The Red Witch Yachting Association (Inc.) is an active Class Association which organises a range of activities for its members including invitation races at various clubs, social activities and an annual Australian Championship. This is the most affordable and accessible form of yacht racing and is very definitely not elitist! There are a wide range of abilities (some of the crews and helms have only 1 or 2 season's experience) and most that take part just enjoy being out on the water. There are those that take the racing just a little bit more seriously so if that's you then you'll also be in good company. If you are interested in learning to sail or have always wanted to own a boat, you are now reading the right web page. You may already have a Red Witch and are interested in joining in with some of the Association events, you will always be welcome to join (click here for membership form) our fleet. Welcome and thanks to our sponsors

7th April 2009 The last Swan River Series race for the 08-09 season is on Saturday the 18th April at South of Perth Yacht Club. Lets see if we can get more than 20 boats out!! Contact Jeff Claflin for sailing instructions and late nomination for the Series. Note: Boats competing must be Association members. All are welcome to stay for dinner afterwards, no booking required.

1st April 2009 Good News! the class rules have now been changed and all red witches must now retrofit a Canting keel. The good news is that the Association will subsidise the modifications to all members boats. Be sure to join now and not be left out in the cold. (Psst .... check the date of this item - had two 'fools' so far!!)

29th march 2009 The cruise-in-company on Saturday was excellent. More so because it was eventful. Bit of a late start as we waited for a couple of new sailors who weren't aware how sailors, more so than others perhaps, tend to be punctual, part of that awareness of tide and winds that becomes second nature I expect.

Five boats participated: Calypso, Witchful Thinking, Avalon, Witchy Poo and Pure Magic. Sean took Todd Bennet on board (and now Todd wants to crew regularly, can you believe it!). Avalon took Roger and Patty Makins (Roger and Patty will likely buy Tokalosh (means evil witch/troll or some such in Zulu) and Roger got to helm a lot, right through racing fleets usually on a port tack!). Calypso had Mel, Kira and Courtney. Witchful Thinking had Di and Marg and thankfully Mary (my wife) who was introduced to sailing in a much less stressful way than if she had been sailing with me (thank you!). I was blessed with only two 11 year old boys Aaron and Josh Bennet. So we set sail at 12.45 to 13.00 for Freshwater Bay. Winds were nominally 15 knots from the SW, which required a couple of beats to get to Freshie Bay. Avalon liked reaches and probably sailed twice the distance of any other boat. By the time Avalon and Pure Magic arrived the others were already done with their food and well into their liquid lunch. We caught up rapidly. At about 16.40 we agreed to break up and sail back. Well the Freo Doctor figured we needed a bit of a push and with everyone on the wrong boats the wind pushed the raft off the mooring. We scrambled to our own boats (not everyone made it) and did our best not to sail into other moored boats. Within minutes we were all on our way back. Reaching/running home in > 20 knots was great fun. Lots of surfing ! Then back into the bar, a lovely day.
Jeff Claflin - El Presidente

23rd march 2009 The John Maxfield Match Racing Regatta was held last Sunday the 22nd of March. Four Red Witches entered the normally H28 event - Morgana from the Canning Scouts, Dale 2 from Claremont YC, Calypso and Classic Witch from SoPYC.

The forecast was for a 7-10 knot ESE but the fleet would have been lucky to see 5 knots breeze.

The first heat saw Classic Witch take on Calypso, after losing speed in the dying breeze Classic Witch failed to make it into the H within the two allotted minutes with Calypso doing a good job of defending the start line. Classic Witch was awarded a penalty and eventually got across the start and was forced to hunt Calypso in an effort to absolve their penalty. Classic Witch assaulted Calypso and placed a penalty back on them but not before CW got another infringement for not keeping clear, (boat ahead, boat astern) Calypso was off the line with a very healthy start and CW was forced to take their penalty turns before proceeding, CW found some good pressure on the beat to the leeward mark and nearly caught Calypso but not before they (Calypso) could hoist their spinnakers and sail on to win the round.

The second heat saw Dale 2 vs. Morgana. Both had a good entry into the H and were off the start line without penalties, Dale 2 had a better beat to the leeward mark and hoisted spinnakers to an easy victory in the dying breeze.

The third race was CW vs. Morgana. CW hunted Morgana in the prestart, Morgana did well to avoid a penalty, with 1 minute to the start CW tacked onto starboard and made a dash for the line, they were very early and were forced to gybe under Morgana who was steaming for the line at full speed, Morgana timed it perfectly and lead by a country mile at the start, CW found better pressure on the right hand side of the course and hooked into a shift that took them all the way to the leeward mark, spinnakers were raised and CW went on to win the round.

The fourth Race was between Calypso and Dale 2, Both had a slight tussle in the prestart but both got off the line without incident, it was pretty even up the beat but CalypsoÜs experience was better at picking the shifts and sailed on to win the race. Two more races were scheduled but were abandoned for lack of wind. Results are:
Calypso: 2-0
Classic Witch:1-1
Dale 2:1-1
Morgana:0

Anyone interested in future match racing events please contact Aaron Pederson (Classic Witch).

3rd March 2009 Congratulations to Hydrowitch from Claremont YC for winning the 34th Championships. Second place went to Unfinished Business from Royal Perth YC, and third to Swan Witch from South of Perth YC. Fourteen Red Witches competed in ten races held over three days in a variety of testing weather conditions from light to heavy winds. See the results page for all the details.

19th February 2009 Only one week to go for the 34th Red Witch Championships to be held at the South of Perth Yacht Club over the Labour Day long weekend Saturday 28th February - Monday 2nd March 2009. All Red Witch Association members are invited to participate in this Association event.