News

The Main Sheet 26 August

Published Wed 26 Aug 2026

This is your go-to source for everything happening around the Yacht Club.

Our goal is simple: keep you reliably informed while having a bit of fun along the way.

Whether you are looking for upcoming race schedules and social events, you will find them here.

You might also find new segments like:

Upcoming Events - Social, Sailing and around the club
Pass the Mic - Q & A get to know you
Coaches' Corner - sailing tips
New Members - welcome & meet
Galley Gossip - a good laugh over recent happenings

Dive in, enjoy the read, and we will see you at the club soon!

Fri 28th Aug - Friday Night Social @ 6 pm

Fri 4th Sept - Tex-Mex Night BOOK HERE

Early Sept - Membership renewal process commences with an email sent out - more info below

Sun 20th Sept - Somers Yacht Club Annual General Meeting @ 10:30 am - more info below

Meet great people and join our volunteer crew behind the bar. BAR ROSTER HERE

Don't forget, everything is on our website

Morris gang heads north to race

Imagine just shy of 200 yachts, varying lengths from 100-foot maxi to 24-foot trailer sailors; the energy, knowledge and skill from all these sailors in one place was ecstatic.

Hamilton Island race week is a highlight of our sailing year. It has been running for over 4 decades, starting as a passion project by Victorians, and now is Australia's largest offshore sailing regatta. The event is held over seven days with one lay day in the middle. Every day there is one race, around the islands or a passage race. This year there were 14 divisions and 14 different start sequences, with a possibility of two different start lines. The Sailing instructions had 44 different courses that we could sail, and on the morning of the race you were notified of your division course for the day and start area. We were in the trailerable yacht TY division with 21 others. This was the second biggest division. Our normal race was around 15 to 20 nautical miles, and depending on the wind, somewhere from 2 to 4 hours long. Start lines were mostly downwind with the spinnaker up in Dent Passage. With the Hamilton Island airport runway so close to the Yacht Club, we were often restricted to a small area due to planes coming in to land or taking off with our mast heights, making it even more difficult.

Our first three days of Racing were 20 to 25 kn with squalls to 37 kn. Many retirements were seen across all divisions. This year was particularly horrendous for mishaps and breakages, with lots of stories shared back at the marina from the day's challenges. It was daunting sailing in such wild conditions, always on the lookout for gusts, whales and other boats. We had to call emergency tacks a couple of times to dodge humpback whales, mother and calf. One memorable finish, we heard a call over the radio to clear the water for an aeroplane coming in, while we had a whale to our left and a 100-foot maxi, ‘Wild Thing ’, coming across on starboard; along with shifty breeze, it was hectic. A unique radio call from the race officer was that he declared a whale OCS on the start line.

This year we had a full Morris team on board. Simon and I drove the boat up, and the three girls flew in like rockstars. Our first race, a downwind start in 25 kn, one reef, we hoisted the spinnaker. As we exited Dent Passage, a gust hit us and knocked us flat. Only 10 minutes into the first race and we gave the media crew plenty of snapshots. As the photos came out on socials, everyone around the marina knew who we were. Our Somers burgee was flying proudly from our backstay. We were fortunate to not have major damage during the regatta except for lugs pulling out of the mast track due to strong winds and our wind vein disintegrating from the squalls. Plenty of other boats ripped spinnakers, wrapped them around props and rudders, masts came down, a port-starboard incident and two boats overturned. These are not OTB boats that you can easily right. All people were safe, fortunately. Once the breeze eased to just below 20 kn for the last three days, our boat and crew got into the groove; with full sails up, we climbed the ranks in our division and ended up second overall.

Our family accommodation was on board our 7.8 m trailer sailor. The one room is the kitchen, dining room, lounge room, the bedroom and even the bathroom. It was very tight, and we had to be patient with each other in the small space. Fortunately for us, the land social life was excellent. Every morning there was a race briefing, called ‘shoot the breeze ’, with a guest speaker. After racing, there was a free barbecue for all sailors. Every afternoon and evening the main street alongside the marina was pumping with live music and food stalls. An unforgettable island celebration. All sailors on big and small yachts, from all over the world, socialised together enjoying the fun and tall stories from the day.

Sponsors were amazing with coffee, beer and cinnamon scrolls regularly.

I have so much more faith in our Offshore Account and am impressed with how it handled the conditions we put it through.

Cunningly, the trip was a present from the daughters to Simon for his birthday (all expenses paid by Dad!).

It was an unforgettable family holiday.

