MHYC 2023-2024 Sailing Program Preview
Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s 2023-2024 Sailing Program has taken shape following discussions with yacht owners and the other harbour clubs. With the aim of maintaining an active racing program which appeals to a variety of interests, a number of new initiatives are being introduced.
Saturday Sailing
The Sydney Harbour Combined Clubs Inshore Series will again include seven races between September and March, providing great racing with yachts from all around the harbour. It is intended to increase the number of races in this series for 2024-2025.
A new initiative of MHYC, the Sydney Harbour Sprint Series is aimed at attracting entries from other clubs while providing an exciting format for club boats. Three windward-leeward races are scheduled for each race day with Spring Series racing planned in October, November and December and Winter Series racing set for May, June and July. Starts will be provided for Divisions 1, 2 & 3 with One Design results extracted for classes with four or more entries.
The club’s fun and popular Feature Events program has been increased to eleven races for the coming season with an event every month except August. New events include a Picnic Race in February and Autumn Sail in May. Four of the Feature Events will make up the Two-Handed Series.
MHYC’s 2023-2024 Inshore Pointscore Series will include races from the Combined Clubs Inshore Series and the Sydney Harbour Sprint Series – Spring, along with three Feature Events and two Inshore Races. All races will be scored on ORC, IRC and PHS for Divisions 1, 2 & 3.
Wednesday
The Pacific Rigging Wednesday Non-Spinnaker Pursuit remains a very popular activity at MHYC. Fifty-one races are scheduled across the four series for next season.
Thursday
The Flagstaff Marine Thursday Twilight Non-Spinnaker Pursuit Series will include twenty-five pointscore races next season. There will be a non-pointscore on September 28 followed by eleven races in the Pre-Christmas Series and fourteen races in the Post-Christmas Series. Six of these races will comprise the Smithy’s Waterproofing Women’s Twilight Series. A series of Theme Nights are also planned with special food offerings and prizes. One important change to the Thursday Twilights is that starts and finishes will be on the water in Hunters Bay, Balmoral, to avoid congestion within the Spit Channel.
Friday
New in 2023-2024 is the Friday Twilight Fleet Racing Series. Fleet starts in the vicinity of Grotto Point will be provided for two divisions of yachts using spinnakers and a non-spinnaker or cruising division. Eleven races are scheduled between October and March – mostly every two weeks. The aim is to make this a fun and social end to the working week with a cook-your-own BBQ on the beach following racing.
Regattas
MHYC will again conduct the Nautilus Marine Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship on November 25 & 26, and the Nautilus Marine Sydney Harbour Regatta on March 2 & 3 next year. The club will also deliver a series of MC38 Acts throughout 2023-2024, including one-day and two-day events. The Adams 10 Waitangi Cup (NSW v VIC) will be held in October and NSW Championships in December. Over Easter next year the club will also host an Inclusive Classes Regatta in conjunction with the inaugural NSW Para Sailing Championships.
Sailing Schedule and Race Documents
The Sailing Committee, Divisional Representatives and Sailing Office have been busy over the past couple of months developing the schedule of races and reviewing all the race documentation after the feedback received earlier in the year.
The season schedule, in both PDF and filterable Excel format, is available for members to download and start planning their season - click here
The Season Notice of Race, Schedule and Series Sailing Instructions are published to the Keelboat Racing Noticeboard - click here
The 2023-2024 Sailing Handbook will be available from Reception before the end of August.