamed “Bird” (previously Fforgetful) jumped out of the blocks with 2 bullets then a 2nd to be in the lead after the morning session. Dale Collings and Dan Jones in “Aussie Falcon” had two 3rd’s and a 4th to be on 10 points narrowly ahead of Tom Seymour and Chris Harper in “Flying Blind” and Ed Brewis and Matt Barry in “Ffortuna” (previously “WOW”) both on 12 points. Also on 12 points were Lewis Davies and John Radnell in The Flying Flamingo because they missed the first race (DNC =9points) and almost missed the second race. A general recall in the second race meant they were

able to join in at the last minute and finished in 2nd before dialling up the power, taking a bullet in the third race. So, just 2 points separating 2nd to 5th after the morning session. The Sunday afternoon session would see Lewis and John win the 4th race giving them DNC, 2, 1, 1 placings but with Jeni and Peter taking 2nd in the 4th race, the “Bird” had 1, 1, 2, 2 placings. This left the Trophy down to the last race. Whilst the “Bird” was ahead on points, with the drop coming into play in the last race “The Flying Flamingo” could still take the honours but needed to not only be ahead of the “Bird” but also in either 1st or 2nd. Lewis and John would proceed to take a third bullet in the last race and claim the Trophy just 1 point clear of Jeni and Peter. The battle for third place overall was also close with only 2 points separating 3rd to 5th. Lewis Davies and John Radnell in “The Flying Flamingo” 3890 took home the Open silverware for the fourth time in succession. Handicap honours went to Ed Brewis and Matt Barry in “Ffortuna” 3931 (on 13 pts after a drop) as the Open winner is ineligible. The Handicap placings were also close (after a drop) with both “Bird” and “Aussie Falcon” on 14 pts and “Flying Blind” on 15 pts. For the full results Click here to open from the FFI-V website Results 2020-2021 page. Finally, the committee would like to thank Gavin Dagley again for coaching with assistance from Stephen Fries, and Davey’s Bay Yacht Club with their volunteers for hosting the event and warm hospitality. Author: Dale Collings

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The 57th FFI-V 2021 State Championships

The Friday before the States began at Davey’s Bay Yacht Club, a warm gentle breeze cooled the skin of the competitors as they prepped their boats. A spectacular sunset was accompanied by a welcome sundowner, such awesome conditions. The polar opposite greeted the competitors on Saturday morning. Someone once said “time and tide wait for nobody” and the 18 boats registered to compete were given an active demonstration of this when the harsh Easterly unhelpfully blew such large quantities of water to the opposite side of the bay that the boats were unable to launch. The upside of not being able to launch was that the FFI-V AGM was all done and dusted before the afternoon was over.

Keen as mustard the fleet agreed to bring forward racing to start at 09.00 am the following day to ensure better tidal conditions, allowing boats to launch and retrieve by 12:30pm. Sunday’s dawn greeted the fleet with even stronger easterly winds. For a variety of reasons only 9 boats greeted the starter at 9:00 am. Those electing to remain ashore doing as allowed by RRS Fundamental Rule 3 Decision to Race (previously rule # 4) “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.” Obvious reasons for not racing include believing the weather conditions pose too greater challenge for the boat gear’s capability to survive or believing the crews sailing survival skills may not be adequate. One competitor, known to be quite capable of handling the strong weather was heard to say “it’s just too much hard work”. On this occasion another reason was boat owners being concerned the day’s racing would not be completed in time for their keels to remain clean when retrieving. Those that sailed the last race were back to the harbour by 11:30 and all boats retrieved before 12:00 noon.

The first race was started in 15 knot winds with gusts of up to 22 knots set over two loops interspersed with a triangle. The race was tightly contested with Lewis Davies & John Radnell in The Flying Flamingo crossing the line first with Mike Oxley and Gary Cameron in Ox-Factor hot on their heels chased by Dave Streader & Glenn Kirkhof in Endorffin, with Clockwork 7 helmed by Mick Swales and crewed by Kevin Buschert being the first silver across the line in 4th place. The

gusty nature of the breeze coming off shore proved particularly tricky, when the spinnakers were up. Several participants, judging by the photos, were trying to prove that you can either, do a dry capsize in a Flying 15, or have a bath should you choose to, in the middle of a race.

Race two, followed the same course with stronger but slightly more consistent conditions with a 20 Knot breeze with gusts averaging 25 knots. Slightly fewer participants lined up for the start with seven boats competing in this race. The Flying Flamingo lived up to it’s name crossing first

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again with Ox-Factor attempting to chase them down. Dale Collings & Wayne Fallows in Aussie Falcon kept themselves vertical throughout the race coming over the line in third followed by Ed Brewis & Matt Barry in Ffortuna with the remainder of the fleet opting for retirement or heading in for repairs.

Race three was a more straightforward windward leeward course to complete the series. Conditions had become more challenging with winds of 22 knots with average gusts of 28 knots plus one, thankfully short-lived pearler, of 35 knots sent to test the competitors further. The sea state had also increased with waves of 1m allowing for a bit of surfing too. The finishing order replicated the final race and also the final results:

Awesome support for the event was provided by Davey’s Bay Yacht Club. Great race management together with a cheerful and hospitable support crew both on land and at sea, despite the conditions, made for an enjoyable regatta. The beverages that accompanied the AGM together with the cold beers and warm pies that met competitors as they returned to the dock were of particular note.

State Champions 2021 The Flying Flamingo Lewis Davies & John Radnell

2nd Ox-Factor Mike Oxley & Gary Cameron

3rd Aussie Falcon Dale Collings & Wayne Fallows

Teams Championship DBYC

Handicap Champions Ffortuna Ed Brewis & Matt Barry

Silver Champions Clockwork VII Mick Swales & Kevin Buschert

Classic Champions April Dancer Bruce Johnson & Tim Cobb

The 2021 Vic States has been done and dusted. Here’s to the next Flying 15 event The 2021 Ossie Mac due to be held in spring later in this year. There’s plenty of time to repair and dry your gear before this event.

Author: Ed Brewis

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From Dale Collings On Behalf of FFI-V