CYCA Winter Series 2013 - The winter tradition continues

by Jennifer Crooks on 18 Mar 2013 CYCA Winter Series 2013. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is pleased to advise that the notice of race and online entry for its popular Winter Series, which has been part of the club’s sailing calendar for over 65 years, are now available.

The CYCA Winter Series commences with the traditional Ladies Day and Great Veteran’s Race, followed by 10 pointscore races and concludes with the final Ladies Day race before many of the boats head north in the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and other Queensland regattas.

The Great Veteran’s Race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s annual tribute to those classic Sydney Hobart Yacht race yachts that sailed south in the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s, and early 80’s will be held on Sunday 21 April 2013

The Great Veterans Race is open for entry to yachts that have competed in a Sydney Hobart Race and are over 30 years of age. The race is a non-spinnaker race and is sailed in a competitive but fun atmosphere around the harbour. Entries are now open for eligible veteran yachts to compete for the historic Windward Trophy.

This year, the annual CYCA Parade of Sail and Blessing of the Fleet has been moved to coincide with the first weekend of the Winter Series. Boats that were built or designed prior to 1975 are invited to participate in the Parade. At 10.30am, those participating in the Parade of Sail will assemble at Blackburn Cove, Double Bay for the Blessing of the Fleet by the Royal Australian Navy Chaplain. CYCA members are also welcome to participate in the Blessing of the Fleet.

At 10.50am, the cannon will be fired, from the famous 110 year old 73 foot classic Edwardian Schooner Boomerang, to commence the Review Salute to the CYCA Flag Officers and sail past. The fleet will then sail/motor round Fort Denison before returning to the CYCA.

Parade of Sail entrants will be judged on the water for the Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion Awards, with a best dressed crew award for all boats including spectators.

The Great Veteran’s Race is sailed in conjunction with the opening race of the CYCA Winter Series, a non-pointscore Ladies Day race for the Jill McLay trophy. All entrants in the CYCA Winter Series can participate in the Ladies Day race but must complete a separate online entry.

The CYCA Winter Series pointscore starts on Sunday 28 April with eleven races for ten spinnaker, three non-spinnaker (if sufficient entries are received) and a Sydney 38OD division (if sufficient entries are received). The pointscore series will consist of 10 races, with up to three drops allowed, if all ten races are completed. The race scheduled for Sunday 9 June will be a non-pointscore race. The opening and closing Ladies Day events on 21 April and 14 July do not count towards a yacht’s overall series pointscore.

CYCA Commodore Howard Piggott encouraged yacht owners to participate in this great Winter tradition. 'I would like to encourage owners to enter into this fantastic winter regatta. It is one of the longest ongoing series’ on Sydney Harbour that attracts over 140 boats every week.

The great tradition of The Breakfast Club will continue once again with a band of passionate volunteers that provide crews with a traditional BBQ breakfast before the day’s racing. All proceeds from Breakfast Club sales are used to purchase items for the club house to benefit members such as audio visual equipment. The CYCA Bistro will also be open every Sunday morning to serve breakfast and after-race meals and snacks.

This year, the Sailing Committee has introduced a new requirement that the owner or owner’s representative must attend one of two mandatory CYCA Rules Evenings that will cover the new 2013-2016 Racing Rules of Sailing with presenter Tony Mooney. The rules evenings will be conducted prior to the Winter Series commencing on Wednesday 10th and Tuesday 23rd April. Other crew members are welcome to attend.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia