Summer’s Club Marine Series- Foredeck crew up in lights

by Mike Sabey on 12 Oct 2010 Summer's Club Marine Series - Foredeck crew don’t own yachts and work at the opposite end to the owners, but they make the difference between winning major trophies and the also rans.

Throughout this Summer’s Club Marine Series on Port Phillip for keel boats, one hundred plus ‘fore deckies’ sailing in the four divisions will vie on each of the seven race days for prestigious Helly Hansen apparel winners vouchers.

There will be nearly five hundred crew aboard the yachts. Some of the larger 50 footers such as Robert Hanna’s
Shogun from Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and Royal Brighton’s new 66 footer Gusto skippered by Brian Patterson need 12 or more to handle the maze of sails, winches and ropes.

Racing crew are drawn from all walks of life and are aged from teens to the seventies, but one thing is certain they all enjoy having fun on someone else’s boat, but rarely ever receive any of the limelight.

The Club Marine Series features four divisions, led by Division 0 for the fast blue water mainly fifty footer class, which dues to their higher speed sail their own courses and do two heats each day.

Whilst Divisions 1, 2 and 3 will do one race a day over a course set to suit their respective sizes and speeds.

The first race day in the Club Marine Series will be sailed this Saturday 16 October 2010 on waters south of Williamstown and it will be conducted by race officials from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, with Division O starting gun firing at 1155 and the other divisions at 1355 hours.

Club Marine Series at a Glance
16 October 2010 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Royal Yacht Club of Victoria
6 November 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Hobsons Bay Yacht Club
4 December 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron
5 February 2011 1155 and 1355 Hours - – conduced by Royal Brighton Yacht Club
19 February 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Sandringham Yacht Club
5 March 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Keep Cancer at Bay
9 April 1155 and 1355 Hours – conduced by Hobsons Bay Yacht Club

Club Marine Insurance is the naming rights sponsor for the Series which was first staged in 1992. Club Marine is a long term supporter and active participant in the great Australian marine lifestyle, that includes recreational boating and racing.

As the country’s largest provider of pleasure craft insurance, it is also proud that it’s been protecting the insurance needs of Australian boaters for more than 40 years.

www.clubmarineseries.com.au