- Never underestimate where learning to sail can take you! -

Membership Renewals 2026-2027

Your SYC website user name is included in the personalised email verrsion of The Mainsheet.

Membership renewals for the 2026-2027 Sailing Season will commence in September. You will receive an email with details of Fees and the process for renewal at the end of August.

This is a good time to update details for your membership renewal

Do you know your AS number and how to find it? – Look up the Membership menu on the SsYC web page
Has your address or email address changed, or do any personal details need updating?
Have you purchased or sold a boat? – Please provide details
Have you renewed your boat Insurance Policy and do you know your Policy number as it is a requirement this year.
Do your children have personal email addresses that could be included on their membership details to keep them in the loop for youth activities?

If you do not receive the renewal email at the end of August please contact membership@somersyachtclub.com.au

If you hear of anyone who is not receiving their weekly email from the club please contact membership@somersyachtclub.com.au

The Somers Yacht Club Annual General Meeting will be held on

Sunday 20th September 2026 at 10.30 am.

Here is a link to

Notice of AGM

Nomination Form

Please take the time to read these important documents and note that nominations for office bearers close on Wednesday 9th September. Nominations should be emailed to secretary@somersyachtclub.com.au or posted to PO Box 127, Somers VIC 3927

The meeting will be followed by morning tea.

All members are encouraged to attend.

Vale

Rick Bailey

Past Commodore and long-time Sea Rescue coordinator Rick Bailey,

passed away recently in QLD, where he has been living for the last 25 years.

He was originally a catamaran sailor before he moved on to Sea Rescue,

and was Commodore in 2001, when the club roof blew off.

If you have some news or gossip that needs to be shared,

please email:

communications@somersyachtclub.com.au

From Galleys to Galleys

a classic piece of maritime history

The word we use today for a yacht’s kitchen evolved directly from the layout of those ancient and medieval Mediterranean rowed warships.

Originally, the word comes from the Byzantine Greek word galea, which referred to a low, swift type of warship. This evolved into the Old French galie and the Italian galea, which eventually gave us the English word galley to describe the rowed multi-oared vessels used by Dragut and Barbarossa.

Mediterranean warships were narrow, sat incredibly low to the water, and the entire inside “belly” of the hull was crammed full of hundreds of rowing slaves. Because space was incredibly tight and a fire stove was a constant hazard on a wooden ship, there was physically no room deep inside for a brick furnace, and the rising smoke would have suffocated the rowers.

Therefore, the cooking area had to be strictly confined to the open air. Because it was physically located on top of the galley ship; sailors began referring to the cooking space simply as “the galley cook-room” or “the galley fireplace.”

Eventually, the archaic term “cook-room” was dropped entirely, and the galley became the universal maritime term for any kitchen at sea, stretching from 18th-century naval frigates right through to the ultra-modern, high-spec kitchens found on the luxury superyachts your charter clients step aboard today.

https://www.nicholsoncharters.com/from-galleys-to-galleys/

Grace Perry

The Origin Story: How long have you been a part of the crew, and what was the exact moment you realised you had to join and why?

I have been part of the Somers Yacht Club for about 2 or 3 years, becoming a serious member towards the end of 2025. The moment I realised I had to join was the first day of Learn to Sail 2023; it was the first time I sailed, and I realised I loved it.

Oh, that guy: What are you best known for around the club?

Being one of the few girls in the junior fleet.

The Double Life: When you are not hanging out at the club, what secret hobbies or projects consume your time?

Outside of sailing, I like to play footy, hang out with friends, swim and do ballet.

The Highlight Reel: Tell us about one unforgettable, hilarious, or legendary moment you’ve experienced here.

While on the 2026 Nationals open skiff trip in Manly, I had an amazing time not only on the water but also sharing the house with the other families, playing games, watching Sailing GP fails and chilling in the pool. Arthur, Will and I made lots of funny memories and inside jokes like “the British” that I will never forget.

The Time Capsule: Fast forward 5 years—what is the wildest or biggest thing you hope the club achieves?

Sending a youth team to compete overseas.

The Soundtrack: If our club had a theme song, what would it be?

Tubthumping - I get knocked down, but I get up again

The Superpower: If you could bring one fictional character into the club, who would you recruit?

Moana — fearless on the water, great at navigation, and always ready for an adventure.

The MVP: Who is another club member who deserves a shout-out right now, and why?

If I had to pick an MVP for the club, it would be Trish and Marie; they have helped me so much in my time at the club, always encouraging and including me. They also deserve a shout-out for their kindness and the hard work they have done for the sailing youth community.