From the tiller:

Just a quick message to announce that we will be having a social night with Trivia and dinner on 11 July 2026 for members and friends. Please gather a crew or book for yourselves and join a table on the night.

We had our presentation ceremony on Sunday 24^th May. Congratulations to all awardees and thank you to all the volunteers. 

Please note also at EOFY is now and if you want to make a tax-deductible donation to your club you can do so here:

Tax Deductible donations - Avalon Sailing Club

Also sharing an eBike safety message from Royal Fire Services. 

Helena

Commodore

Dates for Your diary:

Sunday, 21 June Winter Sailing

Saturday, 11 July Trivia Night

Sunday, 19 July Winter Sailing

Sunday, 9 August Club AGM

Sunday, 16 August Winter Sailing

Every Sunday morning F11 and Open Skiff training

Sunday 23 August Beach to Beach Fun Run – need lots of volunteer race marshal=$$ for club

Saturday 29 August Working Bee

Sunday 30 August – Registration day

Sunday 6 September – Season Opening day

Trivia Night

Join us for a night of fun and trivia and fine food.

It's happening at Avalon Sailing club on Saturday 11th July from 6pm to 9pm.

🌟 Avalon Sailing Club - Curry and Trivia Night! 🌟

Gather your crew, friends or neighbours and put your knowledge to the test at our Trivia Night.

🍛 Dinner and dessert – Enjoy delicious Indian curries, dahl and rice with yummy condiments. (includes vegetarian option).

🍷 Drinks available at the bar (no BYO)

🧠 Trivia, Prizes & Fun – Hosted by our wonderful trivia master Pieter de Vries.

Challenge friends, family and fellow members for trivia glory. Whether you are a trivia master or just in it for the food and good company it's set to be a fantastic evening on the waterfront.

Book your tickets and join us for a fun night of great food, friendly competition, and plenty of laughs.

Spaces are limited – reserve your spot today!

Book here:

End of financial year - Help us improve and upgrade the clubhouse

During almost 70 years since the clubhouse was built there have been numerous individual projects to improve the facility but not much attention has been paid to the fabric of the clubhouse itself.

This project aims to address that by installing a new front entry door, upgrade the boat shed doors and security locks, create a new door and refurbish existing doors to the verandah, repair external wall panels and paint surfaces as required.

Your donation will make a difference

Your donation will:

• Help purchase the necessary items.
• Ensure the ongoing success of the Club.
• Enable the clubhouse to meet expectations of future generations.

We have set a goal of $25,000 to be raised. This will cover the purchase of the hardware and materials which will be installed by volunteers from the Club. 

Tax Deductible donations - Avalon Sailing Club

Presentation day - 24 May 

Commodores address:

Sailing looks like a solo sport when you are sat in a single-hander, making your own decisions, trimming your own sail, choosing whether to tack or hold, blaming yourself for the start you got wrong and quietly wondering where boat that just rolled over the top of you came from, but the truth is that most of us are only able to go sailing because a whole group of people have made it possible before we even push the dolly down the ramp.

That is true at nearly every sailing club, where the sport has always depended on volunteers who give their time quietly and consistently, often when they would rather be sailing themselves, so that the rest of us can race, train, improve, get frustrated, learn something, come ashore with an excuse, and then go back out next week believing we have finally worked it all out.

We call it single-handed sailing because there is one person in the boat, but club sailing has never been a one-person sport, and if we want good racing, safe water, strong training, regattas that visitors enjoy, juniors who stay in the sport, adults who feel welcome, and clubs that are still alive in ten years’ time, then we have to be honest enough to admit that none of it happens just because a few keen sailors turn up and rig their boats.

It happens because people step in. So yes, sail hard, but do not forget that every lap you sail sits on top of somebody else’s time, effort and goodwill.

Sailing is a team sport, even when you are the only person in the boat, and the best clubs are not built by the people who simply turn up, race, have a drink and leave, they are built by the people who understand that if you want a club worth sailing at, you have to be part of the team that keeps it going. (Adapted from Dom Barnes, Sail Coach UK)

Before I go onto awarding the three subjective club trophies, I just wanted to give an honourable mention to two people:

Chris Wyton joined us in September 2021 as a trainee response crew and for the last couple of  seasons he has overseen the response crews, scheduling and training others to support our on water activities, laying courses and driving tenders as well as Race management for club racing and regattas. He is handing over the baton to Jeremy Coulston Jones and I want to take this opportunity and acknowledge his outstanding contribution to the club and hope we can continue to call on you from time to time. 

