Safety is our focus, safety related news articles are shown below.

What is Critical Incident Stress?

Stress is a normal reaction that helps us function at our best. Sailors may, at times, be involved in incidents that put strain on their normal ability to cope. In any incident, the individual’s reaction to the event is what makes the event critical, not the size or type of incident. Even people not at the scene, such as race officials, boat owners, familty and friends may experience reactions if they have a close involvement with the issue or the participants.

Click here for more information, including:

• Common stress reactions
• Why do these reactions occur?
• How long will reactions last?
• Are you coping?
• How can others help?
• Contacts for Further Assistance via ORCV

Acknowledgement of source information provided by Bush Search and Rescue and the St.Gwinear Ski Patrol combined Peer Support Group

Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health

The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health (ACPMH) at the University of Melbourne undertakes world class trauma related research, policy advice, service development and education.

The following Fact Sheets are available on the ACPMH website.

• Trauma: first response and recovery (PDF)
• Helping a friend or family member after a traumatic event (PDF)
• Helping yourself after a traumatic event (PDF)

For further information http://www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au/

ORCV Safety and Training.

Muchas Gracias.

Love your work, team.

Stemming from last weekend's Safety and Sea Survival Course, are the testimonials that appear below. Many thanks to not only these particular souls, but also to the ones who have gone before and not necessarily published. These may be for SSSC, The Ripper Tour, the Weather Course, Shore Crew or just plain old racing. No matter what they're for, The Committee, Staff and zillions of Volunteers say, 'muchas gracias', tou all of you indeed...

Part of the gang from the fourth and last SSSC events for 2011.

And so, to the first testimonial, which is from Peter Cosman.

 I have just completed the ORCV SSSC course amd I wanted to extend a very sincere thank you and well-done to all of the
dedicated ORCV volunteers that contributed to the course delivery.

 I felt that the course content had been very well developed. The experience and valued advice that the course volunteers
provided ensures that the syllabus delivery is always practical, real and lively.

 Thank you again and best wishes to the ORCV for a very successful and engaging Summer of sailing!

 Kind regards

 Peter Cosman

Gordon Buchan, who spends a bit of time on the boat we know as BBB (Gusto)

 Just a quick note to say thank you to you and the instructors and support team that delivered the SSSC on the weekend.
Not sure why I put it off for so long. Hugely worthwhile!!!

 Equipment, rooms, food, pool ... everything just worked and I personally know just how hard it is to make it look easy - so congratulations! 

Kathy Macfarlane is another who just completed the SSSC, but as yet, does not have a ride South at Xmas, which she's keen to do. See her details after her testimonial, in order to contact her.

 Please pass on my thanks to all the ORCV team for the course; I found it really useful... I would even say essential,
for anyone intending on ocean sailng.

I realise the huge effort involved on behalf of the volunteers, so again, thanks for a really well-run event.

A brief history of her sailing experience:

• I'm best described as a converted dinghy sailor from a family of sailors;
• Discovered keelboat sailing again and decided that was a better idea than the Laser for my disused stomach muscles...
• Have been sailing 3-4 times a week since January; anything forward of the mainsheet, mainly Bay sailing, but also a return delivery on Scarlet Runner from Port Lincoln earlier this year, Port Fairy, Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island and Stanley on various boats
• Have done the RYA Day Skipper course and the SSSC this weekend
• I have my own gear, including PLB.

So, if you have the boat and need the crew, then This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Kathy now.

Commodore, Don Fraser, instructing....

So a big thank you to all the people over the last five or so years who have made the time to call, SMS or email in their appreciation for all the events that the ORCV runs. Your efforts are also very much appreciated by the very people you wanted to reach with your praise - Cheers!

Now that you're all qualified, you can go and enter the Heemskirk Eastcoaster HERE

or the 40th Westcoaster, HERE and also,

The oldest ocean race in the land, Launceston is available, HERE

and before you get to the Portsea Pier start line, there's the UK-Halsey Boxing Day Dash, HERE.

ORCV Land also extends on to the ORCV Facebook page, so make sure you go and "Like" the page, now. 268 Souls already have and thank you to all of them.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

ORCV Safety and Training

Last SSSC of 2011.

Well done to all three classes of 20 that completed and passed the fourth and last round for 2011, of the ORCV's famous Safety and Sea Survival Course over the weekend. Good job.

Whilst we're at it, well done too, to both the many volunteer Instructor Assistants and the YA Approved Instructors, along with Training Chariman, Rear Commodore, Neville Rose for their efforts.

Another studious group...

Commodore, Don Fraser, instructing....

Rear Commodore, Neville 'Nifty' Rose, with one of the ORCV's stalwart volunteers, Annie Schaefer.

Now that you're all qualified, you can go and enter the Heemskirk Eastcoaster HERE

or the 40th Westcoaster, HERE and also,

The oldest ocean race in the land, Launceston is available, HERE.

