It’s all smooth sailing for Mal

ATasmanian familiar on the Hobart waterfront and also, until last year, the public face locally of the Bureau of Meteorology, is spending the northern hemisphere summer flying the state flag in Tall Ship events that attract the interest of millions of spectators.

Malcolm Riley retired as public relations and media officer with Hobart’s Bureau of Meteorology last year which gave him more time for his role as one of the masters of Tasmania’s sail training vessel Lady Nelson and for his involvement in the International Tall Ships Festivals.

Which is where he is at present keeping in touch with Tall Ship enthusiasts in Tasmania and reminding people that anyone of any age can apply to be part of the festivities.

He said every northern summer Tall Ships from many countries gathered to race between various destinations with up to 100 vessels competing.

At the various destinations the host port organised a five-day festival around the Tall Ships which Mr Riley said attracted huge crowds of spectators.

He said Sail Training International organised both the fleets and the races which included placing race communication officers on board every vessel.

“They monitor the position of competitors as well as passing on vital information to and from the fleet,” he said.

This trip Mr Riley has been a race control officer on board the dutch vessel Wylde Swan for a race from Bermuda to Boston and is preparing to board the impressive German Tall Ship Alexander von Humbolt for a race from Boston to the northern tip of Nova Scotia. He said the Bermuda to Boston event had attracted a huge fleet of 56 vessels.

Most had been open to visitors while in port and included at least two familiar to Hobart, following the bicentennial Tall Ships event, namely the USCG Eagle and Guayas from Ecuador.

“Sailors of any age can apply to be part of a Tall Ship crew by visiting https://www.sailonboard.com/,” Mr Riley said. “And there are also bursaries available for young Australians to help with financial assistance to join races,’’ he said.

Mr Riley is working for Sail Training International as a volunteer race control officer and takes on other roles during port visits. FOUR of the 15 entrants in last weekend’s SB20 mid-winter championship on the Derwent were allwomen crews with many more women crewing on other yachts.

This one-design sports boat is proving an ideal craft for women to sail, skippering with an all-female crew of four or being part of a mixed male and female crew, usually three or four, depending on weight.

The mid-winter championship in- cluded a special trophy for female crews, with Felicity Allison and her crew of Jill Abel, Amelia Catt and Emma Cook, winning the trophy, finishing a creditable eight overall, including third place in race six.

Felicity, vice-commodore of the Sandy Bay Sailing Club, and Jill, a past commodore of the club, began their sailing in International Cadet dinghies as young girls and both are mothers of the recent world champion cadet crew of Sam Abel and Hugo Allison.

Sailing the appropriately-named Cook Your Own Dinner, Felicity finished with a net 34 points, four points ahead of Jo Breen, sailing Fire of Athena. Just four points back was Colleen Darcey, helming Pride of Athena, with all three women skippers planning to contest the SB20 world championship on the Derwent next January.

Colleen was the skipper of Absolut sailed by a Tasmanian crew at the Australian Women’s Keelboat Champion in Melbourne. Jo Breen was also in the crew. SIX Tasmanian sailing clubs and class associations have received grants totalling more than $160,00 from the Tasmanian Fund.

The grants are towards equipment, facility and purchase of junior training dinghies, all to active sailing clubs around the state.

The largest grant is $90,000 to the Port Dalrymple Yacht Club for a jetty and pontoon development at its site at Beauty Point on the Tamar River.

Tasmania’s newest club, St Helens Sailing Squadron, founded only this year, has received $8500 towards involvement in the Stonehaven Cup and running a Discover Sailing program.

Midway Yacht Club has been granted $22,500 for kitchen and serving area upgrade while the Tasmanian District Laser Association has received $5700 towards the purchase of a Laser trailer and storage rack.

Two North-West Coast clubs also received grants from the fund, with the Wynyard Yacht getting $644 to buy to Optimist training dinghies and Burnie Yacht Club $30,000 to replace a rescue/coach boat.