Providence Beach

As you can see we're trying a new format for the Compass Rose. Some of the benefits we hope to achieve are:

• It's readable on all kinds of devices, from smaller smartphones up to desktops.
• It allows for more interactive content being online rather than printed.
• More streamlined and quicker production of the newsletter

The drawback is that it doesn't look as good printed as the old "hand-cranked" pdf version. 

Do let us know your feedback. Does this format work for you and are there other improvements we should consider?

Hello fellow Cruisers,

Happy New Year to you all, January flew by, and I hope that many of you have had the opportunity to be out and about on or near the water.

The water temperature has been lovely lately and we are now looking forward to some warmer days too when it seems Summer has decided to arrive.

Since my last column we have had the Cruising Xmas party, which was well attended and fantastically organised by Gill and her Xmas event team, Dot and Glenn. The Harbourview room looked great, and I believe everyone had a wonderful time. There was no lack of food and Santa made an appearance.

Some cruisers have been out and about during the holidays, going both South, North as well as staying around in Port Jackson.
Looking ahead into 2023, the committee is planning for some informative speakers to come along to our monthly meetings as well as an increase in Cruising activities. Cruising together with other clubs around the area is something that we are planning for.

A trip up to Lake Macquarie is well overdue, we are keeping in contact with the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club to get some information on how the channel is looking and if there will be a possibility to have this as a cruising destination this year. At the time of writing this, it is not looking hopeful to get through the channel yet, but we will keep an eye on this.

All our events will be advertised and updated on the MHYC Cruising website, make sure you keep yourself up to date and check the website regularly.

The new restaurant, St Siandra, is getting closer to opening and we are all keen to see what they will have to offer us.

The annual Barefoot ball is happening on the 25th of March, get your ticket, grab your family and friends and come along for a great night on our lovely beach.

Stay safe on and off the Water.

Sanna

Captain Cruising, SV RaRa

1. The cruise ships are back in Sydney Harbour. How far away must you keep from the bow, sides and stern?
   
   
2. What about Sydney Ferries? What is the required clearance from these?
   
   
3. Is it better to use a marine radio, a mobile phone or a satphone in an emergency?
   
   
4. What are the three radio bands authorised for our use on the water?
   
   
5. Do you know the frequencies and transmission modes these bands operate on?
   
   
6. What are the licencing requirements for marine radios?
   
   
7. Final question on radios – what range would you expect from each of the three bands?
   
   
8. On which tack is it best to heave to?
   
   
9. What is a Cunningham Hole and what is it used for?
   
   
10. On your chart you see a marker with the annotation Q(6)+L Fl.15s.
    What sort of marker is this, and what colours would you expect it to be painted?

For a number of years now Jeremy and I have been sailing up to Port Stephens, but have never managed to make it to Broughton Island. This year, with consistent light NNE winds we sailed the 7nm to Esmerelda Cove, intending to stay overnight for NYE. With better anchoring in Coal Shaft Bay, we joined a number of other yachts, most of them cruisers from RPAYC in Pittwater. Absolutely beautiful, crystal clear waters, pristine beaches, and no crowds, we stayed for 4 nights.

Exploring the island from Coal Shaft Bay required climbing a knotted rope up a steep embankment from the beach. Once on top we managed to lose the official walking track and picked our way carefully across avoiding the hundreds of mutton bird holes and watching out for any tiger snakes.  Before we knew it we had reached Providence Beach and with no one else in sight, it felt like we were on our own desert island. 

A delightful way to spend the first few days of 2023. I can highly recommend Broughton Island to anyone who finds themselves up at Port Stephens with light winds coming from a consistent direction. 

Only accessible by boat Broughton Island is located within the boundary of Myall Lakes National Park in the southern part of the Barrington Coast.

Kristin Kool-Clarke ( S/V Kai Rani )

S/V RaRa this year decided to head south to benefit from the forecasted wind conditions which were mainly NE. The goal was Jervis Bay, which we hadn't seen before. On our first day, we left Sydney and had an absolutely fabulous downwind sail to Port Hacking where we stayed the night.

The next morning we headed off in a deep fog and very light winds, motoring the first few hours. Eventually, a breeze filled in and we got sailing again. By the time we reached the entry of Jervis Bay we had a good 20 knots, and we headed towards the northern part of the bay which is best sheltered for the NE winds. There Frank in S/V Bundeena welcomed us and we got our hook set after a couple of attempts. The sand was hard and it took a good while for the anchor to dig deep enough to put some load on it. We enjoyed a few cold beers in the good company, but stayed well clear of the Kraken!

For the next 2 days we stayed at the same beach in Jervis Bay having strong winds (it seems stronger in the Bay than anywhere else along the coast). Another friend, Jan Gardberg with family was also in JB and we met up for dinner on their boat Hirondelle, a nice classic Swan 42.

We knew we needed to be back for New Year's Eve, as our daughter was arriving from Sweden on New Year's Day, so we were trying to time the return with the Southerly change that was forecasted for the 28th. And so we watched the forecast and readings closely and decided that this time we were going to do a night sail, going downwind once the southerly hit. And so, we headed out the Jervis Bay heads around midnight just as the wind changed. Initially, it was quite fine, but then the wind increased to around 30 knots, gusting 37, which was a lot for the RaRa crew in complete darkness. We sailed with a headsail only, which we had to furl a bit after a while, and Niclas was fighting the swell and waves which were really quite something. There was a significant NE swell after the last week of NE winds and the Southerly meeting of that swell caused a very upset sea state. We had a couple of broaches during the night and were quite happy to see the first morning light as we got closer to Shell Harbour. A (wise) decision was quickly made to make a stop in Shell Harbour and have some proper sleep and check on the gear after the wild night.

The next day we motor sailed north in light NE winds and decided to stay for dinner at the Boat Shed in La Perouse, and we made it there just in time. We really enjoyed the dinner at the Boat Shed and we are already planning for a MHYC cruise there soon.

On New Year's Eve we were back in Sydney harbour, and after a rather frantic and unpleasant job of replacing the head (toilet) we finally got to see the famous fireworks from a prime location just west of Bradleys Head.

Odd boat names

There are some odd boat names around... Please let us know what other 'funny' names you've seen!

Downwind without gybing risks

A trick to avoid the hassles of gybing in a narrow channel or similar, a somewhat ugly but efficient and safe solution, is to lower the main to the first reef and then center the boom, creating a baggy main. As per this YouTube clip. 

"Boat shed" coming soon!

Our CEO Mark, is working to free up one of the containers at the back of the club for the use of members to do maintenance work or simply just socialize over a coffee. Think Mens Shed for boaters. 

Access details etc are still to be confirmed but watch this space if you're interested.

3D printing

The pole end for RaRa's whisker pole broke and Gus at the club kindly donated an old slightly worn one as a replacement. It didn't fit the aluminum tube, however, but luckily our son Oliver is very handy with his 3D printer and created a nice fitting for it. So far it works well. 

World Cruisers at MHYC.

We want to encourage more world cruisers to visit MHYC and one example is this Arcona 430 'Loupan', sailed by a Swedish couple, Ulla och Pelle, who have been sailing for the last 7 years and reached Sydney from Sweden via Panama and New Zealand. They stayed a couple of nights at MHYC and appreciated the warm welcome they got.

Mooring dramas

I am very fortunate to have a Maritime mooring about 50 metres from the bottom of my garden with a good view from the house. I can row out to Slac N Off in Digny, the dinghy, without worrying about whether or not the outboard will start, which it frequently doesn't.The dinghy is lowered into the water by my davit, mounted, on the harbour wall.
I am also fortunate to be given frequently sound advice by my sailing companion. In the way of many a sailor I often (usually) ignore the sound advice on account of my supposed greater experience.
So, when Anna says to make sure I leave sufficient room for the mooring buoy, when casting off, so the line doesn't foul the propeller, I mutter something which I hopes she finds acceptable and steam ahead. It has always worked. Except on this occasion, when I was in my usual hurry to catch the Spit Bridge opening. I feel a little tug and worry, momentarily. I think I may have finally run over the mooring, after 6 years of not doing so. However, I look behind me and see the little yellow ball still in place. The tide is slack and there is no wind. I wonder what the noise was.
Next morning. Oh dear, my mooring buoy is absent. Nowhere to be seen. What can I do. I phone Tim, the mooring man, who fortunately, happens to be not too far away and he suggests a fisherman has run over it and cut the line. I readily concur. An hour later, all is well and I am back on my mooring.
Next trip, I return to my mooring. It is a bit windy and I promptly run over it on my first attempt to hook the buoy. The buoy disappears, only to be found taught against the hull. The propeller makes a grinding noise and we all know what that means. Engine off. My first thought is to deploy the anchor. Not so easy as the spinnaker pole has been incorrectly housed on deck, over the anchor roller. I would have to unclip the sail cover and haul the pole up the mast. Not enough time as I am fast approaching the rocks on the western end of Sailors Bay. The second step, which should probably have been the first, was to unfurl the jib. Meanwhile, I phone Tim the mooring man, who asks whether it is me he can see heading towards the rocks towing a dinghy. It is, of course. I was so lucky he was in the immediate vicinity. He motors over and  grabs a tow line just in time and directs me to a vacant mooring. I humbly wait whilst he reattached my mooring body. Two hours later Anna presents me with a large slice of humble pie, which I readily accept. She has been watching with bemusement (and amusement) from above.
All in a day's sailing.
Martyn,
Slac N Off

1. You must keep at least 500 metres from the bow and 30 metres from the sides and stern of any seagoing ship underway. Do not pass between the bow and any escort vessel.
   
   
2. Slightly less – 200 metres from the bow and still 30 metres from the sides and stern of any ferry underway.
   
   
3. There is no straight answer to this – it depends on the situation.
   Generally, marine radios are preferred as any other vessels on the frequency can pick up the signal and assist. If you are in a remote area a satphone may be preferred if there are no nearby vessels. Mobile phones (if in range) are generally the last resort since you can only talk to one receiver.
   
   
4. Private vessels (subject to any licencing requirements) can use the 27MHz band, the VHF band and the authorised MH/HF bands.
   
   
5. 27MHz radios operate on 27MHz (strange about that!) in AM (Amplitude Modulation) double sideband mode.
   VHF operates in the 156 to 161MHz Range, using FM (Frequency Modulation).
   MF/HF uses a wide range of frequencies between 2kHz and 16kHz (sometimes higher) using AM Single Sideband mode.
   
   
6. 27MHz radios do not require licencing. VHF radios do not require a licence for the set but should be operated under the supervision of a licenced operator. MF/HF radios must be licenced to the vessel, and operated by a licenced operator.
   
   
7. Both 27MHz and VHF radios are basically “line of sight” –depending on the set (hand held radios transmit on a lower power setting that installed transceivers) and on the height and quality of the aerial, you can get between 10 miles and 100 miles range.
   MF/HF radios are much more complicated, but you can get up to several thousand miles range in the right conditions.
   
   
8. Starboard – you have right of way
   
   
9. The Cunningham Hole is a short distance above the tack on the mainsail of some yachts. A line passed through this hole can be used to tension up the lower luff of the mainsail, which brings the maximum draft of the sail further forward and improves windward sailing ability.
   
   
10. It is a south cardinal marker. Yellow above and black below.