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I was joined in Port Fairy by Lieutenant Commander Steve Gibson and Karen who stayed on the yacht Saturday and Sunday nights while attending the Festival. Steve had planned to sail back with me but after the weather turned bad on Sunday and continued into Monday I couldn’t see departure being before Wednesday and he had to get back for work commitments. The yacht ‘Youth’ came in on Saturday with a crew of three heading to Hobart via Currie and the West Coast of Tas. Alan Quigley the skipper did a world circumnavigation in this boat in the late sixties and early seventies. This included his steel boat being crushed and the beam reduced by 250mm by an out of control merchant ship in the Canary Islands. He carried out temporary repairs with canvas and sailed the boat home via the West Indies and Panama. It took him 3 years to fix it on his return and it still looks in extremely good condition. They also were good company. Departed Port Fairy at 0500 on Wednesday 14 March with a NE 15 knot wind behind me for the first 5 hours when it dropped off to nothing and then came in from the South East at 12 knots. Instead of tacking out into Bass Strait I continued on the engine with the idea that once I rounded Cape Otway I would reach up the coast to Port Phillip. There was a 2m SW swell and 2.5m SE sea at this time and I started to get knocked back from around 4 knots to 1.5 every big wave. I also thought I smelt something burning, scouted around down below, couldn’t see anything but thought the engine seemed a bit hot. So I went up top raised the staysail and hove to while I stopped the engine and checked it out. The oil was down a bit so I added some but couldn’t find anything else wrong. Started engine propulsion again, dropped and secured the staysail and continued on. Later heard on the radio that there was a fire in the Otways. Perhaps that was what I could smell. As usually happens SODS Law came into effect as I rounded the Cape at 2100 and the wind changed the NE , again on the nose. There was not chance of me reaching the heads in a short time so once again I headed for Apollo Bay. Coming in through the Henty Reef/ Harley Point passage I could see the top green lead but could not see the bottom sectored white/red light very often. I think it was because of my low , height of eye. Having checked the location of the reef on the hard chart and then confirmed it on the Chart Plotter and located my past track on the Chart Plotter I was confident of my course over the ground. This was 10 degrees off my compass course as I was being pushed by a 1.5 knot ebb tide. Coming into the Bay the bright lights of an Offshore Supply Vessel anchored there dimmed the harbour inlet lights. The leads to the entrance shine over the groyne and it is important to have them lined up before attempting the entrance. I was alongside at 2300. Next day after a shower at the public toilet/shower that is kept very clean by the Harbourmaster/s department, and lunch at the pub with Peter Lalor, I left the harbour at 1540 and reached up the coast with genoa , being driven by a 15 knot SW and the engine at around 7 knots. As I drew closer to the Heads I came into the sea-lane and sighted 2 large ships. The first I had seen since Port Fairy except for one fishing boat off Warnambool. After moving over to avoid a large ship overtaking me I contacted Point Lonsdale Light and found that there were three large ships due to exit the bay around the time I planned entering, 0030. Although one of these turned East when I had been told it would turn West and caused me a moment of anxiety I kept well out of their way by entering on Four Fingers West. Once through the Heads I had to make up my mind whether to go to QCYC for a sleep or continue up the Bay. As there was a North wind forecast for Friday I decided to continue to Williamstown. A SWester, at one time up to 18knots, pushed me along and I berthed without incident at 0530. Had a sleep and shower and then made my usual Friday lunch engagement. Thanks to Kerri and her team at the club for tracking me throughout the journey
‘Warrin Bunjil’ moored in Port Fairy, alongside ‘Youth’ www.webstermarine.com.au Familty Owned Since 1971 2 Prominent Sales Offices Over 130 Vessels Listed. Advertising on 3 Major Websites Competitive Brokerage Rates Royal Brighton Yacht Club 253 The Esplanade Brighton (03) 9592 4022 jim@webstermarine.com.au Elan Yacht Dealers 1 King St,Paynesville (03) 5156 6700 sales@webstermarine.com.au Newsletter of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria • June 2007 15
Page 1 and 2: June 2007 Flag Officers Reports Liv
Page 3 and 4: COMMODORE’S REPORT Michael Smith,
Page 5 and 6: Membership Committee Deanne Colledg
Page 7 and 8: hundred metres. Without much breeze
Page 9 and 10: Top: Laurelle just outside Sydney H
Page 11 and 12: Doyle Sailmakers Whether you plan t
Page 13: Single Handed to Port Fairy and ret
Page 17 and 18: Photo: Ewen Bell Newsletter of the
Page 19 and 20: I cannot conclude without reporting
Page 21 and 22: The Black Bottle - A Personal Refle
Page 23 and 24: Tall Ships Victoria Peter Harris Ta
Page 25 and 26: Thanks to John Duffin for his last
Page 27 and 28: Lively Lady returns. David Seaman O
Page 29 and 30: Newsletter of the Royal Yacht Club
Page 31 and 32: And when that’s all in, you may h

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