Ocean Racing Club of Victoria sailing and training safety class

by John Curnow on 26 Feb 2011 The ever popular and always sold out Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) Sea Safety and Survival Course has begun, yet again. The February course was designed to help those on the wait list and also ensure that Skippers wanting to head to King Island next month, could have the greatest number of SSSC qualified souls on board.

These pictures were taken by The Brass, as the Saturday February 26 morning session of the whole weekend course began at Melbourne High School's gym and pool. The new, small class size courses have been running since late last year, since being mandated by YA.

Part of the new, small class size SSSC, as the first session of the day gets underway...

ORCV Rear Commodore and YA Offshore Instructor, Neville 'Nifty' Rose presenting to the class. Nifty is also the Chairman of Training Committee. 'We're always keen to do whatever we can to assist our members and increase participation levels, so we slotted in a Feb SSSC', said Nifty. Speaking of participation; 26 boats are off to King Island, thus far. The latest entry was Kevin Robinson and No Fearr.

As Nifty presents, former ORCV Commodore, Noel May, does his best 'The Price is Right' model trick and displays the props to the class.

Jump! As in you can take your pick from rock, with Van Halen or pop, with The Pointer Sisters.

All jokes aside however, there is one thing you cannot pick or choose your way through. That, is the ORCV's long-standing policy on safety! The ORCV consider it prudent to have all of your crew SSSC qualified and updated. Even if the information falls into the 'never deployed in your lifetime' category, it is essential knowledge. The ORCV's, ever-popular and always booked out SSSC was shot by Matt Fahey, during the pool session of the last course, which was conducted in May, 2010. Many thanks for making it so, Matt.

Seems jumping in was infectious... The ORCV's Rear Commodore, Simon Dryden, is the man protecting others from the splash back.

Group One with the ORCV's good pal, De College.

Group Two with ORCV Committee Member Marissa McManus in the mostly dry clothes, in the center...

Group Three - still dry and almost smiling as much as the wet participants... Something in that???????

Robyn 'no project too big' Brooke on the far left of Group Four, which was Donald Fraser's bunch.

Group Five with yet another of our very good pals, Brian McDermott.

ORCV Vice Commodore Donald Fraser taking participants through the use of the heliograph (signaling mirror).

David James (another of the ORCV's good pals) getting the drone Ocean Racing Club of Victoria