Racing Association

Whether a supremely ambitious Olympic hopeful or a relative sailing novice still wet behind the ears, boat owner or not, the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia can offer you year-round competitive sailing at a level to suit.

The experience of the sailors may differ greatly and their craft may come in all shapes and sizes and from all parts of the financial spectrum, but there is one constant that is guaranteed: the thrill and the exhilaration that comes with racing out on the water.

Competitive racing comes in many forms, from the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race – the Club is proud to have three past winners among its ranks – which is as adrenaline-fuelled as it gets – right through to the far more laid-back Twilight Sailing that takes place on Wednesday evenings. Here, in truth, the post-race beer or glass of wine, Clubhouse banter and socialising forms as much a part of the enjoyment as does the racing itself.

The Racing Association oversees all racing activities at the CYCSA. A comprehensive calendar includes Windward/Leeward and Fixed Mark course racing, Offshore, Twilight and Shorthanded series, Ladies Helm events and Regattas.

The fleet at the CYCSA comprises Division 1, Division 2, IRC and AMS divisions. Racing is conducted in Winter and Summer seasons on the following days:

Summer

Wednesday (Twilight Series from 1800)

Saturday (Club Championship Racing from 1300)

Sunday (Regattas only)

Winter

Saturday (Short-handed Series from 1300)

Sunday (Winter Series from 1200)

A large number of series are run throughout the season. As their name suggests, they consist of a number of races, with one point being awarded to the winner, two points for second and so on. Points are totalled up over the course of the series, with the victor being the sailor with the lowest aggregate score. Series reward consistent performers and the more frequent competitors are often allowed to discount their worst scores, provided they race in the stipulated minimum number of events.

Series raced at the CYCSA include:

Club Inshore Series

This series consists of a combination of windward/leeward and fixed mark courses over the course of 12 races for Div 1 and Div 2.

Coaster Series

The Coaster Series consists of 6 coastal (Category 6) races, conducted during daylight hours.

Offshore Series

The Offshore Series is made up of 3 races over 150nm and 4 races under 100nm. All Offshore Races are Category 3.

Irc Series

While all boats can compete under the Club handicap (PHS), an IRC division is also offered for Division 1 and Division 2. Boats competing under IRC may nominate for the elite South Australian IRC Championship. This series is open to all boats in the State who hold a current IRC and Category 3 Certificate.

Ams Series

An AMS division was established in season 201314 and is also offered for Division 1 and Division 2. Boats competing under AMS may nominate for the South Australian AMS Championship. This series is open to all boats in the State who hold a current AMS and Category 3 Certificate.

Twilight Series

Twilight racing is extremely popular during the summer season. The CYCSA offers two Wednesday Twilight Series - one before Christmas and one after. The Twilight Series is a great opportunity for novice racers and casual sailors to experience the thrill of competing in a large fleet. No spinnakers are allowed in this series, thus alleviating the need for experienced crew on board. Races start around 6pm and the evening culminates with dinner, presentations and prizes. Twilight Racing is a great opportunity to break up the working week and make some new friends.

Winter Series

From May through to August the CYCSA conducts the Winter Series. This series runs parallel with a Combined Winter Series held in conjunction with the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron. Typically, the combined Winter Series fleet sees 30+ boats out on the water every second Sunday. Race days typically start with a cooked breakfast on the Club patio, followed by the prize-giving after the race.

SHORT-HANDED SERIES

The Short-handed Series is run on sporadic Saturdays from May-August. Conducted as a Category 6 series, it is open to boats crewed by two able persons 18 years and over. In 2012 the Racing Association introduced a Category 3 Short-handed Destination Race to Pt Vincent. The Short-handed Series usually ends with a few beers on the patio with the rest of the fleet. There are also a number of premier events and regattas throughout the season which are featured in more detail elsewhere in this publication.

One other event worthy of note is the Commodores Shield, an interclub series for keelboat yachts on the register of the CYCSA and our neighbours, the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (RSAYS). Results from three regattas - the Premier’s Cup, Queen of the Gulf and Great Southern – are aggregated and then comes the crunch: the losing Commodore has to present the Shield to the winning Commodore, after it has been suitably engraved with the name of the season’s winner. It’s fair to say this is one neither club wants to lose!

Don’t worry if you don’t have a boat, you can still experience the thrill that comes with racing. Regardless of skill level, there are always plenty of opportunities for people who are interested in sailing to participate as crew members at the CYCSA, all you need to do is contact the Race Office to register your interest. A ‘Crew Available’ form can also be found on the website. Interested sailors fill in their details, alerting shorthanded skippers to their availability.

For new sailors, the Twilight Series is the best series to ensure a position on a boat and meet skippers, though for those with a little more sailing experience, good crew are always in demand for the more competitive Summer Series and Offshore Series.

Enthusiasm, reliability and a willingness to learn are arguably three of the most sought-after qualities among beginners. There is no substitute for competitive experience, but new sailors can get a foot up by signing up for a course at our highly-regarded Marine Academy, which has a wide variety of courses available for those wishing to learn how to sail or improve their current skills.

In 2020, the Club introduced the Memberpoint Application, which enables prospective members to sail at the Club and use the Clubhouse facilities after racing. Other benefits include Australian Sailing personal accident insurance for the day.

A sort of ‘pay as you play’ scheme for wouldbe yacht racers, the CYCSA Day Pass allows prospective members to race as many times as they like for a nominal fee before they may decide to commit to the annual Racing Association membership.

Details of current Racing Association Membership Fees can be viewed on the Club website, which also carries a CYCSA Casual Day Pass application form.