Martin Cooper’s grandchildren Wolfe and Jack have been sailing with us for two seasons and Martin has stepped up to assist with race control at the Spiral regatta, parking marshalling at the Off the beach regatta and volunteering at the Beach to Beach fun run to help raise funds for the club. He read in the Jibsheet this week that we were going to replace our AED (defibrillators) and offered to buy them for us. 

Club Trophy

Someone who is particularly helpful to the club but also ‘fun’ (or a bit of a larrikin) to be around

Kingsley Forbes Smith  We always look to Kingsley for mentoring our instructors and keeping us all safe out on the water. This year Kingsley has also overseen the Pittwater Off the beach regatta and organised the purchase of our Puffin Pacer on a trailer. 

Helping Hand Trophy

Awarded to a Person who has put in a lot of effort in helping the club 

We have members who see things that need to be done and step forward, either because it’s something they enjoy doing or it’s something they are good at or none of the above… simply cause it needs doing. 

This year I have chosen James George for this award for his role on the committee as secretary which involves all manner of registrations and risk management and governance issues and also being present as a volunteer to help cook stuff and regularly taking our recycling to the return and earn scheme.  

Ryves Shield

The clubs highest award for outstanding contribution to the club

Tony Cockle

Tony joined ASC in 2022 to introduce his kids Marcus, Seb, Rafael and Otto to sailing. 

Tony himself registered to sail a Laser with us in the 24/25 season and has recently joined the Aero fleet. He has also sailed with Morgan Shipp winning the Woody Pt series in a J24 - Only a Journey.  

In the 2023/24 season he became our club captain and in that role he has inspired many families to take up sailing and join him in taking their kids to regattas. 

To that end he built the Open skiff racks after the shed floor refurbishment and a trailer to take half a dozen open skiffs to regattas. He has donated his time, materials and labour to these projects which will benefit the club for years to come. 

Tony has been very active in promoting learn to sail throughout the winter and the results show with our Open Skiff sailors taking home awards in the Green; the Silver and Gold fleets at Open skiff regattas. 

I was very proud to learn that some of the Open Skiff sailors who came to the Pittwater OTB regatta in April came to have a look at what they can learn from us.  

Please join me in thanking Tony for his leadership of the learn to sail program and all the contributions you have made to the club since you and your family joined and acknowledge your outstanding contribution to this club. 

Centreboards Racing Awards by class

Aero

Spring Pointscore - 2nd Hugh Spear, 1st Anja Attrill

Summer Pointscore – 2nd Hugh Spear, 1st Anja Attrill Club Championship - 2nd Hugh Spear, 1 st Anja Attrill

Club Championship – Handicap –2nd Anja Attrill, 1 st Hugh Spear,

Laser

Spring Point Score – 2nd Chris Zonca, 1 st Matthew Lilley

Summer Point Score – 2nd Chris Zonca, 1 st Matthew Lilley

Club Championship Scratch – 2nd Matthew Lilley, 1 st Chris Zonca Club

Championship Handicap – 2nd Chris Zonca, 1 st Matthew Lilley

Moth – no class awards this season as we only have one Moth sailor, Graham Vick who is amazing to have in the fleet.

Open Skiff

Club Championship – 3rd Rafael Cockle 2nd Neve Quinn 1st Seb Cockle

Flying 11

Novice Club Championship Cherub Trophy - Charlie Quinn, Marcus Cockle

Spiral

Spring Pointscore - 3rd Patricia Chan, 2nd Jeff Conly, 1st Nicholas Chan

Summer Pointscore - 3rd Patricia Chan, 2nd Nicholas Chan 1st Jeff Conly

Club Championship - Handicap – 3rd Helena van de Linde, 2nd Patricia Chan, 1st Nicholas Chan Club Championship - Scratch - 3rd Patricia Chan, 2nd Helena van de Linde, 1st Nicholas Chan

Race Trophies Centreboard

Rudder Trophy - Nicholas Chan Spiral Opening Day scratch winner of the largest Centreboard fleet Australia Day Trophy –

Pittwater Regatta Centreboarder from Avalon who sailed well and demonstrate the spirit of Australia day – Charlie Quinn

Holiday Trophy Blue - Kit Moody, Fabian Blenkinship; Red - Tasman Young, Ben Huisman For most enthusiastic sailors in Blue and Red Divisions

Archina Cup - Blue - Isaac Budja and Finn Marcot; Red - Otto Cockle, Arlo Roberts For most improved sailors from Blue and Red Divisions

Phillip Baker Trophy - Charlie Quinn Awarded to an outstanding male sailor for assistance and inspiration to other sailors. Named in honour of Phillip Baker, a keen young club sailor, who was crew on the yacht “Montego Bay” which sank with the loss of all hands during a race off Botany Bay.

