Inside: The Five Greatest The biggest moments in Australian sailing
Discover Sailing The whats and whys of sailing’s new brand
Vale Frank Bethwaite The end of an extraordinary era
Left, right and wrong Understanding wind shifts and how to use them to your advantage
Bouyancy?
The principals of flotation
Commodore Bruce Fraser Vice Commodore Ian McHugh Rear Commodore Will Sharp Secretary Phillip Connard Treasurer Chris Neyland Membership Susan Sharp Webmaster Phillip Connard Committee Paul Hardie - Peter Sharp - Grant Berry Thomas Ruether
Training Paul Hardie - Thomas Ruether Ian McHugh - Bruce Fraser - Peter Sharp Phillip Connard - Chris Neyland Lachlan Sharp - Grant Berry
Contact Email: phil@beaumarisyc.com Post: PO Box 16, Black Rock Vic 3193 Phone: 03 9589 6222
www.beaumarisyc.com www.facebook.com/beaumarisyc www.youtube.com/beaumarisyc Past issues of The Reef: www.issuu.com/beaumarisyc
Editor Will Sharp Email: will@beaumarisyc.com Phone: (03) 9878 1997
Contributors Nicky Bethwaite, Bruce Fraser, Brian Doig, Peter Sharp, Stephen Whiteside, Grace Jenkin
Front Cover Javelin 391 - Warren Photo by P. Kemp, March 2012
HE LAST LAP. The final beat to the finish. In the lead boat is an older husband and wife team. They have been sailing together for many years and know each other so well that there is a seamless quality to their crew work, so practised are they in their actions. Chasing hard; a brother and sister team, both in their early twenties. They have physical ability and strength on their side but lack the seasoned knowledge and sailing intuition that only comes with having spent years on the water. In third place is a father and son pairing. The father is new to sailing, having been introduced to the sport by his teenage son who has been sailing since he was eight. They combine the physical ability and some of the seasoned knowledge present in the other boats. It has been a hard fought race and could be won by any of the three. This is a scene set out in countless clubs and off the beach classes throughout the country. So common is it that its uniqueness is often lost on sailors. There are not many sports that spring to mind where such a variety of people in age, ability and experience can compete against each other with no separate division or handicapping system in place. This is one of the special features of sailing. Once you take the location restrictions (it’s a bit hard to sail if you live in an inland town with no open water nearby) and the fact that the entry price into the sport can be considerable (ie boat and gear purchase – though you rarely lose money on a second hand boat, unlike a car), sailing really is a sport for life. I can recall a series many years ago when my family was into Pacers in a big way. At one point we had three generations of the same family sailing on the course in the same series. It didn’t
seem remarkable at the time but looking back it must have been a pretty special feeling for my father and my (at the time) 82 year old grandfather to be competing with their children and grandchildren. So for those people who may be having a break from sailing (extended or otherwise), just remember: sailing is for life. A few years out of the cockpit doesn’t matter, it’ll all come back with a bit of practice. To those who are new to the sport, all I ask is that you don’t give up on it. It’s a relatively easy sport to come to grips with the basics but it takes a long time to get hold on the finer details. No sailor ever stops learning. There are always little bits and pieces to be picked up along the way, some useful, some not so much. After a while you will find yourself doing things automatically that seem totally alien right now. Progress may be slow but progress is still progress. If you have virtually the whole of your life to work on something does it really matter if improvement is slower than you would like? There are so many variables in sailing, the wind speed and direction, the wave action, any impact the land is having on the wind, the temperature (extremes of temperature will have a marked effect on a sailor’s ability to concentrate) and of course the boat and all its inherent variables. All this adds up to a world of possibility that means sailors are always challenged and are never bored. The end result is the ability to harness something completely natural and beyond human control and turn it into forward (and sometimes sideways… or inverted) motion. The learning curve may be gradual but the payoff is amazing.
- Will Sharp
ELCOME season!
TO
THE
new
sailing All our women are encouraged to get as involved as possible in this great initiative. To There have been lots of preparations resulting in reinforce this project a new logo has been designed for BYC by Simon Grain of Smart Mara successful start to the season. keting in Chadstone. We celebrated the achievements of our sailors at the July AGM and Presentation function where Grant applications we were entertained by Ray Lewis from Marine BYC was also successful in the 2012 round of Care Ricketts Point who fascinated us with im- Community Grants issued by the Beaumaris ages and tales of the marine life and creatures Community Bank branch of the Bendigo Bank. on and beyond Ricketts Point. This grant will allow us to purchase two new mains for the Pacer training fleet and will go a Welcome to our new members long way to improving the effectiveness of our BYC has experienced a high level of interest hugely successful training program. The Club from people who want to get into sailing this has also submitted other applications for grants year, both through our comprehensive training for Marine Safety and volunteer grants however programs as well as some sailors who are reit will be some time before we know the outturning to the water after varying amounts of come of these. Well done! time. Welcome to you all! It is very satisfying to see the interest and enthusiasm from our Social activities new members and the graduates of the training Social activities are becoming important to our programs from last season. I encourage every- members and friends. Several events have one to come down and sail as much as possible been planned for this season to encourage famiduring the season. Bigger fleets are more fun lies to enjoy all the activities at the Club includand the more you get out there the faster you’ll ing the upcoming end of year/Christmas funcbecome! tion and the very successful Cup Day Gala held a few weeks ago. Thank you to those who give Clubhouse maintenance up a lot of time planning and organising these The key areas for attention during the 2012 events. working bee and clean-up day were the main entry stairs and the womens’ changerooms. Promotion The stairs were all sanded back and refinished As is the same for the start of every season with varnish. They look much better and will several hardy souls have spent many hours not weather like they would have had they not manning displays at the Beaumaris Concourse been refinished. The womens’ changerooms got shopping centre promoting our training proa taste of paint on every surface except the grams, the January Tackers program and Disfloor. A new shelf and mirror were also installed cover Sailing Day. Staffing the displays on Satto improve the conditions. Thank you to every- urdays then sailing on Sundays for several one who helped out at the working bee and weeks in a row is taxing on many people so clean-up day. You all helped to make the start thank you to those who gave up their time to of the season smooth and easy. help the club. These displays culminated in the Unfortunately the Club was the target of a bur- 2012 Discover Sailing Day which was a great glary on Sunday 7 October 2012 where the two success. A full report on the day can be found outboard motors on the training IRBs were sto- on page 6 of this issue. len. The Club was in the process of organising The final display is on Friday 7 December 2012 insurance claims when the 25hp outboard was at the Beaumaris Concourse Twilight Festival. recovered. It turned out the 25hp motor was We would love as many members as possible to sold to a marine engine dealer in Carrum, with come along and help us promote BYC to our whom the Club was negotiating to buy new or local community. second and outboards. Upon examination of the Training serial number by our marine engine specialist Hurrey Marine, it was established that the 25hp At the time of writing we are about to start the outboard available was in fact our stolen motor Training programs for the season and as usual and it was recovered and in use at BYC by 21 they have proved to be very popular. Both October. The individual who sold the motor to courses are full of eager new sailors and we the dealer in Carrum has been of great assis- look forward to meeting you all over the next few weeks. For those who have kids who are tance to Police. interested in training but missed out on the Encouraging participation of women and course this season there is still the Tackers Jungirls in sailing ior Sailing Experience on 8-12 January 2013. BYC was successful in being awarded a grant by The Tackers 1 course will be held in the mornthe Australian Sports Commission to encourage ing and the Tackers 2 course in the early afterour female members. Janette Connard, the noon. Registration is through Tom Cotter from Coordinator of this program, attended the ASC The Boatshed, phone 9686 2571 or visit Women in Sport Leadership Workshop in Sep- www.theboatshed.net.au for more information. tember and several members have volunteered for sail training instructor courses and other - Bruce Fraser roles at the Club.
