January Newsletter

Welcome to 2024! We would like to thank each and every person who has been involved with RAMP in the past year. We had an enormous year, from winning the 2023 SheSails Australian Sailing Award, placing 3rd at the Women’s Keelboat States, watching our Development Squad continue to grow and improve, building our working group, and having boats regularly entered in the Terry Fisher, FSC Championship Racing and a variety of other regattas.

News

Cockburn Sound Regatta success, with 3rd place Overall in Sportsboat Division

We are enormously proud to announce that our champion skipper Heidi, along with team Miriam, Taleylin, Crossy, Dave, Kirstin, Les, Robyn and Julie have fought their way through some big breeze and close racing to come away with the bronze medal in the Melges 24! Well done to everyone involved - a fantastic result!

RAMP is looking for Sponsors!

With both our on water activities and membership numbers developing quickly, RAMP is ready to expand, and to do this we need support from the community; whether that be through formal sponsorship, donations in kind or even support to help us purchase specific items such as new sails! If you know someone who may be interested, please send us an email with further details, and we will be in touch!

2024 Warren Jones Gala Luncheon tickets now available!

Held on the 2nd of February, followed by an opportunity to watch the Warren Jones finals, Swan River Sailing is hosting their annual Gala Luncheon, with special guest speaker; Australia’s Sail GP star, Nina Curtis.

Curtis is at the forefront of Women’s professional sailing, winning an Olympic medal, finishing 3rd in the Volvo Ocean Race, winning two sail GP titles and has recently been named in the Australian Women’s America’s Cup team.

This is one you don’t want to miss! Click the button below for more info and to purchase tickets.

Find out More!

Member Spotlight

Each month, we will be interviewing a different RAMP member, to get to know all about them, their sailing experience and why they love RAMP. This month we chatted with Heidi, who is part of the Development Squad Coaching Team and also a regular skipper on the Melges.

What is your sailing experience?

I grew up in Mandurah around the water, on boats and started helming when I was 6yo in a Flying Ant with my older sister (it was a character building experience), then racing and coastal cruising on our family yacht. I’ve since raced on a variety of keel boats and dinghies mainly on the foredeck, but also trim and helm. I’ve competed in local regattas, inshore and offshore racing, coastal cruising and blue water sailing.

While the kids were younger and as a family we raced skiff dinghies, sports-boats and enjoyed cruising. I became a sailing instructor and was involved in the junior program. You could find me on a RIB on support duty at almost every regatta and travelled to National and World championships with the kids. One of my most memorable sailing adventures was when my daughter Drina was 4yo & son Kieran 7yo we took six months off work and sailed from Brisbane over the top of Australia back to Mandurah on our cruising yacht Bella.

Why did you join RAMP?

I’m currently without a boat and my kids are more independent doing their own sailing so I was looking to get back on the water, to enjoy racing once more but also looking to be part of and give back to the broader sailing community so the RAMP program was a perfect fit.

What do you love about RAMP?

I love it all! Regularly sailing and the thrill of racing the Melges is just icing on the cake. To have the support of the club, to coach women on the water sailing, the growth mindset and seeking improvement, but also being in the presence of and sailing with these awesome women who are an inspiration. It’s great being part of FSC sailing community and knowing that the club is there for us.

Upcoming Events

Geographe Bay Race Week - LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP!

Date = 3rd - 9th February, 2024

Geographe Bay Race week is Western Australia’s premier yachting regatta, and jam packed with an exciting social schedule! We have access to a trailer, so can move the Melges 24 down for the weekend. We are open to those available for the whole duration, or only a few days.

Racing squad can register interest by sending us an email.

Send us an email

SB20 Development Training Session

Date = Saturday 20th Jan, 2024

The goal of this regular training is to develop your sailing skills in various positions on the boat to a level where you can confidently sail a keelboat without a coach and transition to racing on a Saturday afternoon. This is ideal too for experienced sailors wanting to learn more skippering and other roles.

Head to the Stack App to RSVP.