Well firstly getting there. Last year we had two boats out of Port Hacking meet up with three boats from Botany Bay and sailed up in convoy - it was a great sight seeing the group in their element.
Arrival - Vaucluse Yacht Club can normally turn up about 4 moorings that we try to allocate to "foreign" boats sailing in. Car parking is available on the street but you may have a walk. Bus is available and the Ferry wharf is a 300 metre walk. Entry is via the public swimming pool next to the club. There is a short drawbridge, Dinghies may be tied to the Club's walkway alongside the pool. NOTE there is shoal off the Club and C28/C29 should not move closer to shore alongside the walkway, closer than 1 boat length. People may start moving around the Club 4.30 to 5 but will definitely be open by 6
Drinks are BYO or from the VYC members supply. Bring you own nibblies, salads, steaks etc.
The Club has a commercial kitchen, crockery, cutlery and dishwasher.
There is an entry/registration table which will be obvious to register and get your Lucky door prize ticket.
People will get hungry about 7 and light up BBQ's after having watched the sunset and socialised.
About 8.30 we will have some official welcomes and decide who gets what prizes.
The party will wind down about 10ish and the diehards should be in their bunks by midnight
Activity will start to pick up about 9am and I will let people into the showers/toilets ashore early.
From 10am boats will start arriving and some making last minute entries.
Start is 11am. The start line will be wide and probably off the wind to make it easier/safer for people not used to racing. The will be 2 Courses - our preference is the course up to Manly - Nielsen Park and Chowder. If there is a strong southerly we will be via Shark - Clark - Obelisk. For the serious ones it will be a race for the rest of us it will be our once-a-year jolly.
We will meet up back at VYC about 1pm for a BYO lunch (Pies may be ordered before the race) and a tender service will be run. This year we will be out of sync with the 5.5s and moorings will be tighter. Presentations will be about 2pm and those heading off for the Raft-Up will depart about 3pm for a 4.30 Spit Bridge opening.
The Raft-up will be in Sugarloaf Bay. Some bunny (probably me) will drop anchor in the best suitable spot. All yachts will have fenders, springs and breast lines rigged to PORT. A single sternline will be run ashore to a tree. Boats will come alongside make themselves off then help the next boat. Then we will row out probably every second anchor.
Time to party, mix and merge generally stepping through shrouds and over cabin roofs.
Boats leaving early, can slide forward out of the raft leaving the boats on either beam joined with a sternline. Sugarloaf is a beautiful spot so don't be in a hurry to leave.
(Don't print the map below. I'll improve it to smaller/clearer PDF)
Geoff Raebel