December 7 BYC Display at Beaumaris Concourse Twilight Festival
December 9 Christmas break up BBQ function - Santa will be visiting too!
December 26 Boxing Day - Start of the Sydney to Hobart (it’s televised so grab the chance to see sailing on TV! )
Dec 28 - Jan 4 National Class Championships
January 8-12 Tackers sailing week at BYC
January 13 Discover Sailing Day
February 3 BYC Championship Series Race 3 (Kevin Peterson Trophy)
February 7 Thursday twilight sailing starts
CAN’T BE sure about everyone else but it seems to me that October seems to sneak up on me faster and faster every year. It feels like one minute we’re sitting down at the AGM dishing out trophies and canapés and the next minute I’m back on the beach on a Sunday morning realising that my oh-so-organised lists of things that needed to be fixed on the boat over winter wasn’t looked at again after it was written. Maybe it’s just me but I have a feeling that it isn’t, judging by some of the other slightly dejected stares at boats that occur on the first day back after the winter. Anyway, enough of that and on to topics of greater importance! Firstly, as always, the weather though there really isn’t much to complain about this season. Unlike most Octobers we were only blown out once rather than the customary three times. We have also been lucky enough to have a couple of afternoons with a decent southwesterly breeze which is a rarity these days (for those who recall just a few years back a 15-18kt sou’wester was the default Beaumaris Sunday breeze). Climate change in action? Or just a side effect of the El Niño/La Niña cycle? Maybe neither, where’s a climatologist when you need one? It has been great to see some of our new sailors making the change from training or early morning sailing into afternoon racing. It can be daunting for the first few times
but just being out there, watching a start, getting around the marks and seeing what it’s all about can demystify the whole experience. I’m sure there are a few people reading this who have realised that it actually isn’t that big a change to make. I encourage everyone to get involved in the afternoon sailing because the breezes are generally better and having big marks helps a lot. There is always a big yellow powerboat out there is things get out of hand... If you don’t feel like racing feel free to just cruise around the vicinity of the course area (I say this so that the tower can keep an eye on what’s happening for safety reasons). Any sailing is good sailing! In February 2013 BYC will be trying something new. We are running twilight sailing sessions on Thursday evenings throughout February. This will be a great chance to get out for a mid-week sail with other people and see the sun going down over the bay. The format has yet to be decided on – it rather depends on what people want when they turn up. We can run short races, cruises, handling challenges or something else – just let us know. Suggestions are always welcome. Sailing will commence at around 6.30 and conclude at sundown. As you might have guessed it’s going to be pretty relaxed! Observant readers may have noticed that there is a long running advertisement missing from the back page of this issue and that there is something different about the Javelin storage area at the southern end of the Club. That’s right, Silly Moo has been sold! Interestingly it has now gone full circle and has been bought back by the original owner who is moving back into Javelins from 125s now that his kids have grown up. The Moo was built in the late 90’s by Windrush in WA and sailed in Victoria for several years at Chelsea YC. The boat was bought by Peter Sharp in 2001 as the Sharp family returned to Javelins after many years in Pacers. Peter sold the boat in 2007 to Roger Fagan who sailed the boat until 2009 when he sadly passed away. The Moo has remained in storage awaiting its Prince Charming who would sweep her off the top rack, blast away the years of dust and sand and sail her off into the sunset. Well, last week Prince Charming arrived in the form of her original owner Chris Ash and the boat… well it didn’t exactly sail into the sunset so much as was towed away to Chelsea to rejoin the Javelin fleet there. It’s great to see the Moo on the water again and being used and I’m sure Roger would be happy that it has gone to a good home. - Will Sharp
Merchandise The BYC merchandise range is still available! Currently the range is comprised of stubbie holders, a limited stock of hats and BYC branded polo shirts in both a standard and a CoolDry style. Samples of sizes and styles are available. For all orders or suggestions for other items to add to the range please contact Will Sharp (contact details inside front cover).
Cheap gear Anchor Marine is now offering 10% discounts on all stock if you are a member of a club, class association, or event. Be sure to mention the discount when paying. Fitting out a new boat? Head on in and have a chat, they can do much better than 10% for that!
New kid on the block BYC would like to welcome a new local chandlery to the Bayside area. OTB Marine is a specialist dinghy, skiff and stand up paddleboard supplier stocking all manner of gear and equipment from the big names in sailing. Head on down and check them out!
Showroom: 6/347 Bay Rd Cheltenham (near Reserve Rd, next to the carwash) Phone: (03) 9917 2554
www.otbmarine.com.au
Shipmate At a regatta and cant find a chandlery to replace broken bits and pieces? Get your hands on a Shipmate directory which lists all the chandleries and marine services in Victoria. They also have a great free iPhone app out so you have access to the entire directory anywhere. Visit www.shipmate.com.au for more information.
T IS COMMON for wind to vary in strength and direction. Variation in wind strength is relatively easy to detect through the changes in pressure on the sails. However, detecting changes in wind direction is more difficult. Changes in wind direction are called shifts. Being on the ‘ right side’ of a shift means that a boat will travel a shorter distance to reach its objective. In a dinghy racing environment the objective is the windward or leeward mark. For the purposes of this article I will concentrate on the windward leg. Shifts are caused primarily through:
Oscillating direction around a mean wind direction.
Gusts. New wind. But first some important terms:
A lift is when the direction of the wind changes so boat can be turned towards the windward mark without stalling the sails.
