Rowdy’s Roundup of the 2025 Victorian State Championships
Well, here it is before it all fades into the past.
A few diehards rolled into the Rosebud Yacht Club gates on Friday night, greeted by hot and dry weather. We set up the Hobies and then spent the rest of the balmy evening at the Rosebud Hotel, relaxing in the beer garden, drinking ales, and reminiscing about Hobie adventures while a local musician entertained us on his acoustic guitar.
Saturday morning arrived, and eventually, 23 Hobie Cats were rigged and ready to sail. The forecast predicted light northerly winds, and “light” was an understatement— even Mick Butler would have found it challenging. The ebb tide was stronger than the wind, making Race 1 a battle against the current. Many of us struggled to cross the start line, with the tide dragging us backward faster than we could sail forward. I personally crossed the start line three times before finally rounding the top mark, only to drift to the bottom mark like a satellite floating through space. But in the end, it was all for nothing—most of the fleet either couldn’t reach the weather mark or simply ran out of time. Only three Hobie 16s and one Turbo managed to record a result, while the rest of us ended up with a DNF. That was the end of the sailing session.
It was more comical than frustrating, so we drowned our sorrows with laughter over a fantastic spit roast cooked up by the Rosebud Percell boys.
After dinner, right at 8 p.m., Rowdy kicked off the karaoke evening. As the house lights dimmed and the stage lights lit up the outdoor amphitheater, I expected hesitation from the crowd. But I was wrong—within five minutes, we had a full lineup of rock stars singing classic hits like White Wedding, Roadhouse Blues, Sweet Caroline, Beds Are Burning, Teenage Dirtbag, and Bad Leroy Brown. We had Beatles and Elvis impersonators, a Lady Gaga tribute, and even yours truly belting out American Pie. The list went on, featuring Creedence Clearwater Revival classics and more. Even the barman jumped in for a song!
Sunday morning dawned with more light northerlies. Racing kicked off at 9:30 a.m., with four back-to-back races. The full moon had created a powerful ebb tide, but with our lessons from Saturday, we managed to complete the course. The key was tacking towards the safety of the shallows to counteract the current, overlaying the weather mark by a good 200 meters to compensate for the drift.
After a lunch break, we headed back out for two more races. The first race was set for Hobie Course 1—A mark with an offset, Gate, A mark with an offset, and a downwind finish—but the current was running faster than a flock of wild geese flying south. The race committee made the wise decision to shorten the course at the first Gate, sending us straight to the finish line. Race 2 followed the same pattern. By the end of the day, we had completed six races.
Monday, the final day, greeted us with more light winds. We launched by 9 a.m., but by 9:30 a.m., the breeze had faded to nothing. We sailed back to shore, where Cam and Suzzie ran a coaching session on the beach while we waited for conditions to improve. Unfortunately, the wind never returned, and the regatta was officially declared over.
All in all, it was a fantastic weekend—fun, competitive, and full of learning, both on and off the water. With strong participation and a great spirit among sailors, the Victorian Hobie fleet continues to grow. We’re already looking forward to the next event, with even more boats and more sailors joining in on the action!
