Huckleberry Wins 71st Bunbury & Return Ocean Race

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Ron Kooy

S&S 34 Huckleberry skippered by Phil Somerville Ryan has won the 71st Bunbury & Return Ocean Race off the coast of Western Australia against a field of 10 other yachts.

Huckleberry entered in Division 2 for the 170Nm race and took first in both YAH and IRC handicaps in that division. She also won the overall race and the Siska Cup for this result. She was the only S&S 34 in the race and was pitted against many faster and highly skilled yachts including a TP42, Dirty Deeds, which took line honours. In the light conditions good tactical decisions by Phil made all the difference.

Results can be viewed here http://sportspage.com.au/yacht_clubs/offshore/offshore/Result_20190222.htm

Congratulations Phil, crew & Huckleberry!!!

Huckleberry rounding the last mark in the 71st Bunbury and Return Ocean Race.

From left – Ray, Jed, Phil, Bill & Cameron enjoy a well deserved rum post race

2019 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Ron Kooy

The 2019 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race will be held on 31 March 2019 at Fremantle Sailing Club.

This is an all S&S34 race held with Commodores of sailing clubs from all over Western Australia skippering S&S34’s competing for the coveted Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy.

If your S&S34 is able to participate please email Ron Kooy at ss34.association@gmail.com to register your expression of interest.

Cockburn Sound Regatta Winners!

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Ron Kooy

The 2018 Cockburn Sound Regatta held at Cruising Yacht Club of WA in Rockingham, WA, Australia saw three S&S34’s, Soon, Huckleberry and Swagman battle it out in a fleet of 40 yachts.

Congratulations to Michael Thorpe and the crew of S&S34, Soon as overall winners of the 2018 CYCWA Annual Cockburn Sound Regatta. Michael is a member of Fremantle Sailing Club.

Phil Somerville Ryan’s Huckleberry won JAM 2 IRC with Andrew and Vera Waldby’s Swagman coming second. Both are members of Royal Perth Yacht Club and regularly sail on the Swan River and offshore.

Melbourne to Osaka – Morning Star Second Across the Line

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Jamie Downs

After 39 days 15 hours 23 minutes and 56 seconds, SS34 Morning Star was second across the finish line in the Melbourne Osaka Cup double handed race on 24 April. Skippered by Jo Breen, 27 and Peter Brooks, 39, both from Tasmania, Morning Star led the staggered start 5,500 nautical mile race until just 250 nautical miles from the finish when the 62ft Judel-Vrolijk 62, Chinese Whisper, passed her on the way to breaking the race record in 21days 12hours 41minutes and 13seconds.

Jo & Peter’s efforts in maintaining their lead right up to the very end has been a testament to their great sailing ability and a very well set up yacht. They have done a fantastic job averaging 5.6 knots and reaching a top speed of 11 knots during the race.

Morning Star was built in 1984 by Swarbricks and was purchased by Jo in 2016. She is a mark 2 hull and has undergone a complete refit including having a new keel stepped tall rig fitted and changing the wheel steering to a tiller. Careful sail selection has given her an IRC rating of 0.913.

Many of us have been following Morning Star’s progress on the Blue Water Tracks website where progress of all the yachts in the race can be viewed. The race still continues with a large part of the fleet having been delayed by tropical cyclone Iris off Australia’s Queensland coast early in April. A link to the tracker can be found below.

https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2018-osaka-race

The Melbourne to Osaka website is http://melbourneosaka.com/en/home/

2018 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race Results

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Jamie Downs

The 2018 Commodore’s Perpetual Trophy Race was held on the 25^th March at Fremantle Sailing Club. We had 10 S&S34’s present and 12 Commodore’s from various clubs in Western Australia.

The wind was a great 15-20knots and conditions were just right for our yachts up until midway in the race when the wind died and we were all left floating for a while. The breeze kicked in again and we were all away to the finish line. Refreshments and presentations were held after and enjoyed by all.