A knock is when the direction of the wind changes so that boat heading must be turned away from the windward mark in order to keep the sails properly set.
Types of wind variation Oscillating breeze. The direction of the prevailing breeze normally tends to oscillate around a mean direction over time. The period of oscillation is variable from day to day. However, for a normal race period, assuming wind speed and direction are constant the oscillation period will be fairly consistent. The best way to determine the oscillation period on a given day is to sail on one tack before the start and note the time intervals of the maximum and minimum boat headings.
Gusts are volumes of tumbling air. Dark ripples on the surface of the water signify the strength and breadth of gusts (note the darker the rippling the stronger the gust). As a gust is moving faster than the prevailing wind the leading edge develops a convex or fan shape to penetrate the slower downwind air mass. The port side of a gust will result in lift for a boat on starboard tack (conversely a knock for a port tack boat). The opposite applies on the starboard side of the gust.
New wind is a permanent shift in the direction of the wind for the remaining
period of the race. This could be the result of a weather pattern change such as a cold front or other shift which is usually predicted by the daily weather forecast. In addition, on a day where a strong sea breeze is forecast, this will normally mean that the direction at the Club will rotate through about 20 degrees from south west towards the south as the sea breeze matures from locally to regionally driven. Within these new winds the direction will also oscillate and deliver gusts.
What difference does it make? It is very difficult to detect changes in wind direction less than 5 degrees (or 2.5 degrees either side of the mean wind direction). This is due to a number of factors including continual steering adjustments to test the boat’s heading is as high as possible, wave interaction, apparent wind effects and the smaller more instantaneous changes in wind strength and direction. If the windward leg is set at 0.7 nautical mile or 1.3 km (a common length for Pacers in a moderate breeze) from the leeward mark, assuming no variation in wind direction the distance a boat would sail (ie the sum of the two sides of the triangle) is approximately 1 nautical mile or 1.85 km. A 5 degree impact over this distance equates to approximately 160 metres (41 Pacer boat lengths)…… and over a normal 3 lap race 480 metres! !
How to assess direction changes The most positive method is to use a compass. The main options for sailing are either a magnetic full circle ‘ floating’ card or the more expensive digital compasses. Without a compass the best method is to line up a fixed landmark generally on the direction of the boat’s heading as a reference point. This ok when a shore line is in the background but not much use when heading out to sea unless a course mark is in your field of view. The angle that other nearby boats are sailing on will also assist.
Something to remember If you have been sailing on a constant heading and the boat is lifted – be annoyed because until that time you have been sailing on a knock. So to sail the shortest distance upwind means that you are constantly searching for the next knock to tack on. - Peter Sharp
Won the Finn Bronze Medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. He also represented Australia in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games sailing the Finn
Skippered Australia II to victory in the America’s Cup, breaking the New York Yacht Club’s 132 year dominance. This victory was recognised by the Confederation of Australian Sport as the 'greatest team performance in the 200 years of Australian sport'
Conferred a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to yachting. He also released his biography entitled Born to Win. It was the best-selling biography in Australian publishing history at the time
Inducted as a life member into the International America’s Cup Hall of Fame
Appointed chairman of the Alannah and Madeline foundation. The foundation was named after the two children of Walter Mikac who were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The charity’s vision is that every child can live in a safe environment free from violence
Appointed Chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. The SAHOF comprises the legends of Australian sport. The SAHOF also awards The Don Award which was created to recognise the athlete who had the greatest capacity to inspire the nation
DISCOVER SAILING DAY 2012 ISCOVER SAILING DAY 2012 at BYC was a huge success. Not just for the Club but for sailing on a wider basis as the level of interest was very high. It was great to see the organisation and preparation that lead up to the day pay off as everything ran very smoothly and professionally. The weather didn't quite play along with what we had in mind as the nice N-NW breeze suddenly sprang from 10 to 20kts at 10am but it was a fun day and those who went out for their first taste of sailing really got their money's worth! The sailing generally went off without a hitch... apart from yours truly being the only person to send some unsuspecting new sailors for an impromptu swim... and then make them bail the boat out afterwards. Perks of being the skipper I guess. Lucky they took it very well and still had grins when we hit the shore. The day could not have happened without the massive efforts from so many people, both helping with the displays in the weeks leading up to Discover Sailing Day and the day itself. Thank you to the BBQ team, the welcomers, the registration-ers, the tower staff, the rescue boat and IRB staff, the beach marshals, the canteen crew and most of all, THE SAILORS! Those who spent hours going in and out, in and out with a seemingly endless parade of people who all wanted a taste of our great sport. It was a big effort for a small club but we all pitched in and ran a professional, organised event and it looked great. It made me proud to be a part of the BYC community. - Will Sharp
An 8 year old sailor’s perspective
BYC DSD STATISTICS GENERAL NUMBERS
I am Grace and I am eight years old. th
On Sunday, the 11 of November 2012, my Aunty Sarah took me to Discover Sailing Day at Beaumaris Yacht Club. I had a ride on both the sailing boat and the rubber ducky! Peter took me on the sailing boat. It was a very exciting experience! Now back at home I am trying to persuade my parents to let me join Tackers or lessons at Beaumaris Yacht Club! - Grace Jenkin
AGE GROUPS
52: Number of people taken out
0-10 years:
54: Percent male
11-20 years: 20%
46: Percent female
21-30 years: 5%
54: Percent were locals
31-40 years: 2%
54: Percent had never sailed before
41-50 years: 20%
92: Percent interested in learning to sail
50+ years:
21%
4%
DISPLAYS AND PROMOTION HE THREE PROMOTIONAL displays held at the Beaumaris Concourse shopping centre were a big success again this year. Good weather graced all of our displays meaning we were able to drop the extra date kept in reserve for bad weather. There was a great level of interest from passers-by and both training programs were virtually full much earlier than in previous years. A big thank you to everyone who helped out at the displays. It’s a team effort to organise and run the displays. They are an invaluable part of the Club’s promotion effort and we wouldn’t fill our training programs without them.
HANDLING THE BEAST AY, WAY, WAY back in the depths of winter (well, late May anyway…) Geoff and Chris Perkins headed off to Chelsea for a full-on weekend with the Yachting Victoria Powerboat Handing Course team. Rules and regulations, navigation, map reading, mooring and numerous other topics were examined in detail over three theory sessions followed by an on-water practical day learning the finer details of slow manoeuvring, coming alongside, driving at speed and more. These new skills will help them every week they are on the water keeping an ever watchful eye over the fleet. Well done guys, it’s great to have you on board!
