Women Skipper's Navigator & Radio Operator Race & Return Sprint

The ORCV Women Skippers, Navigators & Radio Operators Race returns in 2025 by popular demand.  The inception of the WSNR race in September 2013, in recognition of the skills and passion of women participating in ocean races and other interclub events in Port Phillip, provided them the opportunity to take up lead roles in a dedicated event to showcase their skills. Initially added to the Winter Series event, as the Geelong to Melbourne (G2M) return race, the WSNR was contested annually to 2019, before the Covid years disrupted sailing. In recent years, the Winter Series return races from Blairgowrie and Geelong now constitute the Novice Return Series (NRS). 

In 2025, the reinstated WSNR is now a stand alone passage event to be run on 26 July with QCYC as the destination club. A revamp of the event, will see two divisions, Racing and Rally, with the latter to recognise the increasing number of women becoming involved with the ORCV with the move of the KISS (Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy) program formally to ORCV Training.  The open Racing Division will attract more experienced sailors whilst the Rally Division will encourage newly graduated KISS alumni, less experienced women or those who prefer cruising. 

An additional opportunity exists for a return race from QCYC to boats’ home clubs on Sunday 27 July to maximise the opportunity for all women to actively participate across a variety of roles.  

The reintroduction of the WSNR in 2025, aligns strongly with the International Women’s Day 2025 theme to @accelerateaction. Initiatives to see more women on the water more often will build a community of passionate skilled women sailors, ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion across clubs and the sport of sailing. 

Celebrating International Women's Day with

Melbourne to Osaka Duo: Fika

An Evening with Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders

Join us for an inspiring event featuring the mother-daughter sailing duo Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders as they prepare for the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race.

Date: 11th March 2025

Time: 6:00 PM

Location: Royal Brighton Yacht Club, 253 Esplanade, Brighton VIC 3186

Price: Free for ORCV and RBYC members, $25 for non-members

Don't miss this opportunity to meet these inspiring sailors and learn about their incredible journey. Book your spot now!  Proudly sponsored by Royal Brighton Yacht Club in conjunction with KISS Alive.

Meet Fika and their boat

Fika, a Najad 1490 built in Sweden in 2001, is the vessel of choice for this remarkable duo. Named after the Swedish concept of savoring life's moments, Fika combines comfort and capability, making it ideal for long offshore races like the 2025 Melbourne Osaka Cup.

Annette Hesselmans, owner and co-skipper of Fika, brings a wealth of experience to this adventure. She completed the 2018 Melbourne Osaka Cup, finishing seventh overall, and has been ORCV's KISS resident navigation expert for the past two years. Annette's company, Paper Sailors Rock, offers sail training, charters, and sailing adventures, embodying her mission to promote inclusion in sailing.

Sophie Snijders, Annette's daughter and co-skipper, has already made waves in the sailing world. She's sailed double-handed around Australia and is currently based in Tasmania, where she's completing her university degree and building a YouTube channel, "Slim and Soph – Sailing Nakama."

Together, Annette and Sophie will form the first mother-daughter crew to compete in the Melbourne Osaka Cup, following in each other's wakes and inspiring women in sailing.
You can follow Annette and Sophie on the website page In Her Ocean Wake www.inheroceanwake.com or the youtube channel Sailing Nakama

An Evening of Inspiration

Our special guest interviewer, ORCV member Kate Hyde, who sails double-handed on Liberator, will guide us through:

• Annette's journey from nursing to founding Paper Sailors Rock
• Sophie's growing passion for offshore racing
• Their experiences in previous races, including the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Melbourne to Osaka
• The story of Fika and its recent upgrades for upcoming challenges
• Their preparation for the 2025 Melbourne Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race

KISS comes ALIVE in 2025

An exciting new chapter for all female keelboat sailors in Victoria is now ALIVE! We welcome you to this central hub, which aims to provide a comprehensive calendar for all female focussed keelboat events for women across Victoria and beyond. Whether training, racing, cruising, volunteering or just chilling, we want to make sure you never miss out on an opportunity to participate. Read more here

