The historic river-port town of Goolwa is located near the mouth of the River Murray. Some 12 kilometres upstream from Goolwa is Clayton Bay on the Murray, near Lake Alexandrina and the Lower Lakes. Within the sailing fraternity, the region is best known for the “Milang to Goolwa Freshwater Classic”, attracting hundreds of trailerable yachts to race in January each year.

On an informal basis, Past Commodore Louise Edwards, along with a number of women, have for some years worked hard to encourage women’s participation at the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (GRYC). Joining SheSails in 2018, plus the formation of a committee, women’s sailing at the Club has gone to another level, culminating in the creation of the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club SheSails Women’s Sailing Program. GRYC Friday twilight racing, with a mixed fleet of some 35 – 40 boats includes a strong fleet of women skippers and women crew competing.

From the 1^st to 3^rd of January 2022 Clayton Bay Boat Club ran a One Design Regatta for Farr 6 trailer sailers and Flying 15’s with registrations from Skippers from various Clubs in SA and a visiting Flying 15 from Tin Can Bay in Qld.

GRYC SheSails was well represented by three woman skippers and crew on their Farr 6’s - “Girlzown” (Tricia Skewes / Jackie Dawson) “It’s a Rule” (Ali Law / Jenny Mifsud) and “2Uley” (Pip Robertson / Andrea Short).

Day one was an open Invitational Race with a mixed fleet of 17 boats, hot light conditions with 10 to 12 knots of breeze and typical of Clayton Bay sailing, a few lulls and gusts thrown in for good measure.

Day two, a cool moderate 12 – 15 knots, building to 18 in the afternoon. The course consisted of a short upwind leg to the top mark, a long tight reach to the wing mark, a broad reach to the third turning mark, repeated, then an upwind-downwind loop to the finish. In effect, two chops and a sausage to the finish.

Day three was another cool day, with building winds 12 to 18 knots shifting and gusting (22 – 25 knots) from the southeast. By consensus it was decided to run the last two races in the series back-to-back giving time for an early pack up for those travelling and avoiding a possible afternoon strong wind blowout. With the wind more in the east, the courses allowed for much longer upwind-downwind legs with a triangle/loop sequence.

Our SheSails visitors enjoyed the atmosphere and camaraderie of the Clayton Bay Boat Club and the Goolwa yachts were a welcome addition to the fleet giving us 9 starters in this division. “2Uley” and “It’s a Rule” gave it their best but over the series “Girlzown” had steady results with a 3^rd in race 1, 2^nd in Race 2, 5^th in race 3 and 3^rd placing in race 4. A good result and congratulations to Skipper Tricia Skewes and Jackie Dawson on “Girlzown” for coming 3^rd overall in the Farr 6 series.

This is the second year Clayton Bay has run this New Year race series and with a Perpetual Trophy the Club has plans for it to continue well into the future. Rumour has it Goolwa SheSails will be there again next year!

Story submitted by Annette Rogers

Past Commodore and member Royal SA Yacht Squadron

Member Clayton Bay Boat Club Inc