NEW OPTIMISTS UNIOR TRAINING IS set to be a bit more colourful this season with the addition of two OziOpti Optimists. The boats have seen previous service with the Yachting Victoria Boatshed at Albert Park and the Club was able to secure them at short notice with the help of an interest free loan from the Berry family. The two Optimists will complement BYC’s existing fleet of Minnows and will allow our newest young sailors to experience two different classes of boat as they learn to sail.
SAILS FROM BENDIGO BANK YC WAS SUCCESSFUL again this year in the 2012 Community Grants program issued by the Beaumaris Community Bank. The grant will allow the Club to purchase two new Pacer mains for the fleet of Pacers used in the Adult Training Program. This will help us improve the effectiveness of our successful Adult Training Program. These sails will allow two of the older blue sails to be retired and be replaced by white sails emblazoned with Beaumaris Community Bank signage similar to the existing mains on Pacers 1 and 2. The sails have been ordered and will be available for use on the boats early in 2013.
VERY SPORT HAS
big moments, from the various codes of football to cricket, basketball, athletics and even skydiving (as illustrated by Felix Baumgartner’s recent record breaking skydive from the edge of space). Sailing is just such a sport. However when it comes to sailing the moments tend to be on a bigger scale due to the size of the boats involved, distance from land, amount of money or number of people involved. When a big moment in sailing happens people around the world knows about it! Humans have been travelling by sail for thousands of years with varying degrees of success and failure. Stories of brave souls battling the might of the open ocean have enraptured audiences for generations. Perhaps these attempts to master unconquerable oceans throughout history are what make us take notice when others attempt to take on the fury of nature. It is somewhat humbling to think that despite the advanced construction methods, safety equipment and navigation aids at our disposal, we are still very much at the mercy of the weather. Sailing is not very accessible for spectators so it is usually these big moments that bring the sport into the media and the public eye. Suddenly names like Bertrand, Slingsby, Cottee and Martin become commonplace. Locations like Bass Strait, Weymouth and the Southern Ocean become more than just words on a map. There are a number of moments in Australian sailing records that remain in the public consciousness and to a large extent have defined our sport among the wider population. Here, in no particular order, are the five greatest…
HE AMERICA’S CUP was for most of its history just that, a cup that stubbornly stayed in America. For 132 years the cup was retained by the New York Yacht Club – the longest winning streak ever recorded in sport. Then in 1983 along came Australia II, Alan Bond’s fourth attempt to wrest the cup from the grasp of the NYYC. Representing Royal Perth Yacht Club, Australia II made headlines around the world both for flying the now-famous Boxing Kangaroo flag from its rigging while being towed to the course area and for the secret weapon she carried under the waterline. Ben Lexcen’s winged keel is now the stuff of legend however during the 1983 America’s Cup nobody outside the Australian team knew about it. Australia II had to survive numerous attempts by the NYYC to disqualify her and enormous pressure from the media to reveal what had been done to the keel. The Australians draped large shrouds from the deck to the ground every time the boat was removed from the water, all the time increasing speculation in the media about what exactly was under there. Dennis Conner, 'Mr America's Cup', was charged with defending the Cup for the NYYC against the Australians. Australia II had made short work of the challenger fleet, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup in a resounding fashion and caused the America’s Cup to be on the front page of every newspaper in the USA. Anticipation was building with the notion quickly gaining ground that this might be the one, the series to end the NYYC’s dominance of the America’s Cup.
Australia II crosses the finish line in the final race of the series - securing the Cup and breaking the NYYC’s record winning streak
Early equipment problems on Australia II allowed Conner’s Liberty to get an early lead in the best of seven series, but Australian skipper John Bertrand battled back, eventually evening the series out at 3-3. The seventh and final race was symbolic of the entire series, with Liberty leading for most of the course in a light and shifty breeze. It was not until the final downwind spinnaker run that Australia II was able to edge into the lead; then hold it despite a last-gasp assault from the Americans in the last moments of the race. Arguably Australia’s greatest sporting achievement, Australia II had taken the series and with it the America’s Cup. For the first time in 132 years, the America's Cup left the New York Yacht Club.
John Bertrand (left) and Alan Bond celebrate with the Auld Mug. Not pictured: Bob Hawke declaring that bosses are bums
USTRALIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL
Olympic sailing campaign so far, the 2012 London Games threw the sport of sailing into the public eye in a sensational fashion. By day twelve of the Games, Australia still only had the single gold medal from the women’s swimming 4x100m relay and the media were beginning to wonder what had happened to the Australian team. Then along came the Australian in his Laser and overnight Tom Slingsby became a household name, winning Australia’s first individual gold medal of the 2012 Games and Australia’s first gold medal in the Laser. Suddenly sailing was on the front pages of the papers, in the evening news and getting regular mentions on Channel Nine’s coverage of the Games. Olympic sailing, which had rated barely a mention in the mainstream media prior to this, was now a big ticket event. One gold medal was fantastic but Slingsby’s win was just the beginning of a stellar regatta for the Australian team. Two days later Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen took top honours in the 49er medal race having amassed an unbeatable lead in the heats. They cruised around the course, simply needing to complete the race to win. Within hours they were standing on the top step of the dais.
Golden grins: Mat Belcher, Malcolm Page and a stuffed boxing kangaroo after winning the Men’s 470
After being the team to beat for several years leading up to the Games, Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page were the favourites for gold in the Men’s 470. A rocky first few races and some very stiff competition saw the Aussies head into their medal race with a four point lead over the second-placed team from Great Britain. They simply had to finish within one
Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen: Dominated the 49ers to become the 2012 Gold Medallists
That look says it all. Tom Slingsby celebrates coming back from a disappointing regatta at Beijing to take out top honours at London 2012
place of the British pair of Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell to claim the gold and after a very tight first lap took off downwind to finish second in the race to Britain’s fourth place. Malcolm Page made Australian sporting history when he became the first Australian sailor to successfully defend an Olympic gold medal after winning the same event at the 2008 Beijing Games with his previous skipper Nathan Wilmot. He was honoured for this achievement when he was chosen to be flag-bearer for the Australian team in the Closing Ceremony of the Games. The situation seemed perfect. Australia now had three gold medals in the sailing and had another prospect looming. The Elliot 6m Women’s Match Racing crew of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty were charging through the competition and had booked a place in the final against the Spanish team. A thrilling best of five races final ensured in some of the hardest conditions of the Games with big seas and winds of 20 to 25 knots, making for some very tense and exciting racing. After protests, penalties, a tangled spinnaker and Price being swept overboard, the Spaniards won the final 3-2. The Australians took home the silver in a very hard fought series.
Elliot 6m crew of Olivia Price, Lucinda Whitty and Nina Curtis. An amazing and hard fought regatta but unfortunately bested by the Spaniards in a thrilling final.