An Inspiring Evening with Melbourne to Osaka Female Duo on Fika

Annette Hesselmans and Sophie Snijders

Tuesday, 11^th March, the ORCV along with KISS ALIVE, Melbourne to Osaka Cup and Royal Brighton Yacht Club hosted an unforgettable night celebrating International Women’s Day 2025. The event, featuring the intrepid female mother-daughter sailing duo, Annette and Sophie from Fika, skillfully moderated by Liberator sailor Kate Hyde, drew a packed house of approximately 200 attendees, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

As Fika prepares to set sail again, Annette reflected on her previous Osaka race with a touch of humor and wisdom: "It's a very long way to Japan in a very small boat." Despite the challenges, the duo exudes confidence in their abilities and graciously acknowledged the unwavering support of their partners, Gerry and Simon, who have been instrumental in their preparations and ongoing inspiration.

The evening not only celebrated these remarkable women but also raised over $1,500 to support women in sailing, underlining the event's commitment to #accelerateaction for gender equality in the sport.

Monday 17 March saw four other seasoned female sailors on the start line with Annette and Sophie, Osaka bound amongst 34 co-skippers (18% female), inspiring all women sailors to “be the change we want to see”.

There are some welcome signs of visible change on the horizon around Victorian clubs.

The ORCV has brought the KISS introductory women’s keelboat training under their Training arm with a wait list for 60+ women for the next program. KISS becomes ALIVE in 2025, a strategic platform to connect all Victorian female keelboat sailors through a central hub for collaboration and event promotion so you never miss an event or opportunity to be active, inspired and connected. 

By popular demand, July 26 will see the reboot of the ORCV Women Skippers, Navigators & Radio Operators Phillip passage event from Brighton to Queenscliff with both racing and rallying opportunities available.

RBYC caps off the summer PPWCS series with subsidised “BLiSS Experience” training sessions, fast tracking females to lead roles for the May 4 BLiSS regatta finale.

The iconic AWKR all female crew event hosted by RMYS returns June 7-9 with a following from around Australia and beyond. With the goal of its founders 33 years ago to encourage women to get involved in the sport of sailing, it is still very much at the heart of the regatta.

There has never been a better time to get onboard to #accelerateaction!

To keep up to date with all opportunities visit the KISS ALIVE page.To follow the fika crew and others in the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka race, go here https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2025-melbourne-osaka-cup-double-handed-race To watch the full event go to our youtube channel Celebrating International Womens Day with mother & daughter team Annette & Sophie Snijders on Fika - YouTube or click on the video at the top of this page. Follow us on all social media, both facebook and instagram

From left to right: Interviewer Kate Hyde, Annette Hesselmans, Sophie Snijders, Melissa Warren and Lee Renfree. Photo by Stephen Renfree

Thanks to our wonderful ORCV and KISS Alive volunteers for organising the International Women's Day event. Photo by Stephen Renfree

KISS comes ALIVE in 2025

An exciting new chapter for all female keelboat sailors in Victoria is now ALIVE! We welcome you to this central hub, which aims to provide a comprehensive calendar for all female focussed keelboat events for women across Victoria and beyond. Whether training, racing, cruising, volunteering or just chilling, we want to make sure you never miss out on an opportunity to participate. Read more here.

Beacon Inadvertent Activations – Some Facts

Article Written by Rik Head, January 2025

During the recent ORCV Melbourne to Hobart race there were a small number of inadvertent beacon activations. There would have also been inadvertent activations in both the Launceston and Sydney to Hobart fleets. These avoidable activations do consume available resources both within AMSA and race management.

Since April 2023, 34% of ORCV recorded incidents have been for inadvertent beacon activations, of which nine PLB activations required AMSA to contact ORCV Race Management. The remaining seven activations were for MOB/AISs and AISs. There were no DSC activations recorded

Now is a good time to check your beacon is set up properly and being worn correctly

Some PLBs in use by ORCV crews can inadvertently activate when direct pressure is applied to the protective cover. Take care of how you wear them.

