General Manager - Western Australia Monthly Update January 2024
Australian Sailing is excited to launch the 2024 WA Sailing Summit
All Club and Class Association Flag officers, Presidents, key officials and management are encouraged to attend.
The Sailing Summits bring together Clubs and Classes from across the state and are a great way to engage with the sailing community's decision makers and Australian Sailing.
Hear from industry experts and learn from your peers as they share success stories and best practice ideas that can help develop skills, capacity and further improve your club and class association.
Entry to the 2024 WA Sailing Summit is free however places are limited and registration is required.
When: Saturday 15th June, 0830 for a 0900 start until 1700, followed by an hour of networking.
Where: Royal Perth Yacht Club
Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided.
Please view the Sailing Summit webpage for more information and past years' presentations.
Racing in Fremantle Port Authority Waters
Please forward this information to all relevant people in your club.
A reminder that all clubs hosting offshore events must provide the following information to Fremantle Port Authorities in advance of any offshore event taking place in FPA (Fremantle Ports Authority) waters:
· Organising Authority
· Number of boats and divisions
· Race start and finish times
· Course descriptions/diagrams
· Sailing Instructions
· Race Coordinator and OA contact details
This is in addition to registering your events on the Coast Racing Calendar.
FPA have asked that this information be provided no later than WEDNESDAY for a SATURDAY race. Fremantle Sailing Club have very kindly provided an editable template that you can use to inform FPA of the basic race information – see attached.
Please email to:
HarbourMaster@fremantleports.com.au - Harbour Master and
sebastian.locke@fremantleports.com.au - VTS Manager
At the race briefing, please remind Race Control, volunteers, and competitors of the following:
• Exercise extreme caution when entering shipping channels or approaching commercial vessels; competitors are not to impede the movements of any commercial ships
• Race Coordinator to contact VTS prior to the commencement of the race and check shipping movements
• Race Coordinator to maintain continuous listening watch on VHF channel 12 for any directions given by VTS during the race, and notify competitors via radio of any shipping movements that may affect them
• Race Coordinator to contact VTS upon completion of the race
• All yachts subjected to a complaint reported by Fremantle Ports Authority (FPA) / VTS / Pilots on impeding the safe passage of a commercial vessel will be disqualified by the Race Coordinator without a hearing
• Yachts that damage an FPA or DoT water borne nav aid shall immediately notify Race Control of the time, date and nature of the damage. Any cost associated shall be borne by the owner or person in charge of the boats involved.
Fremantle VTS have kindly offered to host some information sessions so that yacht clubs can gain insight into VTS operations. Details to follow.
Many thanks for your cooperation.
Safety support vessels equipped with lifejackets - allowance
We have just received the above allowance from the Department of Transport, exempting support vessels from the need to carry additional Type 1 (100+) lifejackets for any sailors who may find themselves aboard a support vessel during training or racing activities. Sailors onboard support vessels may wear a Type 3 (50S) lifejacket, such as usually worn for sailing activities.
Please note that under the new Department of Transport Safety Equipment Requirements the crew of support vessels must still CARRY (in protected waters) or WEAR (in unprotected waters if the vessel is less than 4.8m) Type 1 (100+) lifejackets. Australian Sailing strongly recommend WEARING lifejackets at all times when afloat.
You can find more information about the updated Safety Equipment Requirements here: https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/safety-equipment-changes.asp
Link to Instructor Course Calendar 2024
The 2024 Instructor Course Calendar is now live! Check it out HERE
More courses to be added soon. If you don’t see a course that suits you, please fill out an EOI form here
The instructor and coach courses are filling up with participants so be sure to register for one of the courses that best suits your schedule! The schedule of courses can be found HERE.
If none of those courses suit you, we have made a survey for people to register their interest. We can offer instructor courses for Yacht Clubs if they have a pool of sailors ready to undertake the course. We ask that there are at least four participants for the course. The survey can be found by clicking HERE.
Windsurfing Worlds Highlights
Highlights from the Windsurfer Worlds, held at South of Perth Yacht Club.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 |
Aus 9ers Videos – Australian Nationals, Perth
Tom Hodge created the videos for the Aus 9ers, check out Day 4 – Close downwind racing and great feedback from sailors.
We intended to include all sailors, regardless of their position on the water. – Promotes Sailing and the fun of the sport.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
Day 4 | Day 5 |
WA Save the Dates
Sailing Summit: 15th June @ Royal Perth Yacht Club
Training in Focus - Live: 16th June @ Mounts Bay Sailing Club
Zhik Youth Sail Series: 21st - 26th September @ Mounts Bay Sailing Club
State Sailing Awards: 26th September @ Mounts Bay Sailing Club
Fremantle Sailing Club 's RAMP
Check out what Fremantle Sailing Club 's RAMP (women's Racing And Mentorship Program) have been up to recently in this month's newsletter.
Includes an interview with Coach Heidi Bucktin, who recently led her team to victory, scoring 3rd Overall in the Sportsboat Division at Cockburn Sound Regatta. Congratulations!
Keep in touch!
Any questions on the above topics please contact the General Manager - WA, Lawson Dixon at lawson.dixon@sailing.org.au
You can find a fill list of Australian Sailing Contacts – here.