With three gold medals and one silver, London 2012 was a huge success for The Australian Sailing Team. The exposure sailing has received in the mainstream media can only be beneficial to the sport on a wider basis. Perhaps this exposure will generate a boost in the numbers of people taking up the sport – only time will tell.
FIVE GREATEST CONTINUED OVER PAGE...
HE 1998 SYDNEY to Hobart made Australian sailing history for all the wrong reasons. The 54th running of the blue water classic started just like previous events; noon on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, 1998. The 115 starters headed down the coast on the 628nm journey to Hobart, most expecting to complete the journey in three to four days. As the race was starting the Bureau of Meteorology was monitoring a large low pressure weather system that was developing in Bass Strait. This very deep low was producing large amounts of wind and wave activity and was looking like affecting Bass Strait right as the bulk of the fleet was going to be crossing the shallow stretch of water that separates Tasmania from mainland Australia. This low pressure system deepened even further as it entered Bass Strait and developed into an exceptionally strong storm with surface winds exceeding eighty knots and reports of breaking waves up to twenty-five metres high. The storm caused havoc amongst the fleet, with a record sixty-six boats retiring from the race, five boats sinking and the tragic deaths of six sailors.
Pocket maxi Bobsled getting blown sideways by the 80kt winds even with minimal sail
Fifty-five sailors had to be airlifted from their boats by helicopters, part of a rescue operation involving thirty-five military and civilian aircraft and twenty-seven Royal Australian Navy vessels, making it Australia’s largest ever peacetime rescue operation. The shockwaves from this tragedy throughout the Australian sailing community were profound. A coronial enquiry into the 1998 race was critical of both the race management and the Bureau of Meteorology. In December 2000 NSW Coroner John Abernethy found that the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia had “abdicated its responsibility to manage the race.” Abernethy: " From what I have read and heard, it is clear to me that during this crucial time the race management team played the role of observers rather than managers and that was simply not good enough." However acknowledgement was made of the CYCA's actions to upgrade safety standards and sailor qualifications and experience.
Business Post Naiad with the crew on deck and liferaft in the water. The boat was abandoned shortly after. NSW Water Police towed the drifting hull back to Eden the next day with the bodies of Bruce Guy and Phillip Skeggs still on board.
Abernethy was also critical of the Bureau of Meteorology for making little or no effort to notify the race management of a significantly upgraded weather forecast for Bass Strait when it was deemed to be common public knowledge that the race was scheduled to begin. Abernethy also required the Bureau to add maximum wind speed gust and wave height data to their forecasts. The day after the coronial report was released; the CYCA’s Race Director Phil Thompson resigned from his position after a scathing review of his performance during the race. Despite a raft of changes enacted by the CYCA after the 1998 tragedy that have without doubt made the race safer, ocean racing still remains an inherently dangerous pursuit. Needless to say, this has not dissuaded the hundreds of sailors who congregate on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day to pit themselves and their boats against the elements. And it is unlikely to do so in the future.
Sword of Orion - dismasted, abandoned and sinking. The crew was flown back to land one short. Glyn Charles had been lost overboard when the boat was knocked down by a rogue wave. His body was never found.
THE FALLEN: Glyn Charles – Sword of Orion
Michael Bannister – Winston Churchill
Bruce Guy – Business Post Naiad
John Dean – Winston Churchill
Phillip Skeggs – Business Post Naiad
James Lawler – Winston Churchill
EXTRA: Rescue of Tony Bullimore in 1997
In her 37 foot sloop Blackmore’s First Lady, Cottee departed from Watsons Bay in Sydney on 29 November 1987 and sailed back into Sydney Harbour on 5 June 1988 having set seven world records on her epic 189 day voyage. She was met by tens of thousands of spectators who had followed her travels. The journey wasn’t without incident. The most notable when she was washed overboard in the remorseless Southern Ocean, saved only by her two safety lines which tethered her to the boat. Suffering extensive bruising she managed to get back on board and continue her record attempt. Another noteworthy moment (albeit somewhat more positive) was rounding Cape Horn, one of the most notorious stretches of sea in the world. Cottee celebrated her successful rounding of the Cape with a lunch of crab, mayonnaise, bread she baked on board and a bottle of Penfolds Grange. Since her voyage Kay Cottee has written two books, First Lady, about her record circumnavigation and All at sea on land, about her life since the journey. Cottee is also a motivational speaker who has raised over $1,000,000 for the Life Education Centres of Reverend Ted Noffs. Kay Cottee was chairperson of the Australian National Maritime Museum from 1995 to 2001. In 2000, Blackmores First Lady was acquired by the museum and placed on permanent display. In 1988 Cottee was named Australian of the Year and has also been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
T AGE 17, Jesse Martin, OAM departed Melbourne on a voyage around the world. He arrived back in Melbourne on 31 October 1999 at age 18 to become the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe non-stop and unassisted. Martin’s voyage in the 35 foot sloop Lionheart-Mistral took 328 days and covered 27,000 nautical miles. He chronicled his adventures in the book Lionheart: A Journey of the Human Spirit, and his story was made into a television documentary. Since completing his voyage the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) have discontinued the “Youngest Sailor” category as they no longer recognise “Human Condition” records. This means Martin remains the youngest solo non-stop and unassisted sailor to cross opposite points of the globe in a single round the world voyage (this is in contrast to Jessica Watson’s journey in 2010 when Watson was deemed to have not covered the required amount of distance to qualify for an official “Around the World” title. Regardless, it remains an amazing feat of human spirit and endurance)
HILE IT DIDN’T involve an Australian sailor, this event certainly held the attention of the nation for five days and made headlines around the world. Tony Bullimore is a British sailor who was competing in the 1996 Vendee Globe solo around the world race. The 1996 race was marked by several incidents including the death of competitor Gerry Roufs. On 5 January 1997 Bullimore’s boat Exide Challenger capsized in the Southern Ocean after the keel failed and separated from the hull. Most media reports assumed Bullimore was lost as there were no signs of life from the upturned boat. The Royal Australian Navy launched a rescue mission for Bullimore and another capsized competitor, Thierry Dubois. On 9 January Dubois was rescued by an RAN Seahawk helicopter operating from the frigate HMAS Adelaide. Adelaide then proceeded further south where the Exide Challenger had been located by a RAAF P-3 Orion. Adelaide sent a RIB to the upturned boat where crew members knocked on the hull. Upon hearing the noise Bullimore swam out from under the boat and was quickly rescued by navy personnel. Bullimore had managed to survive for almost five days in an air pocket inside the boat; his only food was a chocolate bar. It was later calculated that he would have run out of air after six days in the air pocket. During the return journey to Fremantle with Dubois, Bullimore made a point of meeting with every member of HMAS Adelaide’s crew to personally thank them for saving his life. This incident brought into sharp focus the dangers of solo sailing especially in the Southern Ocean and the costs of mounting rescue operations (Bullimore’s rescue was estimated to have cost the ADF $6-7 million in 1997). Sadly it would be less than a year before the debate was reignited due to the 1998 Sydney to Hobart.