The final results were,

1^st and Fastest – Perie Banou III – Owner Colin Sanders and Commodore Danny O’Byrne from East Fremantle Sailing Club

2^nd Morning Tide – Owner Jim Putt and Commodore Graeme Cole from Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club

3^rd Seashell – Owner Dave Mitchell and Commanding Officer Brian Delamont from HMAS Stirling, Fleet Base West.

S&S 34 Olbia wins Transatlantic OSTAR 2017

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Jamie Downs

Congratulations Christian Chalandre

S&S 34 Olbia skippered by owner Christian Chalandre has won the Jester Class in the Singlehanded Transatlantic OSTAR 2017 in a time of 32 days, 14 hours and 9 minutes.

More information about OSTAR here.

Pre-race profile of Olbia here.

Olbia, skippered by Christian Chalandre, has won the OSTAR 2017 (Original Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race, from Plymouth to Newport) in Jester Class. Olbia crossed the finish line on 1 July at 22:09 local time to win the OSTAR Jester class with an elapsed time of 32d 14h 9m and a corrected time of 29d 4h 49m.

Olbia, built in 1971 is one of the original S&S34 yachts, a sister to Morning Cloud that Sir Edward Heath skippered to victory in the 1969 Sydney to Hobart race.

Photo by Paul Gibbins facebook.com/pg/paulgibbinsphotography/

Photo by Paul Gibbins facebook.com/pg/paulgibbinsphotography/

October 28 saw the prize giving ceremony for the winners of the OSTAR and TWOSTAR races. The races started on 29 May and the last yacht completed the race on 3 July.

The first OSTAR Race was run in 1960 and won by Sir Frances Chichester in Gypsy Moth III. The race is run every 3 years by the Royal Western Yacht Club based in Plymouth, UK. There are two divisions for the race, Gypsy Moth Class for boats with an IRC handicap of greater than 1 and Jester Class for those yachts with an IRC of less than 1.

This year’s race was one of the most challenging on record. In the early hours of Friday 9th June, 60 knot winds and 15 metre seas were experienced by competitors, caused by a very low depression (967 mb). These extreme conditions caused damage to many boats with 3 emergency beacons (EPIRB) triggered. The Canadian coastguard in Halifax immediately reacted to the situation sending ships and air support to all the boats in distress. Of the 7 Yachts in Jester class only two remained, Olbia and Solent 1. Olbia was knocked down 3 times during the storm but only sustained minor damage – a testament to the seaworthiness of the S&S 34.

Congratulations to Christian Chalandre for a exceptional feat!!

3 days with just storm mainsail with or without storm jib, with 40, 45, 50, or 55 knots !

9th June 2017. Day 12 of the race. Severe depression of 964 millibars decimates the Jester fleet.

Tamarind suffers heavy damage. Skipper abandons her and is rescued by Queen Mary II
Harmonii has problems with the mainsail, retires and makes her way to the Azores.
Suomi Kudu abandons the race with significant problems and returns to England.
Happy is dismasted. Crew abandons ship. Both crew rescued by ocean going tug APL Forward.
Zest abandons the race due to problems with motor and autopilot.
Summerbird has problems, retires and heads towards Horta.
Olbia is knocked down three times just northwest of the depression, in a crossed sea.

Summerbird, Zest, Solent 1 and Olbia remained in the north.

Only Solent 1 and Olbia remained in the Jester class and 7 boats in the Gypsy Moth class.

Retirements: PiR2, Breizh Cola, Opole, Taylor, Hikari, One and All, Zest, Suomi Kudu, Harmonii, Summerbird.
Abandons: Illumia, Tamarind, Furia, Happy.