ORCV Land also extends on to the ORCV Facebook page, so make sure you go and "Like" the page, now. 267 Souls already have and thank you to all of them.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

ORCV Safety and Training

Performance Profile.

This is our fifth piece from Andrew Verdon, the Australian Sailing Team (AIS Squad) fitness coordinator. If you're keen to improve, here's a great way to find out what it is you need to work on and the best way to get a result. 

So, another season has passed and a new one is about to begin. You are determined to move up the results table next year at major regattas. What’s the best way to identify what and where you need to spend your time and effort, in order to find the improvement you seek?

Does not matter if you're talking One Design, Div2 or Offshore - Andrew's ideas can help you. Pic courtesy of and © to Teri Dodds.

Performance profiling is a process that assesses the particular skills a competitor deems important to success in their sport and is derived from a well-known 1992 research study by Butler and Hardy. It can be used to identify goals as a focus for self-improvement. As the person involved in the goal setting process, it makes it self-determining, due to their perspective as the central focus, as opposed to a third person or outside party setting the goals. It can be done by a single person (e.g. the bowman wants to improve his skill in reading pressure lines and shifts in light air) or as a whole crew (e.g. heavy air gybe drops)

Why is it used?

1. To develop strategies
2. To increase motivation
3. To monitor changes (improvements) over time

There are three steps in the performance profile process: -

Step One - Explanation

This initial step determines the characteristics that someone determines are important to success in their sport/class or a skill within that sport/class.

Step Two - Development

Here, a list of qualities, skills and characteristics are developed that the person believes are necessary for good performance. The person writes down as many qualities as they can come up with (there’s no limit to how many) and should cover all aspects of performance including:

• Technique
• Physical requirements
• Mental skills
• Personal qualities
• Characteristics

From this exhaustive list, the top ten are selected that are deemed by the competitor to be the most important.

Step Three - Self-rating

The final step is to have the person rate their ability levels for each factor on a scale from one to ten. A chart is then constructed. This graph gives people clear indications of their strengths and weaknesses on the factors they have deemed important.

The positive aspect of this procedure is that the athletes themselves determine the characteristics that are important and what they are lacking in. It can be used as an assessment procedure, as well as an aid to goal setting, a way of monitoring progress and a tool for establishing good communication within team/crews.

After the person has identified the areas that need improving, they then need to put the steps into practise, by learning the necessary skills and techniques to improve them.

I have found this can be a valuable process. As Butler and Hardy identified, there are several benefits from this performance profile that include:

• Highlights strengths and areas to work on
• Clarifies vision and direction
• Highlights discrepancies between current and desired results
• Ability to monitor progress
• Assists in the design of a specific training program that addresses the areas to focus on.

For example, let’s look at an example of a Weekend club sailor (any position on the boat), who sails in a quality fleet and wants to get on the podium. He/she has noticed last season that they get tired in long races, their back gets sore and the crew weight is always a little above the ideal. The athlete in question sails well at club level on their regular Saturday waterway, due to local knowledge, and wants to improve for State and National Championships or do better offshore.

The Top 10 factors he/she identified for success in his/her class, in no particular order, were:

1. Concentration over full days sailing in regattas
2. Determination/persistence
3. Calmness
4. Starting ability
5. Fitness
6. First beat strategy
7. Correct body weight
8. Hiking
9. Upwind speed
10. Weather knowledge

As a table here’s how his/her results would look:

He/she scored themself with four ‘Seven’s or better. So, their focus on what to work on should therefore be the items in which they gave themselves a six or less. Investing some time, effort and money into these areas will give a larger ‘return on investment’, than the other factors.

It needs to be stressed there are no right or wrong answers, a just an honest appraisal of your current feelings. This will help make the process more productive and effective for you.

Text by Andrew Verdon

Dip. Ex Sci

Grad Dip App Sci

Cert IV Fitness

Level One Strength Coach-ASCA

B.Comm

Mobile  0419 690 121

Email 1 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PO Box 1552 Neutral Bay NSW 2089 Australia

Fax: 61 2 9908 4211

Skype andrew.verdon

Suite 3 Rear 19 Young St Neutral Bay NSW 2089 Australia

Entry via: 1 Cooper Lane

Andrew is currently completing his Masters Degree in exercise and has been the Australian Sailing Team (AIS Squad) fitness coordinator since 2003, including the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Sailing Teams. Should you have any questions? Feel free to contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and if you're in Sydney, make an appointment to see him in person.

If you liked this, you can also Andrew's first piece - How fit are you for sailing? There is also Andrew's second piece for you, too - The physical demands of offshore sailing and then the third, - All about hiking. The fourth was Health for Masters.

ORCV Land also extends on to the ORCV Facebook page, so make sure you go and "Like" the page, now. 189 Souls already have and thank you to all of them.

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.