Bullimore greets members of the Adelaide’s crew
AY COTTEE, AO was the first female sailor to perform a solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the world. Born into a Sydney sailing family, Cottee developed the ambition to circumnavigate the world early in her childhood. During her twenties she became a skilled boat builder; personally modifying her own boat to prepare it for her circumnavigation attempt.
In 2002 Martin embarked on a second voyage around the world on board a 54 foot ketch Kijana with a group of friends. Unfortunately this trip came to an end after 10 months due to a combination of the weather, tensions among the crew and business interests. Using an advance from writing his second book Kijana: The Real Story, Martin purchased the Polynesian catamaran Imajica in the Philippines and relocated it to Papua New Guinea. He now takes paying guests on expeditions throughout Papua New Guinea. Martin was named the Young Victorian of the Year in 2000. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2002.
The upturned Exide Challenger in the Southern Ocean
Martin’s record sparked intense media scrutiny at the time, both within Australia and throughout the western world about the morals of allowing ever younger sailors to attempt a long and perilous journey. This debate was revisited eleven years later when Jessica Watson completed her circumnavigation at the age of 16. Watson had to battle the legal system as well as public opinion to even be able to attempt her journey and much conjecture remains to this day about her voyage.
MILLION
Clipper Round the World Race
THOUSAND
Estimated total audience for the 2011-12 Race
Kilometres of sailing for the full circumnavigation
DID YOU KNOW: Anyone can compete in the Clipper Race, you just need to apply. No experience necessary! Sailors can com-
The (Beaumaris) Sailor’s Alphabet “A” is for ʻA.G.M.ʼ Get it done quick!
“Q ” is for ʻquakeʼ at your maiden capsize.
“B” is for ʻbriefingʼ. Willʼs funny and slick.
“R” is for ʻreliefʼ as you see the mast rise.
“C” is for ʻcleatʼ. Beats the old-fashioned way!
“S” is for ʻsafetyʼ - it always comes first.
“D” is for ʻdim simsʼ at the end of the day.
“T” is for ʻtowerʼ, with procedures rehearsed.
“E” is for ʻexpertsʼ to teach the trainees.
“U” is ʻupside-downʼ - it’s occasion for gloom.
“F” is for ʻfruit bunʼ. They slip down with ease.
“V” is for ʻvangʼ ʻtween the mast and the boom.
“G” is for ʻgullsʼ as they crowd on the reef.
“W” is for ʻwaterʼ, and ʻwindʼ, which we need.
“H” is for ʻHelp! ʼ if you’re coming to grief!
“X ” is for ʻX -factorʼ - gives you more speed!
“I” is for ʻintelligenceʼ. (Sailors have more.)
“Y” is for ʻyacht clubʼ, ʻcause that’s where it’s done.
“J” is for ʻjuiceʼ that you drink with a straw.
“Z ” is for ʻzenithʼ of pleasure and fun. Now that the alphabet all is complete, Come sail a boat in the Beaumaris fleet!
“K” is for ʻkitchen staffʼ cutting up lunch. “L” is that ʻlunchʼ that we swallow and munch. “M” is for ʻMars barsʼ. They sure hit the spot!
Stephen Whiteside
“N” is for ʻnortherlyʼ - gusty and hot. “O” is ʻoff the beachʼ - it’s the best way to sail. “P” is for ʻpythonʼ, your hunger to nail.
Where t Club h c a Y s i r Beauma aumaris e B , t n i o P Ricketts yc.com s i r a m u a www.be When th till 8 y 13 a th January 20 Tuesd y 12 Saturda now! s u t c a 2571 Cont 6 8 6 9 .au tter Tom Co chtingvictoria.com ya tcotter@
BOATS All identical, 70 feet long, weighing 34 tonnes and carrying 514m2 of sail
COUNTRIES Visited during the Race over eight separate legs
MONTHS At sea for those completing the full circumnavigation
plete single or multiple legs or sail the whole race from start to finish. Very big boat and experienced skipper supplied. BYO courage, tenacity and resilience.
Bouyancy? BRIAN DOIG discusses why boats float and how the Imperial measurement system just makes things far too complicated compared to the metric system SAILOR WHOSE boat is on a swing mooring needs a tender to get out to his boat. Usually the sailor owns a dinghy, and rows or motors to the mooring. However, in some circumstances, there may be a mud-bank to traverse to reach the water. How can the sailor manage to cross both the mud and the water?
Here is the calculation in Imperial measurements: Instructions: 1.
Measure the length and width of the boat with a tape measure. Measure the depth of the boat from the bottom of the boat to the top of its side. Multiply the length by the width and the result by the depth. If your boat's sides are 18 inches, or 1.5 feet, high and the boat is 9 feet long and 4 feet wide, multiply 1.5 by 9 by 4. The result is 54, the volume of your boat in cubic feet.
2.
Decide how much of the boat, also called the amount of positive buoyancy, you want your boat to have. If you want to have 50 percent of your boat's sides out of the water, use 0.50. If you want 75 percent of your boat's sides out of the water, use 0.75.
3.
Multiply your boat's volume, 54; by the amount of the boat you want underwater - for example, 50 percent, or 0.50. Multiply the result, 27, by 62.4, the weight of 1 cubic foot of fresh water. The result, 1,684.8 is the number of pounds of buoyant force keeping half of your boat out of the water.
Well, this enterprising sailor (pictured) set about building a plywood, flat-bottomed mud-slider that could also double as a small punt as well. He decided to use a single sheet of 8’ x 4’ ply-wood, cut it into two sides and a bottom: then bend the bottom up at both ends to simplify the building (see picture). On the mud, no problems, but on the water, would it float with him in it? He wondered “Would it have enough buoyancy?’” Well you all know how to calculate the buoyancy don’t you? Remember secondary school science and density and Archimedes principle and so on? Thanks to the Internet we can find some help. Here is one helpful site: http://www.ehow.com/how_8056787_calculate-buoyancysmall-boat.html# ixzz29KHN5IG7
Hmm! However, our sailor says: “This calculation thanks to the metric system I was able to do in my head. A litre is a cube with 10cm sides and each litre of water weighs on kilogram. The bottom area of the tender was to be 2m or 20 dm (dm is a decimetre or 10cm) by 0.5 or 5 dm. Thus the bottom area would be 100 square dm (20dm x 5 dm) So if the tender were depressed 1dm … in the water it would displace 100 litres and support 100kg. “ Our sailor’s reasoning and calculation shows that he had a very good science teacher somewhere indeed.