Christian Chalandre holding the trophy celebrates with fellow Jester class sailors at 2017 Prizegiving night at Royal Western Yacht Club, Plymouth

S&S 34 Association Christmas Twilight Race

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Jamie Downs

All S&S 34s are invited to the S&S 34 Association Christmas Twilight on 17th December 2017

Held in conjunction with the Royal Perth Yacht Club Christmas Party, the twilight race will follow the usual RPYC twilight instructions shown in the RPYC Red Book except that the start will be at the earlier time of 5pm.

A buffet dinner will be served on the lawn from 6:30pm.

Automatic nomination for visiting boats

Visiting boats wishing to compete in the Twilight Cruise will be entered when they sail in or near the starting area.

Safety

Skippers are reminded to adhere to the RPYC Red Book 2.1.3 safety requirements for twilight cruises

The twilight race shall be conducted under Category 7 of the AS Special Regulations modified as follows. In addition to Category 7 requirements, all boats shall carry the following additional equipment:

2 x Red Hand Held Flares in a waterproof container 2 x Operational Waterproof Torches

At least one of the following means of communication: VHF Radio/Mobile Phone (A VHF radio is preferred due to its all “informed nature” enabling boats in the immediate vicinity to respond immediately)

During Twilights, Channel 77 (VHF) and 0408 919 667 will be manned to cater for an emergency

It is strongly recommended that sailors wear a PFD, (PFD1 or 2) particularly after sunset. Skippers are reminded that they are responsible for their crew

Skippers are reminded to pay particular attention to the maximum number of guests they may carry in accordance with the safety equipment carried on board during Twilights

Overloading is dangerous & illegal

Skippers are reminded of their responsibility with respect to the consumption of alcohol

It is strongly recommended that skippers carry out a safety briefing prior to leaving the pen and carry out regular “Man Over-Board” drills

2017-2018 S&S34 Association Swan River Racing Series

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Jamie Downs

Perth, Western Australia

Are you available to race in the S&S34 Swan River Series?

The S&S34 Association Swan River Racing Series is based around the 3 combined SoPYC, RFBYC & RPYC Division 2 races during the 2017-2018 Summer Sailing Season.

This is an opportunity for the S&S34’s to get together and race, as well as being combined with similar boats in Division 2.

We have the same start, course and finish to Division 2, and we compete for the club based, combined results and series results, and then on top of all of that the S&S34 Association run our own handicaps and results (separately calculated & announced via email).

Here are the dates for the S&S34 Association Swan River Racing Series

Saturday 2nd December 2017 – South of Perth Yacht Club
Saturday 20th January 2018 – Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club
Saturday 10th March 2018 – Royal Perth Yacht Club

If you are interested, please let Andrew Walby know as soon as possible so that we can inform the yacht club. Andrew will organise the distribution of the handicaps and SI’s. His email is Andrew.Walby@swagmansailing.com

It is always a great opportunity to catch up with other owners at the yacht club running the race, so please join us after the race.

Swan River Retro Series 2017-2018

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Jamie Downs

Ahoy ! ~ Swan River Retro Yacht Sailors, Yachties and Vintage Yacht Enthusiasts

THE 9th SWAN RIVER RETRO YACHT SERIES 2017–2018 BEGINS 22nd OCTOBER 2017.

We are looking forward to a fabulous summer of classic yacht sailing and camaraderie from all the yacht clubs of the Swan and ‘Beyond’.

This years event will be hosted by Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.

Link here to the event website.

We look forward to receive your entry and welcoming you on the water this summer enjoying the 9th Swan River Retro Yacht Series on our wonderful waters with camaraderie and friendship at the completion of the days sailing.

Note from the SRRYS – Race Officer:
“Before the Start signal, entrants shall hail their sail number in close proximity to the Start Boat”. This would minimise the possibility of the Start Team missing a starter on the record sheets.”

If you have any questions or require more detail please contact myself or Sharon Skinner @ RFBYC. sailadmin@rfbyc.asn.au
and website: www.rfbyc.asn.au

Best regards,
Manfred Speicher

SRRYS Coordinator RFBYC
BACCHANTE RF 1939

Mobile 0416018407