Mary Ifould Trophy - Neve Quinn Awarded an outstanding female sailor for assistance and inspiration to other sailors. Presented by Mary Ifould in 1966. Mary for many years sailed her Flying 15 “Trio” out of Avalon in the 60’s and was probably one of Australia’s first women Flying 15 Skippers. Her son was also a member of the Club and her husband Lister was a crew member on the yacht “Struan Marie”, winner of the Hobart race in 1951.

Crews Trophy - Marcus Cockle Awarded to the crew giving the most support to the skipper during the season.

Bellingham Shield – Matt Young Awarded to an outstanding club centreboard sailor for parent for being a good sports person, contributing to the running of the club, inter-club events and good seamanship . Mr. H.G. Bellingham, a vice-president and patron for many years, donated this Shield originally in 1946. A notable winner in 1951/52 was David Forbes, for many years the Club VJ Captain and who has probably represented Australia internationally in world championships and the Olympics (winning a gold medal) more than any other yachtsman. Another winner in 1965/66 was Jim Catts. The Bellingham family, courtesy of Peter Bellingham, presented us with a restored trophy in 1997.

Flying Dutchman Trophy – Young Family Awarded to the most outstanding junior family for services to the club.

Championship Trophy - Charlie Quinn Awarded to a centreboard sailor for outstanding representation of the club at National State and Interclub events. Our first Club trophy presented by Mr. J.G. Vaughan, the founder of Avalon Sailing Club in 1938. The Vaughan boys, Les and Harold started sailing their VJ’s in 1933 off Clareville Beach which inspired the local families to share a jig frame and combine to build a small fleet. By 1937 there were 10 boats built and Mr Vaughan organized, started and finished the fleet on the area in which we now sail. In 1938 he officially formed the Club and donated the handsome silver cup. The first winner in 1939 was Harold Vaughan who became a great character on the Australian sailing scene and wrote many books on sailing. David Forbes was also a recipient as was Jim Catts in 1965.

Head-Ake Trophy – Patricia Chan Awarded to a sailor in gold division who shows commitment and perseverance . Donated by Geoff Carter’s parents. All of Geoff’s boats from Manly Junior onward have been called some form of “Ed-Ake” and most of us know why!

Race Trophies Yachts

Van den Bosch Trophy - Goldfinger - Jan Evans For perseverance in fair weather and foul. Awarded to the yacht competing in the most events during the year, providing it has not been a prize winner in any series (an event is a series trophy race)

Quartet Bowl 3rd Panchax - Stephen Parker, 2nd Kookaburra - Ralf Moller, 1st Just Magic II Chad Leggett,

Avalon Force 8 Cup 3rd Wimmera - Ian Craig, 2nd Kookaburra - Ralf Moller, 1st Force 8 - Peter Gale

Shaz II Trophy Kookaburra - Ralf Moller A scratch trophy for the fastest yacht in the Club. The winner is the yacht with the minimum points from all races in the major trophy series (AS - BWS/KT - RT - QB) when calculated on the basis of scratch results

Two Island Series 3rd - Pirihi Barry Black; 2nd Laura - David Boyd; 1st Kookaburra - Ralf Moller

Retriever Trophy 3rd - Pirihi Barry Black; 2nd Allons-y Vladan Blagojevic; 1st Papillion Gary Timm

Blue Water Shield 1st Papillion Gary Timm, 2nd Pirihi Barry Black; 3rd Kookaburra Ralf Moller

Hurrica Trophy - Papillon Gary Timm

Old Deck Trophy – Winter Series 1st Kama III - David Cunningham, 2nd Force 8 - Peter Gale, 3rd Goldfinger - Jan Evans

Commodores Trophy Kookaburra - Ralph Moller A handicap trophy for the fastest yacht in the Club. The winner is the yacht with the minimum points from all races in the major trophy series (AS - BWS/KT - RT - QB) when calculated on corrected times

Opening Day Trophy Cariad - James George