(Taken from the Australian Amateur Boat Builder, Number 77, page 11).
NOBODY CAN DENY that for the past decade sailing was a sport in the doldrums. Falling participation rates, a record drought all but extinguishing Victorian inland sailing, rising costs associated with membership and insurance and an outward appearance of exclusivity and inaccessibility. All coupled with a growing level of unease within clubs regarding the direction the sport was headed and the support they felt they needed but weren’t getting. The new Discover Sailing program from Yachting Australia has been introduced in 2012 to change that. WILL SHARP explains just what the Discover Sailing initiative is all about, why it was implemented, what has changed and what this means for sailing now and into the future. It’s a lot of words but stick with it!
HOW AND WHY Yachting Victoria had long been running a state-based participation program named Go Sailing. Go Sailing was successful in that it opened up the sport to the general public and aimed to dispel the myths and preconceptions people held about sailing. It aimed to get people into clubs, get them into a boat and let them experience what it was all about. But it was hard work. Yachting Victoria was alone in running Go Sailing Day and it was tough breaking into the public psyche to position sailing as a viable alternative to other sports for kids such as soccer, basketball, little athletics, tennis etc. In June 2011 Yachting Australia received funding from the Australian Sports Commission to provide data and research on perceptions of sailing held by the general community and perceived barriers for participation. Market research firm Gemba was appointed for this task.
CLUB FOCUS Discover Sailing is aimed purely at increasing participation in sailing at a club level. This ‘bottom up’ approach to funding is a departure from recent times which saw a focus on the far easier ‘top down’ method of funding elite levels. This ‘build it and they will come’ approach may have been easier to implement, manage and measure but is an out dated and unproven method of increasing participation levels and enjoying greater success at an international level. Clubs will enjoy the benefits of the Discover Sailing initiative though increased community awareness, increased participation and retention of sailors, increased support from their state and territory associations and hopefully as the years go by, an increased level of success at an international (and especially Olympic) level.
BYC FOCUS BYC was very involved in the Go Sailing program for many years, using it as a vehicle to attract new people to the club. The change to Discover Sailing alters little in the way the Club approaches its early season promotions and publicity. The club still runs the displays at the Beaumaris Concourse shopping centre and last year was able to run a display at the bi annual Beaumaris Primary School fete which was a great success. The difference this year is that many people who came to find out more at our displays had already heard of Discover Sailing. They had seen the posters in shops, libraries, schools and businesses. Many had already visited the website. Discover Sailing gave BYC a marketing tool which the club was able to use to relate what we have to offer to the community. Couple that with some fantastic assistance from Yachting Victoria with the supply of a range of promotional material including flyers, banners, showbags, hats and flags and suddenly sailing was able to present a cohesive, inclusive and open front.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT The Gemba report recommended far more emphasis to be placed on educating the community about sailing, making clubs more welcoming places for new sailors and providing more information about where to go and who to see for people who are interested in getting involved. It also suggested developing a national participation brand as well as nationalising the concept of Go Sailing Day. Thus the Discover Sailing brand was born and the Go Sailing moniker was dropped. Discover Sailing was chosen as the new brand as it resonated with the majority of those surveyed by Gemba. As a name it appears to place more emphasis on fun, curiosity, trying new things and paints sailing as an experience rather than a sport. Nationalising the Discover Sailing brand as well as the Discover Sailing Days also provides more scope for marketing by Yachting Australia and the State and Territory Associations. Thus, they can speak with ‘ one voice’ and connect with a larger segment of the community. Discover Sailing is not just a brand or logo – it is an entire program and associated change within the sport at all levels that seeks to significantly improve the communication and delivery of sailing to people who are not currently participating. The program recognises that sailing competes with a number of other sports and leisure options. Sailing needs to raise the relevance of the activities that are delivered and present them in a way that meets the expectations of the wider community.
TIMELINE
GEMBA REPORT FINDINGS
2010
There was a low level of passion and participation in sailing among the wider community
Yachting Australia successfully bids for $1.6m in extra funding over four years for three new participation brands, Tackers, Sailability and a new entry brand which was to become Discover Sailing.
Sailing was seen as the most ‘ exclusive’ sport and was not seen as very accessible On average the starting age of sailing is much higher than other sports with established
2011 Yachting Australia creates the new position of Sport Development Director and Participation Manager. This role coordinates national sailing participation programs with both the Australian Sports Commission and State and Territory Associations (ie Yachting WA, Yachting Victoria). It was filled in June 2011 by Ross Kilborn, until then the CEO of Yachting Victoria.
2011 - June Yachting Australia officially states that it lacks insights and data about sailing participation. The Australian Sports Commission agrees to provide additional funding for the necessary research and appoints Gemba, a market research firm who will provide the insights and data Yachting Australia needs.
2011 - August Yachting Victoria appoints new CEO Steve Walker. Steve came to Yachting Victoria from Netball Victoria where he was deeply involved in returning netball’s focus to its roots at club level and increasing participation and community awareness.
2011 - December Gemba delivers their final report and its results prove to be no great surprise to the smaller clubs who have been battling for years to attract and retain members. Needless to say, when stated in in black and white it is still a lot to take in for the sailing community.
2012 Implementation of the Discover Sailing program by Yachting Victoria. So far, so good!
with sailing ranked 37th and 34th in passion and participation respectively out of 46 sports
junior programs. Sailing has a similar age profile to golf
Primary and secondary school aged children and teenagers, young adults and young families have the highest interest in participating in sailing
Relaxation is consistently the most important reason for sailing participation among both current sailors and those interested in sailing
The main barrier for future participation is the perceived cost of sailing, especially among young adults and young families
DISCOVER SAILING DAYS Victoria was given the opportunity to experience the exciting sport of sailing and find out what goes on inside their local clubhouse as a part of the state wide Discover Sailing Day initiative. Discover Sailing Day allows prospective sailors of all ages who may never have sailed before to go for a sail with an experienced skipper to see if they like it. A number of off the beach dinghies or keelboats take people out so they can experience sailing first hand. Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones said, “Australia’s sailors were undoubtedly the success story of the London Olympics. This has created a great opportunity for sailing in Australia to reach more people than ever before and introduce them to our exciting sport.” Singles, couples and families enjoyed the activities. In addition to the sailing there were safety boat rides, tours of clubs and their facilities, enrolments into Learn to Sail programs and plenty of club representatives around who were fielding questions of all sorts! “We have recognised the need to break down some of the perceptions that our local communities hold around yacht clubs and sailing in general,” said Discover Sailing Program Manager Gavin Wall. “This is a unique opportunity for the whole family to visit the local club, get their feet wet and have a true sailing experience.” Discover Sailing Days are free to attend and all boats and safety equipment are provided by the club. Run by Yachting Victoria, the program uses its website, a range of promotional resources and a nationally-supported brand to encourage increased club involvement and new memberships.
