After the start - a magnificent day on Victoria Harbour Photograph:David Staley

March Short Course Heats

The Short Course Racing Series continued at Docklands today with 9 boats competing on a beautiful sunny day.  Winds were generally light northerlies, but the strength was up and down and there were some massive wind-shifts to keep things challenging.

The Victorian Special Olympics Sailing Team are also using the series to help prepare for their National Regatta being held in Adelaide next month.

Racing was tight in the 2.3 division, with Andrew Cook, Cadeyrn Gaskin and Carl Douglas all taking race wins.  Carl was the strongest improver on the day, taking the last race.  Andrew maintains a healthy lead on progressive scores followed by Krista Bailey.  Cadeyrn Gaskin has clawed some points back after sailing the previous round in a 303 to train for the Access Class Nationals.  It was worth it as Cadeyrn and crew Gavin Dagley are now National Champions.

The next scheduled heats are on Sunday April 11.

Other Links
	Progressive Results
	Notice of Race
	Sailing Instructions

Wooden Boat Festival

The Melbourne Wooden Boat Festival was held in Docklands from February 19-21.  The event was designed to promote wooden boat heritage and connect the broader public with the spirit of timber boating, bringing together all of the major wooden boat and classic yacht groups in and around Melbourne.

Wooden boat enthusiasts enjoyed seeing dozens of beautiful timber vessels, from the very old to the new, along with competitions and entertainment.

Other activities included boat maintenance master classes, engine, rig, sail and paint demonstrations, and the Come & Try Sailing activity conducted on the Sunday by Docklands Yacht Club.

The Melbourne Wooden Boat Festival adds to a growing calendar of events on Port Phillip and compliments the existing events at Sorrento, Queenscliff and Geelong. 

Vice Commodore Cadeyrn Gaskin competed in the 2.3 single person and 303 two person divisions of the Access Class Australian Championships Photograph:David Staley

DYC sailors excel at Access Nationals

A number of Docklands Yacht Club members have posted excellent results at the 2010 Australian Access Class Championships held at Royal Brighton Yacht Club from January 14-17. 

Our sailors’ placings contributed significantly to Victoria winning the overall team trophy for the first time in the 15 year history of the national competition.  The Victorian Championships were also held concurrently with the Nationals and DYC featured prominently.

Vice-Commodore Cadeyrn Gaskin teamed with Mordialloc’s Gavin Dagley to win the 303 two-person competition sailing one of the new DYC 303s.  This was the biggest division fleet of the regatta with 15 boats.  Gaskin & Dagley won from Chris Cook & Zac Heuchmer (NSW) by one point after posting three race wins.

Roy Jewell paired with Joan Andrews from Albert Park Yacht Club in the other new DYC boat to finish 6^th.  Alison Weatherly, sailing with Special Olympics sailor Sarah Millsom, placed 10^th.

In the 303 single-person fleet, Alison finished 2^nd overall, secured with a win in the final big breeze race.  This placing in a strong fleet resulted in Alison being awarded the Best Female at the regatta.

Andrew Cook placed 2^nd in the Access 2.3 division, just a single point behind 2010 Australian Champion Charles Weatherly from Ballarat.  Cadeyrn Gaskin was 7^th in the 13 boat fleet and Krista Bailey finished 10^th.

Krista also sailed in the 4 boat SKUD 18 division with Canberra sailor Michael Leydon.  They finished 3^rd after a tight battle with the New Zealand crew.

All of Dockland’s 11 Access Class boats were transported to and from Brighton for the event.  Those not used by club members were chartered to sailors travelling from interstate.

DYC has been identified by Sailability Victoria as its “Development Centre of Achievement”.  As a result of this, the majority funding for two new Access 303s was provided by Sailability from a grant received from the Yulgilbar Foundation, a Myer Family Trust. 

With DYC’s regular short course racing program, hosting training days and regattas for the Victorian Special Olympics Sailing Team, encouragement of new sailors to take up competitive sailing and strong representation at the National Championships, the Club is already fulfilling its role as a key Victorian development centre.

Other Links
	Event Information & Results

A strong fleet enjoyed the short course racing in December Photograph:David Staley

Short Course Racing Underway

The Docklands Short Course Racing Series has only managed to be sailed on two days so far this season but there is growing interest in the competition. 

In December, a number of new sailors joined in the seven heats, racing along with members of Victoria’s Special Olympics Sailing Team.  On January 10, 5 races were run on trapezoid courses to help sailors prepare for the Access Nationals the following week at Brighton.

Andrew Cook currently has a clear lead in the 2.3s with Jim McGoldrick ahead in the 303s.

Scheduled over 8 Sundays from September through April, the Docklands Short Course Series is open to Access 2.3, Access 303 and other classes. 

The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are available via the links below.

Other Links
	Notice of Race
	Sailing Instructions
	Series Results January 2010