Read the  PLB Tips Guide – AUS-NZ v3 

New Combined Beacons

There are now semi-automatic combination AIS/PLBs available that attach to life jackets. There also now new semi-automatic combination AIS/MOBs available that attach to lifejackets in the same way.

At least one manufacturer uses the same type of housing for both devices, and the activation mechanism is the same.

They can be tricky to set up correctly. They need to be set up so that:

1. it will actually activate when the life jacket inflates
2. it will not accidentally activate
3. the installation will not damage your life jacket bladder

Often inadvertent activations for these devices can be attributed to:

• an incorrect installation process
• the arming slider not being correctly engaged in the 'up' position, and/or There is a youtube installation guide here:

Get a fellow crew member to check you have precisely followed the manufacturer’s instructions and that it will work correctly, or if in doubt get the manufacturer or a life jacket servicing agent to set it up and check it.

Be aware these combined AIS/PLBs or AIS/MOBs can be programmed in one of two ways to send an AIS alarm when activated:

1. all nearby vessels, or
2. only to just one specific vessel

It is recommended you program it to send an alarm all nearby vessels. If you have gone overboard and inflated your life jacket you still need all the help you can get

There is information on manufacturers’ websites on how to set up a combined AIS/PLB

If in doubt contact the manufacturer.

Thank you, Melbourne - Pip Hare 

Pip Hare is so grateful for the support she has been provided by ORCV members and the warm welcome given by the wider Melbourne sailing community after arriving in Melbourne on December 28th that she's running a 'special thank you from Pip' offering to run two separate ticketed events open to all to attend.

Pip has limited time before the boat and she departs for the UK and invites you to come down to Docklands for the upcoming 2 events.  Both events will be ticketed with all profits donated to Pip.

Medallia - off Mornington Yacht Club - Photo Al Dillon

Event 1 - Thursday 9th January – 6 pm  – 7.30 pm,  A Evening with Pip (including a Q&A).

Join Pip Hare for a presentation followed by a Q&A. 

• Please note that this will be a standing event with limited seating. 
• Location – Melbourne City Marina Lounge, Level 1, Suite 120, 439 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008 
• Refreshments are included in the ticket,
• Book here  https://www.trybooking.com/CYCIL    

Event 2 - Sunday 12th January – 12 noon – 4 pm,  Step on board for a guided tour of Medallia.

Small groups, will be invited to step onto Medallia and shown around the IMOCA by Pip herself. 

• Each group will have approximately 15 minutes onboard with Pip on this personalised tour (allowing 1 hour in total for the experience)  
• Select a ticket and timeslot to suit. 
• Medallia is located at Docklands - Melbourne City Marina. Registration Melbourne City Marina Lounge, Level 1, Suite 120, 439 Docklands Drive, Docklands VIC 3008. 
• Places are limited
• Book Here https://www.trybooking.com/CYCIQ  

Enjoy Docklands

Sail around and stay.  Melbourne City Marina invites you to stay overnight.  If you stay for over 3 days, they will give you one complimentary (using the code ‘stay4free’ when booking). Register for an online account to receive a 50% discount (how to take up this offer emailed when registering). 

To Book https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/melbourne-marina-promotions 

About Pip Hare

After being dismasted in the Southern Ocean, over 800 nautical miles from Melbourne, during the 2024 Vendée Globe single-handed (solo) non-stop, unassisted round the world yacht race.  Pip created a jury-rig arrangement (as shown in the top picture) from what components she could salvage and sailed the “Slow Boat to Melbourne”, arriving nearly two weeks later.  The video below shows this extraordinary woman, her courage, seamanship and humility.  A true inspiration for any sailor. 

For those who followed her journey, you will have heard her say:

 "Stand up, sort yourself out and make your situation better every day."

Website: https://www.piphare.com/https://piphareoceanracing.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PipHareOceanRacinghttps://www.youtube.com/@PipHareOceanRacing
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PipHareOceanRacing