THE FUTURE There can be little argument that Discover Sailing Day 2012 was a success. Indeed as the results from BYC alone show, interest was very high among the community. However it remains to be seen if this interest and anecdotal reports (Yachting Victoria has yet to release detailed results from the Day) of interest at other clubs was due to the new Discover Sailing brand and the nationwide marketing that accompanied it or if the increase in interest was due to the amazing level of publicity garnered for sailing from the success of the Australian Sailing Team at the London Olympics. It is very likely to be a combination of the two. In what proportions remains to be seen. Regardless of where the seed of interest in sailing originated, the Discover Sailing initiative is off to a flying start. Hopefully with careful management and the willingness to tweak the program where needed, sailing’s Australian peak body can use Discover Sailing to attract the next generation of sailors – some of whom no doubt we will see soon enough on the world, and indeed the Olympic stage.
Vale Frank Bethwaite DFC OAM 26.05.1920 - 12.05.2012 RANK BETHWAITE PASSED away peacefully after a short illness on Saturday 12 May 2012, surrounded by his family. A pioneer in small boat design and research, Frank was the author of “High Performance Sailing” (1992) and “Higher Performance Sailing” (2002) and had just completed his third book on apparent wind sailing to be published later this year by Adlard Coles. Born in Wanganui, New Zealand in 1920, Frank learned to sail on the Wanganui River, building his own boats, experimenting with rigs and hull designs. He joined the Royal NZ Air Force during World War II and flew bombing raids in the Pacific for which he was awarded the DFC. Frank met and married Adelaide (Nel) Mills, a cipher officer in the air force, in 1945 and moved to Torbay, just north of Auckland. Continuing his interest in flying, Frank joined TEAL (later Air New Zealand), at the same time experimenting with model aeroplanes to find the most efficient wing shapes in competition. After five years of testing various designs and studying thermal lifts along the coastline, Frank won the world endurance record of over nine hours aloft in 1952. This was followed by 2 more world records. Four children were also born over 11 years. Frank and Nel moved to Sydney with the family in 1959 after Frank joined the CSIRO for the visionary cloud seeding project, settled in Northbridge and immediately became active members at the Northbridge Sailing Club, forming a group that designed the Northbridge Senior (NS14), a small light sailing boat that women could sail as well as men. The NS14 proliferated on the east coast of NSW and is still racing in various pockets today. In the early 60s, under Frank’s guidance and leadership and the teaching by volunteer club members, several hundred children learned to sail. Numerous State, National and World Champions evolved from this initiative. By 1968 Frank had established a small manufacturing company called Starboard Products inside an old dance hall at Naremburn. While producing wooden masts and other parts for boats, he also conducted experiments on wind flowing over sails inside a small wind tunnel that he created on the premises. Using smoke piped through straws, he was able to photograph the disturbed air, which lead to further experiments shaping masts to promote power. Only satisfied if the experiments were measurable and repeatable, Frank’s knowledge of airflow over masts and sails became extraordinary, leading to innovative breakthroughs in rig design and performance. In 1972 and 1976, Frank assisted the Australian Olympic Sailing Team as the team meteorologist, and the research that he did for those Games formed the basis for his book entitled “High Performance Sailing”, published in 1992 and translated into 12 languages.
Frank designed a new boat in 1975 called the Tasar, with a minimum weight limit to encourage adults (men and women) to sail and race competitively. This was picked up by the international boat building and marketing company Performance Sailcraft, owner of the highly successful Laser racing dinghy. Tasar manufacturers were established in Canada, the UK, Japan and Australia and numbers have reached 3000 Worldwide. The 1980s and 1990s saw Frank involved with Sydney’s famous 18ft skiffs, assisting Dave Porter on the “KB” to a world championship. At the same time, he was also consulted for the Little America’s Cup, collaborating with his innovative way of thinking and research that lead to several victories.
Frank Bethwaite conducting his last rig experiments in the Woollahra Sailing Club carpark in March 2012. Photo: Nicky Bethwaite
Frank’s younger son, Julian, was now part of the design business at Starboard Products and the two of them formed a formidable team, bouncing ideas off each other and working together to produce the most incredible skiffs that Sydney Harbour has ever seen. By 1995 Julian had come up with the 49er concept and with Frank’s very practical assistance the boat was developed into the Olympic skiff that was selected for the 2000 Sydney Games. 15 years later, the same hull has just been selected for the 2016 Games in a new skiff class for women, as no other hull since has been able to match it for performance, consistency in production, cost and accessibility. In 2000, the business name was changed to Bethwaite Design. Frank’s interest in helping people to learn to sail faster took a new turn in the early 2000’s with his collaboration on a new sailing simulator. Modelled on a Laser, he worked with several others on developing the software that most realistically represented actual sailing conditions – unsteady breezes, the power of hiking and steady steering and tested this out on the top Laser sailors in Australia. He wasn’t satisfied until the results on the simulator reflected the results on the actual race course, and once this was a reality, he then set about making the simulator as portable as possible, so as to give sailing clubs the most access possible. Right up until April 2012 you could find Frank driving around the local carpark with a specially constructed miniature mast and sail fixed to the passenger window of the car videoing the effect of the wind across the sail at various speeds. His object was to find at what speed the flow became delaminar, the fact that he needed to do this in a car rather than out on the water reflecting the increased speeds of the boats that he helped to create decades ago. In 2000 Frank Bethwaite was awarded an OAM for Services to Sport. Frank Bethwaite is survived by his wife of 67 years, Nel, his four children Christine, Mark, Nicky and Julian, and his five grandchildren Campbell, Luci, Harry, Angus and Alex. - Nicky Bethwaite Reproduced with permission from the Bethwaite family
Frank Bethwaite in 2000 when he received the Order of Australia Medal for his services to sport.
WANTED USED PACER AND MINNOW SAILS FOR THE BYC TRAINING FLEET. MAINSAILS, JIBS AND SPINNAKERS. CONTACT PAUL HARDIE 9583 3363
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$ 6,000 ONO Contact Rod Smith 0409 172 583